Showtime Ramon – Goat Skin [LP]

Showtime Ramon’s latest drop, Goat Skin, takes us on a wild ride and hits the ground running with “84 Dan Marino.” The track’s got an ’80s synthwave vibe, mixed with a thumping beat that make you wanna cruise through the city at night in a coke white Ferrari Testarossa. Blue Flamez Ent cooked up a beat that’s both a nod to the past and a step into the future, with chilling synths arpeggios and pounding drums. Ramon’s delivery is sharp and cuts through the noise, loaded with braggy bars that flex Show‘s lyrical muscles without diving too deep. The video, featuring Ramon cruising through the hills and valleys of Cali in a black Porsche with stunning ladies by his side, reinforces his unshakeable confidence.

Another standout cut is “Second 2 None,” where Ramon keeps the fire burning over Session600’s soulful yet trippy beat. The track’s a mix of swirling guitars and haunting pianos, with drums that keep you on your toes. Showtime’s grit & gravel touched voice slices through, delivering a relentless flow of clever rhymes and street-smart punchlines. The chorus hits hard, with Ramon declaring his unmatched status in the game. Meanwhile, “New Jack” takes it back to the basics, a raw freestyle that plays up the young spitter’s hunger and drive. Sypooda’s minimalist production—a spooky string loop over a vibrating bassline—sets the stage for Ramon to go all in. His raspy voice commands attention, with each bar landing like a methodical prizefighter’s blows. This one glides in the same lane as Roc Marci‘s and Planet Asia‘s drumless gems, which is high praise considering how well their “drumless loop” offerings have been received.

In a similar vein, “The Total Package” unfolds with an equally measured and detailed “off-the-top” cadence, its menacing boom-bap rhythm conjuring the grimey alleys and dark corners at the roots of hip-hop. Ramon’s verses, intently laid over stark piano chords and sinister strings, draw him as a strategist in the rap game—a mastermind of his craft. “Rhea Ripley” locks in Showtime Ramon‘s unyielding style, punching hard with aggressive lines that command respect in the same way that the track’s namesake commands the ring. “Rock star, smoke like a hippie/ I’m shootin’ up till the clip is empty/ My bitch pin me, her ass jiggle, like Rhea Ripley” he chants, matching the wrestling phenom’s raw power with his own lyrical force. Dark and gritty, the track layers reversed synths with deep 808 booms and muffled snares – setting a tense, fight-ready scene.

The tune “Hefner” blooms from the same stark and tense soundscape as tracks like “The Total Package” and “Rhea Ripley”, but it also stands out for the way that Show pits some brash bars about opulence and success against producer ProjectPorter‘s orchestral, crime-scene-soundtracking beat. His references to Triple H and Brock Lesnar keep the recurring wrestling references flowing but are often balanced out with rhymes about living it up with bad snow bunnies while cruising down the road to riches.

Wrapping up this rundown of Goat Skin, the tracks “McGradys” and “Spitting In The Moonlight” lean into a denser, moodier vibe. They stand solid and ratchet up th album’s tension with their introspective quality. Despite their somber tones, these joints underscore Showtime Ramon’s versatile artistry; doing their part to serve up a well-rounded album experience.

As an album, Goat Skin delivers that sharp, smart, braggy emceein’ that many Cali rap cats excel at, even if they don’t always get their due. It’s the kind of joint that could’ve easily hosted heavyweights like Del, Curren$y, or Sac-Town’s own Chuuwee. Instead, it stands strong as a solo mission, proving Showtime Ramon’s place in the game.

Connect with Showtime Ramon via the links listed:
( Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Official_Site | Soundcloud | Spotify | Threads | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube )