A$AP Rocky has pulled off a seemingly impossible feat on his debut album, Long.Live.A$AP. Rocky doesn’t embody the endearing vulnerability of a Drake, the brazen personality of a Danny Brown, or the lyrical dexterity of a Kendrick Lamar. Instead, he is side-stepping tradition, bending genres, and crafting thoroughly enjoyable music by relying on aesthetics. To […]
DMX – Year of the Dog…Again (Ruff Ryders/Sony Urban)
DMX once rapped, “Give a dog a bone, leave a dog alone / let a dog roam and he’ll find his way home.” We watched DMX as he lamented the machinations of the music industry and vowed to become a priest; we cringed when X caught case after case, from the typical to the unbelievable; […]
Dead Prez and Outlawz – Can’t Sell Dope Forever
Can’t Sell Dope Forever is not an album; it’s not even a mix tape. This is ghetto doctrine, or rather doctrine for the ghetto, in its most consumable and purest appearance. It’s real, relatable and the soundtrack for countless denizens of inner-cities. Catchy Title, Dope Album The provoking title, Can’t Sell Dope Forever, forces you […]
Diddy – Press Play (Bad Boy / Atlantic)
Sean Combs, the man with a myriad of nicknames, surrounds himself with some of the biggest names in music on Press Play, his 5th album. With nearly as many features as Biggie’s Duets: The Final Chapter, Press Play boasts a diverse mix of popular artists (Mary J. Blige, Nas, Christina Aguilera, Twista), as well as […]
Da Backwudz – Wood Work (Rowdy)
Da Backwudz Vs. OutKast It’s inevitable to listen to Da BackWudz and not think of OutKast. And that’s not just becuase Sho-Nuff and Big Marc of Da BackWudz rep Atlanta just about as hard as Big Boi and Andre 3000. The duo also flaunt those elements that made ATL the unofficial capital of southern rap: […]
Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury (Re-Up/ZLG)
If you know nothing about the Clipse, then know that after trudging through label oatmeal –it was lumpy and murky, after all- and enduring all forms of industry politics, the Clipse are not angry, but armed; armed with regret, promise, and a chilling lesson that touches on the finer points of crack dealing and the […]
Busta Rhymes – The Big Bang (Aftermath)
The Bottom Line Busta’s first project on Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment is a well-orchestrated mainstream album. Pros Exceptional production A coherent album Cons A barrage of guest features nearly kill the momentum Description Guests include Stevie Wonder, Q-Tip and Missy Elliott J Dilla, Dr. Dre, and will.i.am all contribute to the soundscape Busta’s good friend […]
Bubba Sparxxx – The Charm (Virgin)
With Timbaland producing only one track here, those signature stand-out Bubba Sparxxx anthems that hit you and never go away, i.e. “Ugly” and “Deliverance” are lacking from this project. Instead, Bubba Sparxxx’s subtle lyricism is made to carry most of the weight of the album. Pros A unique approach to lyricism and storytelling Heartfelt rhymes […]
AZ – The Format (Quiet Money)
On The Format AZ takes it back to the basics and re-writes the blueprint for modern rap records. AZ Gets His Mojo Back on The Format AZ is a textbook example of an emcee’s emcee: he’s often heralded by hip-hop purists as the most underrated lyricist in the rap game. It’s been over a decade […]
2Pac – Pac’s Life (Amaru / Interscope)
Often regarded as the greatest rapper of all time, Tupac Shakur’s presence in the game isn’t even a topic of debate. Since his death, no emcee has been able to fully capture or emulate Tupac’s aura, let alone fill the enormous hole he left behind. Thankfully, ‘Pac’s distinguished work ethic resulted in nothing short of […]