The Greatest Wordsmith Ever: Chino XL’s "Prelude to the Mantis" is Exactly What You Wanted
Chino XL - Prelude to the Mantis
Honor Society ✊🏽🎤 Biscuits & Morsels
Writing this isn't easy. There are reviews you write because the music is good, and then there are reviews you write because the person behind the music was a piece of your life. Chino XL, Derek to those who knew him, was a not just one the greatest lyricists to ever exist, he was a personal friend. He was a man of immense warmth, a devoted father, and a soul that felt every vibration of this world with an intensity most people couldn't fathom.
Losing him on July 28, 2024, left a hole in the culture that no amount of "industry hype" can fill. But as I sat with his fourth posthumous release, Prelude to the Mantis, I realized that while the man is gone, the architect remains.
The Pen That Defied Physics
Too often the culture throws around the term "GOAT" like it’s a participation trophy. But with Chino, it was a mathematical fact. He was a member of Mensa for a reason, his brain moved at a velocity that transformed the English language into a weapon of mass destruction.
Chino didn’t just write bars; he wrote Riddles of the Sphinx. His wordsmithing was a masterclass in more ways then most brains can understand.
He Broke The Compound Metaphor.
Chi could link a pop-culture reference from the 1970s to a complex medical condition and a comic book arc in a single four-bar sequence. His breath control on tracks like "Shots Through Ya Vehicle" and "Blood, Sweat and Tears" proves that even thirty years after his debut, Here to Save You All, he could still out-sprint the youngest athletes in the game. This is what made him the greatest. For every "sick" punchline, there was a track like "Blue Bird" or "Loving You" that stripped back the armor to show the battle with depression that he fought every single day.
This album feels like a haunted symphony and it stands as a monumental statement. The entire album is perfection, so go listen but here are just some of the standout mind bending, deeply soulful, and lyrical tracks:
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"Terminally Ill": This is the crown jewel. Seeing Chino trade verses with Tech N9ne, KXNG Crooked, and Rittz over a Statik Selektah beat is a reminder of the company he kept. He didn't just hang with legends; he made legends sharpen their pencils before they dared enter the booth with him.
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"We Just Spit Bars" (feat. Canibus): For the purists, this is the Holy Grail. Two of the most feared pens in history the S.L.I.C.C. brothers dismantling a beat with a technical precision that feels like a lost art. It’s pure, uncut hip-hop.
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"Paradigms": This track kills me. Hearing him rap about being "more than flesh and bones" and how he "won't ever be dead and gone" is a chilling testament to his foresight. He knew his art was his immortality.
Nothing is more quintessential Chino XL than that electric, disorienting moment at the start of a set: the lights go down, the stage remains empty, and the audience begins to scan the front row in confusion. Meanwhile, Derek is already in the building, unseen, lurking at the very back of the venue.
As the legendary, haunting opening of "Nunca" begins to swell, his voice suddenly cuts through the darkness from behind the crowd. He starts the show as a phantom, a lyrical spectre moving through the bodies of people who have no idea they are standing next to one of the greatest poets to ever draw breath. By the time the beat drops and he’s carving his way toward the stage, the hype has reached a fever pitch. He didn't just walk onto a stage; he invaded the space, forcing the audience to turn their heads and realize that in his world, there is nowhere to hide from the brilliance of his pen.
In the world of high-stakes lyricism, the artist is the architect, but the A&R is the one who ensures the foundation is set in solid stone. For Chino XL, that pillar was Matthew Markoff, known to the culture as M80.
To talk about Prelude to the Mantis without mentioning Matthew is to miss a massive part of the story. M80 isn’t just an A&R; he is a veteran "dot connector" with over two decades of experience, moving behind the scenes for icons like Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, DMX, and Rakim. With over 19 million units sold and dozens of Billboard Top 100 albums under his belt, his industry knowledge is encyclopedic, but it’s his heart that truly set him apart in Chino’s life.
Matthew was more than a professional collaborator to Chino; he was a fierce protector of the legacy. Even after Chi’s passing, Matthew has been a vital force in making sure this music reaches the fans with the integrity it deserves.
The Legacy of an Ageless Author
From the mid 90s wars that defined an era to the soulful, cinematic depths of RICANstruction, Chino XL’s career was a 30-year mission to prove that lyrics still matter. He was the "Puerto Rican Superhero," the "Jedi MC," and to me, a brother.
Prelude to the Mantis isn't just a collection of leftovers; it’s a testament to a man who never stopped trying to raise the bar. It’s heavy, it’s heartfelt, and it’s a necessary listen for anyone who claims to love this art form.
Rating: 5/5 Biscuits (A bittersweet masterpiece. Rest in Power, Chi).
Go follow his legacy → @chinoxltribute
Available now at → 1332 Records
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