Artist: Lord FinesseTitle: From the Crates to the Files: The Lost SessionsRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: N. Context It’s the L-O-R-D F-I-N-E double S-E!!!! It’s been a long minute since we last heard from Finesse on the mic. He has comeback with From the Crates to the Files: The Lost Sessions to bless all “the true […]

Artist: Bad Boy’s Da BandTitle: Too Hot for T.V.Rating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Toshitaka Kondo It’s judgment day for Babs, Freddrick, Ness, Dylan, Sara, and Young City (formerly Chopper) of Bad Boy’s Da Band. Their debut album, Too Hot For T.V., is the culmination of a difficult and tumultuous development process; all scrutinized by a […]

Artist: RZATitle: Birth of a PrinceRating: 2 StarsReviewed by: Jason Newman The good thing about RZA is that he’s one of the few producers today willing to take chances and make the effort, amidst a sea of mediocrity around him, to change and add to the hip-hop genre. The flipside is that when people like […]

Artist: Project Blowed Presenst…Title: The Good BrothersRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Ducksauce The Good Brothers is the latest release on Aceyalone’s Project Blowed Recordings – named after the long-running open mic session held weekly in Los Angeles’ Liemert Park. This new collaborative effort features a plethora of upcoming Project Blowed MC’s, a handful of West […]

Artist: LudacrisTitle: Chicken -N- BeerRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Quia Querisma From that high-profile snafu with Pepsi and Bill O’Riley to his movie roles, Ludacris keeps busy. It’s easy to think that he’s not focusing on the rap game if he’s into so much other stuff right? Wrong. Chicken -N- Beer, the Atlanta-bred rapper’s third release […]

Artist: CappadonnaTitle: The StruggleRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine Before Killah Priest and Shyhiem , Killarmy and Mathematics, the first Wu affiliate to arrive was Cappadonna. After his blazing verse on Ghostface’s “Winter Warz”, it’s little wonder that his debut, The Pillage reached number one on the Billboard charts in 1998. With no strong single, […]

Artist: Jean GraeTitle: The Bootleg of the Bootleg EPRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Alvin aqua boogie Blanco Jean Grae will smack the average rapper with a lyrical two-piece and a biscuit (that’s slang for a smack down for all you squares reading this). The femme fatale has the rhyme chops to hang with the big boys […]

Artist: Soul PostionTitle: 8 Million Stories Rating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jason Newman When Columbus, Ohio’s RJD2 released Dead Ringer, his first major label record, in July of last year, the album became an immediate critical success and had many instrumental hip-hop lovers putting him on par with the grand poobah of the genre: DJ […]

Artist: Tragedy KhadafiTitle: Still ReportinRating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine Arguably the best super-group in history, the Legendary Juice Crew boasted a membership including the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Kool G. Rap, Roxanne Shante, et al. As the crew began to disband in the early 90’s, leader Marley Marl devoted his efforts […]

Artist: Ursula RuckerTitle: Silver or LeadRating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Ashiya Smith The world got its first glimpse of Ursula Rucker when The Roots commissioned her to close their first LP (Do You Want More) with “The Unlocking”, a vivid piece that narrated the real-time sexual exploitation of a woman poised to regain her power. […]

Artist: Murphy LeeTitle: Murphy’s LawRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Ra’Chelle Rogers If you assumed that Murphy Lee was at his full potential playing the background as the inconspicuous mask-wearing baby boy, sidekick of Nelly and the St. Lunatics, you were both right and wrong. He’s actually done more than just performing wild country dances on […]

Artist: Pigeon JohnTitle: Pigeon John is Dating Your SisterRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jason Newman Judging by the album title and cover photo-former L.A. Symphony member Pigeon John opening a white picket fence with flowers in his hand-one would expect to hear a rapper spit lighthearted, goofy rhymes over fun, circus-esque beats. Deep thought and […]

Artist: The High & MightyTitle: The Highlite ZoneRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine The High & Mighty is one of hip-hop’s most well-respected crews. While they keep it defiantly underground, Mr. Eon and Mighty Mi have harbored an undying love for the hip-hop of yesterday that’s reflected greatly in their music. Few realize that their 1999 […]

Artist: Nappy RootsTitle: Wooden LeatherRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Erin Jackson Nappy Roots’ 2002 debut, Watermelon, Chicken and Gritz, earned them critical acclaim, and with their sophomore release, Wooden Leather, they seem destined to follow in its successful footsteps. In today’s hip hop game, where it’s often difficult to differentiate artists from their posses of nondescript […]

Artist: OutKastTitle: Speakerboxxx/The Love BelowRating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: aqua boogie On Outkast’s new double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below they take the bipolar nature of their music to the extreme; creating two separate solo albums. OutKast has always consisted of two separate, though kindred, personalities. As they’ve grown artistically and as men, Antwan “Big Boi” […]

Artist: Bubba SparxxxTitle: DeliveranceRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Toshi Kondo With talk of the New South’s recent impact on hip-hop, Bubba Sparxxx’s lack of mention is as conspicuous as the colorful tattoos on his forearms. Then again, listening to his sophomore release Deliverance, makes it clear that he may be from the same state that […]

Artist: DMXTitle: Grand ChampRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Jayson Rodriguez When DMX burst onto the scene in the late ‘90s, his brazen flow and rabid lyrics bit the industry in the ass and solidified his spot as the top dog in the post Biggie/2pac era of rap. And X reaped the benefits that two number one […]

Artist: The Last EmperorTitle: Music, Magic, MythRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: aqua boogie The Last Emperor’s career has been more stop and go (more on the stop side) than rush hour traffic. Never discouraged, his debut album Music, Magic, Myth is finally out on indie label Raptivism. Hailed as a champion lyricist since his origins […]

Artist: Jeru The DamajaTitle: Divine DesignRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Damainion Ewell When the name Jeru The Damaja comes to mind, you usually think of the super-conscious lyricist, taking shots at pimps, players, hustlers and materialistic women. From humble beginnings as an aspiring Brooklyn, N.Y. rapper to becoming an internationally known talent, he has refused […]

Artist: Sheek LouchTitle: Walk Witt MeRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Toshi Kondo Very few groups have a strong enough fan base or the longevity for each member to release a solo effort. However, since their days of rebelling against Puffy’s platinum dreams, the LOX have built a reputation for delivering high-quality gun talk that has endeared […]