Reviews

Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates likes to claim his life is like a movie. He says so all the time. He said it on his booming Stranger Than Fiction single “4:30 AM” and yells it all over the place on his newest tape, By Any Means, which actually features a song called “Movie.” He even told it...

The inevitable commotion stemming from news that a critically-acclaimed group is releasing an album seemingly after their half-life has expired usually croaks in the cold light of reality. The stench of Goodie Mob’s 2013 Age Against The Machine is still fresh in the noses of those who were ravenous for just a whiff of Soul Food’s rich aroma. In 1993 wh...

The collaboration between Freddie Gibbs and Madlib doesn’t seem natural at first—the hardest rapper out of Gary, IN. working with a notoriously reclusive producer who invented his own jazz group? But when soulful but hard-hitting tracks like “Shame” and “Thuggin’” began to surface, they set both a clear tone for what MadGibbs would sound like and a high bar for their full LP. On the long-awaited P

“My Hitta” is pretty specific for a Billboard Top 20 hit. To hang with YG and co., it’s a requirement that you don’t trip over potential romantic interests, be averse to snitching, be willing to catch a case when necessary, and just be about getting money. Specific stuff, but th...

As a follow up to the 2011 release of Shyne Coldchain Vol. 1, 2014 XXL Freshman Class nominee Vince Staples has returned with the second installment of the mixtape series appropriately titled, Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2. If it wasn’t any indication by the bandana tied-noose illustrated in the cover art, the 10-track project serves up a brazen coming-of-age tale in the streets of Cali hoods, loaded wit

Clyde Carson is certainly no stranger to the West Coast radio, earning consistent spins for the past decade as part of the collective known as The Team. However after the breakout success of the single “Slow Down” a few years back, he keeps the momentum going with the release of the Playboy EP. The 10-tra...

Quite a bit has changed since the massive success of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III pushed his Young Money roster into the public eye. His Canadian protégé became exactly who we thought he’d be: a colossally accomplished Billboard regular blurring the lines of rap, pop, and R&B into a millennial culture soup; his female doppelganger proved to be as enterprising as she is adept sharing his knack fo

Chicago’s music scene is in a special place right now. Drill music has seen much success, with Lil Durk, Chief Keef and Lil Reese all garnering major label deals. On another end of the spectrum in Chicago, Chance The Rapper and Rockie Fresh have catapulted into stardom via the release of quality mixtapes. With...

When Rick Ross' car was riddled with 18 bullets in a drive-by shooting last January, it affected the rapper more than he let on at the time. And that brush with death—which caused Ross to veer off the road and collide with an apartment building, luckily leaving no one injured—informs Ross' sixth album, Mastermind, more than most might have thought; the lushly produced project dwells early and ofte

Cudi released Satellite Flight: The Journey To Mother Moon—the EP turned LP—through a digital-only drop with little warning. It felt like Cudi was sticking to his mantra that he does what he wants, when he wants. But this was no impulsive decision. Satellite ...

These days, Virginia Beach producer and vocalist Pharrell can do no wrong. Whether it’s producing Marvin Gaye-inspired pop hits, crooning over cheesy French disco or wearing a hat that looks like it was tailored for Smokey the Bear, the seemingly ageless falsetto manages to always come off cool. As a...

President’s Day marked a brand new release from DC rising star Shy Glizzy, with Young Jefe, an 18-track tape hosted by DJ Bigga Rankin, and featuring production from Zaytoven, Cardo, Roger Beat and others. Despite touching on familiar subjects, Young Jefe has its memorable moments, and when taken together, they result in an impressive, statement of a mixtape that should go a long way towards growi