Artist: O.C.Title: Hidden GemsRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jake Paine Through defunct labels and poor distribution channels in his 13 years of releases, it could be argued that most O.C. albums are rare treasures. However those that have collected the Brooklyn/Queens MC’s work will find <i>Hidden Gems</i> (Next Mill) to be an accurate extension of […]

Artist: Richie SpiceTitle: In The Streets Of AfricaRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Metanoya Z. Webb An ambassador for Jah, who claims responsibility for “all di youth dem worldwide.” Richie Spice is to roots reggae what Marcus Garvey was to the fight for freedom: persistent, courageous, focused and strong.  Whether it’s liberating the minds of African descendants […]

Artist: DVD ReviewTitle: Hip-Hop Colony (DVD)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Sidik Fofana We chubby Americans don’t know nothing about Kenya. We may hear the country’s name flash in a news report and dismiss it as another poor war torn East African country. Most will not even realize that the culture and music coming out of this […]

We chubby Americans don’t know nothing about Kenya. We may hear the country’s name flash in a news report and dismiss it as another poor war torn East African country. Most will not even realize that the culture and music coming out of this third world spot on the map has more integrity than the […]

Artist: Gillie Da KidTitle: The Best Of The GDK MixtapesRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Rashaan Meador The last group of Hip-Hop superstars has been birthed out of a mix of several elements. A strong mixtape buzz, beef with an artist, and of course a link to some sort of criminal activity (i.e. 50 Cent, Jeezy, […]

The last group of Hip-Hop superstars has been birthed out of a mix of several elements. A strong mixtape buzz, beef with an artist, and of course a link to some sort of criminal activity (i.e. 50 Cent, Jeezy, Game, etc.).  Fortunately, for Gillie the Kid, he has all three and then some.  With his […]

Artist: PatriarchTitle: Son Of A RefugeeRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Omar Hamza What do you get when you mix Bay Area hyphy, global politics, ‘90s West Coast bangin’ and a revolutionary emcee?  You get Patriarch, the Hayward, CA native, who has been writing poetry since the age of 11 and has now unleashed his unabashed brand […]

What do you get when you mix Bay Area hyphy, global politics, ‘90s West Coast bangin’ and a revolutionary emcee?  You get Patriarch, the Hayward, CA native, who has been writing poetry since the age of 11 and has now unleashed his unabashed brand of Hip-Hop onto the music world.  Through a somewhat long 21 […]

Artist: Brother AliTitle: The Undisputed TruthRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Alex Thornton When an MC isn’t right for the gun-toting d-boy image but doesn’t want to carry around a backpack full of spoken word poetry either, what does he rap about? Typically, he simply raps about rapping, harping on how much better he rhymes than […]

When an MC isn’t right for the gun-toting d-boy image but doesn’t want to carry around a backpack full of spoken word poetry either, what does he rap about? Typically, he simply raps about rapping, harping on how much better he rhymes than everyone else in the history of language. That tactic is great for […]

Artist: Movie ReviewTitle: Grindhouse (Film)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Stracy Wilson By the mid 1990s, Mayor Giuliani had already begun his mission to clean up Times Square. A few p### theaters and peep shows remained (Show World Center hadn’t yet been turned into a comedy club), but the remnants of the world depicted in Martin […]

Houston Hip-Hop has never been shy about its hustling roots. Being shunned for years and finally receiving your shine has that effect. Hip-Hop’s own king of shine, Houston’s Paul Wall, has his imprint on the tongue of many an artist, from T.I to Nelly with his famous grills . Not just a master of the […]

Artist: Paul WallTitle: Get Money, Stay TrueRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Adam Thomas Houston Hip-Hop has never been shy about its hustling roots. Being shunned for years and finally receiving your shine has that effect. Hip-Hop’s own king of shine, Houston’s Paul Wall, has his imprint on the tongue of many an artist, from T.I […]

Justin Bua is getting closer and closer to being immortal. The Beat of Urban Art (Harper Collins), assembles all of the New York bred artist’s captivating artwork on the innercity Hip-Hop experience into a colorful, well-crafted book. The release has been overdue; his most faithful fans have been coveting his full catalogue in a tangible […]

Artist: Justin BuaTitle: The Beat Of Urban Art (Book)Rating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Sidik Fofana Justin Bua is getting closer and closer to being immortal. The Beat of Urban Art (Harper Collins), assembles all of the New York bred artist’s captivating artwork reflecting the inner city Hip-Hop experience into a colorful, well-crafted book. The release […]

Artist: SnowgoonsTitle: German LugersRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Rashaan Meador The world of Hip-Hop has been increasing and, at the same time shrinking. The fact that a team of German producers would be making beats for US artists is a testament to this statement. This bridging of two sides of the world is done through the […]

Artist: TimbalandTitle: Shock ValueRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Paine Timbaland and his partner Danjahandz owned the charts in 2006. Whether with Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado or Omarion, the Virginia veteran brought out a new sound that brought out the wallflowers and skeptics. It’s only right that in a year expected to see albums from Dr. Dre, […]

Artist: NasTitle: Hip-Hop Is Dead (Concert Review)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Paine On March 31, Nas cracked off his Hip-Hop is Dead Tour in The University of Pittsburgh’s packed Field House arena. MTV cameras combed the crowd throughout, adding more excitement to one of Nas’ most elaborate stage shows in his 15 year career. Though there […]

Artist: Marques HoustonTitle: VeteranRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Shanita Riquel If ever it were possible to use the words “underrated” and “overexposed” to describe the same person, Marques “MH” Houston would be the strongest example. MH has been entertaining us since he was 12, and still his level of skill as a singer and songwriter […]

Artist: ProdigyTitle: Return Of The MacRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Martin A. Berrios From sickle cell anemia to malicious ballerina pictures, Prodigy of Mobb Deep has endured a lot since the conception of the Dunn language. Compared to his long time partner in rhyme Havoc, P’s lyrics have always represented the darker mind state of […]