Showing posts with label special teamz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label special teamz. Show all posts

Thursday, July 7, 2011

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.

 

Friday, February 25, 2011

The Super Group


In the 90’s labels weren’t offering many solo deals so then came the rise of the Super Group. Duck Down is the leader of the super group. They combined solo acts Smif N Wesson, OGC (Originoo Gunn Clappaz), Heltah Skeltah and Black Moon into a super group that went on to release several compilation projects. The Wu-Tang Clan was one of the first supergroups to have mainstream global success. The Wu-Tang is a collective of solo artists all signed to individual deals but part of the same group. At the time this was accomplished no other artist or group had done it, so it was a groundbreaking feat. Since then there have been numerous successful labels who have followed the same formula.

Master P and his No Limit Records imprint was very successful, followed by Cash Money Records signing a huge deal with Universal that basically propelled southern rap to the industry forefront. For awhile super groups faded in favor of catz making more money by going solo. Over the last few years and decline of album sales the industry has been forced to re-adopt the concept. Below I posted music by super groups from the past, present and future Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Special Teamz, SlaughterHouse, Diplomats, La Coka Nostra, Wu-Tang Clan, Check 'em out and tell a friend to tell a friend.