Reviews

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...
J. Stalin Delivers Certified Mob Music In ‘SID (Shining In Darkness)’
J. Stalin Delivers Certified Mob Music In ‘SID (Shining In Darkness)’
J. Stalin Delivers Certified Mob Music In ‘SID (Shining In Darkness)’
J.Stalin pushes the envelope by vividly reiterating his Mob Bay Area persona and turmoil of his harsh upbringing in his latest album, SID: Shining In Darkness. Featuring plenty of heavy hitters (E-40, Philthy Rich, Too $hort, Joey Fatts), the Mob Music figurehead gives hardcore, but lucid lyricism throughout the LP that has definite standouts...
Asher Roth Explores Too Many Influences On ‘RetroHash’
Asher Roth Explores Too Many Influences On ‘RetroHash’
Asher Roth Explores Too Many Influences On ‘RetroHash’
Remember Asher Roth? The bushy-haired Pennsylvania native, who signed to Steve Rifkind’s SRC label via Def Jam, before earning his way onto the cover of the ’09 Freshmen issue? In the aftermath of his much maligned debut, Asleep In The Bread Aisle, a fun, semi-pop crossover record that didn’t quite land with fans as expected in the wake of his massive frat hit, “I Love College,” Asher’s career has
Iggy Azalea Falls Short Of High Expectations On ‘The New Classic’
Iggy Azalea Falls Short Of High Expectations On ‘The New Classic’
Iggy Azalea Falls Short Of High Expectations On ‘The New Classic’
Jam Master Jay and the other late pioneers of the genre would almost certainly turn in their graves after an MC from Mullumbimby, Australia, became the first female to grace the cover of XXL’s esteemed Freshman Cover back in 2012. But while it’s tricky to raid the buzz of blogosphere criticism, Iggy has spent much of the interim months morphing like-minded skeptics into converts. Her equal-... Rea
Girl Talk & Freeway Complement Each Other’s Style On ‘Broken Ankles’ EP
Girl Talk & Freeway Complement Each Other’s Style On ‘Broken Ankles’ EP
Girl Talk & Freeway Complement Each Other’s Style On ‘Broken Ankles’ EP
Girl Talk has been creating a lot of noise, from headlining one of the stages at last year's Rock The Bells Festival to performing at this year's Coachella. As a producer who has sampled everything from here to the next cosmos, Girl Talk (real name Gregg Michael Gillis) has spawned a career in his hometown of Pittsburgh by mixing and mashing various songs and vocals from several eras in creating s
August Alsina Brings His Brand Of R&B On ‘Testimony’
August Alsina Brings His Brand Of R&B On ‘Testimony’
August Alsina Brings His Brand Of R&B On ‘Testimony’
Tag-lined as a 21-year old R&B crooner "groomed" by Grammy Award-winning The-Dream, Def Jam’s August Alsina has a lot to live up to. Starting his career in 2011, the New Orleans artist made a move to Atlanta that not only changed his career for the better, but also injected a new sound and era into his music. With ...
Chuck Inglish Explores New Territory On ‘Convertibles’
Chuck Inglish Explores New Territory On ‘Convertibles’
Chuck Inglish Explores New Territory On ‘Convertibles’
Convertibles, the debut solo album from Chuck Inglish, is a sonically ambitious affair, mixing Inglish’s laid back lyricism with infectious party vibes. The album, co-produced by Mike Einzinger—the guitarist from Incubus for all you who got down with Morning View—is an eclectic array of songs, making for an interesting, if not cohesive, listen. Bringing Einz...
Fat Trel Delivers A Proper MMG Debut On ‘Gleesh’ Mixtape
Fat Trel Delivers A Proper MMG Debut On ‘Gleesh’ Mixtape
Fat Trel Delivers A Proper MMG Debut On ‘Gleesh’ Mixtape
When you first see the cover of Fat Trel’s newest mixtape Gleesh, you can’t help but laugh. Trel’s spin on the familiar Glee photo, featuring the show’s star with a post-fellatio ear to ear grin, is hilariously absurd enough that those completely unfamiliar with the DMV rapper have no choice but to check it out. What those newcomers, ...
Smoke DZA Remains Consistent And Nostalgic On ‘Dream.ZONE.Achieve’
Smoke DZA Remains Consistent And Nostalgic On ‘Dream.ZONE.Achieve’
Smoke DZA Remains Consistent And Nostalgic On ‘Dream.ZONE.Achieve’
One of the more talked-about threads in hip-hop over the last few years has been the resurgence of New York as rap music’s creative and commercial hub. In 2012, A$AP Mob went from underground mixtape up-and-comers to international pop superstars in a matter of months, with artists like Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, and Flatbush Zombies riding their coattails to a comfortable place in the mainstream
Mobb Deep Offers Their Trademark Sound On ‘The Infamous Mobb Deep’
Mobb Deep Offers Their Trademark Sound On ‘The Infamous Mobb Deep’
Mobb Deep Offers Their Trademark Sound On ‘The Infamous Mobb Deep’
Hip-Hop’s landscape has undergone a great deal of change since Mobb Deep released their critically acclaimed breakthrough album, The Infamous, in 1995. The hardcore lyricism and street tales that dominated the hip-hop scene during the “East Coast Renaissance” era are now a sweet memory for hip-hop lovers of an earlier generation. Nearly 20 years ...

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