Ramson Badbonez and Illinformed Release Crystal Skull on High Focus

By Cole Ashby, November 3, 2026

What's out

Ramson Badbonez and Illinformed released Crystal Skull on October 29, 2026 through High Focus Records. Apple Music lists 14 tracks and 35 minutes, files it under "UK Hip-Hop" and prints "℗ 2026 High Focus Records." Bandcamp gives the same release date.

The label sells the album on Badbonez's pen. Per the release post, the songs are "sculpted by the razor sharp, observational energies that have become synonymous with Badbonez' name after so many years at the top of his game."

Two brothers, one world

The story here is who sits behind the boards. Per the album notes on Bandcamp, Badbonez's White Rabbit came out in the spring of 2025, "Produced in full by Leaf Dog." Within weeks he had linked with Illinformed, who the notes describe as Leaf Dog's brother, "to work on a continuation of the 'White Rabbit' universe," with Badbonez "bouncing ideas with Illinformed between London and Bristol."

So the world stays the same and the producer changes, but the production stays in one family. The label ends its pitch by calling Badbonez "a generational voice who has found a true home on the production of the Leigh Brothers (Leaf Dog & Illinformed)."

My read: that is a smart way to build a sequel. One MC working with one producer is a format KAZI covered in October with Boldy James and Real Bad Man's Strobelight. Swapping one brother for the other gives the second chapter a new hand without starting the world over. Whether the two records sit well side by side is a call for listeners, and the label has not said how the two producers differ.

Who's on it

Per the label, the guests are High Focus artists Leaf Dog and Farma G, plus Kakarot and "US lyricist Mr Rozzi." The Bandcamp tracklist also credits Jess Keeble on "True Colours." Leaf Dog shows up on "Blessing," which puts both brothers on one track. Spotify adds Jazz T to the credits for "Animos City," "Crime or Rhyme" and "Shots Fired."

1. Psychic Channel - Intro
2. One to Ten
3. Animos City
4. Lost Relic
5. Afterglow
6. True Colours feat. Jess Keeble and Farma G
7. Crime or Rhyme
8. Code
9. Blue
10. Terrors feat. Kakarot
11. Shots Fired
12. Blessing feat. Leaf Dog
13. Guitar Case
14. Spirit Science feat. Mr Rozzi

The Shots Fired video

High Focus marked release day with a new video for "Shots Fired," posted on its HighFocusTV YouTube channel. The label credits the video to Dfacer, the vocals to Badbonez and the instrumental to Illinformed. British Hip Hop also credits cuts by DJ Jazz T and graffiti by Shook, and describes the song as "superb commentary on the state of the music industry."

That framing is British Hip Hop's. The label's own post lists credits and says nothing about the lyrics.

Ramson Badbonez x Illinformed: "Shots Fired" (official video)

It is not the first visual from the album. "Afterglow" got an official video on the same channel.

Where Badbonez comes from

The album notes call him a "North London veteran and UK rap mainstay." His High Focus artist page says he was discovered in Highbury at 14 by Task Force and dropped his debut album in 2012. The same page lists Death Mask (2020) with producer Mark Fear, Fusion (2022), the House Of Hybrids remix project (2023) and White Rabbit (2025) with Leaf Dog.

That is a long run with producers who stay close, and Crystal Skull keeps the pattern. South East London rapper Kid Bookie kept one producer close the same way on Cheaper Than Therapy II, where Apple Music credits Ziey Kizzy as a producer on all 10 tracks. Crystal Skull landed on October 29, a day before the releases KAZI rounded up in New Music Friday for October 30.

Listen

Ramson Badbonez and Illinformed: Crystal Skull (Spotify)

The label's smartlink points to the streaming services, Bandcamp and the official High Focus store.

Verdict: The family handoff from Leaf Dog to Illinformed is the reason to press play.