There are few artists like ThunderWof. Naw, I take that back: there are truly no artists like ThunderWof. He's the very definition of multi-talented and unapologetically himself. He doesn’t get caught up in trends, and he doesn’t need a gimmick to market himself. Everything he does is inherently who he is. But that doesn't mean he's not a student of the game. Just one conversation with him and you’ll see, his musical knowledge runs deep and within his music you may hear shades of André 3000 or the unapologetic delivery of Kanye. ThunderWof. grew up on horses, and that’s one thing his last album “Boys Don't Cry But, Wofs Shed Tears”, taught us. Now he’s back, and this time he’s sharing his love for birds with the release of his latest project alongside dj nonmae., titled “The Birds and The Beats”. ThunderWof. is a Tulsa rapper and comedian. You may remember him (a.k.a. “Ronnie RedRanger”) from our interview in the “5 On It” interview (check it out here). Since then, he has combined these talents to operate under a single name: ThunderWof. The artist behind the track that invited "Beef" has now teamed up with legendary Tulsa producer dj noname.. They share more than the period at the end of their names, they truly share the love for music. Over the past year, the duo has built a rapport and an almost tag-team-like bond that proves neither is afraid to share the spotlight. dj noname.’s track record of creating timeless musical compositions makes ThunderWof.’s uncanny bars and delivery feel like a welcome challenge for a producer with over 90 releases under his belt. Let’s see just how many birds you can spot in their new project, “The Birds and The Beats”. The Birds and The Beats is a 10-track project that is true to the essence of a collaboration tape in the sense that it’s just them, no features. One producer and one rapper locked in on creating a project, no better yet, creating art. An interesting fact about this project is that it was recorded at Church Studio. Anyone who’s ever stepped foot in there knows not only the history of some of the greatest musicians; icons like Woody Nelson, to Stevie Wonder, even Uncle Charlie Wilson and The Gap Band have recorded there. They also have witnessed the grandiose of it, it’s truly the big leagues when you think about recording studios. The huge recording rooms are equipped with music boards, microphones, mixers, and equalizers. They also include instruments like guitars, pianos, drums, and any other instrument you might need. The equipment alone is worth its weight in gold. The fact that this tape was recorded there and used some of the historical equipment like David Bowie’s microphone, I might add, means that this isn’t just an ordinary tape. As ThunderWof put it, “..this is Ornithology”. "Momma I think I made it,
The project’s opening track, "Show Off," is a straight jab of bars. From the very first line, ThunderWof. comes out swinging. He's clearly on the offensive, wasting no time knocking the beat into a carefree, laid-back vibe. It’s here that we get our first lesson in the subtlety of his pen: teaching us lessons while we’re bobbing our heads. “I'm something like a Southern Screamer,” he raps. Some might hear that bar and just think it sounds cool, but a little research reveals that a Southern Screamer is a bulky water bird native to South America; this is just one of 18 bird references sprinkled throughout the tape. What’s also on display in this first track are subtle shout-outs to local legends like dj noname., DJ $ir Mike, and Evan Hughes. I’ve always felt that to get a shout-out on a track is to live forever.
Another element I really enjoy about dj noname.'s production is that every track feels like a murder mystery: the rapper kills the beat, while dj noname. leaves easter egg clues that are just enough of the original sample that the listener can then use to track down where it came from. It makes you feel like you’re right there digging through the crates with him. "Show Off" samples “Turn Around You Fool” by The Ponderosa Twins Plus One; it’s the kind of flip that pays homage to the original soul record while making the listener want to also listen to the actual original track. To know a dj noname. track is to know a true love for music. I have to admit, I wasn't ready for the next track on the album, "Freaky Feathers." The title alone should have given me a clue: the birds get dirty too, as ThunderWof. takes the concept of the "birds and the bees" to the next level. Speaking of levels, dj noname.'s production here reminds me of '90s Nintendo games when you reach the boss stage and that intense, high-stakes music kicks in. ThunderWof.'s repeated echoes of "Baby" ring in your ears like the minions you have to fight through while the boss watches from the shadows. The bars get seriously provocative, like when he drops, “Use my mouth as a baby carriage.” And he doesn't stop there; he seamlessly weaves the avian theme into the bedroom antics with lines like, “One leg up, ya just like flamingo,” and, “Baby, shake your feather like a cockatoo.” The song has playful, flirty undertones that set the stage for his experimental language (“choking,” “spitting”), leaving you wondering if ThunderWof. is operating on a whole different level of freaky. "I'm giving you birds over the beats this is orathology.”
I remember hearing “UPS Is Hiring” live and thinking the story he told about it’s origins alone was gold. ThunderWof. started off by recounting how his father would always tell him UPS was hiring, just in case rap or comedy didn’t work out. Fast forward to the present day, and ThunderWof. is giving that exact same advice to rappers who need to go grab a day job. The beat carries a slow, soothing vibe that sweeps you off your feet, with the help of dj noname., who samples René & Angela’s hit single "My First Love" (which you might also recognize from Avant and KeKe Wyatt’s iconic remake). ThunderWof.’s delivery is smooth as he slides across the track, lacing it with what can only be described as a full flock of bars. He poses a crucial question: “How many bird bars do you got?” And then answers it himself: “It’s more than a fowl amount.”
This track is practically flocking with bird references. Sometimes they’re subtle, like the "fowl" line, while other times they hit you right in the face: “If the boy keep on quacking, we’ll have him ducked off like he’s O.J. Simpson,” or, “Behind every bar is a bird, like an aviary.” (An aviary is a large cage for birds) Stop playing with ThunderWof.’s pen! The track has so many moments where the beat and the bars align perfectly; time after time, I found myself wanting to pull out a pen and quote a line. You really have to hear every bird bar for yourself. Not every track on an album can be a high point, and that’s where I land with “The Eulogy.” The beat carries an early ’90s Native Tongues vibe, reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest or De La Soul. Where the song falls short, however, is in the vocal performance. It’s a track that demands a vocalist with a broader range to lay down richer melodic undertones. As it stands, it feels more like a reference track that could have found firmer footing with a stronger singer. That said, Michael Jackson oddly came to mind when listening to ThunderWof.’s serenading delivery—couple that with a direct nod to New Edition’s "Mr. Telephone Man," and it makes for an intriguing moment. ThunderWof. calls out to a lady named Antoinette, whom it sounds like he's lost touch with: “I'm crying to my flying friends.” But just when you think you have the track figured out, your ears perk up as the codeine haze sets in and a chopped & screwed version of ThunderWof. takes over: “August 10th, damn what a day , I woke up in love, fell asleep in heartbreak.” This is proof that birds really do fly south for the winter. Even deep within this slowed-down monologue, ThunderWof. continues to drop avian wordplay. One line that particularly stuck with me: “Every melody sounds like a memory.” Ultimately, even if “The Eulogy” experiences a turbulent takeoff, it lands beautifully through its use of imagery and culture. By the time we hit the halfway mark, you realize we’ve navigated a full spectrum of emotion, but more importantly, a relentless flock of bird bars. Track 5, “Backyard Concerts,” functions like an interlude, reading like a thank-you note to the birds themselves: “Thank God for the Blue Jays that erase my blue days.” In a sense, ThunderWof. needs the beats and the birds just as much as they need him. It’s a reminder that not every love letter needs to be an Odessey. At just 1 minute and 7 seconds, it’s the shortest song on the project, but it still delivers its point and lands beautifully: “They say the best concerts are usually free, My backyard, it sounds like a symphony.” The beat on “Birds on the Line” has a busyness to it that feels heavily influenced by Japanese mod bands. Combine that upbeat energy with ThunderWof.’s nonchalant delivery, and it makes for a surprisingly sonically pleasing track. The song really showcases his storytelling ability through songwriting as he takes us on an expressive flight: “I’ve got sparrows singing sad songs on my windowsill, reminding me life’s real.” It dives into deep topics like choosing a career over family, losing loved ones, and showing up for people both when they need you and when you need them most. The bars on this track hit with raw honesty. ThurnderWof. gets personal in a way I've never truly heard from him before. Powerful lines echo throughout the song, like, “You ever see your mother lose a universe?” and, “I pray my mother never gives me back to Mother Earth.” At times, the track plays like an exploration of survivor’s remorse as he reminisces on the losses and shifts in his life or, in his words, “Life’s a big migration.” On “Birds on the Line,” we get a deeper, far more vulnerable side of ThunderWof. “2 Minute Drill”, no, this isn’t the “7 Minute Drill” that was later deleted by J. Cole, but it carries all the tension that makes an artist wonder how the industry will react once it drops. The beat has a dark, "Shook Ones" feel that ThunderWof. jumps on, proceeding to rap in a way that taunts any challenger while declaring it's Turley/North Tulsa versus everybody, as if it were tatted on his chest. But not to be taken too seriously, he drops a hilarious line about being mistaken for country star Shaboozey. I love the different elements at play here, like the call-and-response conversation he has with himself addressing rumors and answering questions head-on. Then comes a dope transition into a "Turley" chant, backed by heavy-hitting bars and topped off with this unapologetic 4-bar declaration: “I’m a Northsider, 59er, early Turley resider, I won’t stop loving Turley till my heart retires.” It’s a beautifully executed song, especially given its ominous feel. It's also probably safe to say that ThunderWof. is the only rapper operating at the unique cross-section of sports bars and bird bars. Next, we get into the track "Patriots Stand Up" The track opens with a heavy saxophone line that carries the weight of ThunderWof.’s revolutionary bars. What’s interesting about this song is the social commentary of the bars, more specifically how he uses symbolism by showing how the very birds celebrated as national and state emblems, like the bald eagle and Oklahoma’s own scissor-tailed flycatcher—can also symbolize corruption and sinister acts against the people they claim to represent. I also love how he calls out the mass incarceration of women in Oklahoma and the lack of resources for women; these are critical issues that rarely get the spotlight. Alongside that is the clever political commentary mocking the nation's two longest-feuding "gangs": the Demicrips and Rebloodicans. There’s so much weight in each bar. But as the track closes, a high-pitched voice brilliantly recites a modern adaptation of Gil Scott-Heron’s iconic poem "Whitey On the Moon," tweaking the refrains to target Elon Musk's space ambition: "Whitey on Mars." The saxophone shines in this final movement, driving home the sobering reality that history might just repeat itself on a whole new planet. You’ve probably heard the old saying: If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. Well, ThunderWof. flips that on its head with "No Big Dawgs," making it clear that big dogs can't run with the Wolves up North. The track is an unapologetic statement of dominance where he flexes his lifestyle over the competition: "The bank account looking like a rock show, It’s just band, after band, after band." I also loved the triple entendre on the line "I'm just keeping it a bill"—playing on money (a hundred-dollar bill), keeping it factual (keeping it 100), and a duck's bill. The track serves as a sobering comparison between his reality and his haters' illusion, where he's living his best life while they're living their best lie. Also accompanying the song is a music video that stands out as a compelling piece of art, serving as part of a larger mini movie that connects the project's tracklist while featuring appearances from Tulsa legend Playya 1000 and local figure Evan Hughes. Head over to watch the video and hear for yourself what makes this cut hit so heavy. It’s been a wild ride, but we’ve reached the finale with "I’m An Uncle." There's something magical about the flute on this track; it's as if producer dj noname. tracked down André 3000 and told him to be as free as the bars on this track. With a generational shift of people opting out of parenthood due to high living costs, ThunderWof. enters a reflective headspace, contrasting his bachelor lifestyle with his friends who are stepping into fatherhood: "I raise a blunt, while he raise a child." Yet, despite enjoying the single life, he makes a point to express genuine pride in watching his homies' families grow. In the second verse, the focus shifts toward life lessons, like recalling his father’s passed-down wisdom that the ground will always catch you when you fall. But the true genius of the track lies in its abrupt final bar. ThunderWof. spits, "Thank God for the birds," follows it with "Thank God for the..." and suddenly cuts off, leaving only the beat to play out. It’s a brilliant, Sopranos-style fade-to-black moment, bringing an end to what was bird watching at its finest. To say I liked The Birds and The Beats would be an understatement. It's a remarkably cohesive concept album that hits every mark of a great record, driven by amazing composition from dj noname. and top-tier lyrical skill from ThunderWolf. The project actually had me Googling birds. More importantly, the bars were witty, he didn't just simply name birds, he seamlessly intertwined avian themes directly into the lyrics and imagery. Fun fact: There are supposedly 18 different birds referenced across the project, and I challenge you to find them all. One eye opening for me is that I might have even discovered a newfound passion for birdwatching. After listening to this tape, I'll probably find myself staring at the powerlines wondering what kind of bird is sitting up there or identifying the one waking me up on Saturday mornings. Either way, spin The Birds and The Beats for yourself and let me know what you think! The tape is exclusively available on BandCamp here. Also make sure you follow both dj noname. and ThunderWof. on Instagram: dj noname. Instagram: @nosamyrag ThunderWof. Instagram: @apache_thunderwof_18 Also watch all the videos for "Show Off.", "UPS is Hiring", "No Big Dawgs", and "2 Minute Drill" on ThunderWof.'s YouTube channel: @ThunderWof.
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