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Slaughterhouse Show Promising Signs Of Things To Come On ‘House Rules’ Mixtape
Slaughterhouse Show Promising Signs Of Things To Come On ‘House Rules’ Mixtape
Slaughterhouse Show Promising Signs Of Things To Come On ‘House Rules’ Mixtape
Listening to a Slaughterhouse record can be incredibly frustrating. It’s often rather difficult not to get bogged down by the seemingly infinitely knotty and intricate raps that regularly trail off into oblivion. There is no disputing the group’s acumen but such unrelenting commitment to drilling lyricism over palatability can make even the most well versed rap purist weary. By now, it’... Read Mo
Deniro Farrar Thrives In His Own Lane With ‘Rebirth’ EP
Deniro Farrar Thrives In His Own Lane With ‘Rebirth’ EP
Deniro Farrar Thrives In His Own Lane With ‘Rebirth’ EP
Beats, rhymes, and braggadocio—these core elements form the basis of what comes to pass as hip-hop; the latter being just one aspect of many that differentiates the art form from other genres. Most rappers make it their prime M.O. to lose themselves in illusory worlds of Bentleys galore and bling. As a...
Skyzoo & Torae Fit The Mold Of Other New York Albums In ‘Barrel Brothers’
Skyzoo & Torae Fit The Mold Of Other New York Albums In ‘Barrel Brothers’
Skyzoo & Torae Fit The Mold Of Other New York Albums In ‘Barrel Brothers’
Skyzoo and Torae’s Barrel Brothers is consciously steeped in the history of New York hip-hop. The intro opens with a vocal sample of Flava Flav, while “Tunnel Vision” is built around a similar sample from Digable Planets. There are lyrical shoutouts to “99 Problems,” hating on Instagram, and the lead single “Blue Yankee Fitted” is an ode to a staple of New York fashion. Almost all of the beats are
Blu Misses The Mark On ‘Good To Be Home’
Blu Misses The Mark On ‘Good To Be Home’
Blu Misses The Mark On ‘Good To Be Home’
Jay Z’s stance on his only double album, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse, is “too many songs,” and the same applies to Blu’s Good To Be Home. Similar to the title, the record’s first track, “Home,” is telling of a major theme, Blu’s time in Cali and ties to the western state; “I emerge for all my people who ain’t never seen the world like me/Still ain’t forgot where I’m from/Now, we back
The Roots Impress With Their Most Ambitious Effort On ‘And Then You Shoot Your Cousin’
The Roots Impress With Their Most Ambitious Effort On ‘And Then You Shoot Your Cousin’
The Roots Impress With Their Most Ambitious Effort On ‘And Then You Shoot Your Cousin’
Earlier this year, while describing to XXL the logic behind The Roots’ newest concept album And Then You Shoot Your Cousin, bandleader Black Thought finished by bluntly saying, “I don’t know if that makes any sense.” The admission was a result of trying to sum up the significance of the album, which he described as being extremely “dense.” Anyone who attended the alb...
Troy Ave Restores Classic East Coast Sounds On ‘BSB Vol. 4′ Mixtape
Troy Ave Restores Classic East Coast Sounds On ‘BSB Vol. 4′ Mixtape
Troy Ave Restores Classic East Coast Sounds On ‘BSB Vol. 4′ Mixtape
"I sound like the train track riding past ya crib while you tryna watch Game of Thrones and some shit. You know what I'm saying? Like the only things you can get from New York City." Troy Ave wastes no time in getting started with his reemergence of East coast hip-hop in BSB...
Iamsu! Breathes New Life Into The Bay With ‘Sincerely Yours’
Iamsu! Breathes New Life Into The Bay With ‘Sincerely Yours’
Iamsu! Breathes New Life Into The Bay With ‘Sincerely Yours’
Bay Area rapper/producer Iamsu! has made himself easy to respect as we’ve watched him follow the come-up blueprint faithfully; floods of solid mixtapes, a grip of national performances, and eventually, co-signs and features with some of the industry’s big names. Consequent...
Atmosphere Adds Another Revealing Effort To Their Catalog With ‘Southsiders’
Atmosphere Adds Another Revealing Effort To Their Catalog With ‘Southsiders’
Atmosphere Adds Another Revealing Effort To Their Catalog With ‘Southsiders’
Welcome back to the world of Atmosphere, the carefully-crafted, snug world that Slug and his producer-in-crime Ant have cultivated over 20 years in the game. Southsiders, the duo's eighth official studio album—despite numerous EPs and a compilation or two that were expanded into album releases, it's their eighth official full-length—is the latest installment in the discography of one of the most c
2 Chainz Sticks To Repetitive Themes On ‘Freebase’ EP
2 Chainz Sticks To Repetitive Themes On ‘Freebase’ EP
2 Chainz Sticks To Repetitive Themes On ‘Freebase’ EP
Ironically, after running into some trouble with the law this past week and being convicted in a drug possession case, it only made sense that 2 Chainz' Freebase EP was already slated for a release. Since liberating T.R.U. REALigion in 2011, 2 Chainz has created, adhered to and expanded the blueprint that makes his music not only catchy, but fueled by memorable hooks, quirky ad-libs and Southern h
Dizzy Wright Leaves Fans Wanting More On ‘State Of Mind’ EP
Dizzy Wright Leaves Fans Wanting More On ‘State Of Mind’ EP
Dizzy Wright Leaves Fans Wanting More On ‘State Of Mind’ EP
Dizzy Wright, the nephew of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony member Layzie Bone, has worked tirelessly to solidify himself as one of hip-hop's new torch bearers. The Funk Volume representative has built a cult following by maintaining a consistent tour schedule and releasing just enough material to keep his name buzzing...
Styles P Gives Consciousness To The Street Life In ‘Phantom And The Ghost’
Styles P Gives Consciousness To The Street Life In ‘Phantom And The Ghost’
Styles P Gives Consciousness To The Street Life In ‘Phantom And The Ghost’
Styles P is the walking definition of a veteran who stays consistent with every new release. In 2013, SP teamed up with New York mainstay Scram Jones for Float that had him stepping out of his comfort zone and exploring a less gritty sound. Even as a known staple in hip-hop, Styles thrives on switching the style up to progress himself as an rapper...

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