Hip hop/rap and street artist YB Hoodrich is back with a brand new album, Quarter Block Vol. 2 – an 18-track record which dropped on March 14th, 2026, detailing a cut-throat true story of poverty, crime, and redemption.
This record stems from the hivemind of two cousins – YB Hoodrich, and his cousin Fedarell, the album’s producer – raised in East Palo Alto, a small city just a stone’s throw away from the sunny Californian coast. But a brutal twist severs their story cleanly from the rest; their hometown making headlines as the “murder capital of the world” back in 1992 – the era in which YB Hoodrich found himself growing up – named a hotspot for “violence, street wars, and everything that comes with living in the hood,” as the artist tells us himself.
With family members fighting the law from the age of fourteen and up, one younger relative took heed, dedicating himself not to crime but to teaching himself beats, production, and behind-the-scenes musical wizardry. It didn’t take long for the family to join forces and channel their brutal surroundings into two of the rawest rap records you’ll come across this year – Quarter Block, and its all-new follow-up, Quarter Block Vol. 2.
YB Hoodrich’s grit-fuelled vocals reveal the hidden terrors and strength of a man desperately trying to get by in a world that refuses to have his back; his lyrics are a vivid reflection of his youth and lessons learned from leading life in a city out to warp his mind with gang culture, and perhaps kill him in the process.
His wicked flow locks into the raw energy of his surroundings, the streets of East Palo Alto embedded in every bar. Yet Quarter Block Vol. 2 comes twisted with the artist’s vibrant and fearless authenticity, all whilst capturing the sound of his youth. Phenomenal beats brew a concoction of grime, rap, and hip hop, carrying hints of the 90s, 00s, and 10s, forming an album that almost feels timeless from its very first listen.
The production is entirely Fedarell‘s handiwork – a childhood of MTV, radio, and everything from 2Pac to the Red Hot Chili Peppers distilled into a sound that refuses to be boxed in. Fedarell says, “Street music resonated with me because that was my environment. I understood the struggle, the violence, and the survival mentality that came with growing up in the hood.” We find these themes intricately threaded into deep, dark, and lightning-speed lyrics, letting each track hit like a gut-punch.
Despite the harsh realities that backlight each and every track, Quarter Block Vol. 2 comes tangled with an array of positive messages, such as the realisation that “there are good people in these communities, and that change is possible.” Don’t believe us? Just check out tracks, “No Tears” and “Ghetto To Ghetto” – the former a rap ballad on grief and life-altering realisations, and the latter detailing a need to escape the gang spiral, packed with lines certain to inspire listeners, no matter what their own backstory might be. A quick highlight: “There’s more to life than losing.”
Fedarell tells us, “[Quarter Block Vol. 2 is] a full-circle illustration of growing up in an underprivileged city and navigating survival.” And we at Ark of Music are absolutely spellbound by it. From its lionheart energy to its danger, its angst, regret and refusal to be defeated by forces one can’t control, YB Hoodrich & Fedarell take listeners on a journey to hell and back, treading memories that might break most people, whilst painting a story which makes us stop, think, listen, before kickstarting a drive to prevent these traumas from re-occuring to our own kids.
Our verdict? Highly Recommended.
BELOW: Listen to YB Hoodrich x Fedarell and check out their music online. Please support YB Hoodrichx Fedarell by visiting their website and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
Check out our interview with producer Fedarell:
INTERVIEW: Fedarell (CLICK HERE)