Frank Stoney Is Finally Letting the Artist Out of the Rapper on “H.I.M.”(Review) by NWO Sparrow

Rapid Review for Frank Stoney H.I.M (His Internal Majesty)

Beats - 10/10

Lyrics - 10/10

Concepts- 7/10

Roll-out- 10/10

Replay Value- 10/10

Vibe Check - 10/10

Frank Stoney Is Done Proving He Can Rap. “H.I.M.” Is About Becoming an Artist by NWO Sparrow

Frank Stoney is stepping out of the rapper's bubble and becoming more of an artist with H.I.M. (His Internal Majesty). I sat with this EP for over a month because I have created a professional to almost personal relationship with Stoney, and I didn't want that relationship to cloud my judgment when it came time to give him an honest review. When you know an artist personally or professionally, it becomes even more important to separate the relationship from the music. I wanted to hear this project as a listener first and as a critic second.

After spending real time with H.I.M., I can say this EP is solid. If you are an old fan of Frank Stoney, there is plenty here to appreciate. In a lot of ways, Stoney is entering his Jay-Z Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter era. I'm not saying he sounds like Jay-Z, but I'm talking about the mentality of the music. This feels like a rapper who already knows he can rap and is no longer interested in making every song a demonstration of that ability.

That is one of the most important things about this EP.

H.I.M. is about music and songs, not proving how much Frank Stoney can rap. The melodic tunes and emo feel complete Stoney as an artist, and honestly, they do more for him than aggression ever could. There is a certain freedom that comes with an artist realizing he does not have to stay inside the same box that initially introduced people to him. Stoney has a catalog that already proves he can put bars together. What I'm interested in now is what happens when he allows himself to explore everything else.

And that's where H.I.M. becomes interesting.

1. “Love N Vibe” feat. Supreme Intelligence – 8/10

“Love N Vibe” is a smooth way to open the project. Stoney is on his pure backpack love here, but the record also carries a neo-soul quality that gives it a different texture from what listeners may expect from him. Whether Stoney intended for it to land that way or not, that's what I hear when I listen to the record. The production immediately gives the song a nostalgic feeling. There is something familiar about the instrumentation that makes the record feel like it could have existed in another era while still fitting into what Stoney is doing now. I also like the touch of the screwed ad-lib playing in the background of the production. It's a small detail, but those are the kinds of choices that make a record feel lived in instead of just assembled.

Then Supreme Intelligence comes in and absolutely smokes the record.

He almost owns the second verse. His presence gives “Love N Vibe” another dimension, and instead of simply functioning as a feature, he feels like an actual part of the record's identity. That's important because a great feature should add something that wasn't there before. Supreme does that here.

Kudos to Supreme for the Biggie throwback line as well. It is the type of reference that can easily feel forced if it isn't delivered correctly, but here it fits naturally into the record.

As an opener, “Love N Vibe” does its job. It doesn't come out swinging trying to announce Stoney's lyrical superiority. Instead, it introduces the listener to the atmosphere of H.I.M. and immediately lets us know that this project is going to be more interested in feeling than flexing.

2. “Dead Inside” – 10/10

This is my favorite record on the EP.

“Dead Inside” is Stoney's lane. It's cryptic, emo and melodic, and this is where I think the different sides of Frank Stoney come together the best. There is a vulnerability in the record without it feeling like Stoney is forcing himself to be vulnerable. Stoney has a catalog that proves he can rap. He doesn't need another record simply reminding us of that. “Dead Inside” breaks him away from the common independent artist stigma of constantly trying to prove lyrical ability. Instead, he is carrying a feeling.

That's what makes this record work.

Stoney keeps up with the tempo of the production while carrying a vocal tune that gives the song its own personality. He's not abandoning his identity as a rapper. He's expanding it. There is a difference between an MC trying to sing because singing is popular and an artist understanding that melody can communicate something that straight bars cannot.

This record feels like the latter.

“Dead Inside” is easily one of the best records Stoney has ever produced. More importantly, it gives me a glimpse of what his music can become when he stops worrying about whether every song has to fit inside the traditional definition of what a rapper is supposed to sound like.

This is the record where the evolution feels the clearest.

3. “Wanna Know” – 7/10

“Wanna Know” is catchy, and probably the most catchy-forward record on the EP. Stoney completely flips his approach here from “Love N Vibe,” which is one of the things I appreciate about this project. He isn't trying to make all five records live in the same emotional space.

This is not a sexy drill song, but it is definitely a song about romance and sex. There is a difference. Stoney isn't leaning entirely into the aggressive energy that often comes with drill production. Instead, he's using that sound as a backdrop for something more intimate. That contrast works.

I do think this record had more potential and could have used some additional layers. There are moments where I feel like Stoney has the foundation of something bigger, but the record could have gone further with its arrangement, vocal layers or overall progression. The hook and concept are there, and the catchiness gives it accessibility, but I wanted the song to develop a little more.

Still, this record shows another side of Stoney's versatility.

He's not afraid to make a song that is direct, catchy and centered around attraction. That's part of the reason H.I.M. works as a project. Stoney is allowing himself to explore different versions of himself instead of forcing every record to fit the same mold.

4. “Miles Away” – 10/10

The production, concept and Stoney's delivery work extremely well together here.

“Miles Away” is a vibe from the starting line, especially with the opening line, “put my phone on DND.” That immediately establishes the mindset of the record. There is something about that line that feels simple but relatable. Everybody understands the feeling of wanting to disconnect from everything around them. That's where Stoney is effective here.

He doesn't have to overcomplicate the record. The production creates the atmosphere, the concept gives the song direction and Stoney's delivery keeps everything moving. This is one of those records where the pieces understand each other.

That's important because sometimes an artist can have a great beat and a great concept but the delivery doesn't match. Here, everything feels like it belongs in the same room.

“Miles Away” also contributes to the bigger argument I'm making about H.I.M.. This is not Stoney trying to convince me that he's one of the best rappers alive. This is Stoney trying to make me feel something.

And it works.

5. “Skies” feat. Rmello – 7/10

“Skies” is bold because it's melodic, but it isn't emo. That's one of the things I love about Stoney. He is fearless and confident with his music, and this record is another example of him being willing to step outside the expectations that come with being known primarily as a rapper.

This is a sexy, drill-leaning record, and while I wouldn't say it is the strongest record in terms of the broader picture of the project, it definitely has strong single potential.

The record has an immediate quality that could make it accessible beyond the core Stoney audience. It's melodic enough to be digestible while still maintaining enough of that drill influence to keep it connected to the energy people may expect from him.

Rmello also helps the record.

His presence makes the song easier to digest than if Frank did this record solo. That's not a knock on Stoney. It's actually a compliment to the collaboration because Rmello gives the record another vocal texture and helps balance Stoney's approach.

“Skies” may not be the record that best represents the emotional core of H.I.M., but it is important because it shows that Stoney isn't afraid to experiment with different formulas. Sometimes the artist has to take those swings, even when every swing isn't going to be the biggest one on the project.

The X Files

Play by Play H.I.M. Breakdown

Beats – 10/10

Stoney made great choices with the production throughout this project. Every beat fits the song it is attached to, and more importantly, the production gives Stoney room to become more melodic without completely removing the rapper that his longtime audience already knows.

The beats don't feel like they were selected simply because they sound good individually. They help establish the mood of each record. “Love N Vibe” has that nostalgic neo-soul feel. “Dead Inside” carries the darker, cryptic atmosphere. “Wanna Know” gives us the catchy romantic energy. “Miles Away” creates the feeling of disconnecting from the world, while “Skies” moves toward sexy drill territory.

That variety is a major reason I'm giving the production a 10.

Lyrics – 10/10

Stoney is an artist's artist, and his lyrics and delivery prove that here. The biggest difference is that he isn't using his lyricism as a crutch.

That's important.

A lot of rappers become so attached to proving they can rap that they forget a song has to be more than bars. Stoney understands the writing still has to support the song, but he is also giving melody, emotion, delivery and production space to breathe.

His pen is already established. H.I.M. shows that he can use it in service of different types of records.

Concepts – 7/10

The concepts aren't necessarily new in the grand scheme of music. Melodic records, romantic records, emotional songs and drill-influenced love songs have all existed before.

But originality isn't always about inventing a completely new sound.

Sometimes it is about taking familiar ingredients and making them fit your own identity.

That's what Stoney does well here. Kudos to him for stepping outside the lyric-rap bubble and allowing himself to make music that isn't centered entirely around proving his technical ability. The concepts may not reinvent the wheel, but they help reveal a different side of the artist.

Rollout – 10/10

The rollout adds another layer to the project. Videos and new media have accompanied the music, including content such as Mic Drops, which helps give the EP a life beyond simply uploading five songs to streaming platforms.

That's important for an independent artist.

The music has to have something around it. Stoney understands that the release itself is part of the presentation. The more visual and media components that surround the project, the easier it becomes for listeners to understand the world he is trying to build around H.I.M.

Replay Value – 10/10

This project has strong aura and replay value.

That's one of the biggest compliments I can give an EP because replay value isn't always about having the biggest hook or the loudest record. Sometimes it is about wanting to return to the feeling of the project.

There are enough differences between these five songs that I can revisit the EP without feeling like I'm hearing the same record five times. “Dead Inside” and “Miles Away” are especially strong in this category because they create moods that make you want to go back.

Vibe Check – 10/10

It really is a good song and radio hit.

The vibe is there throughout the project. Stoney's willingness to experiment with melody gives the EP a more accessible quality without making him feel like he's chasing a radio formula.

That balance matters.

The project feels like Stoney making music that he actually wants to make rather than trying to reverse-engineer what he thinks listeners want from him.

Official Music Video – N/A

There isn't an official music video component that I'm grading here, so I won't manufacture a score just to fill the category.

Total Music Score – 9.5/10

H.I.M. (His Internal Majesty) is a strong five-song statement from Frank Stoney, especially because of what it represents in his artistic development. This is not Stoney trying to convince anybody that he can rap. We already know that.

This is Stoney showing that he can make songs.

And there is a difference.

What makes H.I.M. important to me isn't simply that Frank Stoney made five solid songs. It's that he is stepping outside of the rapper's bubble and giving himself permission to be an artist. For years, independent rappers can get trapped in the cycle of constantly proving themselves. Every song becomes another audition for the listener, another opportunity to show how many bars they have, how complicated their rhyme schemes are or how aggressively they can attack a beat. Stoney doesn't need to live there anymore. He has already established that he can rap. What I'm hearing on H.I.M. is somebody becoming more comfortable with the idea that being an artist means knowing when the bars need to lead and when the song needs to lead.

That's why the Jay-Z Vol. 3 comparison makes sense to me. I'm talking about the stage of an artist's career where the hunger to prove technical ability doesn't disappear, but the artist starts understanding that there is a bigger picture. This EP feels like Stoney realizing that his music can breathe outside of the traditional expectations placed on a rapper. The melodic records, the emotional undertones and the moments where he allows the production to carry some of the weight do more for his growth than another five records built entirely around aggression would. “Dead Inside” is the clearest example, but the entire project benefits from that mentality. Stoney is not abandoning who he was. He's adding to it.

I also think that's why sitting with this project for over a month was important for me. Because of my professional relationship with Stoney, I didn't want my personal connection to the artist to become a substitute for an honest opinion about the music. I wanted to give the project enough time to live with me, not just listen to it once, write down a few reactions and call it a review. After sitting with H.I.M., I can confidently say there is something here for the old Stoney fans, but there is also something new being introduced. The rapper is still present, but the artist is starting to take up more space. For me, that is the bigger story.

Frank Stoney is at his most interesting when he stops trying to convince us that Frank Stoney can rap and starts showing us everything else Frank Stoney can be. H.I.M. is about music and songs. It's about melody, mood, vulnerability, romance, atmosphere and knowing when to let a record simply exist. The emo feel doesn't weaken Stoney. It completes him. The melodic side doesn't take anything away from the bars. It gives the bars a larger world to live in. This EP may only be five songs, but it feels like a step toward a more complete version of Frank Stoney. If this is the beginning of his next era, then I'm interested in hearing how far he takes it.