The Coldest Profession proves once again that nobody builds a beat like DJ Premier. Every chopped horn and velvet-smooth bassline drips with atmosphere, and it’s obvious this couldn’t have been produced by anyone else. Roc Marciano not only meets his impossibly high bar, but relishes it. The two sound like they’re bouncing off each other the whole time as if Premier’s little horn stabs and choir stings are a hype-man punctuating Roc’s bars.

Prayer Hands opens with Roc spitting “Just the tone of my voice made your lady moist” before deliberately leaving space. Rather than rushing or overstuffing syllables, he lets the punchline land giving you the beat to process before rolling into his next flex. This willingness to breathe inside the verse is pure confidence as his flow darts between lightning-fast bursts and sudden pauses. Good To Go rides a dark, moody loop that leans more acerbic, Glory Hole is bouncy and playful, Travel Fox recalls the easy glide of Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, and Execution Style layers Wu-Tang samples and sweeping strings for a reflective ending. Even when Roc Marciano brags the vibe is more suave than threatening. Gangsta rap in style, but closer in sound to a glass of cognac than a pistol whip. Guru’s voice flickers in samples throughout like a spiritual overseer, and the horns, choirs and dusty soul loops bring a kind of meditative depth beneath the surface braggadocio. At just under twenty minutes, The Coldest Profession never misses, and feels like two masters of their craft cutting loose, fully relaxed in each other’s presence. It recalls an era when this kind of sound was hip-hop’s beating heart, with beats that feel both massive and relaxed. Together the duo radiate a smooth confidence that feels timeless rather than nostalgic. Premier doesn’t overload the mix, instead leaving space for the kind of grooves that make you screw up your face, and the EP works as living proof of why his reputation has lasted decades, only ever pairing himself with the right collaborators, with Roc Marciano feeling like a natural fit.