Ruff Ryders MC Quadir Lateef has been hovering on the fringes of notoriety for years. This imposing wordsmith has caught the attention of everybody from DJ Green Lantern to Chuck D to Russell Simmons over the years. While he started as a Spoken Word poet, this artist has developed into a confident MC that can switch between battle bars and conscious verses effortlessly.

Q’s biggest break was getting put down with a rejuvenated Ruff Ryders camp in 2016. This Buffalo, New York lyricist was even given the honor of opening for the Double R Reunion Tour last year. Plus, around the same time, he got the stamp of approval from one of Hip-Hop’s best ears, Statik Selektah. When ShowOff Records’ founder and beat bully passes an upcoming MC a banger, it has come to signal a strong co-sign. This beat became a song titled “The Exorcism” and it features Quadir spazzing out over a simple piano loop and neck-snapping snare. It’s the kind of energetic performance that instantly communicates an artist’s skill and passion, with a very aggressive flow.

DMX Is Mentoring Quadir Lateef. This Ruff Ryders MC Absolutely Stunts On The Mic. (Video)

Fast forward to 2018 and this Ruff Ryder has already dropped back-to-back EPs, The Killmonger Theory and Ugly Face.

The latter project, produced fully by Statik, is anchored by that first track, “The Exorcism.” It also consists of four new cuts and a handful of skits that build the theme. The “ugly face” is defined by Quadir and his homie as those bars or beats that make you scrunch up your face. On the intro, they converse about lines from JAY-Z, Nas, Mysonne, Jadakiss, and Black Thought that make them give that “sucking lemons” look.

The LOX & Statik Selektah Still Make The Kind Of Hip-Hop That 90s Era Fans Love (Video)

On “Slave Hands To Shaved Grams” this rapper from “The Buff” spits his infamous verse from the 16OrBetter show over a droning soundscape. He makes his position on the state of Hip-Hop clear when he ends the cut with: “What the f*ck do I rap for? / Say I need to trap more / Maybe fall through that trap door / Make Black people trapped more / Or talk about a whole lot of sh*t I ain’t do / But if you know Quadir Lateef, you know I stay true!”

Late last year, Statik released 8. It features Royce 5’9, Run The Jewels, and posthumous verses from Sean Price and Prodigy.