Artist: Bushwick BillTitle: Gutta MixxRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine Bushwick Bill was one of the defining variables to a classic Geto Boys album. However, Bushwick has never fared as well in his solo endeavors. While Phantom of the Rapra was the lone success, the other three albums are probably best left unmentioned. But perhaps those […]
Artist: Movie ReviewTitle: Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Film)Rating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Imani A. Dawson Let’s face it, Black women have a right to be angry. They’re routinely disrespected, disappointed and left heart-wrenchingly alone. Tyler Perry’s big screen version of his very popular gospel play, Diary of a mad Black Woman (which rang up […]
Artist: Lord TariqTitle: The BarcodeRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jayson Rodriguez Before Jay-Z and Nas were considered rap royalty there was Lord Tariq, the self-anointed “King of the Mixtapes.” The Bronx-bred emcee was a fixture on Doo Wop tapes, rolled with the Money Boss Players, and notched a top-ten hit alongside fellow rhyme slinger Peter […]
Artist: The PerceptionistsTitle: Black DialogueRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Jesse Fairfax Riding the fine line between making “backpacker” rap and accessible music is a struggle for some underground acts. You don’t want to run the risk of painting yourself into a corner for one audience, but your sound isn’t exactly radio friendly by today’s standards either. […]
Artist: All NaturalTitle: VintageRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Christopher Yuscavage Hailing from the Southside of Chicago, DJ Tone B. Nimble and partner-in-rhyme Capital D are, as Masta Ace once called himself, “all natural like a case of Snapple.” As the collective All Natural, the pair has co-signed two previous records, No Additives, No Preservatives and […]
Artist: SoleTitle: Live From RomeRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine For almost a decade, Anticon (Alias, Sole, Doseone, Jel, et. al.) has grown into garnering one of the most serious underground Hip-hop cults, ever. Still, many people throughout the industry will give you an, “Anticon, who?” when the name comes up. The reason is not […]
Artist: 50 CentTitle: The Massacre: The IM ReviewRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Old Head/ Young CatAllHipHop.com decided to let an Ol’ Hip-Hop Head and a New Jack Kid go back and forth over the new 50 Cent album, The Massacre. Read their joint analysis of it. Young Cat (10:20:01 PM): You heard the new 50? […]
Artist: Prefuse 73Title: Surrounded by SilenceRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Max Herman Prefuse 73’s latest is walkman-ready music, perfect for the open-minded Hip-hopper. Anyone who can sit back, relax and appreciate multi-layered production often coupled with an uncommon assortment of talented guest artists is likely to find refuge here. On Surrounded By Silence (Warp) Prefuse […]
Artist: MedianTitle: Path to Relief EPRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Jesse Fairfaxfont face=”verdana” size=”2″> As of the past few years, the Justus League hailing from North Carolina has built a reputation for providing quality music in the underground. With production wizard 9th Wonder on the boards and limitless talent on the mic including Big Pooh and […]
Artist: 50 CentTitle: The MassacreRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Martin A. Berrios You know the deal. He came back from taking nine shots, built a buzz thicker than Kitoy, and proceeded to take over the rap game in one fell swoop. 50 Cent’s bandages to riches story added a certain amount of authenticity to the ill […]
Artist: Mars BlackTitle: Folks MusicRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jason Newman Mars Black, the Brooklyn-born, Omaha-raised rapper, sums up his life succinctly in the intro to his debut album Folks Music (Team Love), rhyming “I was born in the borough of the mightiest MCs/But in the Midwest is where I live and breathe.” Balancing standard […]
Artist: dälekTitle: AbsenceRating: 2 StarsReviewed by: Kevin Polowy There’s a lot to be said for sheer distinction in today’s increasingly expansive Hip-hop arena, and dälek’s third album, Absence (Ipecac), plunges the New York trio even further into the inscrutable abyss of industrial rap. But as far as dälek (pronounced “dialect”) veers from the most avant […]
Artist: O.C.Title: StarchildRating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine 1994 is the fitted year of reverie in Hip-hop. That year, three New York MC’s arrived with potent solos that served as a triadic keystone to what was to come. Notorious B.I.G., O.C., and Nas. There’s a good chance that you hold two of those names much […]
Artist: AsheruTitle: Insomnia Vol. 1 (Mixtape)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: N. Context “Hark, who goes yonder?” “It is I sire, Locked with no bail.” “Well speak up man, what is it?” “News from the East sire, MC Asheru has returned…” It’s been far too long since we’ve heard anything new from Asheru and Blue Black of […]
Artist: Tanya MorganTitle: SunlightingRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jesse Fairfax Upon hearing the name Tanya Morgan one would expect the next in an already long line of mediocre female R&B acts. Have no fear, in this case it’s the name of a male Hip-hop trio consisting of MC/producer Von Pea [“Von Sees” from Foreign Exchange’s […]
Artist: Pigeon JohnTitle: Pigeon John Sings the BluesRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine Hip-hop seems to have gotten far too serious to make room for the quirky. While Shock G and Biz Markie fit nicely into the mainstream of the late 80’s, artists like Edan and MC Paul Barman had to rely on cult followings. Pigeon […]
Artist: TRUTitle: The TruthRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Bill Low Key Heinzelman The rise and fall of No Limit Records is well documented. What was once Hip-hop’s most dominant record label is now a mere shadow of its former self. With No Limit on life support, Master P is trying hard to resuscitate his label. While […]
Artist: Geto BoysTitle: The FoundationRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Tika Milan Before 50 cent was shot nine times, and before Hip-hop was carved into geographic boxes, the Geto Boys (Scarface, Willie D & Bushwick Bill) had strong armed hardcore Hip-hop and cemented themselves as the quintessential uncompromising eccentrics. Music television was yet to make pop […]
Artist: Damon Dash Presents:Title: Roc 4 Life (Mixtape)Rating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Jacob Mustafa Dame Dash is nothing if he’s not a businessman. His shrewdness is infamous, and he shows no signs of letting up now that he and the majority of his former Roc-a-Fella artists are, for the moment, no longer under the Def Jam […]
Artist: ClipseTitle: We Got It 4 Cheap Vol. 1 (Mixtape)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Martin A. Berrios Following the release of their highly acclaimed debut Lord Willin’, the Clipse seemed to fall back from the limelight, choosing to only be heard through a few select guest features. After the brief hiatus, the Virginia duo attempted […]
