Artist: Tha Dogg PoundTitle: Dogg ChitRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Bill Zimmerman Tha Dogg Pound sure doesn’t keep fans waiting. Since debuting during Death Row’s glory days in the mid-’90s, Daz and Kurupt have released a slew of solo albums and group projects on both independent and major labels. Now, less than a year since they […]

Artist: MIMSTitle: Music Is My SaviorRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine Music is MIMS’ savior, but many New York Hip-Hop enthusiasts refuse to accept the first new face to top the charts as their own. No less, Music is My Savior (EMI/Capitol) is saving his label after three years of lackluster efforts from veterans and newcomers […]

Artist: RedmanTitle: Red Gone Wild: Thee AlbumRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Robert Longfellow “Redman ready to rock rough rhymes, renegade rapper, rip when it’s rhyme time.” So yeah, that bit of a verse from EPMD’s “Hardcore” (that’s was in 1990) should let the Papoose disciples know the upstart was a little late on the whole alphabet […]

Artist: Young BuckTitle: Buck The WorldRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Alex Thornton By now, G-Unit has become almost an institution of rap music. What began as 50 Cent’s requisite side group has grown into a confederation of artists from all over the country and as G-Unit South’s flagship artist, Young Buck represents the beginning of […]

Artist: Devin The DudeTitle: Waitin’ To InhaleRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Adam Thomas To those who find themselves never shying away from the radio, you may never discover subgenre’s in Hip-Hop other than the party and bullsh*t that usually permeates the airwaves. He may not feature 1000 spin anthems, but those who hear Devin the Dude […]

Artist: Movie ReviewTitle: Shooter (Film)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Edwardo Jackson Jaded patriot and retired gunnery sergeant turned reclusive mountain man Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is recruited to plot a Presidential assassination attempt in order to prevent one by the shadowy Col. Isaac Johnson (Dannny Glover). Guess what…setup! Bob Lee goes on the run […]

Artist: El-PTitle: I’ll Sleep When You’re DeadRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Michelle Cavanaugh El-P, also known as Lyrical Punisher or El-p. a.k.a. El Producto and born Jaime Meline, has deep roots in the indie Hip-Hop world. As producer and rapper of the mid-90’s group Company Flow, along with DJ Mr. Len and MC Bigg Jus, he […]

Artist: EvidenceTitle: The Weatherman LPRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Omar Hamza Evidence, of the seminal L.A. collective Dilated Peoples, is showcasing his skill behind the boards and behind the mic with his first solo shot, The Weatherman LP (ABB). For those that don’t know, Dilated is one of those rare collectives to showcase true Hip-Hop. […]

Artist: Various ArtistsTitle: Live Convention 77-79Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Paine For second and third generation Hip-Hoppers, the old singles are too rare and expensive to find, and one must watch Wild Style to get the block party feel of the late ’70s. Kenny and Reggie Wilson, two South Bronx residents of the day started compiling […]

Artist: Joss StoneTitle: Introducing Joss StoneRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Kathy Iandoli After listening to Joss Stone’s third album Introducing Joss Stone (EMI/Virgin), one thing becomes clear. Joss Stone can’t sing, she can sang. Laced with tales of heartache, revival, and maturity, the album can only be considered an Introduction, as it’s our first glimpse into […]

Artist: Amy WinehouseTitle: Back To BlackRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Robert Longfellow Okay, it’s true. This Amy Winehouse character can really sing. She’s not a bad songwriter either as her generally melancholy but engaging blues make for an intriguing stateside debut in Back to Black (Universal Republic). Weariness of another white girl singing colored style hype […]

Artist: Movie ReviewTitle: Pride (Film)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Omar Mazariego Whoever tried to tell Jim Ellis that black people don’t swim must’ve not known that their words were falling on deaf ears. Pride (Lions Gate Films) is the true story of former competitive swimmer Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) who takes on a city job […]

Artist: 8Ball & MJGTitle: Ridin’ HighRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Adam Thomas How would one explore the Memphis Hip-Hop sound? Well, one of the first acts that come to mind is 8Ball & MJG. They have been dropping their signature sound since 1993 with their debut Comin’ Out Hard. Now after their longest span between […]

Artist: LifesavasTitle: Gutterfly: The Original SoundtrackRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Felipe Delerme Typically, when a music album title contains the words, “The Original Soundtrack,” there is an accompanying movie, of which the music was either used for, or in the least inspired by. In the case of Gutterfly: The Original Soundtrack (Quannum), the sophomore album of […]

Artist: Crime MobTitle: Hated On MostlyRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine As Lil’ Jon reportedly is incorporating Rock music into his music, it may fall on Crime Mob to uphold the Crunk party that they helped kick off in 2004. The co-ed quintet went from teenagers to 20-somethings since their last album, and Hated on Mostly […]

Artist: dälekTitle: Abandoned LanguageRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Michelle Cavanaugh It’s hard to believe that dälek has been around for almost two decades. Carrying the name of extraterrestrial mutants from the British science fiction show Doctor Who, you think you would have heard of them sooner. However, there bizarre sounds might leave listeners skeptical. Abandoned […]

Artist: Book ReviewTitle: Total Chaos (Book)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Sidik Fofana There are people out there who are as expert on the subject of Hip-Hop as Bubba, Forrest Gump’s homie, is on shrimp. Jeff Chang is one of them. He serves as the editor of Total Chaos The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop (Basic Civitas […]

Artist: Move.meantTitle: The Scope Of ThingsRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Max Herman Nowadays when heads listen to an album, they’re probably not going to mind hearing a feel good joint here and there. But the reception may not be as welcoming to an album entirely comprised of upbeat material. On its full length debut, L.A. trio […]

Artist: DomingoTitle: The Most UnderratedRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Bill Zimmerman After more than a decade of making beats for a variety of artists including Big Pun, Fat Joe, Masta Ace and KRS-One, and getting no mainstream recognition, Brooklyn producer Domingo puts his skills at the forefront. On the The Most Underrated (Latchkey) the NYC […]

Artist: Movie ReviewTitle: 300 (Film)Rating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Edwardo Jackson “This is madness!” “This! Is! SPAAAARTA!” [Black dude gets kicked down a well.] And so begins 300 (Warner Bros.), a cinematic adaptation of Frank Miller’s dramatization of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. King of male-dominated, warrior culture Sparta Leonidas (Gerard Butler) defies the […]