Reviews

At some point in the lifespan of the genuine hip-hop connoisseur, a fan is inevitably met with the reality of apathetic industry czars overlooking talented voices in exchange for lucrative clutter in the mainstream realm. A sweeping pandemic of shiny suits in the late 1990s essentially lobotomized a generation accustomed to high-level lyricism and ingenious producers, with its return coming only i

It seems like everywhere you go, casual listeners and hip-hop fans alike are always able to identify a traditional West Coast sound. The criterion for what a West Coast rap song should sound like has been ingrained in fans' brains for practically eternity...

When Meek Mill announced his long-awaited sophomore album would be titled Dreams Worth More Than Money around this time last year, it seemed to mark a transition in tone from the loud-mouthed MMG MC. For so long his narrative had revolved around the pursuit of money, the validation of fame, the escape from the nightmares of his upbringing in the rough streets of Philly. But...

Vince Staples has never fit a mold. The streetwise rapper from Long Beach and 2015 XXL Freshman has a long lineage of rappers whose model he could follow as he begins to assert himself on the hip-hop landscape, dating back to Nate Dogg, Snoop and Dre and their funkified, bouncy party jams, or more recently with the Compton-bred MCs YG and Kendrick Lamar, anchors of opposite sides of the current Ca

The struggle of seeing this album come to fruition has been no secret, as Tyga’s very public battle with Young Money has been all over the media over the last year. However, it’s safe to say no one was expecting the Last Kings rapper to unleash The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty out of nowhere last week. As Tyga’s fourt...

Since his big break in 2006 with the collaborative EP Cloud 9: The 3 Day High with 9th Wonder, Skyzoo has established himself as respectable MC in the independent scene. His countless mixtapes and critically-acclaimed albums have earned the Brooklyn MC co-signs from the biggest names in the underground and a chance to tour the world. After co...

It almost never got to this point. Two years ago Lil Durk was in jail, charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, staring down a $100,000 bail and watching as his promising rap career evaporated in front of him. But sometimes the brightest sparks of creativity come from the darkest places, and on June 2 Durk finally released his long-awaited major label debut album, Remember My Name, via De

In the past five years, New York rap has quietly crept its way back to prominent status in hip-hop. The new crop of young and talented MC's from the Empire State has given the scene a breath of fresh air and a sound that resonates with the youth...

The list of rappers recovering from extended prison sentences and returning to rap relevance is a short one; only Tupac, Lil Wayne, T.I. and more than likely Gucci Mane can boast that they didn't truly lose a step while locked up. But none of them spent anywhere near the four-plus years behind bars that Boosie BadAzz endured, with nearly all of it spent wondering if there would be any daylight at

Chance The Rapper, the singer, the film producer, the viral sensation, has evolved into a folkloric figure in the two years since the release of his universally acclaimed 2013 Acid Rap project. The typical route an artist takes when their mixtape reaches Double Platinum status on Datpiff is to follow up with an official debut album, spearheaded by a contrived single featuring megastar billing... R

Young Buck has been through some ups and downs over the past decade. He's seen mainstream success and the perks that come with it, but he's tasted what it’s like to get hot quick and burn out even quicker. However, despite his past problems, Buck is now back in a good place musically. The past ...

Summer 2015 is shaping up to be a memorable one thanks to contenders new and old stepping up to the plate. But while young bloods like A$AP Rocky and Chance The Rapper are experimenting with sound, veteran MCs are finding new life in the old school...