With funk and soul revivalists still in high demand, Staten Island’s The Budos Band makes a welcome entrance onto the scene with their somewhat familiar and always soulful brand of afro-influenced instrumental music heard on their self-titled debut. Unlike other modern afrobeat, funk and soul groups like Antibalas or Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, [cont.]

You could see the gears beneath his neatly dreaded locks turning as he sat on the 106 & Park couch after the release of his fourth album, Tha Carter. An album esteemed for the fact that it marked the beginning of a transmutation of sorts. From a child taken off the streets, placed into a [cont.]

    As hip-hop itself begins to become less and less interesting, there’s always someone new who comes along and breathes new life into the artform. M.I.A. isn’t exactly a hip-hop artist, but make no mistake, to emcee is her ambition. The style of the Sri Lankan born Maya Arulpragasm can perhaps be described as revolutionary-girl-power-reggae, [cont.]

     Just who in the hell is Dave Ghetto? Well, he was the artist formally known as Az-Iz who dropped a single on Fondle Em with his group the Nuthouse titled “A Luv Supream.” Their debut album on Goodvibe titled Deez Nutz managed to make enough noise for Dave to begin working with artists Slum [cont.]

     As a founding member of Bad Boys’ Boyz In The Hood collective, Young Jeezy is the first from the crew to go solo, landing a deal with Def Jam after Jay-Z signed him to the label. Since the July release of his debut, we’ve seen Jeezy land rave reviews and chart topping singles, so [cont.]

     It’s been awhile since J Rawls and J Sands dropped an album together. The much heralded Lone Catalysts have been virtually invisible – sans a few J Rawls releases – since they dropped the critically acclaimed Hip-Hop back in 2001. So, while we have sat and been drilled with crappy release after crappy release, [cont.]

    With the world in an abysmal state (War in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, Genocide in Sudan, rioting in France, etc) it is refreshing to see 11 emcees take it upon themselves to make a statement. Enter The Reavers (Revolutionary Emcees Advocating their Views on Everyday Reality Struggles), consisting of Vordul (Cannibal Ox), Akir (XXL Unsigned [cont.]

    For the most part “vanity projects” don’t pan out. What is a “vanity project” you ask? It’s when a celebrity becomes so big (and so vein), that they feel they can do anything. The problem with this type of project is that while the average rapper, actor, or athlete, is probably really good at [cont.]

    Being a Canibus fan, it has become tougher and tougher to acknowledge the fact that the rhyme animal has grown out of fierce punchlines and ridiculous wordplay and has matured in a completely different way many of us had hoped initially. It is unfair for us as fans to think that an artist can’t [cont.]

Compilation; No Rating Given    “All I know is Big here, Dre gone/ moved on/ changed names from Aquemini to Purple Ribbon,” says Killer Mike, one of Purple Ribbon’s marquee artists, as he bluntly clarifies the cloudy quagmire surrounding the Dungeon Families future affairs, on the opening track of Big Boi’s formal introduction of his [cont.]

    Talib Kweli has been on the verge of stardom for quite some time now. After establishing himself as an elite lyricist on Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, he proved his brilliance and ability to make a complete album with Reflection Eternal. He was an underground darling that’s star glowed so flawlessly [cont.]

   His name is Paul Wall, he’s the people’s champ. He’s got the internet going nuts, what it do? By now you’ve seen him on T.V., he’s the guy that sticks out like a sore thumb in all of those crunk, dirty south videos, as the only white face in the crowd. But Paul’s race [cont.]

    Somebody get Praswell a drink.  As the red headed stepchild of The Fugees, Pras has endured years of frustration, hate and setbacks.  It is never easy being the “other guy” in a superstar group, but that is what Pras has had to live with his entire career.  With his sophomore album, – Win, Lose [cont.]

  The Trinity sounds like Sean Paul’s overzealous response to all who may have thought that he wasn’t a real dancehall artist, but rather a more polished Shaggy, after the release of his breakthrough record Dutty Rock (2002).  There are no electric joints like “Gimme the Light” or breezy dancefloor anthems such as “Like Glue”. Instead, [cont.]

      Ironically coinciding with the release of The Naked Truth, Lil’ Kim counts the days until her own release; a release from federal prison, that is. You can read it in any newspaper; the Queen Bee was found guilty on charges of perjury and conspiracy, in order to protect her friends that were involved in [cont.]

    Sheek Louch proved he’s quite capable of rocking the mic without his Lox brethren when he dropped his solid solo debut, Walk Witt Me, in 2003.  He has further cemented his status as the streets disciple with his new release After Taxes.     The album starts strong with the cinematic, Buckwild produced “Intro” where [cont.]

          The dreaded “P” word.  It haunts us all, but some more than others.  Potential.  It’s meant to be a compliment, but sometimes it ends up being more curse than gift.  Towards the end of Michael Jordan’s career, sportswriters across the country couldn’t wait to proclaim the “next MJ”.  Remember the list of next-in-lines?  [cont.]

     When Breakestra appeared on the scene just at the start of the millenium, they immediately grabbed the attention of longtime hip-hop listeners with their Stones Throw debut, The Live Mix Vol. Two. Reason being, was because like the group’s name suggests, their album was an hour long mix of classic funk and soul breaks [cont.]

    Little Brother and the Justus League aren’t the only emcees to come out of the North Carolina area. Supastition has slowly been carving his own niche in the southern area with his crafty wordplay and in your face style. He surprised many with standout track “The Williams” (produced by an upstart Nicolay) and went [cont.]

     The past two years have been great for Bun B. Almost as great as the UGK guest spot on “Big Pimpin’” that launched them into the homes of millions of MTV viewers around the globe, all wondering in unison, “Who are the hell are they?” Unfortunately, because of label and legal woes, UGK never [cont.]