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?
[read full article…]
1,407 views | Posted in Music Reviews
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.
[read full article…]
2,838 views | Posted in Music Reviews
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?
[read full article…]
2,591 views | Posted in Music Reviews
The Wu-Tang Clan enjoyed unprecedented success as a group and as individual members during the early-mid-90s, finding massive success and critical acclaim with their debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and successive solo albums from Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah. Arguably, the album that stands out the most from that group is Raekwon’s debut solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Of all the adjectives that attempt to do the album justice, from haunting to pioneering to grimy, the one word that comes up most often is cinematic, and for good reason. It is hip-hop’s Godfather, Scarface, Goodfellas, Casino. RZA scores movies for Quentin Tarantino now, but he cut his teeth on making movie music by handling the production for OB4CL, and directing it like he would a movie in a sense, with Raekwon as its star, Ghostface Killah as its scene-stealing, Oscar-winning supporting actor, and cameos from their Wu brethren and Nas.
[read full article…]
1,235 views | Posted in Music Reviews
There are few producers that can be as consistent as Alchemist has been over the years. While I think more producers have more “heavy hitters” on their resume, it’s safe to say that Alc has a marvelous ratio of good-to-bad beats attached to his work. He’s a very good producer. As a rapper? Well, not that great. However, we have seen 2008-2009’s production golden boy, Black Milk, rise in caliber from being a barely mediocre emcee to an unjokingly good presence on the microphone. Still, whether or not Alc can perform on the mic, he has gathered an impressive guest list of familiar faces to help him out on his latest project, Chemical Warfare, including Talib Kweli, Snoop, Blu, Prodigy, Kool G Rap, Pusha T, Krs One, Kid Cudi, Three 6 Mafia, and Eminem amongst some other big namers. How do all of these A-list names match up against Alc’s usually impressive production? Meh…
[read full article…]
1,531 views | Posted in Music Reviews
Sure, our most recent interview with Blaq Poet [read] may very well be one of our worst interviews of all time. Perhaps it was with good reason though. Poet didn’t say much, possibly for the fact that he really says all that he needs to say, alongside some dude name DJ Premier (who speaks with his production), on his most recent release, Tha Blaqprint. The album doesn’t try to be fancy, doesn’t try to over-think anything, and doesn’t try to preach. If anything, it endorses the essence of boom-bap-hip-hop. With Blaq Poet on the microphone spitting raw, gritty, NY style throwback rhymes and DJ Premier doing what he does best, Tha Blaqprint has all the key ingredients to keep any true-school and new-school listeners coming back for more.
[read full article…]
948 views | Posted in Music Reviews
Welcome to Bucktown U.S.A. is more than an album; it’s a living soundtrack to the streets of Brooklyn, NY. To any fan of the early Duck Down projects, ya’ll know that “Bucktown” was a staple in the terms slanged around in the gritty, rugged, raw lyricism of the various BCC Soldiers. As the first official release off of the Bucktown U.S.A Imprint, an umbrella of Duck Down Records, General Steele (of Smif-n-Wessun) rolls through fast and furiously to present an album loaded with that same raw, grimy feeling Duck Down fans got back in the mid 90’s. As usual, its shoot ‘em up, slap ‘em up, shake ‘em up, hip hop at its finest.
[read full article…]
716 views | Posted in Music Reviews
At a time when music has been saturated with money and the heart of a lyric has been replaced by auto-tune, it couldn’t have been a better moment in time for Maxwell to reappear into the music scene. It’s been nearly a decade since Maxwell’s last album (Now) but by no means has the seasoned neo-soul veteran fallen flat. Maxwell returns with BLACKsummers’night, the darker installment of a 3-part series (blackSUMMERS’night and blacksummers’NIGHT in the works), only to re-introduce the world to his unforgettable sound.
[read full article…]
1,041 views | Posted in Music Reviews
Ominous string instruments. Bootleg kung fu movie samples. Wisdom cautiously spilling from the sealed lips of ancient martial arts masters. Sword strikes. Track titles like “Supreme Architecture” and “Kill Too Hard.” Yes! Just when autotune was declared war upon by the likes of King Jiggamayne, this secret second roundhouse to the loudmouth of rap wackness is released to the masses, and these legendary beasts from the east are unleashed to feast on beats that sound like they were saved from The Flood that almost crumbled The Dream. RZA is damn near the peak of his artistry once again. Pay attention, grasshoppers and hipsters.
[read full article…]
1,999 views | Posted in Music Reviews
Back in the summer of 2007, Cam’ron was busy ducking 50 Cent’s verbal barrage. These attacks usually coincide with the release of a 50 Cent album (in this case, the half-hearted effort known as Curtis). He responded to 50’s smack talk by appearing in a video in his boxers and chilling near a pool, claiming he was “on vacation, B. Look at the palm trees!” And that was the last the hip-hop world would see of Cam’ron for a long while, as he managed to drop off the face of the Earth, ducking all questions about the internal strife and the eventual breakup of The Diplomats and managing to stay out of the spotlight. Then in 2009, the man with the pink mink coats and purple Range Rovers returned, with the appropriately-timed single “I Hate My Job,” a veritable recession anthem. Like it or not, Cam’ron is back in our lives, with a Diplomat-free comeback album, Crime Pays.
[read full article…]
964 views | Posted in Music Reviews
F’real, Posdnous was God to me in 1993. F*cking G-O-D. I know every word, breath and inflection of “Breakadawn,” even though nobody on earth knows the actual meaning of 85% of the lyrics they say on it. That song resonates infinitely deeper now because of its immaculate use of Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It” sample. My high school life was changed drastically by the evolved jazzyfatnasty-ness of Buhloone Mind State. De La Soul is Dead, Stakes Is High remains one of the best follow-ups to one of the best debuts of all-time. And is still fucking ridiculously dope for a group who (sadly) stopped working with the eternally underrated genius of the Dew Doo Man aka the Prince Amongst Thieves named Paul Huston. Art Official Intelligence was mostly fresh dope dopeness, but it was evident things were permanently changing on a variety of levels. Bionix came out, and the fact was solidified even further (and true De La heads are still waiting for part 3, the Maceo/DJ tribute). The Grind Date was f*cking slammin’ for the most part, and more along the elevated expectations a De La fan… so what’s good with this Nike-invested thing called “Are You In?”
[read full article…]
1,712 views | Posted in Music Reviews
DJ Muggs has always been one of the most underrated producers in the game (Check out our feature on him: http://kevinnottingham.com/2008/07/24/producer-spotlight-dj-muggs/). Names like RZA, Dre, Premier, Pete Rock, Organized Noize, Marley Marl, etc. are always mentioned when heads talk about the best producers in hip hop history. The man behind the boards of Cypress Hill, Muggs has been crafting gems for everyone from KRS-One & Goodie Mob to House of Pain & Afu-Ra. Muggs produced sporadically in the early part of this decade but emerged back into the eye of hip hop fans with his critically acclaimed album w/ GZA, Grandmasters. Since then, Muggs has been on a roll crafting albums with Planet Asia and Sick Jacken, adding to his impressive discography. Nine years later, Muggs returns with another one of his foundational projects, the Soul Assassins. Intermission comes as the third project under the Soul Assassins brand and contains features from Fashawn, RZA, La Coka Nostra, Bun B, M1, and Prodigy, showing tremendous promise of a collective loaded with lyrical talent and undeniable production from the likes of DJ Khalil, Alchemist, and of course, Muggs. Would this anticipated release deliver in all aspects?
[read full article…]
834 views | Posted in Music Reviews
Slakah is getting around the Canadian hip hop and R&B scene quite nicely. Working with everyone from Drake to Shad to Divine Brown to Melanie Durant, he’s obviously put work in various styles of production and even drops some great vocals on most of the work he is involved with. Soul Movement Volume 1 is his latest endeavor, and since it made such a splash in Europe in 2008 (selling over 10,000 copies), BBE has taken the Beatchild under their wing to bring the success of the European release to North America. The album itself is hard to put a finger on; similar to the artist. Think Raphael Saadiq, mixed with a little Ali Shaheed, a little ?uestlove, and a little bit of Dilla. But even that’s not doing proper justice to who this artist is or what this project is about. With that said, good music is good music, and SMV1 is full of laid back vibes that will certainly relax the soul.
[read full article…]
646 views | Posted in Around The Net, Music Reviews
Remember when De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest used to dis the shit outta R&B? Not on some childish hater shit, just on some self-pride b-boy shit? Those were the days. The vibes and stuff of modern music was much more raw and uncut. Today, it’s all one crazy ass unbelievable blur. Not three minutes into the electro-ballad that comprises the intro of Fantasy Ride, Ciara busts a rap that wouldn’t sound surprising out of Eve’s mouth. This super-kinky viciousness continues across the disc, and it’s not necessarily nauseating like that atrocious Wreckz-n-Effect’s rap/R&B radio fodder came across as (time travel with me, people). But what rap and R&B have merged into at the end of the new millenium would confuse even the most cutting egde music producer, with the nebulous-yet-structured definitions of each mutating closer each year. On this album, rappers are singing on R&B beats, while singers are rapping on rap beats. You would have been insane to attempt this in the early 90’s. But Ciara’s Fantasy Ride, even ten years from now, will probably sound quite futuristic, with its sinful synths and many slick-ass little tricks. Its state of the art, but it’s also a symptom of the state of the art, word to Kanye Omari West.
[read full article…]
878 views | Posted in Music Reviews
Straight out of left field, Freeway stunned us all with the announcement of a third album to be released in early 2009. He simultaneously captured our attention with The Month of Madness, a vigorous release of 32 consecutive songs. Free’s ambitious December 2008 project [of course we followed it, check it out here: Month of Madness] was pure heat and only perpetuated an excitement in the air for Philadelphia Freeway 2. Acting as a continuation of Freeway’s 2003 album Philadelphia Freeway, PF2, the post- Roc-A-Fella album released on Real Talk Ent, had fans reeking with anticipation.
[read full article…]
1,063 views | Posted in Music Reviews
