Music Reviews of Hip-Hop, Rap, Urban, Turntablism, R&B
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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Skinny Puppy - Mythmaker
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03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Hip-Hop, Urban, Turntablism, R&B
2pac — Pac's Life Buy it at Amazon
Apparently 2Pac heard that Kurt Cobain past Elvis as the artist who made the most money posthumously and said, “I raise you one”. It’s absolutely ridiculous how many albums Tupac Shakur has released after he was shot and killed. This is slewed with guest appearances and is yet another reason why hip-hop boggles the mind. The sad thing is that Tupac is better dead than the majority of still breathing rappers in the hip-hop circuit today.
- J-Sin
Wylde Bunch — Wylde Bunch Buy it at Amazon
Actually Wylde Bunch is surprisingly solid hip-hop that breaks down all barriers that the rap world has bestowed upon itself. The group is a ten-piece filled with a wide variety of influences and a resulting sound that’s just as myriad and divergent. You’ve probably heard them already on videogame soundtracks with their infectious “Yeah Yeah (Stomp the Bleachers)” and if not you’re certainly missing out.
- J-Sin
Termanology — Hood Politics IV: Show and Prove Buy it at Amazon
“Hosted by Clinton Sparks”, Termanology’s new album unfortunately drops the ball more times than it passes it. Gripped with a feverish attitude to ‘prove itself’, “Hood Politics IV” is disjointed, lame, and rarely treats one to anything other than self-accolades and funky turntablism. This ‘shows’ little and ‘proves’ nothing.
- J-Sin
AZ — The Format Buy it at Amazon
AZ is slipping in his old age. After bringing us “A.W.O.L.”, he pushes out “The Format”, which seems hurried, tired, and uninspired. We know he has the chops as he’s been nominated for a Grammy and has recorded with some of hip-hop’s best and brightest in Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, and Trackmasters. Guests like Lil Fame, Face Defeat, DJ Premier, Emile, and Phonte Coleman don’t make this any less sub-par.
- J-Sin
School of Beats — Lesson II - Validation Buy it at Amazon
Howard University graduates Andre Taylor and Lee DeShazor are the beatmakers and the MC in School of Beats. Having a bit of the element of DC hip-hop, that gritty downtrodden flow, and heavy bass, “Lesson II – Validation” is a great entry into the world of underground hip-hop as a stirring urban mixtape.
- J-Sin
Tripp Marxx — Talk of the City Vol. 2 Buy it at Amazon
While he certainly will always have to overcome the whole ‘white rapper’ thing, Tripp Marxx is poised to do just that. His lyrics are well-penned and perfectly spit. Bump that up with terrific production and gritty beats and you’ve got yourself a true grinder on your hands.
- J-Sin
The Game — Doctor's Advocate Buy it at Amazon
You know how there’s all this hubris in hip-hop? You know how the media tries to convince us of the ‘thug life’ in hip-hop and how there’s all these beefs in the rap world that end up getting rappers shot. Well sometimes there are rappers that deserve to be shot.
- J-Sin
Lil' Eazy E — Rebirth of Gangsta Rap Buy it at Amazon
The son of the late great Eazy E (he died from AIDS when Lil’ Eazy was 10), he teams up with mixtape masters DJ Warrior and DJ Strong from the West Coast. “Rebirth of Gangsta Rap” doesn’t follow in his father’s footsteps so much as borrow heavily from them. “Compton City G’s” goes back in the catalog and manages to find a Eazy E cut but even that doesn’t keep you from moving on.
- J-Sin
Body Count — Murder 4 Hire Buy it at Amazon
Ice-T helped begin gangsta rap. Then he helped create rapcore with Body Count—blending metal and rap together for one damn angry sound. Of course they were famous (or infamous depending on your viewpoint) for their hit “Cop Killer”, which got them in political trouble from conservatives, the NRA, and the police. That eventually forced Sire Records hand in deleting the song off of future pressings of their self-titled debut. Three members of the original Body Count died, one of leukemia, one by drive-by, and D-Roc recently passed away after a fight with lymphoma. Now Ice-T has reformed the group and once again tackles topical subjects such as organized religion and the post-9/11 world. Ernie C and Ice-T may be the only original gangstas in Body Count, but their sound is just as crystal loud and clear as ever before with its pummeling percussion, death-defying guitars, and crunked up bass grooves.
- J-Sin
MC 13 — Illadelph Eternal Buy it at Amazon
Philadelphia’s MC13 is another bump in the long and windy road of sub-par hip-hop. The samples and loops provide a dreamy atmospheric background, which is certainly a nice bit of a difference. However the issue at hand is his lyrics are more of the same old, same old. Combine that with a vocal delivery where he layers his voice and it sounds muddled and confused. There’s talent here but he’s a long way off from something chewable.
- J-Sin
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