Buffalo emcee/producer Che Noir releasing her 7th EP ahead of the 1-year anniversary of the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced predecessor Noir or Never. Discovering her after 38 Spesh signed Che to TCF Music Group & fully produced her first 3 EPs, her Apollo Brown-produced full-length debut As God Intended & then her self-produced 4th EP After 12 during the 2nd half of 2020 where her potential began to blossom exponentially. She has since followed this up with the sophomore effort Food for Thought as well as The Last Remnants & Noir or Never like I previously mentioned, so I went into The Color Chocolate interested in hearing what is said to be the first of many projects she has this year.

“Peaches & Herb” featuring Ransom starts things off with a soul sample advising to embrace losses since there’s some shit you gotta learn leading into “Junior High” featuring Evidence & Your Old Droog working in some pianos with a crooning vocal flip getting on the same page with one another conceptually. “Greek Scholar” featuring ICECOLDBISHOP starts the 2nd half of The Color Chocolate blending these kicks & snares with synthesizers on a race for money & power prior to “Vanilla Skies” produced by Graymatter rounding out the EP altogether with it’s lone solo cut speaking from the heart over a summery boom bap instrumental.

The Color Chocolate is said to just be the beginning of the world fully knowing Che Noir’s art along with who she is & I’m sure we’re gonna get another project from her soon that I’ll like more, but yeah this’ll hold off just fine until that time comes. The production is a mix of boom bap, soul samples & synthesizers with guests on almost every song that give equally impressive performances as one of the best from Buffalo. Highly looking forward to hearing what the rest of 2024 has in store for her.

Score: 7/10