Sportn’ Life Records”Unapologetic” isn’t just a token adjective writers use to describe Fatal Lucciauno’s ruthless verbiage on record, it’s a well-earned medallion solidified by the genuine callousness of his steroidal bravado. Nearly five years since the release of his street-savvy debut The Only Forgotten Son, Lucciauno returns with The Message EP, which leads up to his formal sophomore effort Respect (which Gwendolyn has already reviewed here), out the 21st of this month.All eleven tracks on The Message were produced by local/national powerhouse Jake One, and it’s a partnership that sounds as natural as they come. Lucciauno’s butter-smooth voice flows effortlessly over Jake’s bassy, soul-sampled beats, producing highly listenable chapters in his ongoing saga. Tracks like “Drunken poetry” and “Sinner’s Prayer” are a reminder of how culturally conscious he can be, at times echoing the Huey Newton sentiment which graces the album’s intro track. When Lucciauno is at his most open and observant, he is able to use his street-side vantage point most to his advantage, and delivers his most affecting commentary. On the other side of things, he can be down right vicious (“Eat a dick and die slow on chemo” -“Curtains”). He plays both parts well though, and such shifts feel more like a change in mood than multiple personalities.When he’s on his game, Lucciauno is one of the best in the business, and The Message finds him there. There are times–as on The Only Forgotten Son–when he goes too far, and drops cringe-worthy LGBT-insensitive lines, which, rap-character politics aside, still sound too vile to see past. Otherwise, Lucciauno acts as the natural counterpoint to the sea of upbeat product flowing out of most local speakers, turning a mirror on the gruff reality of his environment that isn’t always pleasant to hear about, but one that we shouldn’t forget exists.Listen to The Message for free here.