Without exception, underground hip-hop has always been dominated by the lyrically razor-sharp. Production value is just icing on a shitty cake if tracks are devoid of creative wordplay and rhymes that resonate, and one local legend is on a mission to rise above what he calls the “turnt-up stuff that everybody is listening to”.

A stellar example of what it takes to embody the underground movement, Madchild’s raw, unforgiving delivery shines on his latest release, Silver Tongue Devil.

The 17-track LP is a trip through the North Vancouver–spawned MC’s twisted, goofy mind, with reflections on everything from partying to his solo career to the end of his four-year opioid addiction.

“It’s been a bit of a rebuilding process, not only on financial and career levels, but spiritually. I’ve realized I’m not indestructible,” he says on speakerphone while driving down a California highway about the painkiller habit that cost him $3 million.

“I’m full of ideas again. With this album, I wanted to come back and make another version of what I would call…” He hesitates. “I don’t want to use the word masterpiece, but it’s my own version of my very best work.”

Standout tracks include the opening song, “Untold Story”, which plainly lays out Madchild’s journey from addiction to sobriety over a screaming hook, with lyrics that are telling of the wit that listeners are about to be exposed to. (“Kids asking for my help like it’s a magic trick/Like I could make them famous if I wave my fucking magic stick.”)

Madchild’s humour isn’t lost on “Jackel”, where he’s quick to tell fans how capable he is at the mike, spitting, “I cut like scissors with precision while you’re miserably vague/I mutilate the master, leave them physically dead/Some rappers run away from me like I’m a biblical plague.”

It’s clear the man, who first rose to prominence in Vancouver’s Swollen Members, knows that his lyrical ability has always been his strength. This point is revisited time and time again throughout the 60-minute record.

“I’m fortunate enough to have been doing this for 16 years, and it’s because I stay sharp with my rhymes. I don’t think that will ever not be important in hip-hop,” he says.

The veteran compares walking on-stage to a daily activity—“Doing shows for me is like making dinner; I’m so used to it”—and he says that his recent venture into battle rap has been his way of pushing his personal boundaries. “Sometimes I want to get those butterflies, that nervousness,” he says.

His appetite for rap battles stems from a fiery desire to preserve the quality of underground hip-hop—the same source of inspiration that brought about Battleaxe Warriors, a “family” of more than 5,000 Swollen Members fans that Madchild created to give his followers something to belong to, complete with a code of conduct centred around respect, loyalty, and self-improvement. Madchild says it’s a great alternative for kids who might be inclined to join a gang.

“People, especially males, want to be a part of something. I wanted to create something that people could join without there being a devil behind the curtain,” he says. “It’s a cool way of honing in on your real fan base. Not everyone has a great family life at home and this is a great way to be part of a family. We’re here to progress as people, and to preserve the type of hip-hop that we love.”

Madchild will start his 80-show tour at Alexander Gastown on Thursday (September 10).