Remember that feeling Illmatic gave you when you first listened to it? It’s a feeling rarely felt again by hip hop listeners this day and age. While the album itself wasn’t as uplifting or bright and shiny as one would expect to get when getting this feeling (a la A Long Hot Summer, Connected), it reeked of true hip hop, and that alone, that essence of an album was always hard to come across. Enter Fashawn, a Cali native who certainly spits his heart out on every track. Tie him together with fellow Cali producer, Exile, and it is instant chemistry on Boy Meets World. Together, they evoke this feeling of real hip hop, true emotion, and genuine mannerisms through their craft.
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Having released The Cause and Effect in 2006, Seattle emcee D. Black didn’t take leaps and bounds until his striking appearance on “God Like,” off of Jake One’s White Van Music. With the doors wide open, D. Black has returned to deliver Ali’Yah, a distinct conceptual album served up alongside a plate of passion and power.
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It is a tough feat to be considered the “greatest” by any means in hip hop today. It is a term that gets applied to just about anyone and any song, really without any merit or valued source to this claim. However, Royce Da 5’9, based on his skill alone, has been able to develop a stable movement of opinions and statements asserting him as the best emcee of the last two years. Considering he hasn’t even dropped an album, the fact that this notion does indeed make perfect sense is somewhat scary (Check our Top 10 Emcees of 2008 list). So, when Street Hop was announced, hip hop minds everywhere were intrigued with the potential this album already held. Evidently only getting better, Royce took a step in defining his career as a complete emcee, since making a solid and cohesive LP had yet to be in his repertoire. Could Street Hop, which consisted of production from DJ Premier, Streetrunner, Emile, and Nottz (amongst others), be that next step to “completion” in Royce’s impressive career? Could it live up to the hype of the last 2 years of his undoubted reign on the mic?
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When Eastern Philosophy dropped, heads began to turn in the direction of Apathy. For Ap, this must’ve been bittersweet considering that EP was seven years into his career and really his first official release. Moreover, Apathy was once a major label artist, inking with Atlantic, but then moving to the indie hip hop label, Babygrande. Starving for three years, Ap fans get what they’ve been waiting for in Wanna Snuggle? Producing all but 4 tracks on the long 21 track LP and bringing his lyrical A-game for most of the project, Apathy has certainly given listeners an album worth wrapping their eardrums around.
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If you’ve followed Gang Starr then you’ve probably followed the whole Foundation. Once comprising of Group Home, Big Shug, Freddie Foxx, and Jeru amongst others, the Foundation was never known for their lyrical mastery, but more so for Premier’s production. On 98’s Moment of Truth, Krumb Snatcha stole the show from both Guru and Premier with his verse on “Make ‘em Pay.” While he wasn’t as strong on the microphone as Bumpy Knuckles or as scientific as Afu Ra, Krumb delivered a unique blend of skills that the Foundation lacked. His career trekked out to this point, where he is no longer Krumb Snatcha, but is now K.S. Even though he was under the radar for a bit, he’s gathered up Pete Rock, Large Professor and Statik Selektah for some help on the production. Even without Premier on the boards, could this release be one that fans of Krumb were expecting?
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I usually compare Brother Ali to Roy Halladay (Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, arguably best pitcher in baseball). Roy is [one of] the best at what he does, but doesn’t really get the credit for it as much as he should. He’s good enough to be on every writer’s “Top Pitcher” list and every fan’s “Best Pitcher” discussion, but he isn’t. Halladay is overlooked, underappreciated, and will consistently be amazing at what he does. The same can be said for Brother Ali, who is unjustly left out of many conversations regarding some of the best hip hop emcees of this era. Three outstanding LPs, two near perfect EPs, various show stealing features (including “Second Time Around” from last year), a marvelous live show, varying word play ranging from blunt to clever to outrageous. The list goes on. If that isn’t enough ass-kissing for the moment, be prepared for more, because Brother Ali continues to do no wrong with his fourth LP, Us.
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Ghostface Killah has demonstrated a marvelous magic trick; he has undoubtedly become the most positively consistent artist in a genre that is so littered with ever-changing criticism and unruly judgment. As if that trick wasn’t enough, he’s come back for an encore with Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City, a genre crossing album done ever so tastefully and coherently that even the most skeptic Wu heads will want to touch their lighter side. While this project is hardly a stretch for Ghost, it’s the essence of the idea that may prove to be the biggest difficulty in comprehending. An R&B album? Sure, if we want to call it that. The fact is there hasn’t been an unlikely combo as fitting than Ghostface and love themed lyrics alongside softer production. Wizard of Poetry keeps Starks’ streak going and he reasserts himself not only as the best and most consistent clansman, but also one of the most versatile and reliant names in the industry.
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The greatest asset of wisdom is said to be experience. With our recent week highlighting Jay-z, most saw how good an “older” emcee is and can be when reflecting on the x amount of years in the game. While Hov is an exception to plenty of hip hop rules, Buckshot and KRS are certainly amongst the wisest in hip hop, even though not as prolific as Shawn. Still, under a different spotlight, it’s safe to say that Buck and Kris never hinted at the type of caliber they showed during earlier moments of their career through their recent performances. Buck has sounded uninterested and has been forgettable, while KRS has been unbelievably repetitive. This duo venture, entitled Survival Skills, sponsored by the great people at Duck Down, seems to have lifted not only the spirits of the two respected emcees, but also their momentum, ferocity, and hunger. Survival Skills outlines all that it takes to be a great emcee in the cut-throat, fast moving industry, and it is this return to the blueprint that sets the stage for the most impressive record from both Buck and Kris in a long while.
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Skyzoo is not exactly a rookie. Some may remember him from his appearance on 106 & Park’s Freestyle Friday battles, but most know the Brooklyn native from collaborations with the likes of Sean Price, EPMD, Torae & Reks as well as critically acclaimed mixtape releases like The City’s Favorite and Corner Store Classic. His most notable release to date is his project with 9th Wonder, Cloud 9: The 3 Day High. Now, in 2009, Skyzoo has delivered his long awaited debut LP, The Salvation. The question is whether Skyzoo could deliver the album that many people expect him to make with his pedigree.
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1,690 views | Posted in Music Reviews
“Supergroup” is a word that is seldom justified in hip hop. Sure, they may start off a supergroup, but end up being a superdud. Perhaps it is hype that surrounds the compilation of a multiple high profile hip hop act that puts a damper on the product at hand, or perhaps the product itself really isn’t that good. Look at the New York Rangers, the New York Mets, hell, 80% of New York sport teams; all contain remarkable talent, individual talent that cannot succeed as a group. Enter Slaughterhouse. Royce Da 5’9, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Crooked I: a prime emcee with leadership quality, a multi-facet wordsmith with fire in his belly, an ambitious, rugged newcomer, and a savvy and seasoned veteran respectively. These are the ingredients for the success that is the self-titled debut from the now-proven supergroup.
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Kid Cudi made such immediate hype in hip-hop a little over a year ago with the release of his mixtape A Kid Called Cudi [download]. When he released the instant hit “Day ‘n Night,” Cudi’s hype further exploded. A firm protégée of Kanye West, Cudi has received the seal of approval from numerous artists in the hip-hop game and outside the game as well. Released on G.O.O.D Music, Man on the Moon: The End of Day far exceeds traditional hip-hop and throws itself into an alternative, yet, conceptual abstract of Kid Cudi’s life journey.
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At first glance, 21-year-old Tess Henley gives off a soft-spoken and shy persona, one that may even be classified as a naive innocence, however, the release of her debut album Easy To Love proves otherwise. Tess’ remarkable writing abilities and buttery vocals put this image to rest, as she reveals a compelling story about the trials and tribulations of love.
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Call it being patriotic, but I love my city. I love Toronto. I love everything about it. So, it’s not uncommon for me to geek out when someone from Toronto turns out to be a big (or moderately big) star. Sure, we got the Drake’s, the Michael Myers’, the John Candy’s, but a girl like Melanie Fiona? That’s kind of special. It’s just a tad bit more special to see the origins of her superstar here on KevinNottingham.com, as we were one of the first sites to really spotlight her and give her some shine! [artist spotlight]. Regardless of her geographical location, this lady has the total package from talent, looks, co-signs, and music making. Those aforementioned co-signs came from the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West, and ?uestlove; pretty important people if you ask me. In fact, ?uesto dug it so much that he remixed a handful of Melanie’s live joints for her: (Melanie Fiona: Meets The Illadelphonics). The expectations for The Bridge were high right from the get-go and Miss Fiona had a lot of people anxiously waiting to see if she could smash out a Jazmine Sullivan/Adele/Duffy like breakout album. Would this project suffice?
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There’s an old adage that states that the sequel is seldom better than the original. Godfather II, Shrek 2, and The Dark Knight are some obvious examples that contradict that way of thinking. But for every X-Men 2, two Spiderman 3’s get made. So far, rap sequels haven’t measured up that well, either. For example, neither of the subsequent Blueprint albums lived up to the original, which is understandable considering how highly regarded The Blueprint is. Raekwon’s long-awaited Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt. II has quite the name to uphold, as the original, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, is one of the most legendary albums in hip-hop history. The challenge is to grade this album on its own merits, not compare it to the extraordinary piece of work that was the original.
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Regardless of what’s said, everyone has an opinion on Jay-z. To some he’s the greatest of all time, to others, he’s a lot of flash and flare with one classic. Which ever side you land on is irrelevant to him. In fact, Hov embraces the lovers and the haters alike, and together, they’ve helped him build a catalogue of 10 number one albums (soon to be eleven), multiple hit singles, a label, a brand, an image, and an equally powerful and popular love interest. Perhaps more importantly, Jay gained respect early in his career and, unlike other vets similar to him, has maintained this respect by putting out quality material (for the most part). With his latest release, the highly anticipated Blueprint 3, it seemed like many were waiting for Jay to fail. Nevertheless, this album brings back the return of the Kanye/Jay connection, but also lacks the necessary Just Blaze production. It also loads up on guest features. Still, Jay will always have those double entendres that make any listener rewind, and his ear for beats changes from great to good on any given day. But, what’s most important here is, does Jay show that he has matured into his almost 40 state, while displaying the hunger and feistiness of a young emcee?
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