“Aaiyo, Copperpot, I don’t know what you got cookin’, but I’m definitely loving what you got on the oven right now,” guest emcee Akbar narrates on the final full track of Chicago producer Copperpot’s debut album Chapter 7. And though this marks some of the final words of Chapter 7, the message comes across [cont.]

      Both Mr. Lif and Akrobatik have paid their dues for years in the forever slept on Boston underground scene, first coming up during the 90′s indy 12inch boom, then delivering a pair of solid debut full-lengths in the form of I Phantom and Balance, respectively. Along with DJ Fakts-One, the two have joined forces [cont.]

     The Chicago collective known as the Single Minded Pros have been around for quite awhile. What used to be group of six has now dwindled to two over the years as DJ Rude One and Doc West have rocked together since the early 90′s. The two DJs have made a name for themselves over [cont.]

        For the record, this particular critic was never 50′s biggest fan, and really, really wanted to hate this album. But in the interest of reviewing records objectively, yours truly found out that it wasn?t actually 50 Cent’s music that bothered him, but it was actually 50 Cent as person he didn’t like. This esteemed [cont.]

Mixtape/Compilation Release, No Rating Given      Since 1996, the emcee and DJ/producer duo (Chace Infinite & DJ Khalil) collectively named Self Scientific, without the hyphen bridged together their constant quest for the knowledge of self with pounding, sinister beats that draw from the inner, unfelt soul and spirit. Keep these integral elements in mind when [cont.]

      Call it resilience or call it stubbornness, but MC/producer Capital D and DJ Tone B. Nimble of All Natural have not sacrificed their independent spirit and uplifting approach for anyone. Seven years after kicking down the doors of the underground with their unforgettable debut, No Additives, No Preservatives, this dynamic yet under-appreciated Chicago duo [cont.]

     The Testament is one of Hip Hop’s premier throw back albums.  It was intended to be released in 1997 on Def Jam, however, the label felt Mega lacked the superstar quality needed to succeed and the album was shelved indefinitely.  Since then fans have sought after The Testament for years.  Now after eight long [cont.]

Mixtape / Compilation – No Rating Given.            As the wise old saying goes, “There are other fish out there in the sea.”       Chali 2NA (pronounced Tuna), of Jurassic 5 fame, is out to prove that, by name, he may be one of the smaller fish in the sea, but in the crowded fish [cont.]

      As perhaps one of underground hip-hop most revered new faces, Aesop Rock is an artist who purposely went against the grain, and in a rare occurrence, has seen strong success because of it. His vocabulary rich rhymes don’t always make sense, and as he has said in interviews, they aren’t always necessarily supposed to. [cont.]

    Every group has that one guy that everyone knew was a star and could (or would) go solo. Naughty By Nature had Treach, Leaders of the New School had Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest had Q-Tip, etc. Little Brother has been making a great deal of noise lately. But most of the fingers [cont.]

 While the name Mike Patton is celebrity among dedicated rock listeners, for many hip-hop heads it remains faceless. For those that don’t know, Patton is the creative force behind Faith No More, and if that’s still not ringing any bells, the infectious hook to the band’s turn-of-the-90′s hit “Epic” should: “Yoooooou waaaaant it all but [cont.]

“Dial the seven digits, call up Bridget, Her man’s a midget, plus she got friends, Yo, I can dig it,” Opio rhymed on the 1993 title track from the Souls of Mischief debut album, ’93 ‘Til Infinity, an album regarded by many as a certified hip-hop classic during an era when much of rap music [cont.]

Mixtape/Compilation Release; No Rating Given       When Jay Dee left Slum Village , a young hungry emcee named Elzhi was chosen to take his place. With that, the super talented emcee was brought in to bring a level of lyricism that was yet to be heard from Slum Village . But if you were fortunate [cont.]

     Also known as One Man Army of the now defunct group, Binary Star hailing from Detroit, One Be Lo’s official solo debut LP carries an acronym which stands for: Sounds Of Nashid Originate Good Rhymes And Music. With his 1988 upbringing on hip hop, influenced mainly by artists such as KRS-ONE and Ice Cube, [cont.]

Mixtape/Compilation Release; No Rating Given       It was producing tandem the Neptunes who first coined the term N.E.R.D., an acronym that stood for “No One Ever Really Dies,” when they released their debut album In Search Of… and their subsequent sophomore album Fly or Die. And in the hip-hop world, the N.E.R.D. acronym has become [cont.]

 The enigmatic Sage Francis returns, following his critically acclaimed solo debut album, Personal Journals, and its unofficial sequel that came in the form of Non-Prophets’ Hope, along with Joe Beats and DJ Mek. Now on punk label, Epitaph, Sage brings A Healthy Distrust, his official sophomore solo album. But which version of Sage do we [cont.]

    The king of the south? Young emcee T.I. has crowned himself ruler of the entire down bottom region, after building a steady fanbase with his first two releases, I’m Serious and Trap Muzik. With Urban Legend, the hungry and now familiar face looks to solidify himself as one of hip-hop three kings, seated next to [cont.]

      Big Noyd, like some of his Queensbridge counterparts Littles, Infamous Mobb, and even Illa Ghee, is a rapper trying to crack into the upper echelon of QB - a starting lineup that currently consists of emcees like Nas, Prodigy, Cormega, Havoc, and even Alchemist to a certain recent extent. Breaking into hip-hop with his mid-90s [cont.]

   Mr. X-To-The-Z has had a long career of paying dues and crew hopping, from getting his start as a member of the Likwit Crew, to deflecting to the Shady/Aftermath family, and most recently deflecting again to become godfather of his own crew, Strong Arm Steady. But despite having one of the most dangerous flows [cont.]

     It’s amazing that there has never been a solo release from an artist as talented as Wordsworth. He’s made a name for himself by collaborating with the finest emcees in the underground, not to mention his days freestyling on MTV’s Lyricist Lounge. After almost six years of hype and anticipation, Wordsworth has finally completed [cont.]