Artist: PumpkinheadTitle: Orange Moon Over BrooklynRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low-Key” Heinzelman What do Canibus, Ras Kass and Pumpkinhead have in common? They are all great lyricists who have struggled to find suitable production to match their wit on the mic. This holds true on Pumpkinhead’s third release Orange Moon Over Brooklyn (Soulspazm/Beat Society). While […]

Artist: CasualTitle: Smash RockwellRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Chris Yuscavage He thinks he’s raw. That was the consensus on Oaktown-bred Hieroglyphics mainstay Casual at the turn of the century, as he dropped his aptly titled 2001 solo album, He Think He Raw. Long respected as a battle-rapping, metaphor-flipping member of the Hiero family, Raw was […]

Artist: BlackaliciousTitle: The CraftRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Kevin Polowy With 2002’s exceptional Blazing Arrow, Blackalicious graduated from reliable left-coast ambassadors to melodic Hip-Hop royalty. Naturally, expectations the weight of an offensive line await their follow-up. And while it doesn’t quite stack up, The Craft (Anti/Epitaph) won’t leave anyone crying they’ve been Fauriza Balk’d. Like […]

Artist: Bang ‘Em & DominationTitle: God Giveth, God Taketh AwayRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Brent Woodie Avenging a well publicized beef with the biggest selling rap artist in the game, 50 Cent, and boasting a new label deal with the biggest independent company (Koch Records), Bang ‘Em and Domination debut with their release titled God Giveth, […]

Artist: MaspykeTitle: StaticRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Dubstin G Maspyke is the name of the Springfield, MA trio of beat-maker Roddy Rod and MCs Hanif Jamiyl and Tableek. Seemingly named after a highway, the group received some acclaim from its first album, The Blackout, and is back this year with its new release, Static (Bukarance/ABB). […]

Artist: Tek & SteeleTitle: Smiff N Wess: ReloadedRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Orisanmi Burton After a seven-year break from making albums as a group Tek & Steele (aka Smif-N-Wessun, Cocoa Brovaz) returns with Smiff N Wess: Reloaded (Duck Down). Known once again under their original moniker group members Tek and Steele take aim at reconnecting […]

Artist: David AxelrodTitle: The Edge: 1966-1970Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Paine When Hip-Hop was still a block party, David Axelrod’s records were probably much too slow for any cue-burn under Flash’s needles. But as Rap production grew exponentially in the 1990’s, Dr. Dre, Diamond, and Madlib all brought Axelrod riffs to life in hit-making form. While […]

Artist: AZTitle: A.W.O.L.Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low-Key” Heinzelman Eleven years after his legendary debut on Nas’ “Life’s A B####,” AZ has finally delivered the album we have waited for.  Even though he has shown glimpses of greatness on Doe Or Die and Aziatic, his fifth solo album A.W.O.L. (Quiet Money/Fast Life) is the most […]

Artist: KuruptTitle: Against Tha GrainRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine The last time Kurupt was in dire straits, Tha Streetz Iz a M#### surfaced as a brilliant, vengeful album packed with melodic Fred Wreck and Dr. Dre production, and Young Gotti’s verbal p### and vinegar. Four years later, Kurupt’s stranded on Death Row, and his […]

Artist: Damian MarleyTitle: Welcome to JamrockRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Danielle Cabell The third time sounds to be a charm for roots, rap, reggae royale Damian “Junior Gong” Marley with his astounding new album Welcome to Jamrock (Universal/Motown). Months ago when the long natty’d Marley welcomed the world to Jamrock he got invited to the mainstream. […]

Artist: Czar*NokTitle: That One WayRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine Sometimes all it takes is a catch-phrase to get glued on the map; for B.G., “Bling, Bling,” for Black Rob, “Whoa.” Czar*Nok certainly isn’t going to ensure Cincinatti’s exposure with their hit slang single, “Hercules.” However, the debut album from Hayczar and E-Nok, That One Way […]

Artist: Tony YayoTitle: Thoughts of a Predicate FelonRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Houston Williams Tony Yayo can set the tone of an album. “Ain’t nobody talkin’ when I’m talking fellas so shut the f**k up,” barks a prison corrections officer in Any Jail, U.S.A. In the intro to Thoughts of a Predicate Felon (G-Unit/Interscope), the […]

Artist: APSCITitle: Thanks For AskingRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Clover Hope Apsci (Applied Science) might be a bit ahead of their time—about 2000 years to be exact. On their debut album, Thanks for Asking (Quannum), the Australian singer Dana Diaz-Tutaan and her Bronx-born MC husband Raphael LaMotta (Ra) rely more on computerized and live instrumentation than […]

Artist: Jim JonesTitle: Harlem: Diary of a SummerRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low-Key” Heinzelman Who would have thought Jim Jones would reach this level? Six years ago, Jim was merely Camron’s running mate and an unknown figure in the Hip-Hop world. Now Jones is the Capo of the Diplomats and leading a street movement […]

Artist: Kanye WestTitle: Late RegistrationRating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Orisanmi Burton Hardly anyone knew who Kanye West was five years ago. But after producing the lion’s share of The Blueprint (arguably Jay-Z’s best album) and supplying the soul for a gang of established and emerging artists thereafter, Kanye saw his stock as a producer/MC rise […]

Artist: One Block RadiusTitle: Long Story ShortRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine Handsome Boy Modeling School, The Gorillaz, and arguably the Black Eyed Peas 2.0 have revealed that there’s an audience and success in fusing Rap, Rock, and Electronica. This gestalt of hip can be risky though, as Common’s Electric Circus and Oddjobs’ Expose Negative proved. […]

Artist: Blood of AbrahamTitle: EyeDollarTreeRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Dubstin G Fans of obscure mid-nineties Hip-Hop rejoice: Blood of Abraham is back with a new(ish) album. The duo of MCs Benyad and Mazik made a bit of a splash more than ten years ago when Eazy-E helped get them signed by Ruthless Records. This was […]

Artist: LMNOTitle: P’s & Q’sRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Dubstin G Cali rapper LMNO (Leave My Name Out) has been on the scene for more than 10 years, dropping three albums as a member of the Visionaries, as well as two solo projects. On his latest album, cleverly titled P’s & Q’s (Up Above), LMNO […]

Artist: Movie ReviewTitle: Four Brothers (Film)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Edwardo Jackson BIASES: late 20s black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare On the heels of the convenience store slaying of neighborhood den mother Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan), her adopted […]

Artist: Big ShugTitle: Who’s Hard?Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Paine On every Gang Starr album since Hard to Earn, Big Shug has been good for at least one pocket-patting verse, and he’s traveled religiously with Guru and Premier on their tours. Despite a string of record contracts spanning 15 years, some unauthorized mixtapes, and singles, Who’s […]