Artist: N/ATitle: Gunner Palace (DVD)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: William E. Ketchum An anchor of both George Bush’s presidential tenure and liberals’ ammunition against it, the war in Iraq is covered on a daily basis in news publications, telecasts, and broadcasts. But aside from the sporadic minimal veteran showcases, there is no clear source for daily […]

Artist: Royce Da 5’9″Title: Independent’s DayRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low-Key” Heinzelman Fresh off the most successful year of his career, Royce 5’9″ is trying to earn his stripes as Hip-Hop’s hardest working emcee. While many doubted the rock city veteran, Royce proved the naysayers wrong with Death Is Certain and the M.I.C. Mixtape Vol. […]

Artist: Young JeezyTitle: Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Houston Williams T.I. maybe the King of the South, but Young Jeezy is the street-appointed King of “The Trap” and after much urban lore the street hustler releases his debut, Thug Motivation 101 (Corporate Thugz/Def Jam). With the streets in the palm of […]

Artist: Missy ElliottTitle: The CookbookRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Imani Dawson When it comes to Hip-Hop, call Missy Elliott the last woman standing. Other female MCs lean heavily on cliques and rap icons for support, credibility and often, lyrical assistance. Missy however, is an independent woman and a respected rapper, sought after songwriter and hit-making […]

Artist: Sean PriceTitle: Monkey BarzRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Orisanmi Burton You may remember Sean Price as one-half of Heltah Skeltah, the duo that helped cement Boot Camp Click’s legacy in the early 90s (see Nocturnal, Chosen Few, Magnum Force). During this period, the collective amassed a cult like following among Hip-Hop heads who favored their […]

Artist: L.E.G.A.C.Y.Title: Project MayhemRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: William E. Ketchum III L.E.G.A.C.Y. didn’t have to bump Jurrassic 5 to see that power comes in numbers—all he had to do was take a look at his Justus League crew. After Little Brother made their stamp on underground Hip-Hop with The Listening, the trio proceeded to divide […]

Artist: CageTitle: Hell’s WinterRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine Pete Nice and Daddy Rich’s Dust to Dust is one of the most criminally slept-on albums of the early 90’s. Early MF DOOM production, not to mention The Beatnuts, all on what now seems to be unthinkably on the Def Jam label. On “Rich Bring ‘Em […]

Artist: Bill “Low-Key” HeinzelmanTitle: Moment Of RaritiesRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low-Key” Heinzelman 7L & Esoteric have come a long way since their humble beginnings. The Boston duo first made a name for themselves through their various 12-inch singles, where 7L’s boom bap production and Esoteric’s razor sharp battle rhymes were an instant hit in […]

Artist: Diplomats & Duke Da God Present…Title: More Than Music, Vol. 1Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low-Key” Heinzelman With their trendsetting styles, unique slang and unmatched street appeal, the Diplomats have created a movement that keeps growing by the day. Not since the heyday of the Wu-Tang Clan has a collection of MCs commanded […]

Artist: CassidyTitle: I’m A HustlaRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Martin A. Berrios Hip-Hop history will show that battle rappers rarely make a smooth transition into the mainstream. Trapped in their defensive ways, said rappers struggle at making well rounded album offerings. Enter Cassidy, the Philadelphia bull stepped upon the scene with what seemed a solid […]

Artist: Little BrotherTitle: The Chitlin Circuit 1.5Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Conan Milne It seems that, at least nowadays, mixtapes are rarely breathtaking releases. Minus the odd exclusive that the listener has been itching for, the mix CD’s that flood the market seem oversaturated with filler. Let it be known, then, that Little Brother’s latest is […]

Artist: Slim ThugTitle: Already PlatinumRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Clover Hope While T.I. has established himself as the King of the South, Slim Thug is likewise solidifying his boss status, proving why he’s notorious in his Houston stomping grounds and why out-of-towners should take notice. With his debut album Already Platinum (Geffen), recorded after his original […]

Artist: GuruTitle: Guru version 7.0 The Street ScripturesRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Dev1 One of the most prevalent acts of the Hip-Hop music’s “Golden Age” was and is Gang Starr; DJ Premier and GURU. After seven classic albums with Primo and the solo trilogy of Jazzmatazz, Guru (Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal) has, once again, attempted to […]

Artist: Tommy Boy Presents…Title: Hip Hop RootsRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Mark Cilantro Hip-hop is changing. By most accounts the art form that we all recognize is bordering on 30 years old. That means that most of the fans who read these reviews and go to jams in Central Park were toddlers when the records I […]

Artist: Afu-RaTitle: State of the ArtsRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Jay Peregrine Many adjectives can be used to describe Afu Ra and his projects because he can hit you from so many angles, just like one of his round house kicks. One word that comes to mind ,when you examine his body of work, is consistency. […]

Artist: M.E.D.Title: Push Comes to ShoveRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Kevin Polowy M.E.D. steps into the arena a little harder than most of his contemporaries in Cali’s subterranean Hip-hop scene on Push Comes to Shove (Stones Throw), a valiant debut that should instantaneously put heads on alert. It also makes us wonder what the hell’s […]

Artist: RhymefestTitle: A Star is Born Vol.1 (Mixtape)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Max Herman Largely due to the remarkable success of Kanye West’s single “Jesus Walks,” Rhymefest has quickly gone from being an under-the-radar MC to major label signee. Long before he helped co-write this Grammy-winning single, though, Rhymefest was known as one of Chicago’s finest […]

Artist: The Unusual SuspectsTitle: The Unusual SuspectsRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Martin A. Berrios Remember when New York Hip-Hop had no equal? Even though the music was based on a local five-borough experience, it was so powerful that it was able to represent an entire nation of fledging b-boys and b-girls. With the West Coast dominating […]

Artist: Lost BoyzTitle: ForeverRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Danielle Stolich Armed with feel-good party joints and a natural camaraderie that today’s Hip-hop groups lack, The Lost Boyz hit the scene in the mid-90’s with memorable songs like “Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz and Benz” and “Renee”. After Freaky Tah’s untimely death in 1999, the crew laid low […]

Artist: HieroglyphicsTitle: Full Circle Tour (DVD)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: N. Context Embark on a journey with the Hieroglyphics on their 2 month tour around the US and Canada. While watching Full Circle Tour (Hiero Imperium) follow the whole crew, along with Little Brother, Encore and Z Man, everywhere from chillin’ on the tour bus, […]