The Snowgoons, if you missed their first three albums, are a German rap production trio: Det, Illegal and DJ Waxwork. And their music sounds German. The beats are hardcore, tough and militaristic. Most producer-records lack cohesion, but the Snowgoons aren’t trying to prove how versatile they are. They’re interested only in supporting the emcees featured on their songs.
And what a crew they’ve assembled. The Trojan Horse is a who’s who of hardcore underground. On one of the strongest tracks, “Hey Young World,” Snowgoons assembled Heltah Skeltah (of the fantastic, too-often overlooked Bootcamp Clik) and La Coka Nostra (Everlast, Danny Boy, Ill Bill & Slaine). And that’s just one song! You’ll also find Reef (of Lost Cauze), Dilated Peoples, Termanology, Buckshot (of Bootcamp Clik and Black Moon), Ruc (of Bootcamp Click and Heltah Skeltah), Skyzoo, Poison Pen (Chino XL’s DJ), Edo G, and many others.
This isn’t an album for everyone: It’s muscular and relentless, and there’s nothing “pop” about it. Kanye, Hova, T.I., even Lil’ Wayne couldn’t handle these kinds of beats. Snowgoons’ true skill is in picking the right voices for their sounds, and allowing their rappers to take center stage. They’re producers without ego. So, if you’re a fan of any of the guys listed above, you won’t go wrong copping The Trojan Horse.
