Over the last several years, David Lopez had become one of the most integral parts of the underground Milwaukee Hip Hop movement. Through his company, Passion Park Ent., he has really helped cultivate the Milwaukee music scene. Passion Park Ent. consistently hosts concerts and open mics in Milwaukee, helping local artists get their names out there. Not only is David Lopez a Milwaukee music curator, but he also makes very good music in his own right. In fact, David Lopez has really grinded with making his music over the years. Not only has he been prolific in his output, but that output has been of quality. We have covered multiple David Lopez projects here at Eastside Vibes, and have enjoyed talking about them wholly. In 2024, he dropped two projects that we dug a lot, Cafecito and Witness 2. He released several singles throughout the year in 2025, multiple of which were very cool collaborations with other Milwaukee artists. Towards the end of the year, he dropped a new EP titled 90 Miles: I94. Below, I will talk about my favorite tracks, as well as give some overall thoughts. Let me know in the comments what you think of David Lopez and I94!
PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS
David Lopez gets this project going on a very calm and introspective note with the song ‘Penny For My Thoughts.’ This is a cool opener for the record, as it sonically and lyrically really draws me in as a listener. I really enjoy the literal intro for this track. The sound of the wind and the trees and the police sirens is so reminiscent of a cold night in Milwaukee. The melody for this track is very jazzy and ethereal. The basis of the melody comes from a somber saxophone riff, and it is complemented by some synths that sound like chimes. The beat on this track is soft and subdued, matching the true Jazzy feeling of the melody. David Lopez raps with a slow and methodical cadence on this one, which goes very well with the energy of the instrumental. His flow has a storytelling feeling that is calming. On Penny For My Thoughts,’ David Lopez contemplates his life and career. He is trying to find the motivation to keep trying and creating, fighting the notion of wanting to quit because he feels like he is not accomplishing what he wants.
ROLE MODEL
‘Role Model’ has a feeling that is pretty similar to the opening track of the record. This one has a laid-back, inward-looking feeling that is soothing in a way. Like the opener, the melody for this track has a pretty Jazzy feeling to it. This melody is mainly provided by a piano riff that has a melancholy and groovy tone to it. The beat on this one is a little more pronounced. It is still pretty steady and slow, but the drums hit harder. I like the bits of rewind sounds, as they provide a bit of texture to the track. David Lopez’s rap performance on this one is very intricate. He switches up his flow multiple times throughout the track, which provides so much texture to the vocals. ‘Role Models’ is a bit of a more braggadocious track. On ‘Role Models,’ David Lopez asserts his self-worth and acknowledges that he knows his peers are noticing his hard work and talent.
CIRCLES 2 (FEAT. NEZZIE)
‘Circles 2’ is definitely the most ambitious and rowdy song on this project. In fact, as someone who has consumed a good amount of David Lopez’s music, I do not think I have ever heard him make a song like this. ‘Circles 2’ is a song that definitely feels adjacent to the Slap music scene that is huge in Milwaukee right now. This one does not have much of a melody. Instead, the track is driven by a ratchet, fast-paced beat that is constantly switching up. As great as the instrumental is, the vocals(especially the ones from Nezzie) are what really make this track. I love the energy that we get from Nezzie on this one, as it makes the song so fun. David Lopez’s flow is fast, soft, and crisp which contrasts Nezzie’s nicely and gives the song vibrance. Circles 2’ is a hyped up club track that can get anyone dancing. The basis of this track is that it is fun and will inject any room with energy.
TONIGHT (FEAT. KEAV, NEZZIE, AND HEYZEUS)
‘Tonight’ is another song that really stands out for how individual it is compared to the rest of the EP. There is something about this one that feels so retro to me. The instrumental for ‘Tonight’s just feels so reminiscent of Melodic SoundCloud Trap music. The melody for this song is very sweet and floaty. It is driven by uplifting and bright synths and complemented by some female vocals which give the song a softer element. The beat has that sort of classic Trap feeling to it. This one somehow feels energetic and tranquil at the same time. Every vocalist on this track is really good, and they all contribute to the song in a distinct way. David Lopez and Heyzeus demonstrate their chemistry once again, playing off of each other and giving solid rap performances on this track. The little verse from Nezzie gives the song a hyped up feeling I dig a lot. And those vocals that come in from Keav add a lighter and warmer feeling that is very nice as well. ‘Tonight’ is a song about putting away your struggles and just focusing on the moment and turning up with your friends.
David Lopez’s dedication to his craft and willingness to always improve is something I have admired since I came across him. It feels like he is always trying to expand his sound and become a more diverse artist, which is something I appreciate. 90 Miles: I94 is a project that shows this. This project has some of the familiar sounds that he may be known for, but also dives into some sounds that I have not heard from him to this point. Also one would expect that when listening to David Lopez, this project has some Jazzy, serene tracks where the focus is on mental health and believing in yourself. Songs like ‘Penny For My Thoughts,’ Tax,’ and ‘Role Models’ portray this feeling. They tap into that introspective and calm energy that we all need to hear once in a while. Several songs on this project go against the grain of what David Lopez typically does, though. ‘Circles 2’ is the one that stands out the most, as this song has a brash and fun feeling that is bound to get any function jumping. Overall, this 90 Miles: i94 taps into David Lopez’s roots while also showing that he is still growing. I love it when artists decide to take a left turn and try something new, and we got a little bit of that on this EP. Lyrically, like always, David Lopez kills it on 90 Miles: I94. He has such a nice way of getting his thoughts across and letting the listener into his mind. 90 Miles: I94 is yet another super quality effort from David Lopez. Time and time again he proves why he is a staple in the Milwaukee underground Hip Hop scene, and it is always rewarding to cover his music.
Rt hey s listen … I’ma need u to hed ht hot 2 kids we st
T +/- Hugs the real truth about thugs! Thug
They call you a thug —
like that word means villain,
not survivor.
Like they never saw the pressure cooker hissing,
never felt the silence when the world
turns its face away.You snap, they call it rage.
They don’t see it’s the echo
of every door slammed,
every truth twisted into a weapon.Facts, buried under their smiles.
Gaslighted until shadows look holy,
and pain gets called defiance. But a thug?
A thug is the one who still stands
after the sacrifice.
The one who fights back
not because they’re cruel —
but because no one listened
when they pleaded to be heard. So when they say “thug,”
you say “truth.”
You say, “I’m what happens
when the world ignores the fire it started.”
Man or woman on your face or back for the goddamn live it sure the f****** that!
#uni #ty
I see you. Not the softened, “acceptable” version the world expects, but the real you—the one fighting through endless loops of bureaucratic nonsense and brutal gaslighting so thick it strangles your voice. You’re not silent because you want to be. You can’t tell your truth without it being twisted, distorted, or outright erased. That anger you’ve been storing? It’s a furnace ready to blow, and it should be. You’ve been holding in the storm’s eye—ignored, underestimated, and dismissed—long enough.
The story about the cartel you’ve been sold is garbage. The real cartel was never about who had the biggest gun or how fierce the violence. It was about something far more powerful—unity, strength in numbers, standing as one against forces that want to rip us apart. It was about the family you didn’t choose but are tied to anyway, messy as hell, stubborn as hell, but fiercely loyal.
Let me be clear: real toughness doesn’t come from the caliber of your weapon or the firepower you command. Guns escalate problems. They don’t solve anything; they just pour gasoline on the chaos fire. The real badass code? It’s about restraint, about knowing when to de-escalate rather than when to shoot first and ask questions—if ever. It’s about standing your ground with skill, guts, and patience, not with trigger fingers. True respect is earned by controlling conflict, not adding to it.
And don’t get me wrong—this isn’t weakness. It’s the hardest kind of strength there is. It takes more courage to walk away or stand firm without firing a shot than to escalate every fight into a war. Your power comes from knowing which battles to fight and more importantly, which to refuse.
The system wants us bleeding for its games, but I’m not here to bleed for lies. I’ve got the clearance, the proof, the receipts that back every word. So don’t waste your blood on the puppet masters’ schemes. The only bleeding we should be doing is cutting loose the chains of fear, lies, and division they’ve forced on us. Together.
Understand this: division is their blueprint. The government’s “real cartel” is the one playing us against each other, manufacturing enemies so they can sit back and laugh while we bleed out on their chessboard. Their tactics thrive on fracture, on isolation, on weaponizing our pain against ourselves. They want us arguing over scraps, distracted by absurdities, while the real corruption slides by unnoticed.
That’s why unity is the original cartel concept—and why it scares the hell out of them. Our true strength was always collective. When we stand together, flaws and all, scars and all, conspiracies and all—that is the power that breaks their system down.
You don’t get to decide my worth, my story, or my strength. Your past doesn’t cage you; it equips you. Your scars aren’t shame; they’re battle honors from a war no one but you understands. You’re not weak for hurting—you’re a warrior healing wounds that often run deeper than skin. And anyone who tries to judge you without walking in your steps can take a number, because this masterpiece is still under construction—and it’s going to take the time it takes.
Know the game before you play. Be patient, be sharp, and guard your hustle like your life depends on it because it does. Integrity matters even when the grift is all around you. Don’t fall for bait-and-switch schemes from “friends” or “allies.” Adapt. Find humor in the madness—that’s your shield and your weapon. Laugh loud, laugh bitter, laugh because sometimes it’s the only thing keeping you human.
Don’t mistake authority for righteousness. A badge does not make someone a god. Question every order that crosses the line. Blind obedience is complicity. Speak up, even when it costs you everything. Because silence isn’t neutrality; it’s surrender.
Victims are not disposable. Every voice matters, especially those the system tries hardest to erase. Partial truths are poison; demand the whole picture or you’re playing their game. This fight is bigger than your personal battles—it’s a war on a system designed to exploit distraction, divide community, and perpetuate injustice.
Money without a soul is rot. Wealth should lift, not mock. Use whatever power or influence you have to raise others, not to puff yourself up or blind yourself to the damage you cause. Intelligence isn’t measured in followers or followers’ applause. True wisdom—the kind that lasts—is timeless, not trendy.
And for every identity, every name, every human dignity they try to reduce to a bureaucratic footnote, fight back. You are not a number. You are not an error waiting to be “corrected.” You are whole, deserving, and full of light even when the system tries to bury you in red tape.
Idiocy and cover-ups flourish in silence. The moment you stop calling out the stupid and the corrupt, they win. Be loud. Be relentless. But do it with strategy, with knowledge. Learn their playbook and then burn it.
The strongest weapon you have is not in your hands—it’s in your mind, your heart, your resilience, and your comrades around you. Real power is in unity and de-escalation, in knowing when to stand tall and when to walk away.
Teach this to the next generation: real toughness is more than guns or muscle. It’s mental grit, communal spirit, and the courage to hold true to your values in a world hellbent on dragging you down.
So laugh with me, cry if you must, but don’t ever stop standing. The real cartel is the one built on enforced silence, manufactured conflicts, and the ruthless twisting of truth. But the real power? It’s ours to reclaim.
I’m not here to shed unnecessary blood. I’ve got the clearance and the evidence. If you’re still bleeding for their lies, you need to stop. Start bleeding only to shed the chains they put on us, only to birth the unity they fear.
We are the crack in the mirror of hypocrisy, the laughter piercing the suffocating silence, the unbreakable force of truth, humor, resilience, and solidarity.
Rise. Speak. Laugh. Heal. Unite. Because strength isn’t about firepower. It’s about healing wounds, finding humor in hardness, and standing shoulder to shoulder in unshakable unity.
#cartel
How eve12 … Lol quien? ³
Ppl listen bet he 12