Nas’s bold declaration that “hip-hop is dead” might shock some of today’s new generation of hip-hop listeners, but the fact of the matter is, heads from Nas’ era have been saying that for years. But Nas’ isn’t sour. He has accepted that the artform that we grew up on has changed completely in the [cont.]

   Yeah, this is late, but early-January reviews are meant for mea culpa records - albums that certain people should have gotten around to reviewing - but never did. There were early criticisms of Soft Money when it first dropped: “not experimental enough” (!) said the alternative media, “too weird” (!!) said the predictable hip hop press. That kind [cont.]

Unofifical remix album; no rating given.  When the Black Album remix craze hit the streets, many argued over who had the hottest remix. The Grey Album by Danger Mouse was the most unique by far, while others would argue about Kev Brown’s Brown Album and Kno of Cunninglynguists’ White Albulum. All the while, a remix [cont.]

   Of course, the key question is how this record ended up on Anticon in the first place. The label’s most “standard” hip-hop release to this point might just be Deep Puddle’s The Taste of Rain…Why Kneel. You remember that record? Dose One rapped about being a candle, while Slug rapped about being a candle, [cont.]

   One sad fact of today’s music industry is that when it comes down to record sales, it’s 90% imaging, 10% talent. Just ask the Black Eyed Peas, who struggled to break into the mainstream with their first two solid releases, Behind The Front and Bridging The Gap. It wasn’t until the addition of Fergie (and [cont.]

    As a man, it’s really hard to say the words “I like the new Justin Timberlake album” aloud. I mean, look at the history. As a child, he started off his career as a member of the Mickey Mouse Club (next to Britney and Christina), and as a young adult, he made up 1/5 [cont.]

    After boy bands and pop-stars were mocked and destroyed by acts like Blink 182 and Eminem, the TRL set decided it was time to take this rap shit seriously, so to speak. Gwen Stefani and Britney got The Neptunes, Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado got Timbaland, and Fergie kept it in house with Will.I.Am. [cont.]

  Nelly Furtado? Don’t know much about her, except that she had some kind of crossover pop hit aimed at the adult contemporary audience a few years back. But now, she’s teamed up with super-producer Timbaland for Loose, her third LP, and attempt to capture the hearts of a younger demographic. Truth be told, she [cont.]

    It’s hard to imagine that Fergie’s The Dutchess would be better than Gwen Stefani’s The Sweet Escape, especially considering the fact that Fergie is more or less doing her best Gwen Stefani impression. But in an attempt to make sure the Black Eyed Peas’ white girl didn’t steal her thunder, that’s exactly what happened. After [cont.]

     While it’s been two years since Eminem released his last album, The Eminem Show, he’s determined to keep his name – and his record label – in the spotlight, even in the off seasons. Enter The Re-Up, a Shady Records “mixtape” of sorts, that spotlights the label’s entire roster, as well as a few [cont.]

Medicine: a drug or remedy used for treating illness.    Nas proclaimed that Hip-Hop is dead and Jay-Z declared his return would save the game.  Many artists are not pleased with the current state of Hip-Hop, but refrain from being vocal about their disdain, in fear of being called a hater.  Others make their own [cont.]

   With ten years in the game and five full-length albums to its name, Jedi Mind Tricks has proven to be one of underground hip-hop’s most consistent and successful groups. Still, for much of its existence, the duo consisting of emcee Vinnie Paz and producer Stoupe has been referred to as a one-trick pony. While there’s [cont.]

     Remember the Juggaknots? For this generation of hip-hop fans, the answer is probably “no”, but for those who are deeply entrenched in the evolution of underground and east coast hip hop, the Juggaknots represent much more than a blank stare.  The duo that gave you “Clear Blue Skies” was supposed to do so much more [cont.]

    “Maybe one day you’ll be a star…..” sings Mary J. Blige on “Can’t Knock The Hustle”, the somber introduction to Jay-Z’s 1996 classic debut, Reasonable Doubt. Of course the line was meant for those envious of his flossy lifestyle, not Jay himself. But that was the appeal of Jay-Z - even at the birth of [cont.]

   While the Wu dynasty reaches a point where a reunion album is nothing more than a myth (and a Rock The Bells concert), Ghostface continues to carry tradition on his back and broad shoulders. This year already saw Ghost come correct with Fishscale, but before the year closes out, Ghost has put together a [cont.]

    At this point, we kind of all know what to expect from a Snoop album. With his classic debut, Doggystyle, he set the precedent for every other Snoop album to follow. He lost his way for a bit during the Doggfather Death Row era, as well as a short stint on No Limit. But [cont.]

    “The Wu is too slammin’ for these Cold Killin’ labels/some ain’t had hits since I seen Aunt Mabel/be doin’ artists in like Cain did Abel/now their money’s gettin’ stuck to the gum under the table.”  This was stated by the GZA over a decade ago, but actually holds more weight now than it did [cont.]

X to the Z, AvireX to the Z, Malcolm X to the Z or just plain old X, has been one of the West Coast’s most underrated lyricists. Maybe he has been overshadowed by his side projects as of late: movies (Grid Iron Gang, Derailed, or maybe even the low budget joint with Bussa Buss, [cont.]

  It could be argued that Clipse’s Lord Willin’, is a certified street classic. Here was a record that was propelled by an incredibly raw single (“Grindin”), followed-up with a undeniable club anthem (“When’s The Last Time”), boasting wall to wall Neptunes production from start to finish. But nobody said this when it came out. [cont.]

   Chicago has become the quintessential breeding ground for Hip-Hop. It has taken every musical element from every coast and crafted its own niche in this culture. The Molemen (Panik and Memo) are a production team that can be considered as a part of the elder statesmen within this movement brewing. They embody the windy city [cont.]