In The Deck

Gangrene (Alchemist + Oh No) – “Vodka & Ayahuasca” – @@@@1/2

Quite easily the first great album of 2011, Alchemist and Oh No return as Gangrene with Vodka & Ayahuasca, their second collaborative album. Sharing duties on mics and boards, the duo have created a tripped out concept album, blending psychedelic samples with blunted rhymes. [cont.]

In The Deck

Schoolboy Q – “Habits and Contridictions” – @@@1/2 (Review)

With the arrival of Kendrick Lamar, all eyes have been on the Black Hippy crew, which also includes Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Schoolboy Q. Schoolboy Q is next out the gate, with the clique’s first release of the new year, Habits & Contridictions. But is Q just as talented as his Dr. Dre blessed brother? [cont.]

In The Deck

Stalley – “Lincoln Way Nights (Reissue)” – @@@1/2

With the string of success that MMG label has had in the past year, every release from any of its artists warrants some sort of attention. As one of the more recent signees to the labels, Stalley comes through with his Lincoln Way Nights project, a re-release of the mixtape that he dropped in early 2011.

It should be noted very early that despite being an integral part of MMG, this is not an MMG release. No, this project is by all means a testament of Stalleys’ own creativity, and possibly what led Rick Ross to signing him in the first place. The Ohio native gives listeners a chance to understand his perspective on things, without having to distance him self from any of his label mates. [cont.]

In The Deck

Rick Ross – “Rich Forever” – @@@ (Review)

Rappers and rap listeners may hate on Rick Ross, but one thing remains true: everyday he’s hustlin’. And we’re not just quoting his debut singles’ hook. Literally, every freaking day this man litters the internet with new music, news, videos etc, from either himself or members of his MMG label. So, if you are an artist sitting at home, wondering why you haven’t blown up yet, maybe the answer is that you simply don’t work as hard as Rick Ross. Just a theory. [cont.]

In The Deck

Torae – “For The Record” – @@@@ (Review)

Coney Island emcee, Torae, has been building a steady fan base, gaining recognition through collaborations with DJ Premier, his ‘Barrel Brother’ Skyzoo, and of course, producer Marco Polo. Torae’s 2009 collaboration Double Barrel with producer Marco Polo was critically acclaimed and left fans wanting more from “Da Young Veteran”. With his long anticipated official debut For the Record, Torae looks to make a splash and give the fans what they’ve been craving. [cont]

In The Deck

Asher Roth – “Pabst & Jazz (Mixtape)” – @@@@ (Review)

Every artist has some kind of stigma or preconceived notion about themselves that they forever try to live down. For Asher Roth, it was the inevitable Eminem comparisons, which he addressed head-on on his debut LP, Asleep In The Bread Isle on a track called “As I Em”. He’s done enough at this point to shed those parallels, but the new thing he’s trying to live down is everything that came with the success of his smash “I Love College”. While this single presented him as a fun-loving, weed-smoking, beer-ponging frat guy, he’s actually much more than that. If he’s even that at all…[cont.]

In The Deck

Blu – “No! York” – @@@ / Blu & Exile – “Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them” – @@@@

In 2007, Blu dropped an underground classic with producer Exile called Below The Heavens. Almost a perfect hip-hop record, this was almost the album that closed the book on the indie hip-hop movement. The Fat Beats vinyl era was coming to an end, while the digital blog-hop movement was just beginning. A large part of this new era of releasing hip-hop music via the internet (how revolutionary!) was also kicked off by the debut of XXL’s Freshmen list in 2009. Blu found a place on the magazine’s first list, thanks to the constant replay received by Below The Heavens - well after it’s release – and also landed a deal with Warner Bros.

Since then, we’ve seen Blu drop a handful of independent projects – many times going against the grain, getting downright experimental on the listener. While the response has been hit and miss to many of these lo-fi, unmixed, just-sort-of-thrown-out-there releases, heads have been wondering two things. 1) Where is his long-awaited Warner Bros debut and 2) When will he reunite with Exile for a sequel to Below The Heavens? [cont.]

In The Deck

T.I. – “F*ck The City Up” – @@@1/2 (Review)

Fresh off a stint in prison, the self -proclaimed, “King of the South”, T.I., returns with his latest musical offering to start the year off right. The Grand Hustle leader presents a mixtape full of all original music to prep fans for his inevitable studio release coming sooner than later. If it feels like we’ve been here before, it’s because we have. Let’s just hope Tip stays out of trouble long enough to keep the music coming consistently this time. With the intent of being the first thing people heard once the new year started, Tip returns triumphantly with one primary objective, to F*ck Da City Up. [cont.]

In The Deck

Common – “The Dreamer / The Believer” – @@@@1/2 (Review)

Interesting how things come full circle – Common’s longtime producer No I.D. (Can-I-Borrow-I-Dollar-longtime) recently found himself producing hit tracks for Kanye West’s last two LP’s – while Common went on to tap guys like The Neptunes, Dilla, and Kanye himself for his last few LP’s. With No I.D. taking on the position of executive VP of Def Jam, he’s certainly built his own legacy outside of Common’s first three albums, and now the two reunite for The Dreamer / The Believer. [cont.]

In The Deck

Naughty By Nature – “Anthem Inc” – @@@1/2 (Review)

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. [cont.]

In The Deck

Cappadonna – “The Pilgrimage” – @@@ (Review)

The standard definition of the term energy is a feeling of possessing such strength and vitality, and perhaps this is the most fitting adjective that symbolizes rapper Cappadonna, the Staten Island native from the hip-hop group the Wu Tang Clan. Energy is also an element that remains consistent throughout his latest work of The Pilgrimage album. [cont.]

In The Deck

Median – “The Sender” – @@@@ (Review)

North Carolina-based emcee Median knows how to alleviate the drama. His first two projects; The Path to Relief EP and Median’s Relief appear to be named in that spirit, and The Sender is no exception. Brought to you by Jamla and +FE Music, the full length sophomore offering of this Hall of Justus comrade actualizes a breath of fresh air. [cont.]

In The Deck

B.o.B. – “E.P.I.C. (Every Play Is Crucial)” – @@@1/2 (Review)

B.o.B. has seen a relatively quick road to success over the past few years, thanks to massive pop singles like the lovey-dovey “Nothin’ On You” with Bruno Mars and the more introspective “Airplanes” with Eminem. But prior to his deal with T.I.’s Grand Hu$tle imprint, Bobby Ray was making noise on the mixtape scene, and he continues to do so by giving back to his fans with these compilations of studio floor sessions. He caps off 2011 with EPIC (Every Play Is Crucial), a flawed, yet solid release that shows his range as both an underground lyricist and a contemporary rap artist. [cont.]

In The Deck

Snoop Dogg + Wiz Khalifa – “Mac & Devin Go To High School” – @@@@ (Review)

Like-minded individuals Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa have joined together for Mac & Devin Go To High School, a full-length movie and accompanying soundtrack. Admittedly, with Wiz’s buzz deflating slightly after the lukewarm response to Rolling Papers, and an album from Snoop that went virtually unnoticed by the hip-hop community (Doggumentary), expectations for this were pretty low. But after a few listens, Snoop and Wiz’s collabo is surprisingly solid. [cont.]

In The Deck

Rapper Big Pooh – “Dirty Pretty Things” – @@@1/2 (Review)

In every group, there is always a breakout star. Michael Jackson stood out in the Jackson 5. Q-Tip is the most recognizable face of A Tribe Called Quest. You know the story. Group breaks up, one member goes on to super stardom.

In the case of Rapper Big Pooh, he found himself initially on the wrong end of the stardom tree. Largely overshadowed by former Little Brother group members Phonte and 9th Wonder, Pooh scrapped and clawed for the any recognition he got amidst a sea of criticism. Little Brother’s breakup may have been a sad day for fans of dope beats and dope rhymes but it may arguably be the greatest thing that happened to Pooh. [cont.]