Following the success of two critically acclaimed, backpack bestseller EP’s, J-Zone and his crew of Old Maid Billionaires look to make their names known in the world of hip-hop music with their official debut, Pimps Don’t Pay Taxes. Still sleeping on J-Zone and his crew? Time to play catch up – and while the name [cont.]

The female emcee is perhaps the most rare species in hip-hop music today, as every time the music evolves, its Y chromosome deficient survivors are countable on one-hand, and usually pretty easily to categorize. On one end, there are the leaders (Queen Latifah , Yo Yo), the B-girls (MC Lyte , Bahamadia ), and the [cont.]

 What does Cormega have in common with Large Professor and J-Live? Well, like the aforementioned, Cormega’s aborted Def Jam  debut, The Testament, gained notoriety for being one of the most celebrated unreleased LP’s in hip-hop history. What the S.O.S.A. EP did for former Firm cohort, AZ, the heavily bootlegged Testament had a similar ripple effect for Mega, [cont.]

Because of his odd choice for an emcee name, and even stranger choice for a title of his debut album (Big Bang Boogie, anyone?), Akbar’s debut release may be the most overlooked gem of the year. As one of the debut artists to represent M-Boogie’s Ill Boogie  roster, this virtually unknown talent comes out of [cont.]

 What’s in a name? In the last few years, independent hip-hop has evolved into such a strange animal. It’s made of two groups of artists, 1) a bunch of well-known emcees who at one time had a huge buzz, but are now past their prime, or simply never had a hit, and 2) a bunch [cont.]

 For the past few years, the Wu-Tang Clan has stood on its last limbs, stringing its remaining fans along between releases, with listeners hoping that each of these albums would be the one that would return the Clan to it’s throne. While recent albums from solo members like Raekwon, Cappadonna, and Inspectah Deck have not lived up [cont.]

Ab Rude is deserving of a release of this caliber. He’s grown well into his character. Dues have been paid, now it’s time to recuperate. A framework has been built from the lofty esotericisms of seminal Project Blowed landmarks a la the timeless narrative “Maskaraid” and the revered Underground Fossils EP. Onto Mood Pieces (a [cont.]

      Discovered by Organized Konfusion during hip-hop’s independent boom, Mr. Complex still remains one of the most underrated and misunderstood emcees in his class. He’s caught the attention of the indy rap audience with a consistent string of 12″ singles, not to mention as a card carrying member of the (defunct?) NYC unsigned hype supergroup, [cont.]

 On the celebratory posse-cut “Da Bridge” Nas laments “we from the largest project, yo the biggest on earth, Queensbridge know the history, left y’all cursed.” While Nas’ salvo may at first appear to be nothing more then your typical, emcee hood-reppin rhetoric, there is truth to his manifesto. After all, the infamous Queensbridge projects have churned [cont.]

De La Soul has reached that point in their career, where they d rather not be broke, and have a whole lot of respect. As their last album hinted, the members of De La Soul are tired of being heroes for the underground, when the underground doesn’t put food on their plate (that is, at [cont.]

After selling some 60,000 records independently, and getting crowned with a Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy), Swollen Members return with the follow-up to their well-received debut, Balance. Bad Dreams is the second chapter in Swollen Members legacy, expanding on their original idea, tightening up their song structure, and securing their place in the [cont.]

 Daddy Kev is like the West Coast DJ Premier. Bold perhaps, but accurate – I’d say so. Sure, The Alchemist might be his prodigy, Evidence snaps-a-neck like him and M-Boogie, well, sounds exactly like him, but who makes rappers almost sound bad (or at least, perhaps less desirable) without his beat? Well, Primo for one and Daddy [cont.]

Casual’s comeback trail is still getting blazed but the road isn’t as smooth as we’d probably like. His braggadocio style is as brutal as always and “Same O.G.” gives you a full three verses to marinate in. The hook is the only things that’s really off – “just because I got my own CD/and I’m [cont.]

      “In five years I see myself where Jay-Z is now”, said North Philly’s Grand Agent to the interviewer in an article printed in a Landspeed distribution catalog. Whether the Agent’s aspirations are attainable, or merely dreams remains to be seen – but in either case, By Design is the blueprint for whatever the outcome, dipping into [cont.]

 The Pittsburgh to Cincinnati duo of J. Rawls and J. Sands are Hip-Hop personified, from Sands off-beat lyrical sidestep to Rawls sublime musical subtleties, the two have risen above the blase’ marketeers to become a respectable pair for 2001 and beyond. The Lone Catalysts’ sound isn’t abrasive or mind-altering, rather it’s subdued, with a producer/emcee relationship reminiscent [cont.]

Known to most as the “I Hate You So Much Right Now Girl”, she should be better known as the first act executive produced by The Neptunes for their own Star Trak Entertainment imprint. While this is her second album, (the first best known for it’s irate single “Caught Out There”), Kelis is experiencing the classic Neptunes [cont.]

Masta Ace is sick and tired of hip-hop; at least one would think so after listening to his fourth entry, Disposable Arts. With over ten years under his belt, his career spans from humble beginnings, back when it was just he and The Biz (puppet), to his Brooklynized attack on the gangsta-rap Slaughterhouse, and it’s [cont.]

In essence, the release of Binary Star’s Masters Of The Universe (also known as Waterworld) was comparable to Brandon Lee’s untimely death while filming The Crow. Here was an album that was recorded in 1997 and 1998, but was held in the vaults until the year 2000, when it was finally released. It received a [cont.]

 Working as their second release, following last year’s Nightlife EP, The Outsidaz, a once dirty dozen that spawned the likes of Eminem  and Rah Digga, bring their first full-length project with The Bricks. With most of its members hailing from the same Jersey city that has been immortalized on Redman’s last few albums, The Bricks [cont.]