Album Reviews

Summer is here, the weather is HOT and the music is even hotter. I never review music that I don't like, cuz I don't believe in giving bad press. If you're familiar with my previous posts you know how I grade music. If you're unfamiliar here's the scoop. I rate in a five star system 5 being the highest 1 the lowest...lets get it in. 

Random Axe - Random Axe **** (4.25)

Is what you get when you put three dope lyricist into one super group. Sean Price, Black Milk, and Guilty Simpson combined their talents and put out a solid first album. All the production was done by Black Milk and although a few of the beats were minimalist style like J-Dilla most of the tracks are banging. Black Milk and Guilty Simpson are from Detroit. Sean Price is a Bucktown, BK veteran and half of the Iconic group Helta Skelta. Combining their sounds and rhyming like their competing against each other make each track a competition of who can spit the dopest verse.   

EDO.G - A Face in the Crowd **** (4.25) 

EDO.G is a Boston legend. one third of the group Special Teamz he's been putting out music since the days of Big Daddy Kane. Although ED is a industry veteran he still rhymes like a hungry new cat spitting fire every verse. Boasting head nodding production and collabos with Made Men, M-1, Bishop Lemont, Special Teamz and a few others. This album is definitely worth listening to if you like hardcore east-coast lyricism.

Tech N9NE - All 6's and 7's **** (4.50)

Tech N9ne is a Kansas City spitter who came to fame as a member of The Regime. Now he has a label Strange Music and a roster of artists from all over the map. This album is more of a group album featuring most of his artists on each track. The album has several standout tracks like Pornographic featuring E-40 but it has to many skits. Regardless the KC MC has consistently put out dope music and this is a fine addition yo his catalog. If you're a Tech Nine fan I definitely recommend going out and buying a copy.

Curren$y - Weekend at Bernies *** (3.50)

The Baton Rouge MC has been building his buzz slow and steady with singles and videos. This album has production reminiscent of 90's west coast music. The flows are tight but most of the songs stick to the same subject matter. Women, weed and money, which is normal in Hip-Hop but it would've been nice to hear Curren$y diversify his subject matter on a few tracks. This is a good album and Curren$y spits some hot bars on a few songs, but overall its one dimensional and leaves listeners waiting for something different. 

Killer Mike - The Pl3dge **** (4.50)

Killer Mike is a Atlanta lyricist with a strong delivery and diverse subject matter. This album is in a word "dope." The production is on point, the flows are tight, and the albums filled with an assortment of content. Killer Mike aka Mike Bigga touches on serious subjects like the presidency, welfare and the plight of black people in these times of war. He does it all with wit and top notch lyricism. Standout tracks Ready Set Go, American Dream and Burn show that Killer Mike is in touch with current issues, and isn't afraid to voice his opinion.

 

Album Reviews

There's some good music coming out in 2011 and the summers not even here yet. I never review music that I don't like, cuz I don't believe in giving bad press. If you're familiar with my previous posts you know how I grade music. If you're unfamiliar here's the scoop. I rate in a five star system 5 being the highest 1 the lowest.  

Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers **** (4.50)

Wiz Khalifa’s highly anticipated album Rolling Papers has been released. The Pittsburgh native had a stream of successful hits during 2010 that propelled him to stardom. Rolling Papers is a solid first release. Wiz carries most of the album himself, featuring only three collaborations off the 15 track LP. This was a smart decision cuz it shows Wiz is confident enough that he doesn’t need big names to co-sign him. It also allows listeners to hear more vocal range and lyrical diversity from the artist.

Pharoahe Monch - W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) **** (4.50)

Pharoahe Monch has been recognized as a lyrical giant since the 90’s. He came in the game spitting as half of the rap duo Organized Konfusion with Prince Po. Since then he has released three group projects, two solo albums and has been featured on numerous mixtapes. With his new album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) Pharoah Monch trades barbs with other lyrical titans like Styles P, Jean Grae, Royce Da 5,9, Immortal Technique, and others. The album has enough heat that it can be played without having to skip through songs looking for the hot track.

 

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers *** (3.75)

Lupe Fiasco’s sophomore album Lasers is a solid politically charged project. The Chi-town native discusses a variety of topics from struggles in the industry "The Show Goes On" to the state of education and health care in the U.S. on "Words I never say" and "State Run Radio". He speaks his mind while balancing the music with pop influenced tracks that have mass appeal. I feel this album shows growth for the artist and is a tribute to his growing fan-base.

 

Joell Ortiz - Free Agent **** (4.25)

Joell Ortiz buzz has been growing steady since the release of his first project The Brick (Bodega Chronicles) in 2007. He spent a short stint on Dr. Dre's Aftermath label before moving on to release the project independently. Joell is 1/4 of Super Group Slaughterhouse who drop their highly anticipated EP entitled, Slaughterhouse in February. The Brooklyn rhyme spitter holds nothing back on the new project Free Agent. He sticks to the formula of spittin hardcore rhymes with witty punchlines over head nodding production.

 

Strong Arm Steady - Arms and Hammers *** (3.75)

Strong Arm Steady (S.A.S) has been climbing out the underground since 2000. The group became known for spitting gang related flows backed by front man Xzibit. He left to continue his solo career in 2006 and the trio of Phil Da Agony, Mitchy Slick, and Krondon have continued working hard to make S.A.S a household name. Over the years they have recorded many mixtapes and have distributed them all over the world.The new project Arms and Hammers is 12 tracks of heat. Standout tracks like "All The Brothers" and "When Darkness Falls" shows the group can spit about more topics than just Gang Bangin.

Album Reviews

Allot of music came out in 2010 some good some whack. I recently got to listen to several albums released during 2010 that might have gone unnoticed. I never review music that I don't like, cuz I don't believe in giving bad press. If you're familiar with my previous posts you know how I grade music. If you're unfamiliar here's the scoop. I rate in a five star system 5 being the highest 1 the lowest.  

The elements of a good album are production, dope rhymes, delivery, and overall message. That's four points and the last is a combination of the minor details. For example, If the album has to many interludes, to many features and not enough solo tracks, or if the artists image and music aren't congruent then the album loses value. With that said lets get it in. 

Lloyd Banks - Hunger For More 2  **** (4)

This former 50 cent prodigy has managed to break out of his mentors shadow and stake a claim for his own success. H.F.M.2 is a hard hitting hip-Hop album featuring some dope singles such as (Beamer, Benz, and Bentley) and collabos with artists, Raekwon, Styles P, Swizz Beats, Pusha-T, and others.

Capone-N-Noreaga (CNN) The War Report 2 *** (3.5)

 CNN rose to success in the 1990's with the original war report which featured sharp flows and grimy street tales. The War Report 2 is an attempt to capture that same manic energy. The project is good and it does have some stand out singles like Bodega Stories (Feat. The L.O.X.) and Dutches vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo (Feat. Raekwon). Although I still prefer the original War report, part 2 would make a nice addition to any CNN fans catalog.

Stat Quo  - Statlanta ***(3.75)

Its been several years since Stat Quo talked about the Statlanta album and its finally here. Stat Quo came to fame as part of Dr. Dre's Aftermath imprint, when he was looking for talent in Atlanta for one of his side projects. Stat Quo impressed Dre with his flow and began making music with him. The album was supposed to be released in 2003 but do to label issues it was released in 2010 and it was worth the wait. Stat Quo drops a variety of styles spitting with a southern twang over some head-nodding production. 

Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows ****(4.25) 

This album is dope...plain and simple. I've been a Talib Kweli fan since his days in Black Star with Mos Def, so this review is biased. To be fair I'll stick to the facts. This project has Talib Kweli showing lyrical diversity, talking on a variety of subjects over top quality production. The album is filled with singles like I’m On One, Palookas feat. Sean Price, Uh Oh feat. Jean Grae and collaborations with emcees, singers and musicians. If you're going to buy one CD this month...this is the album.