For years, Bandgang Lonnie Bands has been one of the strongest voices in the chaotic, heightened world of Detroit underground rap. Lonnie raps with a prim sort of precision, like he’s charmed by his own cleverness, even though the stuff he’s rapping about is usually some real guttural shit. He writes about small-time crime life with focus and intensity, having fun while talking about topics that are decidedly not fun.

In 2019, Bandgang Lonnie Bands released the compulsively listenable album KOD. He’s put out a lot more music since then, and now he’s reaching outside his hometown’s underground on the new LP Hard 2 Kill, the first album that Lonnie has released since surviving a gunshot wound to the head earlier this year. On the song “Bullet Proof,’ Lonnie raps that the rest of us “ain’t never ate a headshot.” He’s right. I never have.

Hard 2 Kill is stark and clever in equal measures. You can hear him happy to get away with things, as when he raps about moving drugs over a loop from “The Real Slim Shady” on “Where Is Marshall.” He clearly loves rappping: “I be pouring pints with the grim reaper/ In my hood, I’m Michael Jackson, and I’m Justin Bieber.” The album features appearances from out-of-town stars like EST Gee, Young Nudy, and OhGeesy, but Lonnie himself is the real draw. This guy is just a good rapper. Stream Hard 2 Kill below.

Hard 2 Kill is out now on TF Entertainment/Anti Media.