Che Noir has been one of the most consistently impressive MCs in underground Hip Hop for several years now. Born Marche Lashawn in Buffalo, New York, in 1994, she started making beats at fifteen and writing rhymes a year later. Her early influences included DMX, Foxy Brown, Jay-Z, 2Pac, and The Notorious B.I.G., and that foundation in traditional East Coast Hip Hop remains central to her music. Her commanding delivery, intricate rhyme patterns, and ability to combine sharp punchlines with deeply personal storytelling quickly distinguished her from many of her contemporaries.
After releasing her debut mixtape Poetic Thoughts in 2016, Che connected with Benny the Butcher and began working with artists from Buffalo’s thriving underground scene. Rochester producer and MC 38 Spesh became an important early collaborator, signing her to his Trust Comes First label and producing The Thrill of the Hunt projects in 2018 and 2019. These releases established her reputation as a formidable lyricist, although her biggest breakthrough arrived in 2020.
That year, Che teamed up with Detroit producer Apollo Brown for As God Intended, an exceptional album that remains her finest work in our opinion. Apollo’s beautifully dusty, soulful production provided the ideal foundation for Che’s vivid writing, and appearances from Black Thought, Skyzoo, and Planet Asia added to an already excellent record. It was one of our favorite albums of 2020, and it remains a personal benchmark against which we measure her subsequent releases.
Che has maintained an impressive work rate ever since. The self-produced Food for Thought (2022) demonstrated her abilities behind the boards, while projects such as The Last Remnants, the Big Ghost Ltd.-produced Noir or Never (2023), and The Lotus Child (2024) explored different aspects of her musical personality. Collaborations with Superior, The Other Guys, and 7xvethegenius followed in 2025. Throughout this extensive catalog, her lyrical ability has rarely been in question, even when the production or overall execution hasn’tquite matched her strongest material.
It Takes a Village, released in October 2026, finds Che approaching her music from an increasingly personal perspective. Motherhood, family, sacrifice, community, and the responsibilities that come with success are central themes. The title reflects her appreciation for the people who helped raise her and the support systems necessary to build a stable future for her own daughter. The album also strongly connects to Buffalo, a city whose struggles and working-class realities have shaped much of her writing.
The album opens with “Unity of Thought,” which incorporates a speech by civil rights activist Kwame Ture emphasizing the importance of collective organization and community responsibility. It’s an interesting introduction to a project concerned with family ties, personal independence, and the people who provide guidance through difficult circumstances. Unfortunately, the opening also consumes valuable space on an album that runs barely 32 minutes.
“This Morning” introduces a warmer atmosphere, with Che reflecting on everyday life and memories of growing up in Buffalo. The production from DJ Design is pleasant and soulful, giving her conversational delivery plenty of room. “Grandma’s Cookies” takes a jazzier direction, with Playa Haze providing a sparse, largely drumless backdrop for memories of her grandmother and the lessons that shaped her approach to money, responsibility, and family. Che’s ability to weave small domestic details into larger observations about survival and independence is particularly effective here.
Havoc handles two consecutive tracks, bringing a darker East Coast character to the album. “Urban Essence,” featuring The Uce, examines the difficulties of escaping poverty and the complicated emotions that accompany leaving familiar surroundings behind. “A Caged Mockingbird” is another strong lyrical performance, with Che discussing loss, isolation, and the shrinking circle of people she can genuinely trust. Her delivery has the authority and precision we have come to expect, and the darker production suits her exceptionally well.
One of the album’s most anticipated collaborations is “Fame & Fiction,” featuring Black Thought over production from Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Mathematics. Che holds her own alongside one of Hip Hop’s greatest lyricists, examining ambition, personal struggles, and the difference between public perception and everyday reality. Black Thought contributes an intricate verse, and their contrasting deliveries work well together. It is one of the record’s stronger moments.
“Conductor’s Interlude” gives Che an opportunity to reminisce about family life over a characteristically unusual Conductor Williams instrumental. The producer returns later for “Wasted Time,” featuring Ransom, another accomplished lyricist who brings considerable intensity to the track. Ransom’s verse is particularly impressive, although Che remains competitive throughout. “Blood Bath,” meanwhile, demonstrates her ability to combine hard street imagery with observations about incarceration, broken families, and the consequences of violence.
The emotional center of It Takes a Village arrives with “My Village.” Over a beautiful soul sample from Nottz, Che pays tribute to her mother and grandmother, reflecting on their sacrifices and the values they passed down. She also considers her own experiences as a mother and the responsibility of providing a better future for her daughter. It is among the album’s most affecting tracks, with specific memories and genuine affection giving her writing considerable weight.
“Olive Branches,” featuring Jynx716, addresses relationships, resentment, and the difficulty of forgiveness. The closing “Magic,” featuring Bruiser Wolf, returns to personal growth and the complicated experiences that have shaped Che’s outlook. Chuck Strangers and Ill Brown provide a soulful backdrop, and the track ends the album on a thoughtful note.
Despite these strengths, It Takes a Village is somewhat disappointing when measured against Che Noir’s considerable abilities. Her pen game remains top-tier, and her commanding presence makes even the less memorable tracks worth hearing. The production is warm, soulful, and entirely listenable, with contributions from several respected producers. However, the beats occasionally drift without developing much character, and the different production styles don’t always combine into a particularly memorable whole.
The bigger problem is the running time. At barely 32 minutes, including the lengthy opening introduction, the album has little opportunity to develop its themes or establish a lasting musical identity. Several tracks end before their ideas have fully developed, leaving the impression of a transitional project rather than a substantial new chapter in her discography.
We appreciate Che’s willingness to explore motherhood, family history, and personal responsibility with such openness. Her writing remains the album’s greatest strength, and songs such as “Grandma’s Cookies,” “A Caged Mockingbird,” and “My Village” demonstrate how effective she can be when the production and subject matter come together. Still, It Takes a Village falls short of the exceptional standard established by As God Intended. It’s a solid, worthwhile release from one of underground Hip Hop’s finest contemporary lyricists, although we know she’s capable of considerably more.
7/10
Also read: The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2026