This is the 20th EP from Dallas, Texas emcee Nowaah the Flood. Breaking out in the summer of 2018 by releasing his first EP Trill Life Mathematiks around the same time as Nas’ 11th album NASIR fully produced by Kanye West, he would go on to drop his last 19 EPs along with The Nowaah & the Dewer’s eponymous debut album and roughly 6 proper full-lengths. Standouts for me personally include the DirtyDiggs-produced Private Stock, the Estee Nack collaborative effort Planted Seeds, The Infallible, the Stu Bangas-produced Respectfully, the Giallo Point-produced Right Over Left & it’s sequel, the DJ D-Styles-produced Crème de la Crème and finally the Kyo Itachi-produced Sudan Samurai Scrolls. However, he & Stu Bangas are celebrating Thanksgiving by laying out Plans of the Diligent.

“On King David” is this hardcore 86 second intro talking about being the one to rumble with & saying fuck the humble shit since others be clockin’ his style whereas “Don’t Get Spooked Now” takes the uncanny boom bap route instrumentally cautioning everyone not to get frightened. “The Criteria” goes for a luxuriously raw vibe altogether likening the EP to 80s dope while “To the Chest” samples a piano to talk about lyrical devastation.

Meanwhile on “Wisdom of the Ages”, we have Nowaah soulfully disses all the false prophets in the game these days just before “The Hellfire”aggressively pays tribute to both 12 O’Clock & the Ol’ Dirty Bastard. “Breaking Day” acknowledges that he’s never taken an L when working with Stu leading into “1 Chance” brings the keys back in the equation to talk about still having his distinct grit. “Keep a Banga on Me” finishes by keeping a heater on him even if he’s locked down in cellblock 3.

Tinted with Biblical references throughout in time for the holiday season in Nowaah the Flood’s inimitable fashion, Stu Bangas provides the antidote to drumless beats & quiet lo-fi sounds for the faithless to find solace in the gritty stories of the streets Nowaah so expertly tells on behalf of those who’re either dead or locked behind bars doing life sentences & unable to tell their own tales as a result of the statutes of limitation not passing yet.

Score: 9/10