There’s no doubting that MIMS has one of the hottest songs in the country.  His first single, “This Is Why I’m Hot”, is a bona fide hit.  However when a rapper achieves such early commercial success, he runs the risk of being a “one hit wonder”.  With his debut album, Music Is My Savior, [cont.]

   When J Rawls linked up with Declaime in Las Vegas, it almost became apparent that the two should work on a project together. Coupling Dudley’s spaced out rhymes with Rawls’ underappreciated, soulful production, could turn out to be the equivalent of a Vegas lounge show. So to those two, who spent a week together [cont.]

     With an illustrious 10+ year career behind them, the Infamous Mobb Deep have had their ups and downs, not to mention several different shifts in styles, but have more or less always delivered their trademark brand of “murda muzik”. With The Infamous Archives, executive producer J-Love digs deep into the vaults, unearthing music that [cont.]

    Most in the Hip Hop and R&B worlds haven’t a clue as to who 4hero is, but to those who are familiar with downtempo music scene, 4hero are….well….heroes. Dennis “Dego” McFarlane and Mark “Marc Mac” Clair are considered pioneers of the movement and have been frolicking about the UK with their signature sound. Sooner [cont.]

    Pizzo hit the nail right on the head when he wrote in his Thoughts of a Predicate Felon (Tony Yayo) review, “Every artist has them: the posse, the entourage, the crewmembers, the hangers-on, the yes-men, the down-since-day-one homies, the distant relatives- all of which happen to rap” B.G., former Hot Boy and ex-Cash Money [cont.]

     Musiq has had a recording life much longer than many artists in his genre. While the Neo-Soul tag has lost its luster and the sea of artists lumped in this genre have come and gone (Donnie, anyone?), it’s truly a wonder that Musiq still stands tall. Nothing about him has immediately shouted superb, but [cont.]

    Main Source consisted of three members, legendary producer and emcee, Large Professor, and two talented DJs, Sir Scratch and K-Cut. According to Large Pro, the group’s formation was not the result of an organic friendship, but a shared love for making music. After releasing Breaking Atoms and a couple of singles, the trio broke [cont.]

    As Evidence prepared his solo entree for the world, The Weatherman, there were many questions that floated about. Was he separating with Rakaa & Babu for any specific reason? Was this just a one shot deal? Can he do it all by himself? Would this be the a candidate for album of the year when all [cont.]

   In a musical world marred by cliche, thankfully there are still a select few artists still willing to push the proverbial envelope. One of these artists, producer Thes One, is set to reinvent the hip-hop instrumental album with his inaugural solo release, Lifestyle Marketing.     Thes, one-half of underground favorites People Under the Stairs, [cont.]

    I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead is the second official solo album from producer / emcee, El-P, who also doubles as founder of Definitive Jux and one time member of Company Flow. To say that this is a step-up from Fantastic Damage or Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vien, would be an understatement, as El has [cont.]

     Instrumentalist RJD2 has had a great half-a-decade. His two solo albums for Definitive Jux � Dead Ringer and Since We Last Spoke � not only represent two of the label’s most successful and solid releases, but also have been a licensing treasure trove for the producer. Not to mention producing a handful of hip-hop [cont.]

   Peep game. For over ten years, Consequence has ran in all of the right circles, been cosigned by legendary artists, but has yet to become a hip-hop household name. Cousin to Q-Tip, he made his first appearance as the “new member” of A Tribe Called Quest, appearing all over the Beats, Rhymes, and Life [cont.]

     Take one undeniable rap anthem, one remix of said anthem showcasing popular rappers of the time, stir in a Mick Boogie mixtape, and you’ve got the modern day recipe for how to sell a rap album and make a name for yourself, especially for most of the artists in the recent Southern rap boom. [cont.]

     Originally released in 2003, J. Dilla’s Ruff Draft was a limited edition vinyl release for UK based imprint, Mummy Records. Selling out almost overnight, this lost chapter in the Yancey legacy was unheard by most of his fans - not only because of its limited edition nature, but also because of its vinyl only status. [cont.]

     Amy Winehouse isn’t a hip-hop artist, but she comes from the hip-hop generation, and it shows in her music. Whether drowning her sorrows out in liquor over missing the Slick Rick gig (“Me and Mr Jones”), or enlisting Ghostface to rhyme on her “You Know I’m No Good” single, Amy Winehouse takes this rap [cont.]

     Rza’s production triumphs are legendary. From Wu-Tang to various guest tracks, his style is both recognizable and wide-ranging. His latest endeavor, Afro Samurai: The Soundtrack, Rza showcases instrumental tracks, collaborative efforts and epic film scores all in one. Although the music here is predominantly for the Afro Samurai cartoon series, the result is a [cont.]

     The Yin-Yang was a symbol in ancient Chinese philosophy that visually represented two opposing forces, each which contained elements of the opposite side, and at the same time were dependant on the other. These complimentary opposites poignantly symbolized many naturally occurring rivalries in nature: man and woman, day and night, fire and water, and [cont.]

Mixtape Release; No Rating Given      Originally released as a slim-line tour only mix CD, word caught on quickly about De La Soul’s Impossible Mission release, a collection of unreleased tracks from the past 12 years. The CD was given proper treatment by Traffic Distribution, encased in a beautiful digipak for the Japanese audience. So [cont.]

    Black Milk is an emcee/producer who comes from the school of Detroit producers and class of J Dilla. While the comparisons can be lofty, they can also be flattering for an up and coming artist. Black Milk can hold onto the fact that the Dilla associations are expected. But considering how solid his new LP, [cont.]

(Mixtape album; no rating given)     There are certain emcees that you wish would have came out 10-15 years ago. Back when people appreciated skill over the nonsensical bullshit that’s released today. When an emcee could be an emcee, and people loved someone who could spit. Apathy is one of those emcees. He has everything [cont.]