Boston’s Akrobatik jumps into the virtual ring to take on the cyberfreakin’ rappers out there on “Internet MC’s”. Had he dropped this two years ago, he’d be a visionary, as it is now, Akrobatik’s latest is likable in that “isn’t that funny” sort of way but his self-production isn’t half as clever as his lines. “Cats [cont.]

 With an enormously increasing interest for Living Legends’s fare across the board, members of the rather large squad see it fit to branch out. Not too far from the tree of course, but rather in an unanimous flex of their creative muscles. Earlier in the year we saw The Grouch and PSC’s CMA project receive critical acclaim, [cont.]

 It’s hard to believe that rap’s current king, Jay-Z, started off as the sweat-suited partner to 80′s rapper Jaz, who made a little noise with the Fresh Prince-like narrative, “Hawaiian Sofie”, as 2Pac  would have reminded us later. This was some time ago, and you’d think by now he would have hung his mic up; [cont.]

 It seems with each release, the brother known as Common takes another step higher, while the majority of today’s rappers are stuck in a horizontal shift or a downward spiral. As Common says on “Doonit”, they’re either “droppin’ back to back LP’s that sound the same”, or simply molding to the styles of whatever is considered [cont.]

 The Living Legends have remained one of the more tightly knit families in the younger world of Rap, new to this they are not, but involved in one another’s projects most heavily. They lend themselves to a tape slangin’ Wu-Tang Clan, with one or more artists making appearances on someone else’s work at all times. [cont.]

 The effect of Pharcyde’s debut opus, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, still resounds mightily today; elements of that good time brand of hip-hop are traceable to left coast groups like Black Eyed Peas and Jurassic 5. Yet, after Pharcyde’s fun-loving Bizarre Ride, and its complicated follow-up, Labcabincalifornia, the wheels fell off, as the group succumbed to [cont.]

 With the dissipation of the Gang Starr foundation, Jeru The Damaja was left out in the cold by his former compadres, Guru and DJ Premier. The beef was put in the public eye with an underground track from Jeru called “Friends”, which was responded to by Gang Starr on Moment of Truth’s “B.I. Vs. Friendship”. It was once [cont.]

It’s no secret that LL Cool J has had an incredible career, not only producing a number of old school and new school classics, but crossing over into the worlds of television and film. It can be said, at least in the course of his rap career, that he has released some of the greatest songs [cont.]

 Jeru The Damaja once mentioned something about letting his ‘mindspray’, and at that time a lyric from ‘D. Original’ constituted an unloading of rhyme-ammunition few could withstand, wordplay of un-fuckwitable proportions. But today his spray pans out to be nothing more than a mere faucet leak in the vast lyrical diarrhea ocean that is Dose One. [cont.]

 For over a decade Erick Sermon, and his on-again, off-again partner, Parrish Smith, have been lauded, and deservedly so, as one of hip-hop’s most influential duo’s. Yet, for all the success EPMD has tasted as a group, neither has been able too achieve that same level of success as solo artists. However, after the disappointing Double [cont.]

 It’s amazing how there are some heads out there that still front on Jay-Z. Sure, taking a look at videos like “Money Ain’t A Thing” could easily make you believe that Jigga-man is a one-dimensional, flossy, fake-ass rapper. But heads who checked for last year’s Vol. 2: The Hard Knock Life or his previous LP’s, [cont.]

 Check the resume: Since 1983, the notorious Compton G, Dr. D-R-E, has helped mold, shape and create, new sounds and formulas for not only hip-hop and gangsta rap, but popular music as well. Already known as a turntable terrorist for some Compton nightspots and later LA’s 24 hour rap station KDAY, Dre became a member [cont.]

 Oakland is the home to many an artist; some flamboyant while others remain more incognito, although only one can remain Elusive. Said dread is deeply rooted in the Living Legends family garden, having lent his board-work to the entire roster, release after release. As well as his own catalog of instrumental and compilation-like albums, he’s also [cont.]

While Gang Starr’s popularity has skyrocketed, it’s once promising stable of underground affiliates (Jeru The Damaja, Group Home, Big Shug, AKA- Gang Starr Foundation) have virtually disappeared off the hip-hop map. Back at square one, a now independent Group Home re-emerge to drop their sophomore LP, minus one of the most-revered sound constructor’s to ever [cont.]

JMT’s latest is an interesting contrast… On “Heavenly Divine”, Ikon’s style has gotten a little more hardcore, while Stoupe’s production follows closer to the song’s title, with its somwhat “religious” flutes and violins. “Trinity” unites the holy trio of Ikon, L-Fudge and Louis Logic for some more on that same divine level… Could be a [cont.]

 It’s assumed that if you’re into hip hop as low as the ‘underground’ goes, you would have inevitably drifted north of the U.S. borders where temperatures drop even lower. Enter Canada, and one of its premier lyricists, Choclair. Very hip to the essence of the beats and rhyme theory, on Ice Cold however, Choclair’s quest [cont.]

 Among hip-hop enthusiasts, Rakim is looked at as THE pioneer of the new school, and perhaps the greatest lyricist of all time. Once paired with DJ Eric. B, the two dropped four arguably classic albums before The R went solo two years ago. His last album, Book Of Life was a series of hit & miss [cont.]

 What defines a great emcee? That question is asked throughout the extent of J-Live’s The Best Part - at least that’s how it was intended to be. What is billed as The Best Part on two pieces of wax, is in fact J-Live’s long-awaited album, yet the running theme of asking the man on the street [cont.]

Coming from the God Quality crew and ABB Records is Superstar Quamallah. 7 tracks deep, his conversational style especially works well on tracks with shared vocals, such as “Sugar Hell No!”, where he and Tajai of Souls of Mischief tell listeners it’s okay to say “just say no”, whether it be to the bum on the [cont.]

 The acronym Murs has stood for many an interesting quote, but if I was to create my own meaning for the four letters it would be: MURS Utilizes Rap Staples. As flamboyantly raw in person as behind a microphone, MURS can simultaneously call you a “bitch”, step on your toes, turn a track inside out [cont.]