Hip-hop’s economic evolvement has made it nearly impossible for groups to remain self-contained, but the breakup of A Tribe Called Quest was especially disheartening. After culminating their decade long run of influence with, The Love Movement, Tribe loyalists immediately shifted gears, and turned their attention to frontman Q-Tip’s solo-debut Amplified; delegating the group’s oft-neglected Phife [cont.]

Is it me or could Encore , Planet Asia, and Kazi  battle each other with no one being able to figure out who’s who? Not to say that they sound absolutely identical, but there’s a lot of similarities in their baritone flow as well as short, punchy rhyme scheme. None of this should take away from [cont.]

The only reason I gave Sear the time of day on his Fondle Em single was because the beat, lifted from some old Tribe Records LP, was just so f*ckin’ ill. But Sear, better known as the former comedic companion to Stretch and Bobbito The Barber, isn’t all that intriguing as an MC, sounding like [cont.]

The concept of concept albums isn’t as conceptually tight as one might think, granted Prince Paul’s Prince Among Thieves had many a moment and The Dan The Automator /Del The Funkee Homosapien connection, Deltron 3030 appealed to some, the overall end product usually doesn’t come to met the expectations set for it on paper. Unclear directions [cont.]

The heralded NYC spot known as the Lyricist Lounge has become a cherished hip-hop institution. Its original platform was built around exposing up-and-coming verbalists, and the list of then unknown names who frequented the Lounge is an esteemed one; Mos Def, Rah Digga, Dead Prez , Mobb Deep , Last Emperor , Cocoa Brovaz , [cont.]

 Much more impressive than the musical content on this debut release from this Atlanta-based, California-raised duo, is the depth in which their title and name derivatives define their hip-hop space. It’s critical to be aware of them before you allow yourself to be moved by this CD. Whether or not you’re swept off your feet, [cont.]

 Next up to bat from Boston’s sea of everlasting unsigned hype is Akrobatik, who first got heads attention with his underground 12″, “Say Yes Say Word”. This fun little pro-hip-hop anthem showed some promise, but remained unclear if Akrobatik was ready to enter the rap world, or if he was just another independent artist of [cont.]

For those that like to categorize, Necro might be described as a combination of Eminem , Kool G Rap and Master P. When listening to the truly sick shit that he drops in his lyrics, audiences will immediately compare him to a certain Mr. Mathers, yet the difference is a hardcore Brooklyn attitude, and lyrics [cont.]

Inside the liner notes of Jurassic 5′s Quality Control , printed is the phrase “Knowledge in Digging + Appropriate Usage = An Audio Mosaic”. One could attribute this as the factor that makes this album a classic. Another could say that this album is a classic because of the amazing chemistry between the styles of [cont.]

 Just as Big L began to perfect his art to the fullest, he was fatally shot on the streets of Harlem. At the time of his death, L was just beginning to rise from D.I.T.C.’s levels of obscurity with his hit single, “Ebonics”, and was in being considered by Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella imprint to sign a record deal. [cont.]

 Whether you realize it or not, you probably have a release or two from any of the members of D.I.T.C. in your CD collection. Without riding each other’s coattails, Diamond, Fat Joe, Show & AG, Lord Finesse, O.C., Buckwild, and the late Big L, have each made names for themselves over the past ten years, as [cont.]

 For those that picked up last years J-88 “The Look Of Love” 12″ on Germany’s Groove Attack imprint than you probably figured out the trio is in actuality the enigmatic Slum Village. By enigmatic, I mean, not only has this crew seen massive amounts of hype from both established artists and the press they also have curiously [cont.]

While this Long Beach crew might not spit slang like their DPG neighbors, the trio of Dizzy Dustin, Andy Cap and Young Einstein still manage to churn out fun-loving head nodders that resonate from Southern Cali to across the globe. Making a strong debut with the “Fresh Mode” 12″ of ’97, the three set a pace to [cont.]

 Hot of the heels of Jay-Z’s The Dynasty comes Roc-A-Fella’s youngest in charge with his sophomore release, coming one year after his debut, Coming Of Age. As his first album hardly broke any sales records, Memphis Bleek is attempting to redeem himself with this quick follow-up, hoping to catch a bigger wave the second time [cont.]

 After reuniting in 1998 with his Brand Nubian brothers on the under-appreciated Foundation, Sadat X resurfaced last year with two collaborative gems; “1-9-9-9″ f/ Common, and the previously vaulted “Come On”, which was one of the few highlights from Biggie’s disappointing posthumous release. While his solo-debut, Wild Cowboys, failed to strike a chord with the masses, [cont.]

 They’re named as the one of the most underrated crews of all time in Ego Trip’s Book Of Rap Lists. Yet at the same time, they have collaborated with some of New York’s finest, such as Jay-Z, Big Pun, Busta Rhymes, Pharaohe Monch, Kool G Rap, and of course, Gang Starr. With their fifth album, [cont.]

After releasing a handful of essential 12″ singles, on various Rawkus projects, Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek were on the verge of becoming one of hip-hop’s best-kept secrets. Yet, they’re original incarnation (Reflection Eternal) was momentarily thwarted, as the duo expanded into a triumvirate with the inclusion of Mos Def; and their eventual manifestation as Black Star. While [cont.]

 Working as the flagship project to jump-start his new 75 Ark label, producer Dan The Automator Nakamura, along with funky homosapien Del, and Ninja Tuner, Kid Koala, bring the long-awaited, Deltron 3030 project. Using the same formula as Dr. Octagon, that is, Automator on the boards, along with a spaced-out emcee (Del), and an incredible [cont.]

 Recognized as the rotten apples most prominent mixtape slinger, DJ Clue’s second major-label compilation, Backstage, is another installment of exclusive material that promotes the impending theatrical release of Jay-Z’s Hard Knock Life tour. Though classifying Clue as a “DJ” is certainly a stretch (check out Revolution, DJ Babu, and X-ecutioners among many for confirmation). He [cont.]

There’s not much choice for Puff Daddy anymore but to release this album. Black Rob has long been a favorite of street vendors and underground rap fans because of his matter of fact, story-telling rap style. Strangely though Rob’s album has been consistently pushed back, just now catching a buzz with “Whoa”, after the previous [cont.]