Boston Hip-Hop mainstay Lucky Dice has been a force in his hometown’s scene for more than two decades, dropping a slew of notable mixtapes, singles, and guest features. And with ‘M.O.S.A. (Memoirs of a Starving Artist),’ he channels his experience and discerning talents into a passionately crafted project that serves as his proper debut album.

Fans got a taste of the record in the first half of 2016, when Dice dropped his fantastic street single, “The Underground,” featuring Chi Knox and frequent collaborator REKS. From there, the rap community was waiting on what was next while the emcee continued toiling away and perfecting ‘M.O.S.A.’ The arrival of this winter’s raw and honest “Memoirs” revealed that Dice was ready to bring his album to the masses—and yes, it’s finally here.

The end result is an early contender for one of the year’s best rap releases, because Dice weaves a gripping tale across these 11 tracks. Beyond “The Underground” and “Memoirs,” other instant standouts include the mafioso raps of “No Message” featuring Phinelia, the shuffling one-two step of “No Time,” and the uplifting journal scriptures of “Better Life.”

As Dice raps on hard-hitting banger “What You Do It For,” dude has “been rappin’ for a minute, 20 years plus a little mo’”—and it shows. This is an artist with a clear vision who’s eager to share his message, and the world is definitely ready to listen. Like music blog Ohestee wrote about “Memoirs”: “All you hip-hop lovers are gonna vibe hard to this one.”

‘M.O.S.A. (Memoirs of a Starving Artist)’ is now available through all major digital retailers and streaming outlets via Beantown Bullies.

iTunes: M.O.S.A. (Memoirs of a Starving Artist) – Lucky Dice