Reviews

Lupe Fiasco’s career has been a mix of blooming ingenuity and surprising mediocrity. After a turbulent mix of starts and stops, Tetsuo And Youth, his fifth LP and reportedly his last for Atlantic, is an album that both meets fans' exalted expectations of the Chicago native while surpassing them in the process. Sonically...

On the 10th anniversary of his Purple Haze album (Dec. 7), Cam’ron released the sixth and final installment of his First of the Month series. Like the pervious efforts, Killa treats fans to a respectable yet brief EP. Despite only a six-track, 35-...

Never tentative to shine as the protagonist in an audibly depicted saga, Wu-Tang’s lyrical authority, Ghostface Killah, once again embraces the spotlighted main stage in all of its glory on his 11th studio album, 36 Seasons. Deriving from a concept brought to life by Bob Perry, who is co-founder (along with RZA) of the New York implanted Soul Temple Records, and was also behind Ghostdini’s highly

With a collective fifty years of experience in the game, millions of albums sold and countless projects under their belts, 37-year-old Royce Da 5’9” and 48-year-old DJ Premier have seen it all. Their respective careers have seen such massive success that declaring they have hit their prime this late seems a bit far-fetched. But, with honest lyr ...

The iconic W distress symbol had been flickering in the sky of a city no longer the undisputed center of the hip-hop universe. But often times, heroes reemerge only to thicken the plot. Though it was rough—the group’s past two years have been dominated by infighting (Raekwon equated his odds of appearing on the album to “climbing up a fuckin’ mountain if you got on slippers”) and pushed release da

2014 Forest Hills Drive, J. Cole has finally shored up those tiny but aggravating cracks, and crafted both his most compelling and consistent studio album to date. He boldly refrains from overarching radio bids and features. As Kendrick Lamar proved with good kid, m.A.A.... Read More ...

If I said, “Azealia Banks,” to you back in September of 2011, you’d probably say, “That weird but cool black and white video,” or “Turn up!” Now when I say, “Azealia Banks,” you’re most likely prone to say, “drama.” The 2011 release of Azealia Banks’ “212” video with producer La...

Gone are the days when Big K.R.I.T. would hint at his supremacy using the gold coronal logo, his acronym (King Remembered In Time), or song and mixtape titles littered with the word “king.” With the release of his sophomore album, Cadillactica, insinuations are left in the dust as he peels out in his drop top spaceship bellowing “King of the South” in no uncertain terms. The Def Jam MC makes a...

It's pretty safe to say that this was the summer of Bobby Shmurda. Whether it was seeing everyone from Rihanna to amateur golfers hitting the Shmoney Dance, or not being able to say the words "a week ago" normally ever again, the cultural impact of "Hot Ni**a" in pop culture was undeniable...

Killa Cam season has been in effect for months now. Cam'ron's been prolific as of late, returning with his fifth installment of his First Of The Month series. Throughout the series, the Dipset rapper featured a consistent range of collaborators, production being handled by the likes of AraabMuzik, and contributions from the Dipset crew and other guests...

The allure of Lil Boosie is no longer a hyperlocality confined to the Southeast. Torrence Hatch became Baton Rouge royalty by delivering bounce hits and street narratives in the same emotive, bluesy rasp; he became transcendent upon his release from Louisiana State Penitentiary, where he was held for five years and faced a first-degree murder charge...

The truth hurts. No, seriously, it really does. During the making of his 2013 effort, No Love Lost, Joe Budden harnessed himself in a web of happiness and orgies. That decision befuddled fans and left them clamoring for the depressed Budden, who they learned to love over the years...