Artist: BeyonceTitle: B’DayRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Eb Haynes Beyonce Knowles, street alias “B”, has emerged into a limitless talent, poised to approach any challenge with grace while possessing an almost surreal foresight for revolutionary creativity. The curvaceous B has conquered the hearts and minds of lusciously proportioned women, adoring male fans and aspiring superstars in […]

Artist: PotluckTitle: Straight Outta HumboldtRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine While Dr. Dre admitted that he didn’t “smoke weed or ‘sess’” on Straight Outta Compton, Potluck is unashamed of their green fingers on Straight Outta Humboldt (Suburban Noize). The Southern California duo of 1-Ton and UnderRated enter their third album with an impressive list of […]

Artist: Dan the AutomatorTitle: Dan The Automator Presents 2K7Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Max Herman After releasing arguably the best video game soundtrack of 2005 (NBA 2K6: The Tracks) the folks at 2K Sports and Decon are back to try and reclaim the crown. With Dan The Automator Presents 2K7 (Decon), the lineup of MCs […]

Artist: GlueTitle: Catch As Catch CanRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Jessica Dufresne Listening to Glue is like being transported somewhere between two decades ago when the Beasties ruled and into the future where one can imagine anything goes sound-wise. That being said, it’s sound that takes center stage on Catch as Catch Can (Fat Beats Records) […]

Artist: Strange Fruit ProjectTitle: The HealingRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Sidik Fofana Seeing a group name like the Strange Fruit Project grace a Hip-Hop site, one won’t be surprised also to see a word like “alternative” or “conscious” next to it. Depending on the boldness of the pen, you might even see the phrase “real Hip-Hop” […]

Artist: Pigeon JohnTitle: Pigeon John…And The Summertime Pool PartyRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine To some, Pigeon John has engaged audiences in his music with a homogenous blend of humble humor and blunt honesty on his three previous albums. Others argue that John’s singing and off-color topics violate the conventions of what a master of […]

Artist: Pastor TroyTitle: By Choice Or By ForceRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Matt Caputo Pastor Troy returns to the altar with By Choice or By Force (Fast Life/Koch), his eighth solo sermon. The album is a complete and concentrated effort from a veteran southern MC. Its weaker production is made up for with Troy’s sheer ability […]

Artist: LoonTitle: No FriendsRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Latifah Muhammad Falling into virtual obscurity after splitting from Hip-Hop and MTV staple Diddy, Loon is back with a less than perfect, but decent effort in his latest release No Friends (X-Ray/Cleopatra). Proving that his rap persona is rawer since leaving Bad Boy, this album is a more […]

Artist: Video Game ReviewTitle: Madden NFL 07 (Video Game)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Martin A. Berrios With the opening of a new NFL season, pigskin fans and gamers alike got to rejoice a little early. EA Sports sticks to their usual script with their yearly release of Madden NFL 07 (EA Sports/PS2) right before the […]

Artist: Intellekt & Dirty DigitsTitle: Intellektual Property (Revised)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Sidik Fofana Fruity Loops and a karaoke mic. Now, these are not the semi-archaic production tools that Intellekt & Dirty Digits used to record their debut album Intellektual Property (Revised) (ATF Records), but those two items serve as an easy reminder that good […]

Artist: NicolayTitle: HereRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Anthony Carr To the average listener, the producer known as Nicolay doesn’t ring a bell, but in the underground his name is affiliated with the critically acclaimed The Foreign Exchange (Connected) project with Little Brother’s own Phonte. For those lost in the mainstream, Nicolay is considered one of the […]

Artist: Book ReviewTitle: Respect The Jux (Book Review)Rating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Sidik Fofana “When you party with crooks/You have to learn to respect the jux.” This one endorsing couplet from 50 Cent on Lloyd Banks’ single “Hands Up”, has the streets buzzing about a hood pulitzer for the urban thriller, Respect the Jux (Keeplock Entertainment), […]

Artist: Method ManTitle: 4:21… The Day AfterRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Jamiyl “J Boogie” Samuels When Wu-Tang Clan was on top of the rap world, Method Man could do no wrong. Since he stole the show with his self-title solo on Enter The Wu-Tang, Mef had consistently been one of Hip-Hop’s most recognizable personalities. Mef’s star […]

Artist: The Restless NativesTitle: The Restless Natives: Dedicated To The Victims Of Hurricane KatrinaRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Eb Haynes Hip-Hop heads grab your backpacks and lace up your Timberlands. The Restless Natives (Dragonsbreath) dedication album to Hurricane Katrina victims has alleviated the bounce. This eclectic group of underground, universally unknown indie artists chose to […]

Artist: Blue Sky Black Death Presents…Title: The HolocaustRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Omar Hamza It has been eight years since The Holocaust made his name known as RZA’s accomplice on the first video bearing his namesake from the Bobby Digital album. After a couple of impressive performances on Killarmy’s sophomore disc, he was Wu-Tang’s first round […]

Artist: Concert ReviewTitle: AmsterJam (Concert)Rating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Makeda Voletta and J. Alise The performances of both Tego Calderon and LL Cool J at the AmsterJam concert on Saturday August 19th at Randall’s Island, New York both represented the continuing fusion between Afro-Caribbean culture and Hip-Hop. Both performers are of African descent; Tego Calderon was […]

Artist: Public EnemyTitle: Bring That Beat Back (The Public Enemy Remix Project)Rating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Matt Caputo With Flavor Flav’s successful resurgence via sleazy hoes, the good people at Koch Records went ahead and put some Public Enemy music back on the shelves. The result is Bring That Beat Back: The Public Enemy Remix […]

Artist: Obie TriceTitle: Second Round’s On MeRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Eb Haynes Obie Trice speaks the truth when he asserts, “N#### I’m violent,” on the aptly titled “Violent”. Or, to be more specific, Second Round’s On Me (Shady/Interscope) serves as a violent soundtrack to his turbulent past and present. Though the Hip-Hop world was eager […]

Artist: Gym Class HeroesTitle: As Cruel As School ChildrenRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Andrew Kameka Gym Class Heroes (GCH) gave tradition the middle finger with 2005’s Papercut Chronicles, a bold fusion of Hip-Hop and indie-rock. Sounding like left-leaning cousins of The Roots and Fall Out Boy, Chronicles’ live instrumentation and free-wheeling themes earned the four-man group […]

Artist: MF GrimmTitle: American HungerRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine MF Grimm has never had much time. His 2002 LP Downfall of Ibliys was recorded in a 24-hour stint before the Manhattan MC was carted off to jail. Shortly upon his release, the veteran writer recorded Digital Tears to mixed reviews in 2004. After two […]