Coming from the UK’s “Superappin’” compilation, on the Groove Attack label, L-Fudge follows up his hot Rawkus  12″, with “Dimmin’ The Life”, produced by Rich Boogie. L-Fudge’s frank and humorous, yet disturbing lyrics make interesting commentary. One of the many lines that grabbed me on this one was “There’s a thin line between drugs and jakes.” [cont.]

Black Moon / Boot Camp Click / Duck Down founder, Buckshot, seems to be in a strange transitional phase between cellar dwelling beats of his past, and a composite of outrageous thugisms of today. Sadly, he has yet to find a thug style that he can call his own, except for the original Brooklyn stick [cont.]

 Live from Area 51 from New York’s Masterminds offers up a challenge to the indie rap world: Come correct or don’t come at all. With the recent glut of independent releases suffering too often from underproduction, weak lyricism and even general laziness, this duo’s slammin’ EP avoids rap cliche’ and delivers straight butta with a heaping [cont.]

In a virtually unloving industry, Divine Styler’s second solo LP is a truly inspiring love movement. Focusing on the self-empowerment aspects of life over acid infused breakbeats, the Pharaoh Divine Styler divulges potent doses of uplifting abstract lyrics, however the true genius of this LP lays in his work behind the boards. Coming exquisitely original [cont.]

 Deservedly escaping the trip-hop kiss of death, London duo The Herbaliser churns out another impressive self produced album from the always eclectic Ninja Tune label (Coldcut, Kid Koala). Made up of DJ/producer Ollie Teeba and bassist/producer Jake Wherry, they represent hip-hop from a mix of soul, jazz and electronica. Leading off the cuts featuring guest rhymers, What [cont.]

The 3-man tag-team triumvirate of Chops, Peril-L, and Styles Infinite gained national notoriety after winning Sprite’s “Rhymes From The Mind” contest back in 1996. But many heads in the know had already been checkin’ for the MB’s after their 1996 independent EP surfaced. The buzz only heightened with their subsequent signing with Ruffhouse and stellar singles [cont.]

If you have ever overlooked a Canadian MC on the basis that images of maple syrup and Canadian bacon come to mind before hip-hop does, then prepare to have your card pulled with Saukrates. Sox isn t at all new to this, as he first got the attention of underground DJ’s in 1996 with Father [cont.]

 Domingo had a hit with the Mario Bros. inspired Cocoa Brovaz’ anthem “Supa BK”. It was something new and fun, marring contemporary NYC-thuggery with clippity-clap video game samples provided an irresistible head nod from Flatbush to the left coast. But to ride a concept fueled by a gimmick isn’t always as surefire as one would like [cont.]

In rap’s long-standing tradition of rappers extending the record label wealth to their friends, the Outkast and Goodie Mob  collective, better known as the Dungeon Family (and once called ‘Red Clay’ for you trivia buffs), unites to spotlight itself and several of its lesser known up & comers, with the debut album, “Even In Darkness”. [cont.]

“Memph Bleek Is….Murder! Memph Bleek Is…Money!…Memph Bleek Is….Drugs!” Unfortunately, Memphis Bleek is also stuck in Jay-Z’s shadow. Not a bad place to be, but Coming Of Age still leaves the Brooklyn representative under the shade of Jayhova. Jay-Z has brought up Bleek carefully under his iced-out wing for a few years now. Remember when Jay-Z was [cont.]

Step lively! This album does advance, but the walk to get there is treacherous and the rocks below are jagged. For starters, there’s the collaborative cut “Rainmen” by the Deep Puddle Dynamics. A heavy grooving bassline is the only thing that cements the lyrics to the track, but with lyrics like “you’re lost, between mold, [cont.]

In the glory days of the early 90′s, one half of the Native Tongue duo Black Sheep had a dream. To him, it was more of a nightmare, as Dres woke up in it in a cold sweat. After calming himself down, he turned to his partner in shock and said, “I had a dream that I [cont.]

Forerunners of independent movement, Mr. Eon and DJ Mighty Mi, otherwise known as The High & Mighty, first began to turn heads in 1997, going for delf (literally) on their first single Hands On Experience, featuring Bobbito The Barber and Company Flow’s El-P, speaking on the joys of flying solo. As their popularity among backpackers began to [cont.]

Black Moon are hip-hop veterans, despite the fact that this is only their second album. After dropping the essential Enta Da Stage in 1993, which Billboard described as “hardcore jazz,” Black Moon chipped diamond quality remixes off the Enta Da Stage block like “I Got Cha Opin” and “Buck Em Down.” Of their sophomore effort, Warzone, [cont.]

 Once you hit your peak, the only place to go is down. Such is the case with Raekwon’s second solo LP Immobilarity, the follow up to his 5 @ classic Only Built For Cuban Links. With Cuban Links, Raekwon and the Wu-Tang Clan changed the sound of that old New York rap. That album set so [cont.]

Similar to that of Peanut Butter Wolf’s My Vinyl Weighs A Ton (just condensed to 8 cuts), Spinna divides the EP’s time between lyrical joints and instrumental jams. “Who U Be”. featuring Missin Linx  exemplifies Spinna at his best. Sonic vibrations simmer out of the track like boiling water on the stove. The trio could [cont.]

The Arsonists obviously took lessons from the Ultramagnetic MC’s’s, both stylistically and in their discography. Instead of trying to drop a full-length debut album with no recognition with the old “throw it at the wall and see if it sticks” philosophy, this NY underground crew has slowly built up a solid reputation by dropping one hot [cont.]

This is your worn-down cassette, no longer sporting the imprint of its manufacturer, dulled from the consistent run it finds in your big ass walkman. Much like the kids and their burnt CD “mixes”, this mix once only heard through static of plastic is now nestled amongst the crisp ridges and valleys of your vinyl. [cont.]

Listening to DMX’s third LP, I am finally beginning to understand what gives the X-man his appeal. First and foremost, I think anyone can pinpoint that it’s his high amounts of adrenaline and testosterone that people are attracted to. While some may hate it, take a trip to an NYC club and peep the crowd’s [cont.]

Think back to the early 90′s. No matter if you were aware of it or not, you first were introduced to Lootpack on the Alkaholiks’ “Turn The Party Out”, when Wildchild set it off with the line, “…and with my backpack I’ll carry, / Mariah to the back / and show her how I pack, loot.” As [cont.]