To use a cliché, Masta Ace is like a fine wine. As with the best that the bottle has to offer, he has become better with age. Most emcees of his era have steadily declined, usually coasting on their name and past merits, and lacking the ability to create anything relevant, choose good production, and deliver the lyrical masterpieces of their youth. Ace, on the other hand, has created two masterpieces (Disposable Arts and A Long Hot Summer), paired up with another veteran that gets better with time (Edo G) to form A&E, rock on MF Doom’s beats on MA Doom, and create a new crew with eMC. It’s the later unit that is back after a handful of years. A relaunched label (Penalty) and reformed unit (Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth, & Stricklin), bring forth an EP with an LP to follow in a few months.

On The Turning Point EP, the crew picks up where 2008’s The Show left off. What you are treated to has all the regular trademarks of an Ace project: the M3 sound bite to set off the album, and skits that tie the tracks together and fuel the narrative. In the case of the narrative, you have Ace being contacted on Super Bowl Sunday by Penalty Records. This leads to having to link everyone else back together, in a scene that isn’t what it used to be, and with the kids, families, and other life responsibilities sharing a chunk of everyone’s time. Everyone is a little older, a little more weathered by what the years have brought, and this is perfectly expressed on the title track where they all look back to where they’ve been, and look ahead to where they are going.

In terms of production, Ace is one of the few that can rock over a more mainstream-sounding production and make it his own, and not the other way around. From some of the tracks on Sittin’ on Chrome to some on the new project, he has been able to walk the fine line without ever abandoning who he is for a radio hit. The Turning Point includes several examples of this, from sung hooks and choruses on the majority of the tracks, to the reggae chorus on “The Coolest”, and some of the beat choices. Despite some of these elements, the lyrics, song concepts, and emcee’s styles all shine through, which might be one of the biggest strengths of this release. All four members of the group have distinct voices, delivery styles, and personalities that they bring to the mic. They all balance each other, creating perfect balance.

At the end of the day, if you enjoyed The Show, you’ll probably think highly of The Turning Point EP and eMC’s upcoming sophomore release. If you didn’t like the project, there’s not necessarily anything that will change your mind on this project. But like they say on the title track, “eMC is a movement, but we’re here to stay.”

Much like his namesake’s explorations introduced the west to Asia, Marco Polo has introduced a lot of talented emcees to new listeners, while at the same time reintroduced legends of yesteryear to a new generation. When 2007 ended, Marco’s Port Authority stood as one of the finest albums of the year. 2009 was no different with Canada’s finest aural export teaming with Torae for Double Barrel. 2013 brought us a three peat for Marco with another top entry at year’s end: PA2: The Director’s Cut, a proper sequel to 2007’s Port Authority.

On PA2, Marco assumes the role of a fine movie director bringing an album laid out like a cinematic soundtrack. He’s joined by a who’s who of legends: Masta Ace, King Tee, MC Eiht ; the underground’s finest: Celph Titled, Gangrene, Supastition ; and even a few where-the-hell-have-you-beens: Last Emperor and Rah Digga. At eighteen tracks deep, there’s something for everyone here. Marco builds beats that accentuate each artist’s strengths, making each guest shine like a good director getting the best out of an actor. Speaking of actors, Michael Rappaport narrates the album as a fan introducing each track’s artists, which is an acquired taste depending on how one feels about that type of thing.

A reunited Organized Konfusion (remember when they did that about a decade ago?) kicks the album off proper, and although they don’t seem to utilize the groundbreaking rhyme styles and schemes they used in the early to mid-90s, it’s still a lovely thing to hear them together. Big Twins, Nature, and F.T. bring what one would expect on “Can’t Get Enough”, and with a beat that fits their grimy styles proper, the track shines. It’s followed by great performances on “Astonishing” by Large Professor, Inspectah Deck, O.C. & Tragedy on a high-energy track with lovely chorus cuts by DJ Revolution. Revolution pops up throughout the album, as he does on most of Marco’s projects, which for some may be the cherry on top of the sundae. Additionally, DJ Premier, DJ Linx, DJ Romes, and Shylow lay cuts on tracks, which show Marco doesn’t stray far from the tried-and-true formula of the emcee and deejay.

With so many highlights, it doesn’t mean The Directors Cut is Illmatic and flawless. Some may find so many tracks to be overwhelming, although who wouldn’t want more music for their money? “Wrong Girl” featuring Reach and Reggie B is awkward with its early-90’s chorus, and stands out on an album with no singing. Once you get past the chorus, it’s still a solid track, but takes a different, more-personal route on an album with Lil Fame, Blaq Poet, etc. As previously mentioned, Michael Rappaport may wear thin on repeat listens, but no one can question his love for the art when he was popping up on episodes of Rap City back in the mid-90s.

With a lot of glut on the market, so many rappers from the past disappointing, and many of the best fading away, Marco Polo should be viewed as a cornerstone of the last decade for classic hip-hop. He’s brought together a plethora of the best from the past thirty years, produced for present underground favorites and sleepers, and been able to make all of them sound at their best. A lesson to all those from previous generations, don’t come back with a desperate grab at the mainstream, call Marco to stay relevant.

One might keep the new carpet crisp and clean by slipping on a pair of house shoes when indoors. Detroit bred, and now LA based, producer House Shoes brings a similar style to the production on his debut Let It Go. Following in a line of talented beatsmiths from the land of Lions and Tigers – from Jay-Dee to Apollo Brown – is no small task. Armed with a plethora of his pals from Motown on the mic, with a smattering of other artists from across the land, he still finds room for his production to speak for itself on the eighteen tracks.

Let It Go is loaded with jazzy backdrops, and includes a heavy emphasis on off-tempo drum patterns. It could easily fly over the head of some listeners as a little too subdued and at times may be seen as dragging in spots. It’s not geared for the club and even in the whip it is a little patchy due to a handful of downtempo tracks like the Black Spade narrated “Sunrise/Love”. The best listening suggestion would be on a pair of headphones or throwing the wax on the turntable while lounging around the house. That isn’t to say that the whole album is a snoozer.

Greneberg elevate a roots based beat on “Dirt”, and the ever-improving Alchemist on the mic continues to transform into a more pleasant listening experience, especially when complemented by Oh-No and Roc Marciano. “Time” featuring Big Tone was chosen as the initial single, and it’s easy to see why with verses about easily relatable topics and universal themes. Add samples from Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle” and you have a track that leaves an impression after the stop button is pushed.

There are standout cuts, and the production is solid throughout, but Let It Go still leaves something to be desired. Having the album for three months and yet not getting around to reviewing it may be the best way to summarize the impression it made. House Shoes is a solid producer, but the album’s execution and layout is choppy in parts, and at times much of it feels skippable.

Del is an emcee whose persona transcends the indie underground where he has resided for a number of years. He and his Hieroglyphics cohorts have been able to make the career decisions they have wanted to since being dropped from their major label deals nearly twenty years ago. With creative control intact, Del has been able to collaborate on diverse projects (Deltron, Gorillaz, etc.) and avoid pigeonholing himself over the years. On his latest, he teams up with production unit Parallel Thought for an album that finds his lyricism complemented by a strong musical backdrop.

Del has never been marred by weak production; in fact Domino, Dan The Automator, and others’ tracks that he has spit over have been quite competent in producing beats that fit his lyrics properly. Parallel Thought, the unit that produced the Parallel Uni-Verses album with him and Tame One, provide a consistent musical landscape that allows Del to perform his best on. Soulful, funky, and jazzy tracks are abundant on Attractive Sin, and Del shines brightest on this type of production. From “On Mommas House” at the beginning, to “Front Like Ya Know” at the ending, Del brings a freestyle flow filled with the abundance of personality that he has always displayed.

Parallel Thought and Del are a good fit for one another; however there are some issues with some of the songs on the album that standout upon repeated listens. A handful of the beats would almost be better served as strictly instrumental tracks, because with so much going on in the beat, it sometimes takes away from Del. The previously mentioned “On Mommas House,” while being a strong cut, ends up having musical changes, horns, and other noise that end up making Del sound like the track was all done via file sharing. While this is often the way of modern production, patching an emcee over way too much background instrumentation can become a hindrance. Think of what could have happened to Paul’s Boutique if The Beastie Boys and The Dust Brothers hadn’t perfected the album’s engineering.

Despite some of the issues with these more complex musical arrangements, the album is still a fresh, fun, and fulfilling listen. Hopefully more collaborations between the two parties will come down the pipeline in the future; it would be sinful for them not to hook up again.

What do Biz Markie, Busdriver, and Blueprint all have in common? Aside from the fact that all three have each made their mark on the hip-hop scene, they all seem as far apart in their lyrical and song delivery approach as possible. On his new album, Hope In Dirt City, Canada’s Cadence Weapon fuses the best elements of all three, most-likely unbeknownst to himself, to form a conceptually, musically, and lyrically dynamic listening experience.

H.I.D.C. is an album that doesn’t rely on formulaic loops and musical arrangements, and is equally diverse in subject matter. From rock, to reggae, to dance music, and a number of other genres, Cadence Weapon offers varied production that flows seamlessly with the unique song concepts he brings to the table. Oftentimes, the idea of this many styles of music being utilized ends up like a train wreck, but it is done to perfection here.

Having served as a government appointed poet laureate in Edmonton from 2009-2011, it’s no wonder that his respect for the spoken word is in top shape. Cadence’s songwriting can best be summarized as storytelling that fuses lyrical tangents and abstract lyrical approaches to create a consistent package. While this may not make sense upon reading, a quick listen to the record will help clarify. There is nary a hint of an emcee rapping for rap’s sake on this release, as each song offers a creative and humorous approach to original concepts. Notable standouts deal with an emcees best friend on stage on “Hype Man”, an appreciation for ghetto blasters on “Jukebox”, and the title track that closes out the album. However, there is really no filler here, and almost every song is guaranteed to offer something original, which makes it an album that requires active listening and not just a background throw on.

While the three aforementioned emcees probably will never be in the same location together, they are creatively summoned on Hope In Dirt City to create an album worthy of auditory exploration. Take Biz Markie’s humorous approach to songwriting; add the alternative production choices, and often humorous abstract lyricism of Busdriver; blend in the vocal projection that Blueprint has utilized effectively on some of his work, and you are left with a breakthrough artist from the frozen North. The time he put into this album shows, and the time it may take to fully crack what is going on may be comparable for the listener.

Let’s face it, Naughty By Nature haven’t necessarily had a plethora of new musical output over the past decade. Aside from Treach’s excellent guest verse on Celph Titled and Buckwild’s Nineteen Ninety Now, and a handful of other guest verses, they have mainly spent their time touring the world off of their catalog of hits they recorded between 1991 and 2002. Their highest profile activity was in 2008 when they received a VH1 Hip-Hop Honor. So, to the naysayers, it was probably an impossible feat for them to get back in the lab and cook up some tasty auditory treats. Then they started leaking some songs at the beginning of 2011, performed on Letterman, appeared on Live From HQ and anticipation began to grow for their album. Now we are at the end of 2011, and after many delays, it is safe to say that that feat has been successfully achieved with the release of Anthem Inc.

As they have done throughout their career, Anthem Inc. blends the commercial sensibilities of pop hooks, catchy choruses and traditional song structure with good production and Treach’s still rapid-fire delivery. The album starts off with “Naughty Nation” and an almost air-raid sounding horn, giving warning that Treach, Vin Roc, and Kay Gee are back on the scene. Throughout much of the album, Naughty puts across a positive and uplifting message, such as the one for the youth to choose the right path on “Flags.” However, they also deliver some of the hard-edged song concepts they are known for like early leak/video “I Gotta Lotta.”

Those who only know Naughty by their anthems, their five top ones rerecorded on this album at much quicker speeds, probably are unaware that their albums always have deep album cuts. Poverty’s Paradise may have been known for their anthems “Feel Me Flow” and “Craziest” but it also contained solid album cuts such as “The Chain Remains” and “Holdin’ Fort.” Anthem Inc. is no different; weighing in at twelve new tracks and the five previous classics. There are enough deep cuts to make this album have some replay value beyond the here-and-now.

Despite the strengths that this album displays, there are a few minor drawbacks to it. The overabundance of guest appearances, while all work and are placed properly, detract from the chance to hear more of Treach and Vinnie. Speaking of which, Vinnie is hardly on the album. You would think that in a decade he would be able to come up with some verses to contribute to the album, but his potential verses are taken up by different guests throughout. Additionally, some of the production tries too much to copy what is getting radio play these days, an example of which is “I Know What It’s Like” could easily be confused for an Akon track if you were to remove Naughty from the mix.

All in all, this album stands up as a solid effort and worth some replay value. It is good to have Naughty back on the scene, and hopefully they will work some of these new songs into their sets as they continue to tour the world on their anthems. Maybe someday in the future, some of the songs on Anthem Inc. will be rerecorded as they become anthems for our present era.

These days, most underground artists do not tour nationwide, let alone, worldwide. With the changing musical landscape, fickle fan bases, and the rising costs of touring, most East Coast clubs seldom see their brethren from the West roll through their towns. Zion I and the members of the Living Legends defy modern touring conventions. Both groups continue to put out music below the mainstream’s radar that allows them to constantly tour. Therapy At 3 by Eligh & Amp Live is another album that may lead members of each of these crews to gas up the vans and hit the road.

Eligh, best known as the Living Legend member with a rapid-fire flow and a member of the popular duo he forms with Legend emcee Grouch (G & E), pairs up with producer extraordinaire Amp Live of Zion I fame. This album kind of came out of nowhere with little build, but it is definitely worth a listen for people who are unfamiliar with both artists, and will not disappoint longtime fans. The team-up seemed inevitable since Grouch has appeared on Zion I’s albums since 2000 and they have released two albums together as a unit. Eligh was definitely waiting in the cut to spit over some Amp Live beats.

“Beautiful Addiction” (feat. Grieves & Blake Hazard) definitely is the most accessible song on this album with straightforward verses, a poppy beat, and female-sung chorus. For as much as songs like this could easily miss the mark, this one hits it right on. “Ego Killer” (feat. Inspired Flight) also uses the female-sung hook to open up accessibility.
Another standout track, “Metronome” sounds like a vintage Zion I beat, one that would have fit perfectly on Mind Over Matter. The beat switches up, but the metronome continues throughout. This displays the type of production a fan of Amp Live has come to expect over the years of Zion I-related releases.

“Tattoo Song” rides a bouncy beat, and deals with Eligh’s reason for all of his tattoos, which is based on his idea to “Transfer my inner pain to my outer frame.” An official video for this song is available online and a viewing is definitely recommended.

The thing that stands out most about this album is its cohesiveness. Between the intro and outro, each song features lush musical backdrops, beats that often switch on a dime and Eligh’s top-notch emceeing. Most of the songs bleed into outerludes that go all over the place and prepare the listener for a completely different listening experience to come on the next cut.

While not every song on this album is easily accessible to a fan of modern pop rappers, due to some of the abstract qualities of the lyricism and beats, there are plenty of gems to checkout. After you have taken the album in, be prepared to have your neck snap next time these members of The Living Legends and Zion I hit your town.

As I open the product, my body starts to shake in anticipation. The latest drug to hit the street, pure and uncut, a newfound experience with Mobb Deep’s Black Cocaine. Once I begin to take it in, my dopamine reactors start to surge. A reggae chant on “Dead Man Shoes” is a unique approach for Havoc and Prodigy. Unfortunately, the song never draws me in and I feel like I may have purchased some black baking soda.

I move onto the title track, trying to get my fix. The beat is a little catchier, some classic pianos in the background and a continual chant throughout the chorus. Now my fix is starting to be met. The horns from “Conquer” are an uplifting approach, and fit perfectly with the tone of the song. My high has me picturing a fighter entering the ring to this song, as it is reminiscent of “Rocky’s” theme music.

This package comes with a bonus, an appearance by Nas on “Get It Forever.” Maybe Mobb Deep knew that this appearance would be worth the price the dealer was charging. His flow is still one of the best in the game, a memory that will be embedded in my mind years after Black Cocaine is replaced by a new designer drug.

“Last Days” bangs harder than anything else on this release; what a way to end on a high. A rolling beat, vintage Alchemist. No wait, it’s by Freak Beats? Either way, the EP ends just as they have me hooked. Although the early introduction to Black Cocaine wasn’t what I would have anticipated, the latter half of the 5 song experience was worth the price tag.

One can only hope they release more like the latter half of this EP ASAP. Because like an addict, we will keep coming back for more, next time they put new product on the street.

After releasing one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums of 2010 (Nineteen Ninety Now), Celph Titled and Buckwild return, at the end of 2011, with Nineteen Ninety More; a companion piece to the album from last year. Anyone who spent any time on hip-hop websites and message boards, around the time of the release of Nineteen Ninety Now, will remember the plethora of posts the album spawned. Whether praiseworthy or critical, Celph and Buck generated one of the most talked about underground albums in years. With Buckwild unearthing unreleased beats from the mid 90’s, Celph Titled bringing his unique form of emceeing and concepts, Mista Sinista creating classic cuts, and a plethora of great guests, Nineteen Ninety Now stood out amongst the glut of microwave popcorn rap albums.

With Nineteen Ninety More, listeners are treated to eight cuts that didn’t appear on the original album. Four of the songs: “While You Slept (feat. Laws)”, “Good Hell Hunting (feat. Outerspace)”, “Rapid Fire (feat. Cella Dwellas)”, and “Get Stupid (feat. Lord Digga & Kwest)” were unreleased; three: “The Celph Titled Show”, “Nothin’ To Say (feat. Rise)” and “There Will Be Blood [Remix] (feat. DITC and Brand Nubian)”, appeared on a vinyl only EP, and “Buck’s Four Course Meal” served as a promotional track. In addition, the two disc package also includes all of the new instrumental tracks, and a second disc with all of the instrumentals off of Nineteen Ninety Now plus four bonus beats. It is definitely a package worthy of the asking price.

Any of the tracks on this companion piece could have easily been inserted into the original album, and it would have been as cohesive and strong as it already was, so one must wonder why some of the original songs got the go ahead while others did not. “Rapid Fire”, with one of the first appearances of the Cella Dwellas on a release in years, could have easily replaced songs like “Tingin’” or “Wack Juice” and made Now an even stronger release. It is a rarity to hear Lord Digga and Kwest these days, and being notable 90’s underground heroes, they would have been a perfect addition to last year’s album. Luckily, we get them all here spitting over vintage Buckwild production.

The true highlight of this album is being able to listen to more beats Buckwild made around the era of Big L’s Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, Kool G Rap’s 4, 5, 6, O.C.’s Word… Life, and many more classics. It’s a shame that the standard for hip-hop beats and digging have deteriorated over the years, to the point that his leftover beats tend to be better than the best beats that most producers make nowadays.

Overall, Nineteen Ninety More is the perfect complement to Nineteen Ninety Now. You get a modern emcee working with an excellent producer’s unearthed masterpieces. Although some may have questioned Celph’s work in the past, he truly stepped his game up with the songs on this album. More is an album that will keep heads bobbing and smiles on listeners’ faces that miss 90’s hip-hop but aren’t stuck in the past.