Since their inception Smif N Wessun have been a vital piece of one of rap’s most talented, yet underappreciated crews, the Boot Camp Click.  Over the years the BCC has boasted a team of hard-knock emcees such as Sean Price, Buckshot, O.G.C. and Heltah Skeltah.  All have collectively or individually helped to push the team’s […]

Following their critically acclaimed 2005 debut, Feeding Einstein, Nuclear Family members Baje One and DJ Snafu better known as Junk Science return two years later with Gran’Dad’s Nerve Tonic (Definitive Jux/Embedded). Featuring a brew strange enough that even Cream could appreciate, the Brooklyn duo dishes out a wittily intoxicating concept album.Maintaining their unique melange of […]

Hurricane Chris’ performance on 51/50 Ratchet (Pologrounds/J Records) is like Rex Grossman on the 2006 Chicago Bears—he’s the only thing holding the team back from winning the championship. The Shreveport, Louisiana native shows some potential on his debut but he’s overshadowed by standout production.  Chris’ rudimentary lyrics and recycled song topics show a narrow view […]

Hip-Hop is dead is a catchphrase with too much of a shelf life, but one mid-west rhyme sayer and two rap legends came to LA and proved that slogan wrong. Ghostface Killah, Rakim, and Brother Ali, put on a Hip-Hop show with a live band. All three artists touched the crowd with performances alongside The […]

9/10 There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Sean Corey Carter’s storied Rap career should be immortalized in Hip-Hop’s hall of fame.  The man effortlessly killed the game for eight straight years and “bowed out” as one of the greatest to touch the mic.  Jay-Z would eventually return from his much hyped hiatus—no one […]

Special Teamz rep their city as hard as any rap crew that comes to mind.  The difference though is that Edo G, Jaysaun, and Slaine big up Boston, an underrepresented city on Planet Rock.  That’s not to say that Boston never birthed dope but rather that no one has ever really called proper attention to […]

It has been three years since Hangar 18’s The Multi-Platinum Debut, and they’ve been busy.  So busy they may quickly become the best mainstream candidate on Definitive Jux. While other label mates are strongly rooted in lyricism and confounding beat complexities, Hangars’ increasing range and maturing accessibility, as showcased on their newest project, Sweep The […]

When it comes to sending a message that begs the attention of the soulful music-minded, rarely does the City of Brotherly Love disappoint. The likes of Jill Scott and The Roots are true testaments. So naturally, Hezekiah and his forecast: I Predict a Riot (Soulspazm/Rawkus) fit like a glove with the Philadelphia shtick. The title […]

Back again, with more of the joints we think you should be checking for, or made aware of anyway. Yes, we know, but Illseed does what Illseed wants to do and he didn’t send in his pick, yet. DoveGucci Mane f/ Ludacris & Lil Kim “Freaky Gurl (Remix)” Liked the original, loved the remix with Luda […]

The latest release from the Dipset camp, Hell Rell’s For The Hell of It (Diplomat/Koch) does much to uphold the street aesthetic that the Diplomats are known for, yet does little to continue with the commercial flirtation that some members (ie. Cam’ron, Jim Jones) have enjoyed in recent time. Don’t expect “We Fly High Pt. […]

If Styles P killed as many people as he rhymed about on The Phantom Menace, he’d be Ted Bundy.  David Styles’ latest mixtape is solid but a mediocre offering when you compare this to his past work.  Previous mixtapes like “Ghost Who Sat By The Door” show more of a willingness on his part to […]

The Black literati has acquainted the Hip-Hop genre with a new type of emcee; this master of ceremony is strapped with ball pens and think pads, articulating street and music tales all in one poetic jazzy web called the short story. Renegade music scribe Miles Marshall Lewis spearheads the brilliant Bronx Biannual, No. 2 (Akashic), […]

A modern-day euphemism for cocaine, That White Girl (Atria), in this case, reflects the real meaning of the phrase. Amber, a young white teenager with a penchant for the Denver street life, finds herself mixed into a whirlwind of an adolescence filled with graffiti, violence, and a “coveted” spot in the Denver set of the […]

Once again, we’re not saying these joints are the end all be all to what should be on your Hip-Hop musical palette. But, we won’t deny that our tastes are highly refined. That said, we thought it would be nice to share what we’re bumping. We also got Illseed to lay off the haterade for […]

Whenever regarding music, a time machine effect can result in funny consequences.  It can produce sonic euphoria and on the other end of the spectrum, create a sound that feels esoteric and obscure. Zimbabwe Tribe, has a mixture of both in their latest release “House of Stone (pH MUSIC/Pro Se Recording). The album can have […]

As southern-born practitioners of traditional, sample-based NY hip-hop, Little Brother has always been a square peg in an industry full of holes. In 2003 MCs Phonte and Big Pooh, along with Producer 9th Wonder, established North Carolina as the next surrogate home to the boom-bap with their debut, The Listening. Proudly claiming they were the […]

Now we’re not saying these joints are the end all be all to what should be on your Hip-Hop musical palette. But, we won’t deny that our tastes are highly refined. That said, we thought it would be nice to share what we’re bumping.Jigsaw (Saw IV)Kanye West “I Wonder”The song is representative of a lot […]

This edition of Gumsole Beatdowns had actually been in the works for a long minute. But, my partner in musical beatdowns broke out (Best of luck Pistol Paine, sincerely), while others on the Internets quickly dropped appreciative ATCQ posts in lieu of the whole Lupe acting Flaco in the mental drama. Thus, it seemed a […]

The lone guest appearance from Little Brother’s stellar 2003 debut The Listening, Median has held his gifts for the longest, operating off of message boards and networking sites to get his music out there. Now having linked up with Wordsworth and Oddissee’s home, Halftooth Records, almost five years later than his Justus League cohorts, the […]

Only one word can describe Common’s NYC show the of evening Sunday, October 7 at Nokia Theater…FIYA!!!  The energy packed showed only helped ignite the already hot crowd.  Fans of Hip-Hop from all ages and numerous races were in attendance to give Common their undivided attention.    The opening rap act was 19 year veteran Percee […]