Track listing: The Devil's Violinist, India, Iron Heart, New York Assassin, Pt. I, New York Assassin, Pt. II, Her Beauty Haunts Me, Packing Rocket Launchers, Laughter, Romance, Phantom of the Opera
Entrepreneur and Hip-Hop creator Master Style dropped his album The Devil's Violinist on May 9, 2026. Impressively, amidst his music writing and recording, in our June 2026 interview with Master Style he opens up about his continual battle with mental illness. Despite his challenges, however, he also has created a full-fledged online hub (doublerareworld.com) for licensing music, graphics, and promoting the gaming side of his life.
Diving into The Devil's Violinist, we get to see Master Style's versatility. In the opening (and title) track Master Style raps on Romantic-era violinist Niccolò Paganini, who was thought by some to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his widely renowned talent. "I rap so well, many people who've heard me have claimed the same about me," Master Style explains. Then we hurdle headlong into "India," centered geographically from the song's namesake on through Vietnam, Japan, where the subject studied swords. This assassin's life and endeavors are explored in "New York Assassin" (parts I and II) with our narrator pining over their decisions and outcomes in "Her Beauty Haunts Me."
Stylistically, listening to The Devil's Violinist reminds me of the day a friend played Notorious B.I.G.'s for me in 1994. So much bold, daring lyricism--uncomfortable yet impressive. And compelling as all hell. You kept listening to see what the next track was going to be about.
The record's finale takes the form of "Phantom of the Opera." Keeping the tone of the rest of the album, this final track features classical piano samples and lyrics that take the form of darkness and an impending evil. Vocally, Master Style uses his natural voice along with a more guttural, 'monstrous' tone underscoring the phantom's presence.
All-in-all, The Devil's Violinist is a record worth exploring. Master Style's delivery is unique. The rasp of Busta meets the nefariousness of early Biggie Smalls. Add all that into the mix with Double Rare World, gaming, and sample licensing, and what you've got is one of the more interesting releases of 2026.