CD Review: Capone N Noreaga - The War Report 2

Fans of Capone n Noreaga will absolutely love this CD.
The tracks are well produced with gritty rhymes CNN is known for.
The guest appearances range from Raekwon, Nas, and Busta Rhymes and they all add to the brilliance of this album.

8 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Eminem - Recovery

I must say Eminem sounds great on this CD. If you are a true fan you will love it. He finally drops that stupid accent he was rapping with for a bit there.
Some of the songs are the same ole same that he talks about but his original flow and rhymes are there. Before Recovery, he was sounding like this on songs like Forever and Drop the World. Well, expect to see him going full force here. However, at times it felt as if he was just plain angry throughout the album. He tends to almost yell out them lyrics, which is good and bad. It takes some energy to listen to it all!

The song with Lil Wayne called "No Love" is excellent.
Worth a listen.

9 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives

"Distant relatives" is a collaborative effort by Rapper Nas and Reggae singer Damian Marley (Bob Marley's son). Recorded with a live band, it's a Reggae/Hip hop hybrid which works rather well.
This album takes Hip Hop and Reggae to another level. It is refreshing and something Hip-Hop badly needed, originality!
This is a superb album, both from a production standpoint (with production by Damian and Stephen Marley) and from a lyrical standpoint. The Hip-Hop Reggae hybrid is perfect. For anyone who does not believe hip hop can have a positive message, give this album a listen.

9 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Justified Homicide - You Might Die

The new CD from Justified Homicide has high and low points. Hailing from South Carolina the new album is called "You Might Die". The group is talented and can flow but the subject matter does not switch too much throughout the CD. Now this could be a good thing if you are a fan of Hardcore Rap. If you are more into Common or a more radio friendly club style Hip-Hop artist then you will not like this CD. For those of you into this style then please check them out.

The album opens with "Bring Em Up". The songs displays the group at it's best flow wise. They sound great. Lyrically I can't really say they are breaking any new ground. They pretty much talk about what every other hardcore rapper talks about.
That doesn't always mean that they suck. Like I said before if you love Hardcore rap then you will love them.
Track 4 on the CD is a good song and funny at times. The song is called "It's Not Over" and it has to do with a sour relationship and is worth checking out.

Another good song is "Nu Nu" which is about getting some new pu--y. It is comedic at times and a great addition to the album.

My favorite song is "Don't F--- Around". Good beat and good flow equals a good song.
Now to when reviewing this group you have to take it for what it is. It is a special genre of Hip-Hop that many love but tons of true old school Hip-Hop heads hate.

I take it for what it is which is a good solid Hardcore Rap album.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/justifidehomicide


7 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Fabolous - There Is No Competition 2

Fabolous has a new mixtape and it is your standard deal with some original tracks and a bunch of songs over already used industry beats. I am not a huge fan of the whole mixtape thing but if you are a fan of Fab then you will like it regardless.
He has the usual songs with Paul Kane and some new collaborations with Nicki Manaj and Trey Songs. Fabolous comes off well on most of the songs but some of the lyrical content these days is just so played out. We need new subject matter in Hip-Hop!
Either way check it out!

7 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Ludacris - Battle Of The Sexes

I am a pretty big Ludacris fan and it seems like he is on every other song anymore. This could be a good thing or a bad thing if he over does himself and the fans get sick of hearing him. His latest release called "Battle Of The Sexes" is a good CD for those who are all about clubbing, partying, doing drugs, drinking and just having sex and fun in general.

This is a side of Luda that is in straight up party mode. It is a fun CD with many good special guests. Any Ludacris fan would enjoy this CD. The production on it is good. I notice in at least 4 songs he uses a repeated voice sample as his hook which makes it more of a club\dance feel to it. It works!

8 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Lil Wayne - Rebirth

Let me start off by saying if you are a hardcore Hip-Hop fan then you most likely will hate this CD. If you are a hardcore Hip-Hop fan that also listens to a variety of other music then you may like this album. It is definitely not the Lil Wayne people are used to hearing.
For a rapper to try to even to attempt to make a rock album where the hooks and style of music is completely different, this CD is a decent Rock/Hip-Hop mash up.

The music is a little dated at times and the use of auto-tune is a bit much where it seems to drown out his voice. If you are thinking of buying this album I highly suggest you listen to it online first. Many of you will probably disappointed.

6 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Blood Type - MIAliens

Blood Type is that type of group that makes you fall in love with Hip-Hop again.
Thier new mixtape called "MIAliens" is hosted by DJ Vlad. From the first listen on the lead single "Life is But a Dream" you feel like you have entered the good days of Hip-Hop again where club hits and southern dance rap was not as prevalent as it is today. Please do not get it twisted though because these boys are from the South but they make good southern Hip-Hop music. Instead of simple keyboard production they flow fluently over well produced tracks. The song "Ronnie Romance" is another fine example of what I am talking about. Produced by Stepson, the song has good mellow production and scratching on the chorus which is refreshing to hear and is something that is missing in many songs today!

They do use some industry beats on this mixtape which I am not personally a fan of anymore because I feel artists should not waste time on industry beats and create completely new and original songs all the way down to the music. Even so the group still flows wonderfully showing they are lyrically capable.

Songs like "Live From The 3" really brings out the versatility of this group.
I hope to God Blood Type has a chance to really blow up like they should because it would be a waste of true lyrical talent if they didn't.
Support this group and download the Mixtape and see for yourself.

For more info visit http://www.myspace.com/bloodtypemusic


9 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Ke$ha - Animal

I know many of you are jumping the gun and want to hate on this album because it just seems to be another crap pop record. I say to just give this a chance before you judge. It is a pop album but it also has some Hip-Hop thrown in the mix as well.

Ke$ah has a solid album here with many high energy songs that rival anything out today!
This is for people who like a wide variety of music. So if you are sick of the same old Hip-Hop record or the same old R&B song, then give this a chance for some fun. Good to work out to as well!

8 out of 10 stars

CD Review: R Kelly - Untitled

R Kelley is back with yet another CD.
No one writes pop songs about sex better than R. Kelly. Maybe practice really does make perfect. Most of the album is typical Kelly. The only downside is when he croons too much and too long about nothing. His story telling way of signing is a little too much sometimes. Kelly fares better when he steps up the tempo, as on new-jack stomper “Supaman High,” Usheresque 
club rave-up “I Love the DJ,” and disco-boogie squiggle “Be My #2,” even if 
none feel exactly organic to his style.


7 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Rihanna - Rated R

This is an album that grows on you. Upon first listening to it, I definitely felt somewhat let down by 'Rated R'. The music is not as catchy; nothing leaps out as a Billboard hit like her signature songs "S.O.S" or "Umbrella". In fact, Rihanna ditches the pop/dance track and takes on a hip-hop/rock vibe instead.
If you're expecting another "Umbrella" or "Disturbia", you may be disappointed as the album is rather dark, atmospheric, and more experimental than its predecessor. It may not sell as well as "Good girl gone bad", but it is certainly a stronger album.
It's a challenging CD, to be sure, as is the packaging. But as a whole, it's probably one of the stronger pop records to come along in a while. I think many of her original fans will not like this CD. These fans need to expand their mind and enjoy this wonderful CD.

9 out of 10 stars

CD Review - 50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct

50 Cent delivered real big on this project being his 4th effort. BISD is one of the best albums this year. The set comes with the CD and a DVD movie. It has street bangers that will make you wanna do things yourself, including dance records like "Could've Been You" & "Get It Hot". The stand out records are "So Disrespectful", "Crime Wave", & "Physco". Also has a slow song that is crazy like "Do You Think About Me"!

As for the movie, it's a really well-written, entertaining piece of low-budget pulp. 50 (or Curtis Jackson) as he credits himself, stars as Clarence, a street basketball star whose hoop dreams deflate when he rips up his knee. When his mother is killed in the crossfire by a local gangster, he exacts revenge and is soon hired by Clifton Powell to as a professional hit man.

While Before I Self Destruct is not on the level of something you'd pay to see in the movie theater, the production value, acting and writing is strong for this kind of movie. Clearly, 50 has done his research as far as following the plot mechanisms of gangster and Yakuza flicks. He also keeps the story moving, avoiding indulgence. This easily could've been an extended music video--an ad for the accompanying CD. With the exception of once scene, most of the music is used in the background. Credit NYC film vet J Jesses Smith (co-director) for helping to keep the production tight.

8 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Mariah Carey - Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel

I have always been a Mariah fan. She is a complete package. Looks, voice and charm.
Her new CD is a good and solid album from start to finish.
What really stands out here is the music itself has so many different sounds like you heard in the 80's and 90's!! Also, Mariah's 90's vocals are back finally on this album!! Meaning she doesn't sound forced and she lets her voice sing more naturally that she hasn't done in so long.

Her cover of "I Wanna Know What Love is" should be released as a single because it is one the best songs on the CD. Her vocals stand out very well here.

I truly hope this CD does well for her because she deserves it.

9 out of 10 Stars

CD Review: Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx 2

The long-awaited follow-up to the classic masterpiece 'Only Built 4 Cuban Lynx', Raekwon has gone back to the genre he created back in the 1995 and has created another instant classic in 'Cuban Lynx 2'. The first one was a classic and this one is just as good if not better.

Raekwon's sound takes listeners back to gritty Shaolin of the 1990s; however, the production does not sound like leftover beats from that era. Instead, it is a fresh, new take on NYC street life and drama. Raekwon tells terrific stories throughout, narrating a journey through New York's underbelly. There is no glitz and glamour here. This album features no hollywood name-dropping, european exotic car and exotic vacation destination references and no over use of the words swagger, candy paint or money!

This is a deeper Hip-Hop that is not meant for ringtones and such!

Buy this CD!


10 out of 10 stars

CD Review: 3 The hard Way - Dj Hurricane and Dj Scratchez

This is a well put together mixtape. Some of the artists are Cassidy, G.O.D., Fabolous, Lil Wayne and more. Most of the songs are pretty good exclusives that you do not hear that often. An artist named G.O.D. is a newcomer on this CD. He has a unique flow that keeps you hooked to hear what he is gonna say next. He almost seems too laid back on the track but it works extremely well for him. I have never really been a huge Cassidy fan but all of the Fabolous songs are well worth it. Jay-Z and Fab bless a track called Money Goes, honey Stay which is a remix I have never heard.

Check it out at www.myspace.com/hustlemuzik

8 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

I am a huge Jay-Z fan and probably always will be no matter what he puts out. I have an advanced copy of the Blueprint 3 and I must say it is a solid work. The first track "What we talkin' About" is a good solid track to start off the album but it only gets better with the next track "Thank You".

Death Of Autotune is next and although it was leaked pretty early, I still like this song and think it was about time someone said something about all these bullshit autotune artists.

All in all the CD is really worth the buy. It is nice to hear some deeper songs than the typical "candy paint/money money" songs we hear on the radio coming mainly from the south.

Buy this CD if you are a true Jay-Z fan! If you never heard of jay-Z then buy this to represent what real Hip-Hop should sound like. We need deeper thought in Hip-Hop. I think most of you would somewhat agree.

9 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Fabolous - Losos Way

I have always been a huge fan of Fabolous. His latest CD is good but pretty much the same old same. I hate to say it but the subject matter in Hip-Hop is getting a bit stale. Everybody is talking about the same stuff. So even for a very talented artist and lyric writer such as Fabolous, he is running out of ideas! In general the CD is solid but I just cannot get over the subject matter. Nothing has really blown my mind in Hip-Hop in a long time. At least he doesnt use auto-tune.
The production is solid but some of the tracks have too much singing!!!

All in all if you are a Fabolous fan then you will most likely enjoy this CD. I can imagine the younger generation of Hip-Hop lovers will really like this CD but for a person like me being a hardcore fan of Hip-Hop for over 25 years, everything is boring!

7 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Ginuwine - A Man's Thoughts

Ginuwine has done it again! He has brought R&B back to how it should be!
I have always been a major fan of Ginuwine. Great voice, good dancer and Timbaland in his corner.
Although Timbaland only did one track on this album, he still comes off so well.

Although it took a long time, A Man's Thoughts was worth the wait. Ginuwine has matured in every way and it permeates the songs on this album. Many songs on this album demonstrate the correct way to use pro-tubes, synthesizers, and autotunes. Ginuwine is a soulful singer who sings real R&B, not the pop crap that has been coming out!

Buy this album---nuff said!

9 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Justified Homicide - Better Realize

Justified Homicide has a very mid-tempo song flow. None of the songs are too fast and this is purely music to ride to. The first song "Underestimate" is a melodic song that showcases the skills immediately. Justified Homicide is not really breaking any new ground with the lyric content. Basically we have heard the subject matter before. What makes them stick is the delivery. The flow is on point and the lyrics are clear. The production on the CD is good. Has the same theme throughout the album which is a good thing.

Some of the standout tracks are Don't Bother Me, Killa Since Birth and Baby Killa (which you need a sense of humour to listen to).

If you are a fan of murder type Hip-Hop then this is for you. It is a well put together album.

You can download the CD here http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/42938

7 out of 10 stars

CD Review:Jadakiss - The Last Kiss

I have always been a huge fan of Jadakiss and his latest CD shows that he has grown as an artist.
Upon first listen I was not that impressed but the more I listened, the more it grew on me.

The production is good but like many of today's Hip-Hop tracks, some seem a bit over-produced.
Lyrically he is strong as ever and he has really stepped his game up.

A must buy if you are a Jadakiss fan!

8 out of 10 stars