The perpetually jovial Hip-Hop historian/drummer/everything Questlove said this around 11 pm to hundreds of people who had been standing in sardine formation for hours waiting for a 9pm show to start. Mick Boogie did an exceptional job entertaining the near riotous crowd with an expert blend of old school cuts from almost any and every artist that ever participated in the Soulaquarian movement. However, with no opening act and the crowd body heat reaching critical levels people began to plan exit plans. Some concert goers were even overheard giving the reclusive genius until 11pm to materialize or he would be replaced with DVR viewings of “Girls”.

Once the 5’6, 38-year-old phenom emerged dressed in all black like The Omen with Questlove in tow (sporting a “Free Pussy Riot” shirt) disgruntled sighs quickly turned to jubilant yells.  Before his ravishing opening cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Let Me Have It All”. Before his beautifully controlled wailing high notes on Voodoo‘s ”The Root”. Before the show really started, all there was were two men and hundreds of cheers.

Then history began.

Unofficial moderator Questlove informed the crowd from the beginning this performance will resemble the numerous jam sessions him and D’angelo have when recording music. That feel permeated every facet of their performance. Whether it be the unspoken back and forth joking between two longtime friends during songs such as The Funkadelics’ “Cosmic Slop” or how each song bled into the next, the performance always retained this organic feel.

The set list took the gleeful spectators through classics from D’angelo’s two masterful albums 1995′s Brown Sugar and 2000′s epochal game changer Voodoo and also covers of bands that influenced the brilliant singer.  D’angelo’s vocal command was as crisp as ever with only a few spots during a cover of  The Ohio Players’ “Our Love Has Died” showing signs of rust natural with such a prolonged absence from regular live performances. An underrated talen of his is his expert musicianship and the way he manipulated the Fender Rhodes and Hohner D6 Clavinet while belting out intricate vocal patterns was mesmerizing. The big voice did not match the sheepish demeanor D’angelo displayed throughout the night.

Following a rendition of “Really Love”, the packed Brooklyn Bowl crowd applauded so loudly Questlove and D’angelo could not communicate, prompting the always loquacious drummer to deliver the night’s most heartfelt and revelatory moment.

“Keep clapping. Let him know he is loved or y’all might have to wait until 2044 for the next album.”

There was a microphone in the center of the stage that was not used for one single song. D’angelo, the emblem of the golden era in neo-soul returns to Brooklyn for the first time in over a decade and opts to play on the side instead of center. This was not simply another test run for a D’Angelo re-acclimating himself to not only the grind of performing but the realization of his immutable impact.  This was a reclusive genius coming out of hiding to see not if he still had it but if the people still wanted it.

He only spoke one word in the center mic, a singular “yes” at the end of jam session. He was answering Questlove’s question “Is the album almost done?”

Besides a few soft spoken “Thank You’s” and one  ”I love you too” he let the music speak. After the last cymbals crash on the epic Voodoo closer “Africa” and the two men returned to the backstage area, fans did not have to wait 10 years for a follow up performance but rather a few minutes for the encore. D’angelo and Questlove capped the night off with a soul-stirring rendition of Brown Sugar‘s “Alright”.

Overall, D’angelo proved why he is in another stratosphere than the new generation of experimental urban singers(read: Frank Ocean/The Weekend). D’angelo has reentered himself into the national consciousness and the only thing left is to hear the as-of-yet untitled album before he can dust off the crown he relinquished over a decade ago.

Here is the complete set list:

1) Go Back To The Thing / Let Me Have It All (Sly & The Family Stone cover)
2) Cosmic Slop (Funkadelic cover)
3) Woman’s Gotta Have It (Bobby Womack cover) / The Line
4) You Caught Me Smilin’ (Sly & The Family Stone cover)
5) Tell Me If You Still Care (The S.O.S. Band cover)
6) Our Love Has Died (Ohio Players cover)
7) The Root
8) Alright / Mother’s Son (Curtis Mayfield cover)
9) Really Love
10) New Position (Prince & The Revolution cover) / Africa
11) Lady (encore)

Check out D’angelo perform the Brown Sugar cut, ”Alright” at last night’s Brooklyn Bowl show:

“I’ve made more hits with this man than anyone else,” said Usher, acknowledging Dupri on stage. “Congratulations to my friend, JD!” said Mariah, as she wheeled out a cake at the end of the show. Overwhelmed by the energy of the crowd and the support and well-wishes of his celebrity friends, Dupri was humbled: “Wow…this is crazy,” he said. “We did it! Thank you everyone – the fans, the artists..ain’t nobody f’in with my clique!”

For more info on So So Def Recordings, Inc, visit www.global14.com or follow them on Twitter (@SoSoDef).

Photos: Exclusive Access, Paras Griffin, Sly White

Bow Wow

Brandon Casey (of Jagged Edge)

Kris Kross

Usher

T-Pain

Tamika Scott (of Xscape)

Pastor Troy

Monica

Luda and Jay-Z Waiting in the Wings

Mariah Carey and JD

Nelly

Lil Jon, Luda, and JD

Young Jeezy

Jay-Z Surprised the Crowd

Money Ain’t a Thang

Intro [Prod. Dready]

“You laptop hot, just internet warm/download for download, don’t get caught up in my storm”

A frenzy of synths dance around and snapping hi hats with a menacing organ as Pusha T rattles off venemous bars on everything from drug talk to loose mothers steering daughters wrong. Oh and he said “I’mma lean until I’m the king of New Orleans“. YUUUCK!

Millions  [Prod Southside, co-Produced by Kanye West]

“This that shit that y’all wanted/This shit cook up hard don’t it/y’all gotta beg my pardon on it/But this sh*t sound like God, don’t it?“

Pusha T’s fixation with God metaphors continues with  the collaboration with an MC who made sure we understood he didn’t forgive even though God does. Very forgettable Rick Ross verse not ripe with his drug witty humor or visceral imagery that made songs like “I’m Not A Star” and  “Yellow Diamonds” addictive. The chorus will break a few necks.

Doesn’t Matter [Prod. Renegades]

“Since y’all claim I’m Illuminati, tell me why would you try me/Kennedy/John F or Bobby/Almost caught Reagan too but they stopped us in the lobby/And that was broad day so how the fuck you going to stop me”

Syrupy French Montana glides in out of beat pockets awkwardly in his usual drugged flow. The subdued beat contrasts Pusha’s brash delivery nicely leaving open space for his words to shine through.

Blocka [Prod. Young Chop]

“Teamwork make the dream work/All my n*ggas done seen work/All my n*ggas ain’t make it through/So much death that my dreams hurt.”

Newest hip hop producer sensation, Young Chop laces the black Ric Flair with the minimalist heat rock for Pusha to speak his ghetto gospel. Pusha sounds extra hungry on this song (He doesn’t have to sell…ok?!) and the reggae influence on the chorus (which interestingly permeates the majority of this tape) creates a banger. 

Road Runner feat./ Troy Ave [Prod. Harry Fraud]

“Snub 38 with the Mac black trigger/When “how can I be down?” was filled with crack n*ggas”

Nothing against Troy Ave but his gravely voice does not help harmonizing on this chorus and actually made me think “French Montana should be on this.” Short song, not much but a few slick street talk and typical recounting.

Revolution  [Prod. The Neptunes]

“I was lost, I was jaded/Malice found his way to our Savior.“

Light keys tip-toe around a bare Neptunes beat until the blaring horns and light whirling strings.  Pusha gives his a rather impressively succinct analysis of his career in the music business (business partner indicted for drugs, Malice finding God, So Appalled) and This just further proves that the majority of Pusha T songs should be handled by The Neptunes.

Only You Can Tell It feat./ Wale [Prod. Boogz-N-Tape]

“We aint hating, cause we aint y’all/Too much Ciroc(C. Rock) you seen be fore(CB4)”-Wale

After an onslaught of seemingly irreprehensible drug tales throughout this tape finally finds a sort of conscience.  Pusha takes his time to give the human context of “these drug dealing Picasso’s.” Wale playfully contorts his flow around a bouncy Boogz-N-Tape beat.

Trust You [Prod. SK & Arthur McArthur]

“I’m good money, got you talking in dollar signs/it’s all good that she the top b*tch, but she just want to know the bottom line.”

Play this. Close you eyes. Watch a strip club appear in your mind. While Future was caught up in a real-life Maury episode, Pusha enlists Kevin Giles for a more than serviceable replacement. Pusha attempts to relinquish his abrasive flow for a more seductive tone as he talks to his stripper love interest, but it comes off as odd aggressive flirting.

Take My Life [Prod. Jake-One]

“It aint enough that I struggled through my career/Less appreciated when I was apart of a pair.”

With a simple trumpet, 808s and with a reggae-infused chorus, Pusha Ton waxes poetics about the haters(local n*ggas and the law) trying to alter the life he’s established, no matter how detrimental it can be. Jake One production has been unf*ckwittable for quite some time and Pusha does this joint justice.

Liva- Re Up Gang Motivation [Prod. !llmind]

“Polaroids being shown in every jail, every tier/Representing, all my niggas known I share..from the heart.”-Liva

Re-Up Gang veteran Liva (Formerly known as Ab-Liva) loses all parts of his mind on this hard-hitting !llmind production. Even his most simplest lyrics (“I am Heath Ledger Joker to you jokers”) comes off with enough conviction to bring this song to life. Great choice by Pusha T to let his Liva let loose.

I Am Forgiven [Prod. B!nk]

“I asked forgiveness Lord/in hopes of getting more/Then beg forgiveness for the same thing he forgave me for.”

Hall of famer producer, B!nk laces Pusha T with an head-bop inducing  with cymbal crashes, tight drums and a hypnotic vocal sample. Pusha’s greatest skill is how conversational he can make his internal battles with the life he’s chosen, his past and the Man upstairs.

Overall, Pusha T sums up the feel of this tape with one sentence found at the end of “I Am Forgiven”: “this is just an appetizer.” Wrath of Caine is plagued with repetitive subject matter and some questionable length choice, but Pusha’s sheer charisma saves alot of those from a Recycle Bin fate. The bars are still there and potent as they have ever been in his 10 year+ career. If this is a precursor to his major label full length debut, My Name Is My Name then that album could potentially be the monster this mixtape scratches the surface of.

Sean Penn plays the psychotic Mickey Cohen, and being one of the best actors of our generation, this role is tailor-made for his abilities. Josh Brolin is brought in to play his chief nemesis Sgt. O’Mara, a tough play-by-the-rules uncorrupted Policeman ordered by the mayor of Los Angeles to clean up the city. Ryan Gosling appears as O’Mara’s eventual crime fighting partner, Sgt. Wooters, although his character is a bit more reserved to tackle the Crime Syndicate since he’s tied up with them through his own vices. The beautiful Emma Stone plays Cohen’s red-headed vixen girlfriend, which eventually becomes the love interest of Gosling’s character.

On paper this should be a great cast, kind of like my beloved Los Angeles Lakers, but aside from the Gosling/Stone romance, none of the characters are able to build real screen chemistry. The problem with gangster films is that the bar has been set so high with films where the story and dialogue are heavier than the action itself. With Gangster Squad, you get a movie with action but with very little dialogue for the actors to sink in to. Don’t go looking for a Godfather I & II, Goodfellas, Casino or Donnie Brasco. You can expect a movie more along the lines of Mobsters and The Untouchables (actually it’s too similar to The Untouchables). Anthony Mackie and Michael Pena are brought in as the token minority characters and aren’t given too much to work with either, which is disappointing since Pena really did an outstanding job in his last movie, End of Watch.

If you can’t find anything else at the movies to watch, and you’re really hell-bent on seeing a Mafia genre flick, then by all means check it out. Just expect to see an embellished and glorified tale that has some decent action and dialogue sprinkled in here and there.

“The Introduction” gets his priorities straight by listing his daily dealings of balling out, getting blowed, and not giving a hoot over a soulful sample of Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man”. Producer Cardiak adds to his flourishing resume of bangers on “G season”, which finds T.I.’s former protégé Meek Mill getting outshined by his former boss, who addresses the media probing into his personal life.

“F*ck what they say about my cases/ f*ck what they say about my lady/ f*ck what they say what were doing on that day of visitation/ All I care about is my out-date, and the nature of this probation/How much dough I’m second making/ where I’m going on vacation?”

“Trap Back Jumpin” is a return of Bankhead Tip’s Trap Muzik, which reminds his naysayers that he still has not forgotten the recipe for those dope lines and hard bass. Literally. T.I. sounds right at home on the Lousiana’s bouncing “Ball”. His precise and spit fire flow out-bounces even Wayne’s New Orleans-bred cackles so well that it seems like T.I. could have been the long, lost Hot Boy. The auto-tuned hook on “Wildside” seems out of place, which is ironic since its producer, No ID, was believed to have killed off the trendy program as Hov’s accomplice on “D.O.A”. Bad auto-tune hooks also make it hard to take “Cruisin” seriously, and the unfocused Neptunes production on the Cee Lo-assisted “Hello” is confusing.

It wasn’t ’til The King of the South found himself next to fellow Southern royalty, Andre 3000, on the Jazze Pha-produced “Sorry” that he really elevates his multi-syllabic Southern drawl. Triumphant horns and gentle keys ring as Tip rips into a victorious verse of an unapologetic hustler that justifies his rich gains for putting up with the backstabbers and perpetrators.

3 Stacks once again does not disappoint as he delivers another soul baring/introspective verse, which starts off him sniping about why he shuns the spotlight, and apologizing to Big Boi for the lost funds and OutKast fans that may have resulted from his hermit habit.

“I hated all the attention so I ran from it/…I hope we ain’t lose no fans from it/I’m a grown *ss kid/ You know I ain’t care about no damn money/ Why did we try so hard to be stars, just to dodge comets?”

Andre continues his streak of being the highlight of an another MC’s album, once he stops his riveting rhymes to address the internet blogger who might find personal testimony boring.

Yet it’s hard for one to stay bored with hi and such other well-balanced songs on Trouble Man. Whether you’re a dope peddler, lyrical technician, or a club-hopper, there is something to be enjoyed on this album.

If you don’t care for T.I.’s topics of balling-out, dope pushing, and living life on the edge, you have to take note of his ability to make such a well-balanced effort. On this album, T.I. has learned that there is No Mercy for the punishment of his vices that he commits on his personal Paper Trail – so he embraces the heavy burden. Trouble Man is not an apology for past troubles or controversy, but rather the testimony of a man who revels in it and has accepted the consequences that come along with it, for better or worst.

Rating: 8.5/10

His consistency is admirable, and even envied by some artists, and he displays that again with his latest drop. It’s Tha World links up the all-star duo of he and DJ Drama to deliver more of the quality street music we’ve come to love them for, even if it’s nothing entirely original. From the “El Jefe Intro” produced by Lodi, the tone’s set for a majority of the project, and Jeezy embraces that tone wholeheartedly, dropping hype songs like “RIP” (with 2 Chainz), “Knob Broke”, and the radio-ready “Get Right.”

However, there’s a few tracks that just seem to go through the motions, drawing down the replay value a bit, most notably being “Too Many Commas” with Birdman, and, surprisingly, “Turn Up Or Die”, which features an intro from the incarcerated Lil’ Boosie. It also shows the redundant theme for the mixtape, as “Knob Broke” and “Turn Up Or Die” is essentially the same spirit of song. Thankfully, charismatic entries like “Evil”, the solid collaboration with Trey Songz on “Tonight”, and the Lodi-produced “Thank You” help to close the project as strong as it began.

It’s one of the stronger releases from Jeezy that we’ve had in recent memory, and it’s fully deserving of the free download. Jeezy’s improving his consistency, and even with the few filler songs sprinkled in (along with redundant topics, of course), if he continues in this vein there’s no real reason to think he’ll fall off any time soon. With production from the aforementioned Lodi, Jahlil Beats, Black Metaphor, Cardo, Mike Will, and more, Its Tha World is a nice serving of Jeezy that will hold us over until he pops next.

Rating 7.5/10

Melding Funk, Jazz, Rock, Blues, and a host of other random sounds into a collective Hip-Hop identity that has sold millions of records worldwide, while keeping its artistic integrity might seem impossible for most groups. But for Big Boi, this is a walk in the park. For his second solo album, Vicious lies and Dangerous Rumors, Daddy Fat Sacks continues to push the envelope into Indie Rock and Electronic territory, creating another realm in OutKast’s endless sound palette.

Big Boi starts “Ascending” as soft acoustics fade in, while he calmly introduces himself and welcomes the listener to the album with music you might hear at the beginning of a yoga class. Which is appropriate since he is about to bend and twist Hip-Hop into forms that are rarely made possible. Through “The Thickets”, he rides over a Jodeci sample, bass, and snares to create a smooth number with Sleepy Brown’s silky voice riding shotgun. Indie Pop band Phantogram lends some vocals and production to the Electronic-pulsing “Objectum Sexuality”, and “CPU”, where Big Boi installs his player chip next to Sara Barthel’s soft voice-box.

“When she with me/she feel free, like her days off/B__s in her hand, but that b*tch don’t never say cough…(cough)/Unless we playing doctor/With no stethoscope, just heels and those knockers!”

Leave it to Big Boi make a song that would seem like a collage of sonic contradictions on paper, and turn it into an entertaining pulsing anthem that hipsters and Hip-Hoppers can both enjoy.

General Patton also finds time to give his beloved ATL another anthem by recruiting his fellow ATLiens, T.I. and Ludacris, on “In the A”. Equipped with bouncing marching bands, A-town stomps, and a spit-fire flow, Big Boi puts on for his city with bars like:

“Non-violent tho, No violence, just styling ho/ From the birth place of MLK/ where everything ain’t OK, but KKK/…I’m on Malcolm then Martin/Come get some, be a Target/Standing in the kitchen with AK/AKA THE SHAAAAWTY”

Five tracks into the album, Big Boi also starts to show some rare moments of vulnerability through his Southern player demeanor. On “She Hate Me” Kid Cudi takes on hook duty, as Big Boi explains how his music industry lifestyle is taking a toll on his relationship with his children’s mother. The Son of Chico Dusty also shares the pain of coping with the “Tremendous Damage” of losing his father while holding onto his faith. Steady acoustics and spacey Little Dragon echoes on “Descending” sets a somber mood perfectly as Big Boi pelts out his anguish of loss by partially singing and crying. The song’s emotional mood is so apparent that only a few are words needed to get the message, but Big Boi is not the one to dwell on despair.

“Shoes for Running” proves that Sir Luscious Left-Foot is not fearful of death, and that B.o.B’s recent mainstream breakthrough has not rusted his pen game. Over another a sample from indie rock group, Wavves, Bobby Ray rips into a scheme rich verse.

“My n*ggas will draw when sh*t get sketchy/It’s a masterpiece, a work of art, a gallery, no photoshop/picture says a million words/so I just let my photo talk/even in your local talk/n*ggas say you know he boss/every time my name is brought up/better know it’s mobile talk…”

Not all of Big Boi’s unpredictable collaborations are rewarding, though. “Thom Pettie” finds Little Dragon having a bad Weeknd, and “Raspberries” has Big Boi stretching his voice flat to try compete with Scar in a duet. These duds are quickly forgotten once UGK is reunited with Big Boi and Big K.R.I.T on “Gossip”. The Pimp C/Big KRIT comparisons are finally shattered once Krizzle shows off his bouncy, Southern spit next to Pimp’s laidback drawl. As great as the song is, the missing Andre 3000 verse keeps it from being another “International Playa Anthem”, but it is still deserving of plenty of play.

While other Hip-Hop artists collaborate with popular alternative bands in a cheap attempt to reach different audience, Big Boi proves these to only be “Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors” when applied to him. As an avid fan of Indie Pop, Rock, and Electronic, Big Boi pulls from his favorite genres in order to make a cohesive mesh that continues OutKast’s mission to challenge the listener on what Hip-Hop can be.

Rating: 8/10

Jesus Piece is Game’s last album with Interscope records, and although it’s touted as a concept album, it’s more accurate to say it’s a themed LP. There’s no running story to connect the thoughts (a la Kendrick’s good kid m.A.A.d city or The Roots’ undun), but there is a prevalent theme founded on the perception of church aspects through the eyes of the street. With that being said, there are several skits snuck throughout the play to illustrate this point, along with several songs that reinforce the same thing (and there’s not a more perfect example of this present than “Hallelujah” with Jamie Foxx and Jake One).

All of this wouldn’t matter if the album was bad, and it’s not by any stretch of the imagination. The feature-heavy LP – a double-edged sword at times -  has Game delivering the type of music his fans clamor for, but shifts gears at the appropriate time to stretch his content and show diversity. Even though “Scared Now” is one of the weaker album intros from Game we’ve heard, he gets the juice back with “Ali Bomaye” (a phrase which translates roughly into “Ali, Kill him!), trading bars with 2 Chainz and Rick Ross over production from Black Metaphor. After a hilarious skit, it continues into the Boi-1da/Maven Boys-produced “Jesus Piece”, in which Kanye and Common lend a quick hand to show a parallel between their lifestyles and the encrusted chain that’s inspired the album title.

STREAM: Game – “Jesus Piece” (feat.. Kanye West and Common)

The best parts of Jesus Piece, however, are when Game either takes a chance out of the blue, or when he turns aggressive when rhyming. A perfect example of the first is “Pray”, which features strong vocals from JMSN and a show-stealing verse from J. Cole, and “See No Evil” with Tank and Kendrick Lamar. In addition, there’s a legit flip of a classic D’Angelo song (“All That”) that features Lil’ Wayne, Big Sean, Jeremih, and Fabolous that deserves props. The second’s illustrated the best in “Heaven’s Arms” and “Freedom”, illustrating Game as he flips the switch and goes to work without the help of guest emcees.

STREAM: Game – “Pray” (feat. J. Cole and JMSN)

Even with the different aspects, Game manages to sneak in more substance and reflective lyrics in this album than he has in the past, and although some songs suffer due to the quality of the guest verse (King Chip’s verse in “Church”, for example), Jesus Piece is still a dope album. The production is solid, and each of the (many) cameos in this instance add to the replay value of the LP (and Game even acknowledges the fact he’s feature heavy in “Freedom”, a nice touch). Regardless of the controversy, when it all comes together, you get an album that’s well worth the purchase, whether in-store or online.

Rating: 8/10

From the outset of Diamond, Freeway doesn’t waste any time combining his flows and dropping messages within his lines alongside the sultry voice of Marsha Ambrosius on “Right Back”, and the vibe flows well into the following tracks with Vivian Green (“Greatness”) and the now-obligatory producer collaboration with the previously referenced Jake One (“The Thirst”). Interestingly, although the latter seems to borrow a line or two from Kendrick Lamar’s “I’m Dying Of Thirst” in its hook, the content, vibe, and overall flow of the song couldn’t be more different as Freeway takes on the aspect of being thirsty for success.

Strong features from the aforementioned singers, along with Music Soulchild, Nikki Jean, and others truly add to the replay value of the project, especially when placed alongside a few tracks that has Freeway stepping out of his comfort zone to exercise lyrically. “No Doubt”, although not a bad song, doesn’t seem to fit well in the album’s sequencing at all, but in contrast the songs surrounding it works perfectly (this could be due to the song being dated; the linked teaser clip was released in April of 2011). Thankfully, it’s the only real song that’s plunked in without any rhyme or reason; even the bounce-inducing “Numbers” fits better within the arrangement, and the verse from Neef Buck helps as well.

In addition to the great cast ensemble, the album’s chocked full of highlights that stand on their own. The Just Blaze-produced “Early” is the first time the duo have linked in quite a while, and Freeway falls right back into the groove as if nothing had been wrong all of these years. “Ghetto Streets” takes a different approach, teaming Freeway’s rhyme scheme explaining the street narrative with an unorthodox, but soulful background full of vocals and instrumentals that sound straight out of the 70s. Granted, it’s completely different from anything else on the album, but it succeeds.

Again, aside from those issues and the lackluster appearance from Wale on “True”, it’s hard to argue against the final product. Freeway’s been consistent, and he’s saved some of his best music of the year for Diamond In The Ruff. With great production from Jake One, Mike Jerz, and more, alongside the cameo appearances cited above, this is a dope play from start to finish. Freeway’s underrated, and he knows it; hopefully that changes soon, since there’s very few that are guaranteed to deliver musically like he is right now.

Rating: 8/10

See Exhibit A, where Loso admits over a Jay Electronica beat that he’s not the one to get into details on the intro track “Transformation” (And Who am I?/Without name dropping, I’m/ Someone who saw a cop and didn’t stop, he just climbed/Someone who got money without dropping a dime/ and transformed into your leader in my Optimus Prime). But the particulars are forgiven, when Loso keeps hitting you over the head with punchline after punchline over some of the most epic and original production since he “Breathed” some “Real Talk” into radio stations eight years ago.

Producer Teddy da Don’s trash can percussion and sirens create a street nostalgia on “B.I.T.E”, which Fab uses an acronym to explain his motivation to grind. A light-hearted sample sets off “We Get High”, as Fab spits some stoner movie schemes with a carefree flow as an ode to Mary Jane (Stimulate your mind girl, it’s Friday, you ain’t got s**t to do/ I put you on some real sh**t, if you ain’t afraid to take a hit or two). Remakes of Rihanna’s “Diamonds” and Scarface’s “Guess Who’s Back” find Fab questioning soured relationships and friendships, but he concludes that neither can stop his shine.

His warning of the expense of the materialistic girl does get out-shined though by J. Cole’s vivid story-telling of the makings of a materialistic girl on “Louis Vuitton”. Steady bass, quiet keys, and engaging strings are riveting, as Cole paints quite a convincing portrait of a quiet church girl who rebels against her overly-protective father by dating rich older men. Cole’s talent for finding the irony of such an authentic character makes the materialistic girl feel so real that you could almost call her by name.

Pops never let her outside/ n***a knew the type of s**t she was up against, little did he know the s**t was going to backfire/Cuz she.. act quiet, got baptized/sang in the choir, but the thing she desired/was a older n***a that could show her how to be freak.. a young girl’s in heat.

Fab’s favorite hook supplier, Lil Mo, is surely missed on songs like “Life Is So Exciting” and “Only Life I know”, which could be much better without Loso on hook duty. Perhaps Fab should put in an ad for a full-time singer for tracks like these, but in the meantime, features like Pusha T’s signature flow of balling out control on “Life Is So Exciting” is sure to hold fans over.

If you were expecting Fab to really bare his soul on Soul Tape 2, you have to settle for a peek because Loso is just too laid back for that. He might not layout a scenario that can make you feel as though he might have been through the same challenges as you, but that doesn’t mean his slick schemes and sneaky punchlines can’t give you as much goosebumps and screw-faces as any Soul singer could. NICE!

Rating 7.5/10

Download Fabolous’ Soul Tape 2 here.

“You know some n*ggas never learn /

Some learn and never apply but wait /

Some apply but never teach /

My only right to preach? I spent time being each…”

A lot can be said for the turbulent years that Joe Budden has weathered up to this point. Due to him constantly being in the public eye and his unwavering approach to addressing issues head-on in his music, he’s oftentimes seen as an easy target to judge. However, it’s for that same exact reason that Budden’s fans connect with him; his honest music makes him just as relatable. With his resiliency in rap now more evident than ever, thanks to his emergence with Slaughterhouse and Shady Records, alongside his situation with VH1′s “Love & Hip Hop” (yes, that’s really happening), Joe Budden drops A Loose Quarter, his gift to the fans that’s stuck with him through thick and thin. It’s truly reflected in the music as well; Joey opens up about his relationships, past and present, and puts it in a new light as he attempts to find closure in old situations while progressing into new ones.

Ironically, a huge segment of Joey’s fans liken his music to that of Mary J. Blige’s, thinking that the music is arguably more likely to take a hit in quality the happier he is. If that’s a worry in your mind, then you can discard that as Joe’s musical ability hasn’t declined in almost any way. From dismantling tracks alongside Ab-Soul (“Cut From A Different Cloth”) to giving up and coming rappers their respective spotlights (Trev Rich had a show-stealer on the “Dreams Interlude”, as well as Tsu-Surf’s verse on “Through My Eyes”), the lyrical aspect of the project is on full display.

As far as emotional appeal, that’s here in spades as well. From the emotional dealings of “Momma Said”, to “Off 2 The Races”, which deals with the lack of closure from his ex, Tahiry (she loved it, by the way), Joe has always had a painfully honest way of dealing with his situations. The interesting twist here is alluded to above; it’s not all negative as one would lead you to think, thanks to his current girl, Kaylin. He even touches on her personal situation for a couple of songs (notably on “More Of Me“), but although it’s nice to know the story behind it all, it doesn’t seem to quite fit as well as other featured songs here. Thankfully, he gets back into the pocket with Royce Da 5’9 and Kobe, as “All In My Head” is arguably the best track here.

Accompanied by great production from Cardiak, AraabMuzik, Darknight, 8 Bars, and others, and a hilarious skit from Mal and Emanny on “The Helmet”, Joe Budden does a good job of bearing his soul over production yet again. If this is an indication of things to come, his upcoming album may be one to have us talking for a long time. Granted, it may seem that Joey’s personal life goes through cycles, but if he’s the type to open up about them and be this effective, then that in itself sets him apart from most rappers. Combine that with the fact that he’s figured out a way to reinvent himself musically time and time again, and you have a character in Hip-Hop that’s needed in more ways than one.

Let’s just hope that his upcoming TV status doesn’t convince him to conform anytime soon… He’s made his come-up by being different, and it would be a sad tale to see him suddenly abandon the calling card that’s connected with his fans for so long.

Rating: 8/10

If an MC brags about how delicious his “soup” recipe is, one might think that a new drug has hit the streets. But if you’re listening to Action Bronson, chances are he is really talking about a broth and meat delicacy. And that is why Bronsonlino is Hip-Hop’s official monkey wrench. Last year, the Queens chef/rapper garnered a hungry following for his left-field metaphors, over-the-top charisma, and a whole dictionary of Bronsonlini slang that had more heads scratching than since Wu-Tang Clan taught verbal intercourse.

Even while Hip-Hop heads are still digesting his jazz and blues spiced Blue Chips, Bronson decided to head to the kitchen with The Alchemist to serve up another full-course meal under some Rare Chandeliers.

After a “Big Body Bes” intro celebrating the fact he no longer needs to steal out of the supermarket to feed his big appetite, Bronson digs right into a gluttonous lifestyle of luxury on the project’s appetizer, “Rare Chandeliers”. The Alchemist makes it very clear that he put his toe in this recipe samples to mix together a seamless collage of voices that appropriately talk about rare chandeliers between Bronson’s verses. On “The Symbol”, Alchemist’s grooving guitar and stabbing organs sets Bronson in his now classic braggadocios demeanor that pulls together a clutter of images that tingle the taste buds.

“Vultures flying over the carcass/bitches blowing on my d*ck like a cartridge/ throw some grass up/ aim a little east of the target/ my brain was sculpted at Harvard…”

After this track, though, Bronson seems to get bested a tad by his guest cooks. Partners in rhyme, Meyhem Lauren and Ag tha Coroner, both mangle the smooth bass and dark organ on “Syvester Lundgren”.  Bronson’s almost freestyle-like verse seems to be only an after-taste to Ag tha Coroner’s verse, where he uses biblical reference on why he is a born rebel:

“One way ticket to the fire and brimstone/my mental locked up but my physical been home/Question I ask god is what do I sin for?/He said I do wrong because Eve is my kinfolk/bloodline of a disobedient/mix with the heart of a butcher make tha Coroner ingredient”

When “Randy the Musical” plays, The Alchemist starts to play a game of Russian Roulette with Bronsonby switching the beat from lounging horns, to break beats and striking bass, before finally landing on some cruising keys. Bronson remains unfazed by The Alchemist constantly changing the beat tempo and adjusts perfectly to The Alchemist’s trademark beat switch ups like on “Eggs On the Third Floor”.

But not everyone can find their stride over The Alchemist’s innovating production. Schoolboy Q tries his best to keep up with Bronson on “Demolition Man”, but gets out-stunted with Bronsonlino lines like “Caught a statutory rape because the steak wasn’t mature/I’m laid by the lake/ you laid by fatable mate/I lace my shoes tight I’m ready for the paper chase.”

The Alchemist has proven once again on Rare Chandeliers how far a talented producer can go sonically with a crate full of lush samples. “Gateway to Wizardry’s” high-pitched strings and haunting guitar rifts create such a menacing and suspenseful atmosphere, it could give Alfred Hitchcock an anxiety attack.

Overall, Rare Chandeliers is another staple on Bronson’s growing menu of delicacies. Although Bronson seems to be a little more predictable and has a lot less spontaneous lyricism on Rare Chandeliers than his previous work, The Alchemist makes the project a rich sample stew that is an absolute must-try. If Bronson’s lyrical ingredients seem a tad stale, guest bars from Roc Marciano and Ag tha Coroner are sure to freshen up its taste. Besides, a Chef is only as good as his co-cooks.

Rating: 8.0/10

Download Rare Chandeliers HERE

The intro track, “After Midnight”, sets the tone out of the gate as Termanology goes right into the street narrative and lyricism that he’s been making his name known for, while Fame gives vintage verses with slick quips that sound straight out of the M.O.P. catalog, complete with the hyper ad-libs. The relentlessness never stops until nearing the back end of Fizzyology, even as the subject matter switches up. It’s on display, from the Bun B feature on “Hustler’s Ringtone”, to the M.O.P. reunion on “Crazy” ; even with those being the drawing point form pressing play, one of the true highlights of the entire project is the reflection track, “Family Ties”. As they rhyme about their past with their kin, it’s more of a revelation as to what both artists have been through and how it made them who they are, but not in a cliché way. There are other mellow tracks as well (“Pray For Me”, “Lil Ghetto Boy”), but this one stands out.

Although it was a legit move for each artist to have solo songs through Fizzyology, it’s hard to not wonder how Fame would’ve sounded on Term’s tracks and vice versa. Thankfully, the union is heard on most of the tracks here, and it makes for an enjoyable ride that flows pretty well, all things considered. If you’re one of those people complaining about the lack of rugged, raw Hip-Hop, you’d be remiss to miss this one. Fizzyology delivers, point blank.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

“Rap vs Real” is a new take on the “fake vs. real” concept where Tha Yardfather uses a “Rap” scenario, which he deems as fake scenario, as the effect of a corrupted reality. Just Blaze’s crisp drums appear on the song as Saigon breaks down illusions to reveal some ugly truths:

“Them hundreds keys you said you flipped in the trap? THAT’S RAP! /

And Max B fighting for that appeal. THAT’S REAL! /

That little b***h you let dance on your lap? THAT’S RAP! /

The fact that she been molested since she was lil. THAT’S REAL!”

After the first two opening tracks, Just Blaze’s presence is missed as Saigon tries his best to lend some heartfelt words of encouragement to pursue ones dreams, but is plagued by DJ Corbett’s off-beat acoustic guitar on “Let Me Run”. A trend of lackluster organ production continues on “Not Like Them”, where Sai and Styles P rap about being “Not Like Them”, without really giving you a reason besides taking their word for it. But, there is some meat to go along with this bread.

“The Game Changer” finds Saigon venting out some anguish with Atlantic Records by telling the story of his first single from his debut album with Trey Songz, which he claims was expected to be a sexual record by his former label.

Now all along they expecting we do a song on how we bang the girls /

I said, “Naw lil n***a we about to change the world /

When I turned it in expecting a grin /

They gave a n***a a look like never again.

The album’s predictable single “Blown Away” has Saigon connecting the common end that the mortar’s of Black progress all share and how he fears it for himself. Dessert is served once you get to the album’s gem “Our Babies 2”. On the track, dark piano keys and epic strings spur Sai into raising some good political questions like why Osama Bin Laden was killed without a trial (“They killed Bin Laden and everybody just smiled / if he did what was allege than yeah, that maggot was foul / question I ask you: What happen to his trial?”). However, besides this song and the two versions of “Blown Away”, there isn’t much politically said on GSNT 2, which brings wonder why Sai would want to perpetuate such an ambitious political theme on the album in the first place.

Although Saigon’s testament to delivering positive messages in Hip-Hop has been unquestioned, since his classic compilation mixtape, Welcome To Saigon, or even last year’s debut, The Greatest Story Never Told, he seems to feel under-appreciated for his lyrical consciousness. Instead of continuing his track record of uplifting the ‘hood, GSNT seems to seek validation for his past musical efforts. Hopefully in the next chapter of The Yardfather’s inspiring story, he’ll have more substance to make Hip-Hop “SAY YES” once again.

Rating: 7/10

Although a few of these MCs have refuted their music being dubbed only “Stoner rap”, the common theme of weed nonetheless resonates immensely with a wide range of audiences, giving the stressed-out hustler, financially-struggling single mom, or even the 70-year-old flower child all something to fly to. Yet, after some of the smoke cleared, the buds of “Stoner rap” seemed to be cashed due to its lack of depth and redundant marijuana themes. But just when it seems like the popular genre is endangered of being a trend, leave it to Curren$y to find slicker ways on how to describe the high life.

For his newest release Priest Andretti (just in time for Halloween), Spitta inhales the classic pimp attitude of the Blaxplotation film era to blow out some of his most potent bars since 2010’s Pilot Talk. After catching some contact smoke with his Jet Life signees Trademark Da Skydiver and Fiend on the skippable “Contacts”, Curren$y fires the jets on haters who now want a cut of his current success on “Money Machine Part 2” (“JETS in the house B*tch, you ain’t help us move in / So why you got your hands out now stupid?/ Had you played your role, you would have got your credit at the end of the movie”)

On “Max Julian”, grooving bass and licking guitars send Curren$y on a braggadocios cruise that would have the original Max Julian who played in the pimp classic, The Mack, screaming “CHUUUCH!” Surprisingly, the Jet Life general also displays his No Limit roots on “Trip to London” and “Stainless”. The usually mellow Fiend’s impression of Mystikal is a little farfetched on “Trip to London”, but you almost expect to hear Master P’s trademark ad-lib on the piano keys and claps of “Stainless”.

Ironically, although Curren$y’s trademark laidback flow has some fine moments on Priest Andretti, it gets even more interesting when New Orleans MC gets a little more gutter. Dirty kick drums and echoing voices set a dark mood on “Talk My Sh*t”, as Spitta does just that (“B*****s on chemicals, moving bodies/ sensual, sexual, cynical/ Octop***y, kill the tentacles”).

When trading bars with Styles P and Noreaga on “Boss Dealings”, Curren$y outshines both of the vets with vivid schemes that makes it apparent that he is not the one to be slept on (“Pinky ring frozen/ Cuban link golden/ Only built for sh*t the n*ggas kill for/ Audio Dope, flyest as anything you never saw/ forever raw”). The wordplay only gets better on “Cleopatra Zones”, which finds Fiend struggling to keep up with Spitta’s game raps through lazy bass and soothing saxophones (“Style too cold to be stole, you’ll get frost bite/ I’m often imitated but they never copyright”).

It’s a shame that the only thing holding Priest Andretti back from being one Curren$y’s best works are the throwaway features from Fiend, Cornerboy P, and even King Chip who surprisingly disappoints on “For Seasons”. But don’t hate the player, hate the game. By keeping his pen-game hand strong on Priest Andretti, Curren$y once again proves that as long he keeps reinventing his strand of “Stoner rap,” his fans will keep coming back for a hit.

Rating: 7.5/10

“A man’s character is defined by his hustle…” – Freeway

For most of us outside the Philadelphia area, our first taste of Freeway’s music came with the release of his critically acclaimed debut, Philadelphia Freeway. With Just Blaze’s hands all in the production mix alongside impressive outings from the then-solidified Roc-A-Fella label, Freeway seemed poised to make some noise, but not in the way we would think. After the disbandment of what we were accustomed to seeing, Freeway could’ve easily packed it in and found a different hustle, but thankfully he didn’t. From his follow-up LP, Free At Last, to numerous drops and mixtapes (including The Stimulus Package, an incredible outing from he and respected producer Jake One), it’s all brought us to this point in his career where he’s a respected emcee on virtually all fronts.

He could easily choose to mail it in yet again, but by now we know that he won’t. It’s with that mindstate that Freeway drops off his latest mixtape, Freedom of Speech, a 16-track mixtape that shows off literally every side of Freeway we’ve come to expect from him, and a couple that we didn’t. Backed with the Don Cannon cosign, along with production from the aforementioned Jake One, Mike Jerz, B. Jones, Thelonious Martin, Sap (who produced Game’s “Holy Water” single that dropped just a day ago) Cardiak, and more, Freeway takes aim and delivers yet another consistently sound project, even if some of it tends to drone on old topics we’ve heard before.

Freeway does take a couple of chances on the project, and the willingness to try something out of his comfort range is something you don’t see that often. From his party flow on “Workout”, to the bachelor lifestyle portrayed on “Bearded Wonder”, to the surprisingly not-bad collaboration with Diamond on “Ice Cream”, Freeway handles the instrumentals thrown his way with relative ease. It still may not sit well with fans of his older music, but it’s an interesting listen to say the least. Of course, Free has those “pure” Hip-Hop cuts laced throughout as well; “Beards R Us” is essentially a posse cut where he gets lyrical with Jakk Frost, Malik B, and Tana Da Beast, while “Real Sh*t” has him teaming with Young Chris to exchange bars.

There are several other notables that could be mentioned as well (such as “Master of Ceremony” and the title track, which features a genuine narrative from Mama Jones), but the bottom line never changes; Freeway’s dependable when it comes to dropping good music that his fans can enjoy. Although it may not appeal to some, and the content here isn’t exactly the most original topics you’ll hear this year, Freedom Of Speech is a good listen from start to finish, but more so for Philly Freezer fans that are used to seeing his hustle reflected through music outputs.

That quote at the top makes all the sense in the world when you apply it to Free.

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Over gritty bass and sped up looping samples, “Bar-Barian” sets the tone for the first round of word whooping. But, just like how the former heavyweight champion would toy with his prey, Price seems to toy with DJ Premier-sounding boom bap and scratches from upcoming producer Amp on the track “Pyrex”. One moment, he’s throw hard-hitting haymakers (“I pull a pound on a Ronald McDonald/you happy meal n***a with a toy in the box/ I clap a steel n***a put your boy in a box..P!”), and in the next verse, he throws some light jabs that might seem like freestyles (“I don’t even like you/…I don’t even want to fight you”).

By the time “Title Track” comes on, it becomes apparent that the first three tracks were only sparring sessions for the Brownsville bully. Over Eric G’s laser sound-effects and triumph keys, Price sends verbal blows designed to knock out ex-popping and bright color shopping MCs. Horror-core schemes strike at the seams on the Alchemist produced single “STFU”, and the Eric G-produced “Solomon Grundy” – which both sound as though they could be on the soundtrack to a Michael Myers massacre. On the latter, Eric G’s organ and harpsichord is beaten into a blood pulp with Pun-like multi-syllabics by Non-Phixon’s Ill Bill, which leaves goosebumps (“I’m the lightning that the Viking’s worship/Recital when the rifles bursting/Writes a versive I been a decisive person”)

But, as great as a fight Mic Tyson puts up, not all of its punches land.

The Buckshot assisted “Frankenberry” finds the Duck Down label mates trading light punches that require no rewind value, but Price finds his inner villain once again with “Barbecue Sauce“ and “Bully Rap”. On “Mic Tyson”, Price’s punchlines are menacing yet encased in a playful personality and lisps that pummels the eardrum. Listen with caution. Ears are likely to be bitten off.

Rating: 8/10

If you’re a fan of Meek’s aggressive take on music, then you know exactly what to expect; everything from Meek is presented from a hood angle, but he surprisingly has a couple of fresh takes dropped throughout the playlist. “Traumatized” has him reminiscing over the pain his mother went through, and making a vow to kill the man who murdered his father, while “Tony Story Pt. 2” has him resuming the murderous street narrative from his acclaimed Dreamchasers mixtape. The producer-rapper tandem of Cardiak and Meek is revived on “Polo & Shell Tops”, as well as his connection with Tone the Beat Bully on the hard-hitting title track (“Dreams and Nightmares”).

STREAM: “Polo & Shell Tops”

Unfortunately, the rest of the album suffers from the same topics we’ve heard from Meek in the past. Ross and Meek flaunt over “Believe It”, which has the same sonic formula of “Black Magic” and “Tupac Back”, while even the collaborations with Nas and John Legend (“Maybach Curtains”) sound like somewhat recycled versions of the illustrious beats that MMG’s used in the past. It’s a formulaic approach at times to say the least (all the way down to the Ashanti Floyd and Kane Beatz produced “Lay Up”, featuring Trey Songz, Wale, and Ross), but it’s not necessarily a bad thing; some of us were just expecting more this time around.

Even with that eerie musical feeling of déjà vu, Meek Mill’s Dreams and Nightmares still includes a few gems that make it worth playing and supporting. Meek’s been one of the hardest working artists in the past year, and it’s well-deserved that he gets his time to shine on the mainstream level. Even though the album doesn’t flow as well as his other projects in comparison, it’s still armed with top-notch features and production that will undoubtedly help him to make noise on radios near you (and that’s putting it lightly).

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Regardless of the over-inflated drama, on the music front it’s been almost six years to the day since his last solo release (Full Circle: released October 17^th, 2006). That’s not evident when you press play on Napalm,  as it’s evident that Xzibit hasn’t lost a step. Some people are just born to do music, and Xzibit may be one of those people; combining his ear for production with his lyrical ability and some well-timed features, Napalm is yet another dope drop that proves yet again that X is indeed one of the best from the West to do it.

With an album being in development and delayed as long as this one seemed to be, you would think some of the music would be dated. Aside from the title track, “Napalm” (which was spotted earlier on Travis Barker’s Let The Drummer Get Wicked mixtape), it sounds like vintage X all over again. His aggressive flow easily powers through the already-dominant, West Coast influenced production, and he even tailors his flow to glide over the mellow tracks in the play-through, such as “Forever A G”, which features Wiz Khalifa.

The surprising aspect of the album comes in with the perfectly-timed placement of powerful tracks. “1983” is by far one of the highlights of the entire project. Featuring the monologue of his mother, Trena Joiner, Xzibit speaks candidly about his feelings concerning his family, “Pimp My Ride”, his falling out with Paul Rosenberg of Aftermath, his presumed perception through the eyes of Eminem, and more. Xzibit drops another powerful song later in the tracklisting with “Meaning Of Life”, as he recruits Retired Staff Sergeant Shilo Harris to tell his story about being a victim of a roadside bomb (roughly estimated to be close to 800 pounds of explosives) and pushing through it. Using his words as the backdrop, Xzibit goes on a rampage, addressing everything from abusive fathers to the ideals of conformity (and much more).

That’s not to say there aren’t other highlights, because that would be misleading. Napalm is packed with good music, from the feel good track “Enjoy The Night” (featuring Wiz Khalifa, David Banner, and Brevi), to the Konvict Muzik-produced posse track with Game, Slim The Mobster, and Crooked I that has Xzibit rhyming in feature film titles (“Movies”), to the disturbingly chilling “Killer’s Remorse” with Bishop Lamont, B-Real, and Demrick, there’s almost too much to talk about in detail.

The bottom line is that Xzibit’s had time to sit on this project and refine it, and it’s come out as incredible as the tracklisting reads. Napalm is a dope album, and even though it is at times a little too feature-heavy and includes a couple of filler tracks (“Dos Equis” and “Something More” come to mind, with the latter due to an uninspired verse from Prodigy), it contains some singles that’s sure to remind people why Xzibit was an Aftermath flagpole in the first place. There’s indeed some incredible music out right now, but you’d be robbing yourself of quality if you overlooked this one.

Don’t sleep.

AllHipHop Rating: 8.5 / 10

Being one of the few people who has figured out an efficient way to combine quantity and quality, Drama has been on a tear the last couple years especially, pumping out great mixtape after great mixtape. With the title of his project being Quality Street Music, on the surface it would be a big name to live up to; if you’re familiar with Drama; however, you’d know that all it would require is for him to continue doing what he’s been doing the last few years.

Choosing to speak through the music instead of atrocious ad-libs that grate on listeners nerves (no shots to any other DJ out right now), Drama at times puts together mixtures of artists that make sense, such as throwing Ludacris, T.I., Future, and Young Jeezy on one track to make it an Atlanta affair (“We In This B*tch“), remixing it and adding Drake (“We In This B*tch 1.5“), or making a Pop-like anthem and featuring Wiz Khalifa, Planet VI, and B.o.B. (“Pledge of Allegiance“), or even adding Cee-Lo to the mix with Jadakiss, Nipsey Hussle and Jeezy for “Never Die.” It stays away from the formulaic label while still remaining logical.

At the same time, Drama also experiments with unorthodox combinations and pulls them off with the same amount of skill. The surprise of this group of songs is easily “I’ma Hater“, the Waka Flocka and Tyler, The Creator collaboration that just reeks of pleasant ratchetness that makes you wonder why the hadn’t linked up before. Taking another chance, “Same Ol’ Story” features an unlikely assembly: Kid Ink, ScHoolboy Q, Cory Gunz, and Childish Gambino, but – like the other songs – it just works somehow.

Even though there are more highlights than not, the album still has a couple songs that seem more like filler than anything. “So Many Girls” flips a familiar sample, but Roscoe Dash, Wale, and Tyga fail to add something special to the track (coincidentally, Wale has rapped on this sample before on “Mama Told Me”, the second track from his debut LP, Attention Deficit). In addition, “Real N*ggas In The Building” has an old-school Southern bounce to it, but Travis Porter and Kirko Bangz sound uninspired as they tackle the song. And “My Audemars” is just not that great of a song to begin with. Thankfully, there’s a Kevin Hart Chocolate Droppa skit in the midst of it all that’s sure to entertain even the most stoic listener.

It’s refreshing to see that DJ Drama doesn’t take the braggadocious route for this LP and lets the music speak for itself. Although it may not be the “best” compilation album to drop this year, it is indeed the most well-rounded, as Drama refuses to make the same song twice (with the exception of “My Audemars”). It’s an album that isn’t formulaic as others, while including some great musical highlights that’s sure to garner replays, either now or down the road. Even with the few misfires present on the tracklisting, it’s still Quality Street Music, and that’s undeniable.

AllHipHop Rating: 7.5 / 10

Features from the project include Bad Luc, Black Hippy, Baby D, Casey Veggies, Chace Infinite, David Banner, Double R, Dom Kennedy, Planet Asia, Picaso, Reks, Skeme, and Tri-State – this project is point blank well rounded. SAS will tell you that this project most closely resembles the art that they have recently been creating as of late, relative to any other pieces of work they’ve put together in the past.

If you’ve heard the critically acclaimed In Search of Stoney Jackson, then you know that Stereotype will hold its own in the Hip-Hop world, if it’s even remotely on par to what Stoney Jackson was as an album – and it is. If you haven’t heard SAS’s music, this album would be a nice way to jump into the cypher. This album is a nice album to smoke to as well; it plays straight through, so you won’t even need to get up to turn the track.

Let’s just say what it is – these dudes are not making Top 40 commercial rap, but these guys are making classic Hip-Hop using all of the elements that Hip-Hop’s golden era embodied. Highlights from the project include the soulful “Forever” featuring Chase Infinite, “Born Into It” featuring Bad Lucc, “Do Ya Thang Girl (JOOK)” featuring Casey Veggies, and Picaso, “On My Job” featuring Skeme, “Through the Motions” featuring David Banner, “L.A. Blues” featuring Planet Asia and Tri-State, and “Smoke On” ft Dom Kennedy and Baby D.

Prior to listening to the project we spoke with Strong Arm Steady about their place in Hip-Hop’s history, and we asked them to ponder the Top 5 rappers from the West Coast. With Hip-Hop history in perspective, and how the whole West Coast movement developed from the 1980s going forward, Krondon and Phil the Agony, with the help of friend and fellow rapper Defari, constructed their Top 5 Rappers from the West Coast.

Phily the Agony, Defari and Krondon Talk Top West Coast Artists of All-Time

If that’s the case then it explains why the level of replay value is so high for this LP; lyrically Lupe’s still a decapitating guillotine, as he throws in clever metaphors to further his point (and not just for the sake of doing it like most). The subject matter on the album is at times seemingly too heavy for the production, but it’s yet another method that Lupe uses to successfully draw listeners in (see: “B*tch Bad”, or the Mr. Inkredible-produced “Lamborghini Angels”). That doesn’t mean that he fails to get busy on a couple, however, as he delivers a few crazy verses for “Put Em Up” and “Form Follows Function” that can easily make you hit the rewind a few times. To be honest, even the single stabs this time around are much better than L.A.S.E.R.S, with Lupe recruiting Bilal for the soulful “How Dare You” (it’ll be a shame if that doesn’t make a radio playlist soon), and Lupe’s heart is on display as he opens up about his brother’s death on “Cold War.”

However, as great as the replay value of substance and execution makes this album, Food & Liquor II is not perfect at all. Lupe unsuccessfully tries his luck with singing on “Audobon Ballroom”, but thankfully leaves that task to the plethora of guest features scattered throughout the playthrough. Unfortunately, even that fails at times, as the hook from Casey Benjamin for “Strange Fruition” takes a couple of plays to grasp due to the distortion effect used on the vocals. In addition, the “Go To Sleep” track could’ve easily been included in the normal tracklisting in the place of fillers such as “Heart Donor” and “ITAL (Roses)” [note: “Go To Sleep” is included in the deluxe iTunes edition]. Although they aren’t bad songs by any means and have great messages, they don’t flow well with the vibe of the album, and the Autotuned breakdown during “ITAL” doesn’t help defend this argument any.

Granted, some could complain about the length of the album, but that could be due to Lupe wishing this was a double album to begin with, so there had to be concessions made in that aspect. Even with its nitpicks and flaws, Lupe Fiasco delivered on his promise to make an album his fans and supports could appreciate with Food & Liquor II. It’s a lyrically strong album that is sure to spark conversations due to its content, and can easily draw in casual listeners due to the LP’s sound and presentation. Regardless of what you may think of the man due to his online antics and statements, he does indeed know how to make though-provoking music. There’s no reason to not give this a play, or to support the release.

AllHipHop Rating: 8.5 / 10

In addition to Black Star, Del the Funky Homosapien, Pac Div, and Freestyle Fellowship also performed, spotlighting the MC showmanship of the Lyricist Lounge, which ultimately facilitated three albums, seven domestic tours, two seasons of an MTV sketch comedy, called “The Lyricist Lounge Show“, and two DVD releases.

Running through a host of tracks from their album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star, the tandem rocked a nearly sold out crowd. From the pit to the completely-filled balcony, the usually captious Los Angeles concert-goers participated in call and response, and moved on every word. The two also performed solo material from their respective projects and freestyled back and forth, sweating out an hour and a half set.

Highlights from the show included “Move Something”, “Get By”, “Umi Says”, “Respiration”, “Brown Skin Lady”, “This Means You”, and of course, “Definition,” which were all legendary renditions of the fan favorites.

Yasiin Bey rapping over Waka Flocka’s “It’s a Party” track was classic as well, as the crowd got extra raucous and ratchet for a few moments. Talib Kweli also paid tribute to the late Chris Lighty prior to performing the song, “K.O.S.(Determination), rapping the lyrics:

“With that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination/ With that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination/ With that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination/ With that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination…”

All in all, Black Star left it all out on the stage for the fans, for the Lyricist Lounge, and for themselves, as it was evident that they truly enjoyed performing for the hyped up Los Angeles crowd. At one point, Yasiin Bey acknowledged the overall energy that the audience was showing, to which Talib replied, “We on,” to which Yasiin Bey jokingly countered, “What does that even mean? No, we aren’t.”

It is that humble nature coupled with their uncanny ability that makes Black Star one of Hip-Hop’s most galvanizing groups ever.

“Mos Def and Talib Kweli…. best alliance in Hip-Hop.”

Keep in mind that this is indeed a mixtape; from completely going in over Rick Ross’ “Hold Me Back” in a song aiming at Mitt Romney (“Tea Party”), to his radio-aimed “Crybaby” (complete with the unfortunate Auto-tuned hook), there’s several instances that remind you so. However, even throughout those chances taken, there are dope songs that fans familiar with Raw with gravitate and rock to. “My Name Raw” is one of those simple, yet aggressive songs that shows him lyrically flexing, while “Fake Emcees” has him addressing the rappers who act hard, but stay enclosed with human shields/bodyguards.

Although the first half of the LP has an aggressive tone, Raw changes it up towards the end as he reflects with the last few songs. “Dining Alone” has him reflecting over being left, while “Rear Window” has potent content within it as well. The last few songs on Greatest Rapper Never show the traditional ability of Dice Raw; more listeners will be able to rock it than the other misses such as “Crybaby”, and the Nicki Minaj-sampled vocal flip for “The Illest”.

And speaking of rockets, that was essentially what he tossed at Mitt Romney on “Tea Party”. It’s so blatant and disrespectful, it almost comes off as sloppy, but he definitely gets his point across. He’s also one of the few artists to throw tentativeness to the wind and state exactly how he feels on that aspect, but then again, Dice has never been one to hold his tongue.

The best thing about the project might also the worst thing about it; because it’s a plethora of random songs it can come off as lackluster, but the songs that are done well easily outweigh the bad. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to consider it more as an experiment, as Raw is prepping the second edition of his solo trilogy, The Greatest Rapper Never, and could very well be testing the waters to see which songs stick and which don’t. For now, his sampler platter of a project should keep his fans satisfied until the main course.

Rating: 7/10

DOWNLOAD DICE RAW’S THE GREATEST RAPPER NEVER: THE MIXTAPES VOL. 1

Lecrae has become one of the more recognizable faces in Hip-Hop for several reasons, including his skill as a rapper and his strong spiritual beliefs (and not always in that order). Being recognized in Christian music for quite some time, Lecrae has slowly but surely begun to garner the attention of others off his skill (because, to be honest, most “Gospel rappers” can’t rap that well). With the talent being undeniable through BET appearances and stellar outputs from his brothers at Reach Records, the eyes of critics are on them now more than ever.

It’s only appropriate that Lecrae releases Gravity, an album with seemingly several meanings (but only one, in hindsight… the weight, or seriousness, of life). Whether it’s based on that hollow feeling that happens when partying (for some), or that stage when it finally ends and the consequences are set in stone, or even just the overwhelming dealings of stress, the album deals with almost all of that in a way that’s more sonically aggressive than his last LP.

That aggressiveness starts early, as he takes a page from his Church Clothes mixtape and drops into his intro (“The Drop”) with a focused energy that instantly matches the vibe of the production. That energy is maintained for the entire album, as Lecrae rotates in and out secular artists and Christian artists seamlessly, including a notable feature with R&B/Soul singer Novel and Big K.R.I.T. on “Walk With Me” and “Mayday”, respectively (with the latter featuring production from DJ Khalil, who’s produced for Drake, Slaughterhouse, Clipse, Eminem, and more). The most impressive thing is how comfortable all of the artists are; Novel does indeed lace his track as proper as ever, while Big K.R.I.T. arguably delivers one of his best, introspective verses since “Red Eye” from his 4Eva N A Day mixtape.

That’s not to say that the rest of the album is weak; that would be misleading. Lecrae’s message rings clear on every song, as he addresses several real issues that most people (if not all) can relate to. From the hollowness that comes from having money and no peace in “Confe$$ions”, to the psychological issues that comes with being in the spotlight in “Free From It All”, to addressing the mind state behind homicide and gang-banging in “Violence” (which is more timely than ever due to the circumstances in Chicago), each song has a clear purpose through lyrics. The production here helps to further the message well, with DJ Official, Heat Academy, The Watchmen, J.R., and Joseph Prielozny behind the boards (among others).

As great as the album is, there are still some missteps that somewhat knock off the vibe, such as the forced “Turn Up” chant at the end of “Lord Have Mercy”, but even that’s nitpicking. Gravity is thoroughly crafted, and is as good as any other release that’s out right now. Lecrae’s made a name for himself through reestablishing God’s name in Hip-Hop, and unless the quality of his music and Reach Records suddenly takes a dip, we’ll be hearing his name for quite some time. He’s consistently improving with his rhymes, and taking all he’s learned into thought when creating albums; as long as that’s happening, the sky is truly the limit for him… no gravity required.

You can purchase the LP on iTunes here.

Don’t believe the hype; Big Sean can rap. Being included with the whirlwind of talent that is G.O.O.D. Music, Sean has become one of the favorite picks as the possible weak link in the crew. Perhaps acting with something to prove, the now mainstream-successful artist returns to his roots to drop Detroit, a mixtape with all original music. With major releases on the horizon, this project was solely for his fans- and naysayers too.

Contrary to what the basic black and white cover may lead you to believe, Detroit is filled with flossy, ambitious anthems; some more abrasive than others. “24K of Gold” featuring J. Cole is one of the project’s standouts, with an aspiring chorus and instrumental. Following this theme even further, “I’m Gonna Be” has Sean and TDE-favorite Jhene Aiko trading inspirational sing-alongs. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Big Sean is the most comfortable when he’s speaking on the fruits of his labor; showcased in the starry “How It Feel”, intoxicating “Experimental” featuring King Chip and hilarious Juicy J, and club slapper “Do What I Got To Do” (appropriately featuring Tyga), which is an ode to the ladies, an ode to substance abuse, and an ode to the ladies, again.

There are more serious moments though, such as “100” with Royce Da 5’9 and Kendrick Lamar, where ambitions are spoken on with more gravity than earlier. “Sellin Dreams” tackles relationship problems over cinematic production and a Chris Brown hook; the two rekindling the chemistry of “My Last” past. Maybe the best example of veracity, “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” appears at the end. With rising star Hit-Boy backing him, Sean proclaims, “There’s no turning back now”. Indeed, the Detroit emcee has established himself, but is still growing as an artist. Stepping further out of his flashy comfort zone to the shadows of truly resonating material, Big Sean is still searching for the right strings to pull- and he’s not too far off.

The gray area here is the raunchy, brash records that neither impress nor disgust; “Mula”, “FFOE”, “RWT” are all expendable. Though this is a mixtape, and the routine seems to be for rappers to give sub-par material for the sake of giving it, let’s hope these are mere sketches of the final product that will appear on future projects. Despite these, Detroit does seem to be more sincere than the overflow of free releases nowadays, and that could be due to a number of things. The three “Story” interludes with Common, Young Jeezy, and Snoop Dogg Lion are a nice personal touch, as well as the roster of big names featured that give the mixtape a ‘not-so-mixtape’ feel.

But maybe it’s just because Big Sean is really that good. Or at least he’s getting there.

Download Big Sean’s “Detroit” here.

Before the phenomenon of Nicki Minaj, the female MC had become something like a short flash in a pan in Hip-Hop for quite some time. One or two hits on one album, before disappearing from radio and video rotation, was quite average for the “Femcee.” A large void in the Hip-Hop female perspective had caused the upcoming generation of female MCs to out-sex and sometimes out-diss each other in a fight for the spotlight. Yet, North Carolina femcee Rapsody is reminding her sisters in rap that The Idea of Beautiful is more than raunchiness and finding flaws in your competition. On her debut album, she also reminds that you must first give a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T to the Hip-Hop culture before you can receive some.

Jamla Records’ first lady wastes no time venting over producers Eric G’s and 9^th Wonder’s soulful backdrops on “Precious Wings” and “Believe Me”. She proves herself as a metaphor master by spitting bars about trust issues with men and fallen heroes effortlessly on crooning samples: “War with my past/ that’s how a lot of us women feel/ brother’s sneaking on you like Jay and that Ross chill/ That’s why the feeling hit you/ like missing your birth pill.”

An uncompromising respect for Hip-Hop culture is evident throughout the album. Rapsody uses classic and recent topics – from Nas’ Illmatic to Canibus’ loss to Dizaster – in order to tell heart-wrenching stories, air out personal demons, or just showing how creative her pen can be. In true a MC fashion, she puts her word-play to the test against Black Hippy’s Ab-soul on the lyrical lashing “Non-fiction” and comes out victorious. Even when Kooley High’s lady is relaxed and playing around, she seems to be lyrically lethal on the cipher-like song, “Roundtable Discussion” with Mac Miller and the Cool Kids.

“In the Town” has Rapsody showcasing her storytelling skills via  a vivid tale of a mother dying from drugs, and leaving her daughter to repeat the mistakes of the mother. 9^th Wonder reminds listeners why he is widely considered one of the last of the true Hip-Hop architects, by supplying Rapsody with his signature soothing samples, grooving bass, and head-nodding snare loops throughout. Unfortunately, the chemistry between the two seems so natural that one might mistake Rapsody as a reincarnated Jean Grae at times. Yet, besides a few blemishes on “Motivation” and “Celebrate”, Rapsody shows that true beauty is not without its imperfections.

Photo credit: thewomenofhiphop.com

As mentioned previously, Slaughterhouse is obviously aware of the pressure that’s on them to deliver a project that makes them worth the wait. Ironically, the weight of the prolonged delay has somewhat enhanced the magnifying glass they were already under. Each one drew attention on their own: Royce Da 5’9 was known for his lyricism and his rift with Eminem that has since been repaired, Crooked I’s most recognizable feat to most was his Hip-Hop Weekly series that went for a year straight, Joe Budden’s Mood Muzik series, relationship woes, and more made him a lightning rod for conversation, and Joell Ortiz’s musical outputs with Novel (along with his Bodega Chronicles mixtape) all but catapulted him onto the radar for astute Hip-Hop heads.

Together, they’ve formed something that could be responsible for the resurfacing of the popularity of lyrics in rap again, and teaming with Marshall Mathers has done nothing but make their spotlights shine that much brighter. With the release of their second album and first major LP, Welcome To – OUR HOUSE isn’t the best album to be released this year, but it’s one of the more ingenious ones due to the amount of clever chances they take with its presentation.

Lyricism is still at the forefront for the majority of the songs. Crooked I consistently delivers struggle-free bars, even on the radio singles like “My Life” and “Park It Sideways”. The other members all have their highlights as well; Royce’s ludicrous lyrics shine on the Busta Rhymes-assisted (and Hit-Boy produced) “Coffin”, while Joell Ortiz’s heart-wrenching verse on “Goodbye” easily is one of the more memorable verses on the LP (not as a knock to the others; each verse on “Goodbye” is incredibly emotional, but Joell stands out), and Joe Budden’s aggressive verses on “Flip A Bird” and “Die” are among the plethora of highlights as well.

STREAM: Slaughterhouse  – “Flip A Bird”

Lyrics, song concepts, and production aren’t truly the hangup here for some that will listen; the issue may be the presentation of the album as a whole. Some songs on the surface have a D-12′ish sound to them (“Throw That” being a prime example), but Slaughterhouse is far superior lyrically, and even in those “formulaic” tracks, the lyricism carries it (and shatters that thought to shreds if you pay attention). Also, the album doesn’t have ‘sections’ like most LPs out, and the only time some semblance of that happens is towards the end, but even that ‘party section’ of the LP (with “Frat House” and “Park It Sideways”) has the powerful “Goodbye” wedged in the middle of it.

STREAM: Slaughterhouse – “Goodbye”

At times the album’s dark, and other times it’s not, but it all comes together to make a memorable listening experience. Maybe that was their intention, to make sure that whoever heard the LP would remember it. There will be complaints due to their singles that they’ve dumbed down, but that’s a little inaccurate; to say that Slaughterhouse disguised the lyricism on a couple of tracks would be a more level-headed statement, and this is about as well as you can disguise it without actually dumbing them down.  The fact this was accomplished in the first place is a feat in itself, but the bonus just so happens to be that Slaughterhouse and Eminem have created a dope LP.

Like the outro says, regardless of their record sales, they made it this far doing it their way. Only time will tell if that will be enough to garner another release in the future. Until then, give Welcome To: Our House a play with open ears and see what you think. If you’re more of a fan of the straight-forward lyrical approach like their first LP, then check their latest mixtape with DJ Drama, On The House. 

There hasn’t been hype in the Hip-Hop world for a group like this arguably since the Boyz N Da Hood collaboration between Block and Diddy for Bad Boy South’s imprint, and even that statement is a reach, depending on what region you’re from. With the likes of Crooked I, Royce Da 5’9, Joell Ortiz, and Joe Budden joining forces to create the group Slaughterhouse, it was guaranteed to take some people by surprise, and the internet by storm. Needless to say, the crew caught everyone’s attention with the release of their critically-acclaimed self-titled LP… including Eminem.

After a sticky label situation was ironed out, the Slaughter was finally signed to a major with Shady Records, and the hype continued to swirl them after impressive singles before the album promotion, riveting freestyles on BET’s Hip-Hop Awards Cypher, and charismatic interviews. However, it’s coming close to the time where the group is pressured to deliver another quality project for mass consumption. Before the main course is served soon, Slaughterhouse has teamed with DJ Drama to release On The House, a mixtape/entrée that comes through on the lyrical aspect that we’ve all come to know and love (or hate) from the machine.

To be as clear as possible, this is not a free album, but a mixtape to the heart. Songs range from original production to clever samples (such as the flip of the iconic Chicago Bulls theme music on “Juggernauts“), and some tracks feature all four members while others are essentially solo freestyles (in the term of long written verses, not off the top verses). There’s not a moment when the lyricism stops, so if you’re one of the people that don’t appreciate “rappity-rap”, then you might want to skip this.

For those who enjoy lyricism, however, the bars here are bar none, and concerning the output of the entire group, their quality may only be matched by another machine under the Interscope Records umbrella: Top Dawg Entertainment (this isn’t a means to compare the two groups, however, and shouldn’t be taken as such). Flashes of the Slaughter that can craft full songs are seen in the midst of the lyrics, as “Coming Home” has the group addressing issues concerning them being done for, and “Gone” has the group delivering potent verses regarding label issues, fan questions concerning the group, hometown (lack of) love, and even a bit of self-consciousness from Royce:

“These questions and suggestions, they hard to maintain /
When you f*ck with Flex but worry ’bout what Charlamagne think /
’cause you from the D and don’t get radio play in your own home /
Long as y’all playing Sean I’m good, I’m grown…”

That verse might’ve been the best on the project, until Joe Budden lets loose an incredible verse addressing the state of his group and his feelings on it that has to be heard, even if it’s strictly on the basis that it’s a Mood Muzik-type verse that most astute Slaughterhouse fans will point to if the album fails to impress:

“Thought we were defying the odds, I thought that we weathered the storm /
I thought we traveled the same road, I thought that we’d never conform /
Don’t tell me you bastards tricked me, don’t tell me that I was just wrong /
‘Cuz now I’m masked and it gets to me whenever we ’bout to perform..”

Again, the project delivers lyrically on almost all fronts, but whether that’s an indicator of a “watered-down” LP remains to be seen. For now, this download’s on the house, in hopes that you’ll be willing to shell out cash for the upcoming LP under Shady. Let’s hope that the Eminem-flavored album is worth the money, as the group has been through their fair share of issues to get to this position and it would be a shame to see Joe’s worries spoke into existence.

Download the mixtape below.

Whether you actually enjoy his music or not, there’s no denying the fact that DJ Khaled’s had his hand in some of the biggest urban radio singles since his arrival on the scene. Initially known to some as a Miami DJ, but to most for his connections with Fat Joe and Terror Squad under the alias “Beat Novacane”, he eventually started using his DJ powers with bigger ideas in mind, which culminated with Listennn… The Album. Even from the beginning, Khaled had a knack for pulling off cameos that others couldn’t, such as the Beanie Sigel and Jadakiss-assisted “Problem” (keep in mind at the time, it was well-documented that they had issues with each other).

Since then, Khaled’s been pumping out hit after hit with a relative high level of success, although anyone could see it was somewhat formulaic and based on who was hot at the time. With the release of his latest LP Kiss The Ring, he continues that same trend for the majority of the album, making this unfortunately sound like the type of project we’ve heard from him in the past.

If you’ve enjoyed his albums previously, then that shouldn’t discourage you. Khaled has still assembled an all-star cast for almost every song, and for the most part, he does his best to keep his ad-libs out of the way of the verses and hooks. The beginning and end of those songs, however, is a different story, and the outro (“They Don’t Want War”) is a completely different beast altogether, as Khaled decides to try his hand at rapping again (and a 20-bar verse at that). Thankfully, this is the only track that he raps over, and he lets his guests do the heavy-lifting beforehand.

The production is handled by an assorted cast that includes (but not limited to) Hit-Boy, The Runners, J.U.S.T.I.C.E League, Mike Will, and DJ Khaled himself). The album features are also somewhat redundant, as Ace Hood, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, T-Pain, Kirko Bangz, Future, Mavado, and most of YMCMB, MMG, and others all deliver verses that you’d expect, with the exception of the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony flow that Wiz Khalifa utilizes successfully in “I’m So Blessed”.

Chances are you’ve already heard the singles that could be bigger than the LP; “They Ready” has J. Cole and Big K.R.I.T. delivering their Southern philosophy, only to be interrupted at the end by Kendrick Lamar (“But don’t forget about Compton, n*gga!”) as he spits yet another dope, charismatic verse. “I Wish You Would” features Kanye West and Rick Ross, and it conjures up images of mixtape Yeezy from another Khaled single, “Go Hard”. Lastly, “Hip-Hop” has Scarface and Nas rhyming about her in the most literal sense, and DJ Premier acts a fool with the scratching skills throughout the track. This could be one of the best tracks that Khaled’s ever orchestrated, but it’s unfortunate the rest of the album is lackluster compared to this or the other aforementioned tracks.

DJ Khaled’s Kiss The Ring isn’t a bad LP by any means, and the highlights make the LP truly worth giving a spin, but it’s hard to fight the feeling that we’ve heard the rest of the album before. It’s still the same formula that Khaled been giving us for six years during his run, and although it would be nice to see Khaled take more chances musically, it’s easy to argue that he’d be crazy to try and tamper with something that works for him. To be honest, Khaled fits right in the pocket with this type of music. If that’s a good or a bad thing truly depends on your perspective.

First and foremost, 2 Chainz isn’t the type of artist you hold to a lyrical standard of, say, a Lupe Fiasco or a Jay-Z. His music is created in a different vein; a charismatic, ridiculous, entertaining vein that can easily go from ludicrous and blatant to devilishly clever within a span of a bar, while keeping an ear to the street, so to speak. That’s not to imply that 2 Chainz isn’t a good rapper; on the technical side, he’s actually as solid as they come, as he’s known for flipping deliveries in order to maintain his unpredictable verse-structure.

With that being said, Based On A T.R.U. Story isn’t the album of the year candidate I secretly hoped it to be. This is also not 2 Chainz best project, or even him at his best due to a few tracks in the early half of the project sounding too redundant. However, move past that, and it’s a solid, fun output with a few singles that should turn heads.

The intro has 2 Chainz at his BEST as far as bars and charisma in “Yuck” (too bad Lil’ Wayne couldn’t have a “Drought 3″ style relapse here), and it serves as a barometer to measure the rest of the album. Unfortunately, aside from the “No Lie” single with Drake and the Kanye feature on “Birthday Song“, nothing here truly stands out as great, although there are a notable selections. “I’m Different” has an early 2000s Southern sound to it (as we’re now in 2012, the production sounds almost too simple), “Extremely Blessed” has The-Dream and 2 Chainz sharing on the subject of a fine female, and “Stop Me Now” has him trading bars with Dolla Boy over a soulful sample.

The great tracks start as soon as he begins to take chances, and the Mike Posner feature on “In Town” is as big of a chance you’ll see on the regular edition of the LP. Surprisingly, 2 Chainz handles the song quite well, considering the vibe seems more suited for Posner. “Ghetto Dreams” is more of a lock as far as standout tracks; featuring John Legend and Scarface, it serves as a reflective track that has everyone at their best. 2 Chainz wisely chooses to avoid the punchline-every-bar approach and sticks to the subject of the song (mostly), and proves to be one of the strongest songs on TRU Story that even select Hip-Hop heads should appreciate.

Although there’s a regular version, the deluxe LP is the way to go, as the extra singles help to bring up the replay value of the project as a whole. 2 Chainz takes a huge shot with Chris Brown on “Countdown” due to the nature of the Dubstep-influenced hook, but it works. Another huge gamble pays off as he flips a Weeknd sample and goes into his mixtape form for some of his most flagrant bars to DATE on “Like Me:”

“Me and your girl network, now she wanna know my net worth/

Woodgrain, chestnut, t*ttyf**k, CHEST NUT!”

The vibe continues as the last two tracks has him returning to the familiar sounds of the Don Cannon-produced “I Feel Good” and the previously heard “Riot“.

As it stands, it’s a fun play for 2 Chainz fans, but due to the redundancy for the first half of the LP (which could be due to its sequencing), it suffers. It’s not his best, but it’s not as bad as Internet critics would have you believe as well. Listen to it for yourself, and act accordingly.

“Yeah we on, and life was all so hard /
Till I made a song called (Ball So Hard)…”

Chauncey Hollis, aka Hit-Boy, has been welcomed into the G.O.O.D. Music family with open arms, and has since proven his worth behind the boards as the hits continue to add up for him. Being a versatile producer can have it’s perks of fame, but garnering a cosign from almost everyone in the industry can cause the spotlight to burn a little brighter than intended. As it turns out, so will making the announcement that you’re putting out a rap project, especially if you’re known for being a talented producer.

Hit-Boy’s announcement and subsequent single release made him a somewhat easy target for internet critics, even though the song was solid all-around with a surprising amount of quotables. The only issue was with Hit-Boy’s ‘voice,’ so to speak; he didn’t seem as comfortable spitting his lyrics as the rest of his G.O.O.D. teammates. With the release of his free album, HITstory, that issue lingers only in spots as the overall project is tightly knitted and shows another side of talent that Hit-Boy legitimately possesses.

You learn things from being around Hip-Hop greats, and Hit-Boy has piled his cumulative knowledge together while adding his signature sounds to give each track a level of playability that is usually only readily associated with No I.D. and Just Blaze; in short, the production adds to the value of this so much it’s almost a sin to NOT mention how good it is. The chord progression, keys, and evolving instrumentation makes this just fun to listen to, and no track sounds the same. It but it all flows rather well sonically.

This is what was expected from Hit-Boy, however. He’s proven that he’s one of the best out right now when it comes to soundscaping singles, and we even knew the features would bring their A-Game (except Big Sean, who spits a disappointing verse), but the surprise is how lyrically competent Hit-Boy is when making those complete songs. Tracks like “Brake Lights” stand out for the level of quality behind the boards and on the microphone, as Hit-Boy throws thought-provoking lyrics throughout. In one of the more addictive tracks, “Fan” has Hit-Boy exclaiming about a female while making the parallel of being a diehard fan of her movements. He dabbles with personal narratives on the title track and “She Belongs To The City,” and flips completely into using his creativity when spitting about the last moments of Biggie and Tupac on “East vs. West.”

The only real issue comes in as Hit-Boy attempts to speed up his flow; it doesn’t seem as natural as it is on the aforementioned tracks (quick note: he sounds right at home on “Fan”), and with a project so airtight with it’s presentation, it sticks out somewhat in comparison. Over time, that will iron itself out, but the rest of HITstory is surprisingly well-done from start to finish. It’s easy to hate on producers who can’t rap (and, vice-versa), but Hit-Boy’s proven to be a wildcard to Kanye every sense of the word – almost in the way that Kanye West was to Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella.

If that’s some type of unintentional, prophetic foreshadowing of any kind, Hit-Boy’s debut album may be a problem… but let’s deal with that as it arrives. For now, Hit-Boy’s rap debut is well worth the download.

Lyrics, music, styles, and personas don’t change for Rick Ross; they just get bigger. God Forgives, I Don’t, his 4^th studio album, sees a growth in production, themes, lyrics, and features- literally, things have grown bigger. This album sounds larger than life at times, always centering around the topic of braggadocio, inspired tales. And, while this may sound like a normal topic in Hip-Hop, no one quite articulates the extravagance of flossing in a Maybach like Rick Ross.

The album has two instances of excellence: “3 Kings” and “Sixteen”. The first features Dr. Dre on the first verse for more presence than ability, coupled with Ross providing a capable slew of rhymes after him. However, Jay-Z steals the show on the third verse; he gives the most bars, boasting about his daughter’s accessories, as well as his own. Songs with so much firepower on paper sometimes fizzle out, but “Kings” certainly provides a show; and as triumphant as the song is, is how intriguing and captivating “Sixteen” proves to be. Again, Ross lays down a notable verse only to be upstaged by the illustrious Andre 3000, flowing on and on about, what sounds like brilliant, whatever-comes-to-mind references, including lusting for his neighbor, Flipper the dolphin, and Greek Gods. 3 Stacks knows no bounds here, ending with a guitar solo that can be described as nothing else but awesome.

For the most part, the record is filled with quality songs. “Maybach Music IV” continues the ongoing saga with a smoothed out, passing cut, though “Amsterdam” proves to be a better approach to a relaxed vibe, exploring themes of escapism through a hazy instrumental. “Ashamed” relies on a rich sample-based beat to carry it, while “Presidential” has an innovative, fresh bounce only Pharrell could cook up. Moving forward, “So Sophisticated” and “Hold Me Back” both boast ignorant, loud bass and brash lyrics; the former with Meek Mill, and the latter more open to criticism than the first. On the opposite side of the spectrum, “Touch’n You” with Usher is sure to be a favorite among the ladies, as will “Diced Pineapples”- with a spoken word intro and feature from Wale and hook from Drake. There is little room for error here. The production on GFID is always excellent, and propels average songs to higher levels; though, on this latest album more than ever, Ross has demonstrated improvement as a rapper and showcased that he can carry a beat all on his own.

After working himself into two seizures, I think improvement was a necessary outcome for Rick Ross. Turning his Maybach Music brand into a feared rap collective seems to have matured him as an artist. On one hand, it’s still about the cars and women, but the music is better, more soulful, his rhymes are more focused, and his beat selection has improved from great to divine. In addition, he still gets the best guest features, hand down. The ‘boss’ persona Rick Ross has created for himself is coming more and more to fruition. Missteps on God Forgives, I Don’t are few and far between, and the bravado this album evokes will make you want to light a cigar – even if you don’t smoke.

Filed under: Features, MOBILE, Reviews / Music, Slider Tagged: album review, God Forgives I Don't, maybach music, MMG, Rick Ross ]]> http://allhiphop.com/2012/08/01/album-review-rick-ross-god-forgives-i-dont/feed/ 1 Rick Ross Watch K1ng Eljay http://allhiphop.com/2012/07/16/album-review-nas-life-is-good/ http://allhiphop.com/2012/07/16/album-review-nas-life-is-good/#comments Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:06:43 +0000 K1ng Eljay http://allhiphop.com/?p=137411 ]]> Rating: 9 / 10

It has been said that Nas was unable to catch a victory; from the situations involving his very public split with his ex-wife, Kelis, to his daughter’s misuse of Instagram, it’s easy to interpret the building missteps as losses. However, Nas has a way of giving hope to his fans even in those times, whether it’s the announcement of his album, or his incredible outputs alongside MMG machine, Rick Ross. As more songs began to slip from Life Is Good, fans began to hope for the best and hope that Nas was “back.” After a few leaks, the entire album is upon us to dissect, and it may be one of the few times where it’s a good thing to believe the hype, as Nasir delivers in almost every way possible.

One of the gigantic knocks against Nas in the past has been his selection of beats. Some people say that it makes it easier to focus on lyrics, while others say there needs to be a mixture of both; on this album, however, there’s a happy medium that’s sure to please most. The production is mainly handled by No. I.D. and Salaam Remi (with additional assistance from Swizz Beatz, Noah “40” Shebib, J.U.S.T.I.C.E League, and more), and ranges from expansive strings and organ-driven instrumentals to tracks that seem to have time-warped from the late ’90s. But, as with almost all No I.D-influenced projects, it just works.

With that biggest knock taken care of, Nas proceeds to deliver the same lyrical personality we’ve come to know him for; original concepts permeate Life Is Good to the core. From discussing “Accident Murderers” with Rick Ross (you had to have known that Rozay was going to be here somewhere), to addressing that aforementioned Instagram incident on “Daughters”, to the issues of the world on “World’s An Addiction”, to just having a lyrical woodshed moment on “The Don”, mostly every dimension of Nas is represented, refined, and replay-ready.

(Note: the vigor extends into the bonus tracks as well, so if you plan to cop the LP, make sure to grab the deluxe version)

Nas doesn’t overload his LP with features either, as only an average amount of artists are present, but they all help the presentation as well. The Large Professor’s voice speaks to the listeners ‘trapped in the ’90s’, so to speak (“Loco-Motive”), while Anthony Hamilton accents the song perfectly with his soulful vocals (“World’s An Addiction”) and Amy Winehouse brings a pinch of nostalgia with her feature on “Cherry Wine” that’s sure to turn heads.

To be honest, there’s more than enough content here to grab attention. Whether it’s the powerful “Goodbye Love” sample from Guy in “Bye Baby”, to the eclectic but cohesive sound that runs throughout the LP, to the content that Nas never fails to deliver on, this is one of the few projects to be released in recent years that truly shows an artist improving while at the top of their game. If we weren’t too busy tallying his losses, we would’ve noticed all of the signs that showed he was plotting, most notably his stellar recent collaborations.

The result of Nas turning his recent pain into progression and piecing it all together positively is Life Is Good, a project that’s almost destined to be a contender for album of the year. For those needing a definite answer, you could say that Nas is back, but for those who are in the know, it’s more accurate to say that Nas never truly left; he’s been here the whole time. Most were just too busy watching thrones to notice.

No diss.

The fact that there were politics surrounding this release shouldn’t dissuade fans from giving this free album a play. Never mind the fact that 50 Cent just dropped The Lost Tape (which, with the exception of one song, had all new material on it), or that he released The Big 10 at the end of last year. 50 keeps it moving and strikes quickly with 5 (Murder By Numbers), a free album that has the idea of a Curtis Jackson retail album sounding better and better.

There are only 10 tracks here, but the production is top-notch, as 50 secured Focus, Hit-Boy, Havoc, DJ Pain 1, and more to make this sound good on the surface. 50 also keeps things interesting throughout Murder by flipping his delivery and presentation. Whether he’s going back and forth with Hayes on “Business Mind”, sharing the spotlight with Kidd Kidd on “Roll That Sh*t”, or enticing his girlfriend to turn another girl out on “Be My B*tch” (yes, you read that correctly), it’s all 50 Cent to the core. Even at the end as 50 addresses a few of his old habits and contradictions alongside a surprise TDE representative (“Can I Talk To You”), he suddenly turns into the trash-talking 50 that was missing from the other songs. No element of 50’s character is left untouched here, and it makes for an enjoyable ride.

Unfortunately, that serves up a familiar fault as well; a couple of the hooks are as repetitive as we’ve heard on past projects, and 50’s still over-singing at times (“Definition of Sexy” is a prime example of this). The content here also isn’t for everyone, as 50 taps into his explicit side when talking about his sexual endeavors – but he’s never been one to shy away from that as evidenced by previous songs and collaborations such as Missy Elliott’s “Work It Remix”, Lil’ Kim’s “Magic Stick”, and his own “Candy Shop.” Aside from the upped raunchiness on “Be My B*tch” (which is, ironically, executed almost perfectly and made far too catchy to let younger kids hear), 50 Cent has delivered another solid project that shows his consistency. As long as the passion matches the output, it should be fun to see what he does next.

Click here to download 5 (Murder By Numbers) for yourself.

In the Hip-Hop world today, there is a trend forming; a phenomenon of young talent coming together in collectives, led by one standout performer- such as SpaceGhostPurrp, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler, The Creator. You can add Joey Bada$$ to this category of front-runners now as well. The 17-year-old senior in high school from Brooklyn has burst onto the scene with his debut project 1999, representing his crew Pro Era, and giving listeners flashbacks and a breath of fresh air at the same time.

The buzz around Joey began with the release of “Survival Tactics”, an aggressive braggadocio record that displays the NY battle-tested rhymes of Joey and PE member Capital STEEZ (“But it’s definite/ I spit more than speech impediments/ Brooklyn’s the residence/ The best, and it’s evident”). It was the kind of kick in the door that leaves no choice for people to take notice. But as the entire mixtape is explored, it’s clear that Joey Bada$$ is more than just punch- lines. “Waves” is another example of his prowess on the mic, but in a mellow, more thoughtful context (“And I’m hopeful/ That me spittin’ this soulful/ Will have me in the daily postal/ Flying coastal/ Eatin’ tofu”). And the array of sounds continue; from the playful “Where It’$ At”, the introspective “Snakes”, or the melancholy “Pennyroyal”- which are over J-Dilla, J-Dilla, and MF DOOM instrumentals. Whether over original production or recycled beats by legends, Bada$$ maintains an intriguing vibe that keeps listeners on their toes.

Although he was only six years old when the decade ended, Joey is drenched in a ’90s style New York groove that proves too intoxicating to escape. “Funky Ho’$” is a perfect example of this; from the Lord Finesse beat, to the Big L inspired flow and the crew shout outs at the end, you’re taken back to the days of Buckshot and Mobb Deep. Furthermore, though the sound and tone of the project is old-school, the actual content is full of topics the youth can gravitate towards. On “FrombaTomb$”, Joey raps “F*ck Trigonometry…” and on “Daily Routine”, “These bloggers too emotional…”; speaking for an entire audience of adolescents who are stuck between Low End Theory and Black on Both Sides in musical time, but yearn for lyrics that they can apply to themselves in today’s society.

The album ends with a classic posse cut, “Suspect”; which features nine members of the Pro Era crew and the same hook of the Nas song of the same name. Being from Rap-Land- Brooklyn, New York- has certainly given Joey Bada$$ a foundation to work on. With a movement and ambition that mirrors today’s most successful artists, and a sound that is so authentic and ripe, 1999 is awesome. This is a project that will make any Hip-Hop listener excited.

Check it out here for yourself.

One of the more interesting characters in Rap and Hip-Hop would have to be the 1017 Brick Squad representative, Waka Flocka Flame. Whether it’s his point-blank stance on things such as Hologram Tupac or music in general, Flocka seems unable to give people any less than the ruggedness he’s become known for, and it’s one of the reasons he seems to be more relevant as of now than his labelmates (Gucci Mane, OJ Da Juiceman, Wooh Da Kid, and Frenchie). With the arrival of his second LP, Waka seems to be swinging heavily for the fences and radios, making Triple F Life: Friends, Fans, and Family a mixed bag, at best.

To be clear, if you’re listening to a Flocka album for the lyricism, you’re doing it wrong in the first place. There are some artists who never try to be more than what they are, and Flocka’s said before that he’s not that type of artist. The quicker you accept that, the more enjoyment you’ll find in his music. However, even by loose standards, there are a few songs on Triple F Life that come out of left field, such as the radio-ready “Get Low” (which features Nicki Minaj, Tyga, and Flo-Rida), and the awkwardly placed “Fist Pump” (featuring B.o.B). They’ll be huge on the radio, but typical Waka fans may not appreciate it as much.

Thankfully, there are typical Waka songs here as well. “Lurkin’” features an assist from Plies and combines everything good about Waka into one song, from the aggressive hook and ad-libs to the riot-inducing lyrics that’s gotten him this far musically. “Let Dem Guns Blam” features a solid verse from Meek Mill, “I Don’t Really Care” serves it’s purpose and features a cameo from Trey Songz, and of course, “Round of Applause” with Drake is still as oddly addicting as ever. The good songs, however, still don’t cover up the blatant “Crossover” radio singles that disrupt the flow of the LP, but there’s no denying that Waka has several singles here that could impact any type of radio station.

And maybe that’s the issue. Waka’s Triple F Life: Friends, Fans, and Family is a grab bag at best, with some songs staying true to what he’s done in the past, and others taking huge risks. Granted, those risks (most notably, “Fist Pump”) could pay off extremely well, but the album as a whole seems to have little to no direction whatsoever. Don’t get it twisted; the album’s not bad, and there are songs present for every type of Flocka fan, but if you’re looking for an album as entertaining as his first, you won’t exactly find it here.

What do you think of the album? Leave a comment below.

With his first major label release, The Stoned Immaculate, Curren$y has delivered a well-rounded album that rarely breaks the formula the New Orleans spitter has mastered over his many past projects.

Kicking off with the Wale-featured and Bink!-produced “What It Look Like,” the album’s first single grabs your attention immediately with its harp, strings and piano keys soulfully providing a welcome backdrop for Curren$y and his MMG guest star to do their respective things. “We smoke loud, might have to get your ears checked out, after your hoes leave the Jets hang out,” raps Spitta on the track.

Following The Stoned Immaculate‘s first collaboration are two solid tracks, “Privacy Glass”, and the Monsta Beatz-produced “Armoire” which features fellow Jet Life Recordings members, Young Roddy and Trademark, both holding their own against their “boss”; however, after the first few records, The Stoned Immaculate really kicks into high gear.

Some of the album’s strongest tracks rest within its mid-section with records like the Marsha Ambrosius-assisted “Take You There,” “Showroom” and “Capitol,” which features 2 Chainz, all portraying different sides of Spitta, yet containing the cool, calm and collected rhymes that his fans have come to love him for. “Smoking something as strong as my vivid imagination, I don’t see nothing wrong with love being naked, out this world whips my car a space station, my life is a trip my crib a vacation,” he raps on “Take You There.”

“No Squares,” features a score sample from the Playstation game God Of War, finds Curren$y reuniting with his How Fly partner Wiz Khalifa on one of two collaborations between the two MC’s on The Stoned Immaculate, and is one of the album’s strongest cuts, with both rappers preaching about their success and all the ways they get them: “no square shall enter into the circle of winners.”

The Neptunes-produced “Chasin Paper,” which also features Pharrell, is another standout followed by two of the best songs on The Stoned Immaculate which are also the album’s closing tracks, “Fast Cars” with Daz Dillinger and “Jet Life” with Big K.R.I.T. and Wiz Khalifa.

The production on The Stoned Immaculate is also top-notch despite frequent collaborator Ski Beatz being absent from the project. Ski, who has helped mold and develop the sound that Curren$y has become known for on his past projects, with all of their morphing samples and instrumentation, is “replaced” by such talent as J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Big K.R.I.T., The Futuristiks and a gang of others that help the MC pick up, soundwise, where Ski left off.

Overall, The Stoned Immaculate delivers, and for those that thought Curren$y might lose some of that independent “swag” by signing with Warner Bros., you can breathe a collective sigh of relief. If anything, the major label home, backing, and support may have just provided fans with a more refined-sounding album than they’ve heard from him in the past, and it surely will not disappoint his legion of old fans – or the ones who may be discovering Spitta for the first time with this album.

Curren$y’s The Stoned Immaculate Is Available Now

David Banner is going through a rap coming of age. Early in his career, he gained success through knocking beats and reckless lyrics, like most young Hip-Hop artists. Now, however, a more mature Banner is aiming at a more constructive message with his latest mixtape, Sex, Drugs, and Video Games. Does the title throw you off a bit? It’s all a part of the smoke and mirrors act Banner employs.

To begin the tape, it’s less smoke and more mirrors for David Banner; staring himself in the face, self-examining through his most personal issues. “Sex, Drugs, and Video Games” sees Banner speaking on a failed relationship over the introspective production provided by M-Phazes (“I’d be lyin’ if I said there wasn’t no pussy on the side/ I’m alone in L.A., I was just tryna get by”).

This transitions to the starry “Believe”, featuring fellow Mississippi native Big K.R.I.T. The connection David Banner has with the listener throughout the tape is established in these first two songs, and proves to be its best quality; in Midnight Marauders fashion, an automated voice asks David Banner, and thus the listener, thought provoking questions through skits that represent a voice of reason. The mixtape has a conscience.

While those examples are more direct, the most interesting aspect here are the songs filled with smoke to cover up the overarching message they contain. “Swag (Remix)” has a booming bass-line and cliché chorus, but Banner speaks on real topics, “Everybody in my city pushing keys, and that’s all these kids see/ If that’s the only thing they hear, then that’s the only thing they’ll be”. “Who’s That” is a bit more direct than the previous, but behind Goodie Mob samples and intriguing production, he tackles self-identity issues. “Malcolm X (A Song To Me)” boasts a ignorant loud instrumental, but in an angry tone, David Banner reminds artists, and mostly himself, to not teach our youth the wrong messages.

The project consists of juxtapositions, standing hand in hand. Both “Yao Ming” and it’s remix are among the album best, but they almost act as bait for the younger crowd. With features from Lil’ Wayne, 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, and A$AP Rocky, most will give these songs, and the tape, a listen. But this just adds to the smoke concealing the bigger message.

So many times, Hip-Hop’s youth ignore conscious music because they think it’s boring. With songs like the aforementioned “Amazing”, and the handful draped in mainstream sound, the unsuspecting listeners are almost force-fed the positivity; maybe without even realizing it. This is something to be commended. Sex, Drugs, and Video Games has some dope songs, regardless of its dope message. With the 20-song tracklisting, there’s sure to be some filler, but they’re outshined by the bright spots here. If you understand all this and don’t feel some of those glossier records, don’t worry too much. They’re not meant for you.

• To download/support David Banner’s 2M1 Movement click here.

Big K.R.I.T’s been one of the shining examples in recent history on how to go about reinventing yourself for the masses. Although several projects and mixtapes served as precursors to this point, it’s safe to say that most of his fans jumped on board after the publicity he received for the cohesiveness of Krit Wuz Here, which he maintained through Return Of 4Eva, and solidified with 4Eva N A Day. The reviews mostly praised the Mississippi native for being able to cater to both ears and hearts through his content; listeners enjoyed the Southern production throughout, and those looking for more than just beats were pleased with songs that truly made you think (“Children of the World”, “Red Eye”). K.R.I.T. established himself as a threat from almost every possible angle, and it’s been fun to watch.

With that being said, there were questions that went along with his debut. Would the quality decrease? Would it be a watered-down version of his projects? Would it sound completely different than what we expect? Although most of those questions are legit, one playthrough of Live From The Underground will assure you that it’s still jamming, and it’s still the same ol’ K.R.I.T. that made you a fan.

Taking on yet another theme, the intro to Live (“LFU300MA”) has the listener stumbling upon a pre-recording that advises you to adjust your volume and enjoy. K.R.I.T.’s said in many interviews that he wanted it to feel like an underground record “crash-landed” in the mainstream mold, and the loose theme of the project sets that up. The familiar bass-heavy melodies are back and soulful, and K.R.I.T. goes into a spoken word delivery that slowly eases you into the vibe for the following songs. Background harmonies make the verses and hooks fun to listen to as well, enhancing it with a close attention to detail that’s scarcely seen in Southern projects since the days when OutKast used to drop projects together.

A seemingly lost art in music is the gift of sequencing, and K.R.I.T. has that gift. He’s fine-tuned it with each release leading up to his debut and has it all but mastered here. The album flows together almost flawlessly, with slower tempo songs like “Money On The Floor” (with 8Ball, MJG, and 2 Chainz) and “Don’t Let Me Down” being used to hinge the different styles together. The pacing makes it that much easier for K.R.I.T. to dive into incredible songs, such as the Devin The Dude-assisted slacker anthem “Hydroplaning”, the introspective flow on “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”, and the soulful B.B. King collaboration on “Praying Man”.

Even though the album flows remarkably well, it’s still of note to notice that a few of the songs here have extremely repetitive hooks (“Yeah Dats Me”, “Pull Up”). However, even those songs have other more dominant factors that make it worth listening to; “Yeah Dats Me” is a high-energy track in spirit, and “Pull Up” has a couple of solid verses from UGK-representative Bun B and Big Sant, who’s been a staple on almost every Big K.R.I.T. project (if not all).  It’s also of note to point out that a couple of the songs from 4Eva N A Day might’ve served a better purpose being here instead of there (“Temptation” comes to mind).

As it stands, Live From The Underground is a great LP with some incredible high points. It’s rare when an artist can actually have his “underground” sound translate so well to his debut project, but Big K.R.I.T. has somehow done just that. Regardless of if you think it matches up with his mixtapes or not, the music’s just good all around and is permeated with that Southern flair. If you’re a fan of K.R.I.T., you’re going to want to support this one, and if you’re not… Live From The Underground might just make you one.

1982 is made up of Termanology and Statik Selektah; a rapper’s rapper, and a producer’s producer. As a duo, they can be considered an independent party making their name amongst the underground, and are now entering their second term with 2012. Baring the election style artwork, the two are seeking a vote of confidence from the Hip-Hop nation.

Their campaign starts off strong, with “Lights Down” being an immediate front-runner. Shrouded in a dream-esque, cool groove with distant samples and scratches, the track sets the listener in a steady rock. This is followed by “Up Every Night”, a perfect example of Hip-Hop Doo-Wop. The cheery, upbeat production Statik provides is uncanny here – the song puts a smile right on your face. Following the good vibes theme, “Happy Days” jams optimism into four minutes of rap, with features from Mac Miller, Bun B, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men (I know, right!?). These three tracks are highlights of Statik’s production; when at its very best, sounds like it was crafted in ’96 somewhere between Ironman and Wrath of Math. The main aspect of his beat-making, and this has always been the case, is that it never overwhelms, but rather allows the MC to breathe on it. This can work for and against him.

“Shining” is the first time Term takes the podium and puts his rhymes in the driver’s seat. Over triumphant horns, he lets his flow dominate (“I’m shining light blue and reds like a cop car/ I keep it underground, f*ck being a pop star”). “Too Long” is a definite lyrical standout, as he addresses the public with an intimate message involving his family past. This notes a change in tone for the album, from glossy to gritty. The next song, “Time Travelin’”, is probably the best; it speaks on all the people and situations Term would change if he had the chance, leaving you wondering who he’s going to mention next (“And I know it sounds remorseless/ But I would have made Barbara Bush get an abortion”). What makes the song hit home is the authenticity of it and the substance it holds. Most of the music these two make has purpose, and it shows throughout 2012.

As the album progresses, though, it begins to literally slow at the halfway mark. There is no sound progression; some may see this has a consistent flow, while others will call it a stagnant lull. There is no signature song for the album to revolve around; cuts are good, but not great, and the good songs are not good enough to make up for the lack of greatness. There are no impressive features; all are passing, but the least likeable is “Make It Out Alive” with Freddie Gibbs and Crooked I, spitting uninspired rhymes over tired production. As a whole, I think most listeners will step away from the presidential-themed album as most citizens do with most president’s terms of office – ‘It was fine. He did a pretty good job.’

It’s not like 50 Cent’s been silent lately; he’s been making music and remaining relevant in several different aspects, whether it’s slick-talking his way into news headlines, partnering up with champion boxers, or verbally abusing anyone who rubs him the wrong way on Twitter (label included). Yet for some reason, when he dropped his previous project (The Big 10), although according to normal standards it did well, it was still nowhere near the level of buzz and appreciation 50′s used to getting for his stellar album releases.

It’s with that said that 50 Cent decides to get back to his roots; the aggressive side of his demeanor that made him notable to begin with. At times he’s a contradiction and other times he’s an enigma of sorts, but he’s never NOT entertaining. The issue for most has been seeing if he can maintain that charisma for an album like he’s done in the past. If you let 50 tell it, he’s sure he can.

His label, more or less, doesn’t seem to be so certain from their actions.

So 50’s taking matters into his own hands by partnering with one of the undisputed kings of the mixtape circuit. DJ Drama has linked to try and spark something special with 50, and The Lost Tape is the gritty result. It’s not perfect by any means, and it’s not even one of the best tapes to be released this year, but it serves its purpose of reminding us why we initially loved/hated 50 Cent in the first place.

From the moment “Get Busy” drops, 50 stakes his claim again with all original music (excluding the “Riot Remix” that has him and 2 Chainz trading bars within each verse), and most of them work (excluding the cheesy hook and production for “Swag Level”). It’s the same 50 Cent that we’ve grown accustomed to musically, and that’s not a bad thing. The in-your-face vibe of “Murder One” and “You A Killer? Cool” help to back that statement, alongside the radio-esque sounds from “I Ain’t Gonna Lie” (feat. Robbie Nova) and “Planet 50” (with Jeremih), and it all works somehow.

 Curtis also uses his platform to show off his newest additions to G-Unit as well; Kidd Kidd and Precious Paris all come through and improve their stock in the ears of the listeners (most notably Kidd Kidd; Paris proved she was nice with her latest mixtape From Paris With Love). The features are also slick, but still pale in comparison to the man of the hour. Even on smooth, radio ready joints like “I Ain’t Gonna Lie”, 50′s patented trash-talk outshines the vocals on the hook and makes the song memorable, but familiar all the while.

And that may be the problem for most people that hear the tape. Yes, 50 drops some quotable lines and proves that he can still make music, but it doesn’t sound too different from music he’s done in the past. If you rock with 50, this will reinforce your support, but if you’re wanting that special “something” like we got when we first heard Get Rich Or Die Trying (or for some, his unreleased/scrapped and heavily bootlegged Columbia Records LP Power of the Dollar), then maybe that’s coming in July when he supposedly drops his album. For now, it’s a great statement to listeners and artists alike that 50′s not playing when it comes to music. Let’s just hope The Lost Tape isn’t the last highlight he provides.

To some, one-time Outkast protégé Killer Mike may have seemed to lose his way since emerging on the scene as that fantastic rapper who would show up on his fellow ATLiens eclectic records, chewing up the lush, pop scenery with his vicious rhymes. Not that his skills as an MC have ever been called into question, of course.

Mike’s Southern drawl has always been charismatic; sometimes hard, sometimes laidback, and always head-bobbingly infectious. But after three lengthy installments to his Pledge series – which saw him diversify with everything from revolutionary anthems to masculine, Waka-esque cuts to soul-sampling, sex anthems – Mike spent the last few years making great music and gaining the attention of media giants such as Rolling Stone, but the full appreciation (and possibly direction) hasn’t been there. Something had to change.

Help arrives from an unlikely source in producer and Definitive Jux entrepreneur, El-P. An underground king in NYC for his shadowy synths and mauling drum loops – best summarized by his own claustrophobic solo records – El Producto takes the role of sole producer on R.A.P. Music (an acronym for Rebellious African People, by the way), reinvigorating Killer Mike with his own brand of blazing Hip-Hop instrumentation. But to call this a record of Killer Mike’s neck-snapping country rhymes atop of El-P’s battering East Coast beats would be an over-simplification. Instead, both artists work in tandem, borrowing some of the mechanics from each other’s sound and fitting them to their own machine. Think Ice Cube and The Bomb Squad on AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, a record that fused the sound of both coasts, and you’re most of the way there.

“Southern Fried”, for example, is an old-fashioned, greasy Atlanta jam mixed with El-P’s steely New York idiosyncrasies. Put it all together, and you’ve got a concoction reminiscent of Outkast’s classic Hip-Hop mash-up “BOB”. “Welcome to this country-fide, bonafide/And my flow is sweet as a potato pie,” raps Mike on “Southern Fried”, but your typical country sh*t, R.A.P. Music ain’t.

The occasional ATL shout-out aside, lyrically this may be Mike’s toughest album to date. He’s always liked a political jam, but here religion, social injustice, and police brutality all come in to focus. “Don’t Die” is a throwback to Death Certificate-era Cube with its vivid narration depicting crooked crops, while the ferocious “Reagan” is scathing attack on the former President’s administration, tarring every presidency since with the same brush:

“Ronald Reagan was an actor, Not at all a factor/
Just an employee of the country’s real masters/
Just like the Bushes, Clinton and Obama/
Just another talking head telling lies on teleprompters”

It’s the kind of rebellious rap that was once so prominent in the genre, marginalized over the years by noughties economic prosperity and Hip-Hop’s increased commercialism. Mike, however, is not afraid to point his crosshairs at those he deems worthy of a lyrical attack.

But it took El-P’s influence to ignite that fire. At 12 tracks, R.A.P. Music is more of an intense sprint than a marathon. There’s not a skit in sight; no slow jams or radio songs. El-P simply won’t allow it. “This album was created entirely by Jamie and Mike,” says Killer to open “JoJo’s Chillin”, acknowledging El-P’s considerable contribution. Mike stretches Jamie. Jamie focuses Mike.

It’s R.A.P. Music, and it’s beautiful.

“I am so authentic, I’m so off in it /
They try to figure me out, but it’s not a gimmick /
Hi Hip-Hop, don’t act like you don’t know me /
We got the same mama! Don’t you try to disown me…”

As the Don Cannon and Lecrae collaboration begins, Lecrae addresses how critics try to categorize what he does by placing all of his songs, lyrics, and content-related material into a “box”. It’s a reaction for some to categorize or stereotype music when explaining it to others, and it’s easier to do when you realize the content is Christian in almost every aspect. Although it’s easier to simply box his music, so much is missed if you only take that assumption to be the finalizing word. Lecrae’s a great rapper with strong beliefs, and both of those dimensions battle for supremacy in Church Clothes.

The most impressive thing about Church Clothes is its ability to focus on the Christian values without coming off as preachy, or even Bible-thumping. Lecrae speaks from his experiences and his convictions, and it’s ingrained within the lyrics. It’s evident in the Texas-inspired “Welcome To H-Town” (featuring Dre Murray and Reach Record labelmate Tedashii), which has Lecrae and company rhyming about their ties to the city in a way that would make DJ Screw proud. It’s on display alongside ex-Clipse member No Malice, as they rhyme about their beliefs on “Darkest Hour” (although the hook’s cheesy in comparison to the rest of the project). It’s also showcased when addressing people of their self-worth on “Special” and “Rise”, with the latter being produced by 9^th Wonder.

The production (which features the aforementioned 9^th Wonder, Boi-1da, Street Symphony, and others) and overall presentation makes this feel as if it could be slid into a CD changer alongside other Don Cannon projects. However, the messages from Church Clothes ring with clarity and a determination that most rappers have to pay to achieve. There’s a sense of purpose in Lecrae’s lyrics, and refreshingly, his rhymes don’t ever take a back seat to the message; they instead coordinate rather well together, pun intended. With Church Clothes being topped off with most of the features delivering solid verses (Thisl, Tedashii, Andy Mineo, and more), it’s hard to categorize Lecrae as a Gospel rapper, when there seems to be much more to him than that generic label. It’s good music, and well worth the time if you’re interested in listening for yourself.

“I’m not a Gospel rapper, not a Holy Roller /
I’m just a product of Grace, spreading hope to the hopeless…”

• Download Lecrae and Don Cannon’s “Church Clothes” here.

Kendick Lamar has established a considerable platform for his fellow Black Hippy brethren to springboard from. As a collective, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and Lamar have released just a few songs under the Black Hippy name, but after the success of the latter’s Section.80, all four find themselves on Dr Dre’s Aftermath imprint; a label where even established artists like Rakim and Raekwon have failed to make an impact. While Jay Rock and Q have cut their teeth on their own independent releases, Ab-Soul is the last member out of the gate, and with his tiny output, unusual personal styling and a seemingly lack of enthusiasm for glossy production methods or large, radio-friendly hooks, he looks a very small fish in the pond where the good doctor resides.

While he might prove quite the quandary for Aftermath’s marketing department, Ab may well be the most artistically interesting of the Hippy clan. Control System (not released on Aftermath, by the way) is a long, complex record of scratchy beats, widescreen subject matter and elaborate rhyming schemes, which goes some of the way to explaining Ab’s lack of output thus far is his young career. His attention to detail is stellar, intricately building his rhymes with clever wordplay, popping syllables off each other like a well tuned jazz drummer. On “Bohemian Grove”, for example, Ab pulls out all the tricks, veering from three word bars to lengthy prose. Later, on “Illuminate” – where he addresses his unlikely place within the Hip-Hop world – his turn of speed is impressive, often putting the brakes on mid-rhyme, leaning into words slowly before jamming down on the accelerator and letting loose once more.

It’s wonderfully compelling to hear Ab construct his dense rhyme patterns, and he’s boosted by a near-flawless selection of beats. Production-wise Control System is in the same vein of Lemar’s Section.80, compiling a series of jazzy samples, AM radio soul and horror movie-esque compositions, linking instrumentation with subject matter wisely. “It was all a dream/I swear, it never happened,” opens ‘Pineal Gland’, which adds to the dark, nightmarish feel of the music. The doomed romance Ab outlays on “The Book of Soul” is beautifully scored by some ice-cold piano chords and rolling drum loops, while the scary outline of world politics on “Terrorist Threat” is appropriately foreboding.

Danny Brown shows up on “Terrorist Threat” and his manic spitting steals the show, underlining that, while Ab-Soul shows strong signs of being a great rap artist, he still has a way to go to be a truly great rapper. Still, Control System slowly reveals itself to be one of the most accomplished debut Hip-Hop records in quite some time.

Meek Mill may be the hottest rapper in the world right now. Coming off a breakout year, being signed to a powerhouse label (Maybach Music Group), and keeping his name relevant with standout guest appearances in between, he makes an impressive case for the position. With an enormous amount of hype surrounding him, it’s sink or swim for the Philly native and his latest project, Dreamchasers 2.

The “Intro” begins with a clip of Mike Tyson popping off at the mouth brashly, then proceeds to see Meek Mill rival this fierceness with killer raps (“I’m getting’ money/Must be Illuminati/ They think I signed up ‘cause I just got a new Ferrari”). One of the best with wordplay, the entire tape showcases his lyrical skill. “Flexin’” and “Everyday” both have heavy production and see Meek throw around hot lines like ones at a strip club; frequent and almost carelessly. “A-1 Everything” features Kendrick Lamar, and he gruffs his way through the fast-paced song, (I got a bus full of b*tches/ Call that Jerome Bettis). However, the best track here is “Burn”, featuring  Big Sean who outshines Mill and propels the song to anthem-level heights (“Bad b*tch in her cha-cha/ Grabbin’ on her chi-chi’s”). The mixtape is composed of hard beats and hard rhymes; it’s the sort of quality street music that’s very hard to resist.

Another standout is “Amen”- a more feel-good song with no shortage of quality rapping, featuring Drake. Meek Mill attempts to balance out the boastful rhymes with different tones of music, like the afore mentioned; “Use To Be” does a decent job at creating a ominous, inspirational record, but the adaptation of “Ready or Not” does it better.”Take U Home” features both Wale and Big Sean and is sure to divide fans and critics alike. Sampling the chorus of the ’80s hit by Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam, some may see it as innovative and neat, while others will deem it wack in mere seconds. Posse cuts “Racked Up Shawty” (Fabolous, French Montana) and “House Party Remix” (Fabolous, Wale, Mac Miller) do their job of keeping the flow of good music going. Meek doesn’t have to stray away from bragging since he’s good at it.

If you like rap, you’ll most likely find something to like on this record. There is no denying the slick lines that Meek Mill kicks; he’s as hot as Young Jeezy was back in the early 2000’s. Because he’s with MMG, all of his production is top-tier, and he has no trouble getting high-profile guest appearances. There are some sub-par tracks on the record, but ultimately Meek Mill just raised his buzz from its already tall heights. Dreamchasers 2 is too hard to hate.

• Download Dreamchasers 2 here.

One upon a time, DMX’s scattershot frantic, staccato style was a dependable anchor that held down just about any song he appeared on. But, when he’s on songs like “Where I Wanna Be,” he really sounds like a punch-drunk version of himself. He’s got the fight, but the sharpness really isn’t there like the late ’90s and 2000s. On “Sh*t Don’t Change,” Snoop Dogg joins his fellow dog for a remake of 2009′S “Boss Life.” If you didn’t know this was a regurgitation, it would be possible to enjoy the song, but this record was an old Dr. Dre-produced hit.

All is not lost. The song “Last Hope,”which came out last year shows the depth and reaffirms why we still love DMX:

Even though “Lost Hope” is a reworking of an obscure artist named Dizzy Dao, we’ll accept it into DMX’s repertoire of music. But neither “That’s My Baby,” which features Tyrese, a scant Lil Wayne blip, or “Wright or Wrong” help salvage The Weigh In from the recycle bin, sadly enough.

Lastly, the actual audio quality of The Weigh In seems to be severely compromised and suffers from a lack of funding. The mix-down sounds as if it was done in somebody’s bedroom lined by egg crates, not Quad Studios where It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot was masterfully recorded. The music sounds dated and, honestly, terrible. DMX represents, not only a successful legacy in Hip-Hop, but an era that has seen better days. Hopefully, those of us that are fans of the dog will be blessed with a work of art in his upcoming album, Undisputed, that really reflects his past, or a rich future in music is not promised in this era.

There’s no love lost for DMX, just disappointment. At least, all dogs to go heaven, no matter what.

Click here to listen to or to download The Weigh In.

B.o.B. has to be one of the most interesting specimens in Hip-Hop. Entering the game with conscious lyrics and unique vibes, the ATLien soared to new heights last year with explosive mainstream success off his debut album- which showed an array of sides to the rapper.  With this taken into consideration, fans know to expect an eclectic sound and something outside of the box on his sophomore LP, Strange Clouds. The question is, how strange will this be?

The intro, “Bombs Away” features actor Morgan Freeman for dialogue on the track. The first piece of strange is encountered, though the feature goes well with the cinematic production that Bobby Ray utilizes to flex his straight rap skills (“I am in drive, y’all are in park/ Look at my shot, look at the arc/ Look at the crowd as soon as I start”). Each song takes on its own personality, and makes for an adventurous ride. “Ray Bands” sounds like a T.I. influenced, but ultimately B.o.B.-stamped, boastful track.

Tip makes an actual appearance on “Arena” alongside Chris Brown, and B.o.B. shows some of his best lines (“Flow dumb, but I’m so smart/ I compose art, call me Mozart”). Standout “So Good” is where B.o.B. sounds the most comfortable; with ambitious production, catchy chorus work, and no features. The entire album is filled with big name artists that can cramp B.o.B’s style at times, and this sounds like he’s stretching out his musical arms for a breath of fresh air.

The guest appearances cover a great distance, from Nicki Minaj letting her wild cadence loose on the equally unstable and fluctuating “Out of My Mind”,  to OneRepublic front man Ryan Tedder’s involvement on the tranquil “Never Let You Go”.  However, the biggest features come on the album’s two biggest singles. “Both of Us” features Taylor Swift; and while Hip-Hop fans may fight the urge to hate inside of them, fans of “Nothin’ on You” and “Airplanes” may have found a song to fill a void these left. In contrast, Lil’ Wayne has a verse on the jamming title track, “Strange Clouds”. Showcasing heavy, distorted bass thumps, both Southern rappers display their excellent wordplay (“I’m top chef/ you Top Ramon/ I’m top shelf…”).

The album’s two singles are polar opposites of each other in sound, but stand right next to each other on the track-listing; which speaks greatly to what B.o.B. is as an artist. He swings for the fences on every song, making the listen incredibly fun. Because he spans such a great length of sounds, there are sure to be a few not to your liking, as well as many aimed right towards it. B.o.B. has nearly mastered the crossover record in Hip-Hop, like music’s Allen Iverson. But if he was an NBA player, Bobby Ray would more accurately be Dirk Nowitzki – a player doing what he’s not supposed to be doing at his position. He dares genre boundaries to guard him.

For most people, when you mention Ham Squad, you think of B.o.B, not his partner in rhyme, Playboy Tre. If you did, you’d most likely associate his name with the online antics (most notably the Youtube videos) instead of his music. However, you’d be mistaken to simply ignore his skill, or his relevance when it comes to his consistency when delivering feature verses, or in this case, quality mixtapes. Tre’s been a workhorse for quite some time, and although he’s played the background in the past, he’s still quite the monster when it comes to lyrics and concepts; with the recent release of Liquor Store Mascot 2: Patron & Instrumentals, he does that yet again.

As you could assume from the title, most of the songs and lyrics here are liquor-fueled, but it never truly becomes a redundant title due to Tre’s creativity. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t a couple of “party and bullsh**” songs like “5th of Drank” and “We All In“, but the project isn’t limited to those type of songs and that’s what makes this enjoyable. “Shot of Rum” is essentially a posse cut which takes a disrespectfully clever line from P. Dukes‘ first bars (“I got your girl on a shot of rum / she say that’s too strong so she chased it with a shot of c*m”) and features Bobby Creekwater, Jarren Benton, Homebwoi, and Bo Hagon  (of BME / Lil’ Jon fame). “Lady Liquor” has Playboy Tre making the comparison of his bottle to a beautiful but conniving female. The self-titled track (“Patron & Instrumentals“) has him just reflecting over different aspects of his life.

All of this is in addition to the other high-quality tracks featured here. “Still Standing” and “Care After Me” all have inspirational themes running through them, and Tre is still as lyrically potent on these songs as he is when rhyming with the intent of dropping memorable lines. The production is also solid throughout, with beats being helmed from a plethora of producers that include The Honorable C-Note, Homebwoi, Young Shawn, DJ Burn One, and more. Overall, there isn’t much to dislike here unless you mistake the liquor-fueled lyrics to be liquor-filled, and surprisingly, that’s not the case here. With solid production, well executed lyrics and concepts, and a few standout features (most notably from Big Rec on “Something To Say” due to his ridiculous flow), Playboy Tre’s Liquor Store Mascot 2: Patron & Instrumentals is definitely worthy of its rating.

• Download “Liquor Store Mascot 2: Patron & Instrumentals” here.

Jadakiss has always been the consistent bet in rap; if you ever needed a feature that would garner the automatic street appeal, there aren’t too many artists that would take priority over the LOX representative. He’s been putting out constant music for years, but that classic LP has eluded him to this point. With the upcoming release of his next album “Top Five, Dead or Alive“, he’s looking to prove he’s able to create that classic. Mixtapes, however? That’s a different subject altogether; his projects all contain high replayability due to his versatility, and that’s exactly the case yet again with his DJ-Drama powered “Consignment” mixtape which dropped recently.

There’s nothing here that will seem out of the ordinary for Kiss fans. Jadakiss is the slow-flow professional, and he utilizes that flow on almost every song here. As far as the aforementioned versatility, he goes from holding songs down solo (“Nightmares and Migranes“) to pulling out artists like Meek Mill and Yung Joc for club smashes (“By The Bar”) to playing the assist man himself behind others (“I’m Good”, with Cito and Goldie). There isn’t a role that Jadakiss hasn’t learned to fill effectively, and it shows here.

The only true issue with the mixtape is the same thing that works in its favor; there’s nothing here that seems out of the ordinary for fans and newcomers alike. This is a dope project for Kiss fans, but there’s nothing special here that sets this project out from his last aside from the production. That’s not a bad thing by any means, but “Consignment” is more of a reminder of his skills than a project displaying something new. That being said, if you rock with Jadakiss and need more music to hold you over until “Top Five” drops, then you’ll want to check this one out.

• Download Jadakiss and DJ Drama’s “Consignment” here.