Dillon & Paten Locke - Rations (Album)

Dillon & Paten Locke Serve Their Final Course with Rations.

Underground hip hop stalwarts Dillon & Paten Locke return with Rations, the long-awaited follow-up to their cult classic Food Chain and the final instalment in their food-themed catalogue on their label Full Plate.

Originally begun in 2016, the project was paused after Paten Locke’s untimely passing from cancer in 2019. Now, Dillon completes the mission, handling both rapping and scratching duties over Paten’s signature blend of soulful samples and razor-sharp chops.

Rations carries the weight of its title, a meditation on scarcity, survival and perseverance. The themes are familiar to longtime fans: relationships, rebellion, reflection and the small luxuries that keep life flavourful. But this time the tone is grittier, more focused. The humour of earlier projects gives way to a sense of duty, a tribute to Paten, affectionately known as The General.

Guest appearances come from hip hop heavyweights Large Professor, Diamond D, Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Cool Calm Pete and Akrobatik, alongside Full Plate’s own family Willie Evans Jr., Day Tripper, Yamin Semali and Jay Myztroh. The album also features DJ Harrison on Fender Rhodes and Jay Mumford (formerly J-Zone) on drums, with Paten’s voice echoing through rare interview snippets and an unearthed acapella.

More than just an album, Rations is a heartfelt farewell, a final serving from two masters of craft, preserving the essence of their sound for hip hop’s long-term survival.