Ovrkast. Keeps the Iron Hot with STRIKING

Coming out of Oakland, Ovrkast. is an MC that’s been putting in work and grinding his way into the spotlight. Both an MC and producer, Ovrkast. has dropped solo work like 2025’s While The Iron Is Hot, and gotten beat placements with the likes of Drake on FATD, Scary Hours & Iceman with “Make Them Pay.” Recently he’s been thrust into the spotlight over legalities, but I’m here focused on all I care about at the end of the day: the music. I’m talking about his latest album, STRIKING.

There’s this somber sound that permeates STRIKING and much of Ovrkast.’s music. “Static” with Joey Bada$$ & Nali has Ovrkast. explaining it himself: “I’m mostly past rapping ’bout scars and backlashes, but this shit on my heartache won’t be far if I don’t thrash it.” “PANE” is a song that I really like, with one minor flaw for my tastes. I don’t love when a nursery-rhyme flow comes into play very often, and the hook gets into a “Do Your Ears Hang Low” flow for just a second, but that’s all it takes. I don’t like that, but it does stick with you, and the song itself is great outside of that. He’s speaking on stuff that many on his level don’t, dropping lines like “there’s blood dripping off the hands of the IDF” and “bombing hospitals—the option is to see the truth; a dead doctor for your doctrine is evil…”.

“HOME” is another highlight—a song in which Ovrkast. understands that the balance between the grind while striving for greatness and time for loved ones isn’t easy. It comes with good and bad on both sides, even as far as just creating and the feeling that alone gives. “KNOCK” brings us a collaboration between Ovrkast. & Samara Cyn, which is always a great pairing, and brings MAVI in for the track as well. Three impressive young artists, all on one track. The same can be said for the next track, “Heroes & Villains” with MARCO PLUS & Ben Reilly. It’s a fitting idea and production choices for the song and the two MCs featured. “Wata,” “Hopecore!” & “PHREE (Swing)” are all good songs but don’t quite hit the heights of the rest of the album for me; they are less somber and end the album on a lighter note.

Don’t let anything distract from the fact that Ovrkast. is a great artist. It’d be nice to see more people talk about this album as much as they do drama, but that’s how things are in the age we live in. But STRIKING is on the level of While The Iron Is Hot, which is saying a lot about both albums. I hope Ovrkast. thrives, pushing forward, and I only expect bigger and better things to come both his way and from him.

Standout Tracks: WINDOW, PANE, HOME, KNOCK, Heroes & Villains

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑(8.5/10)