In a city built on concrete struggle, poetic resilience, and a blueprint of bars, Chicago MC ILL GORDON and producer Uncle JoNH III have joined forces to deliver a project that’s both razor-sharp and soul-rooted. Their long-anticipated collaborative album, “Pens & Needles,” is more than just a release — it’s a surgical strike from two craftsmen who’ve been operating on the low, sharpening their tools for years. The result is an 11-track body of work that bleeds authenticity, patience, and precision.
ILL GORDON, often the lethal feature on past Uncle JoNH tapes, finally takes center stage as the main character. With a voice that cuts through speakers like truth in a quiet room, Gordo delivers bar after bar with conviction, wit, and a quiet storm presence that doesn’t need flash to leave a mark. For those paying attention, this moment has been brewing. And with Uncle JoNH III behind the boards — known for his cinematic production and vintage textures — it was only a matter of time before the two turned a shared vision into an entire world.
From the opening notes, “Pens & Needles” feels intentional. It’s not chasing trends or trying to fit into streaming-friendly templates. This is hip-hop for the heads who value substance over soundbites. The lead single “Light Flex” sets the tone — a track that moves with confidence and grown-man polish, letting listeners know exactly what time it is. The second single, “You Know,” dropped with a visual the same day as the album release, adding a gritty lens to an already ominous anthem. Shot against the raw backdrop of the city that raised them, the video doesn’t need special effects — it leans on presence, pacing, and pressure.
The features on the album read like a cipher in motion. On “Open Mic,” Gordo links with Chicago’s own Vic Spencer for a back-and-forth clinic in rhyme mastery. “Hit The Switch” connects three different eras of the city’s lyricist lineage — Gordo, legendary vet Wish, and new school flame-spitter Easy O’hare — over a JoNH beat that stomps like a trunk-knocking sermon. The project slows down only to reflect deeper, with “Successful” pairing Gordo with fellow Substance Group member Andreaus Haley for a track soaked in melody, memory, and motivation.
What makes “Pens & Needles” so compelling is its refusal to compromise. It doesn’t ask for attention — it commands it. There are no filler tracks, no commercial stunts, no wasted hooks. Just two Chicago artists who know exactly who they are and what they came to deliver. It’s the type of album that reveals more with every listen, where every line has layers and every beat feels pulled from a reel-to-reel archive.
For fans of gritty hip-hop with real storytelling, elevated wordplay, and production that feels both vintage and alive, “Pens & Needles” is a must-listen. It’s the sound of two artists in perfect alignment, cutting through the noise with sharpened steel.
Pens & Needles is out now on all digital platforms.
Follow @ILLGORDO and @UNCLE.JONH3 to tap in
© 2025, Logan. All rights reserved.
