HipHopDx Reviews
Freeway - Free At Last
Freeway makes Free At Last one of the better albums you'll hear this year, particularly on the major level. Furthermore, he joins Roc-A-Fella big homies Jay and Kanye with standout albums in '07. What is that they say? The Roc is in the building...
Nas - Greatest Hits
A "greatest hits" album can be tricky for an artist like Nas, as his best work hasn't always been what made it to radio. Since albums called "greatest hits" and "best of" are often interchangeable, people are often left disappointed
Prince Ali - Curb Side Service
But by the tone of his effort, and the determination in his vocal cords, Prince Ali has a message to spread, and we have no choice but to listen
Statik Selektah - Spell My Name Right: The Album
Never heard of Statik Selektah? Well get familiar. Matter of fact, shame on you for not knowing this man. Responsible for the mixtape of the year, Royce Da 5'9"s The Bar Exam (sorry kiddies, G-Unit Radio and Da Drought doesn't cut it)
Cassidy - B.A.R.S.
B.A.R.S. is a step forward for Cassidy. While he hasn't improved much (if at all) as an emcee, his subject matter has improved by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, the problem here is execution
Playaz Circle - Supply And Demand
Supply and Demand is destined to supply bargain bins nationwide, and with record sales on an overall decline; it's safe to say that Playaz Circle may get a demand from Def Jam--to never release another album.
Jay-Z - American Gangster
Given that rhyming about the corner is much more appealing than rhyming about the corner office, S-Dot Carter parlayed the inspiration of the Frank Lucas biopic into his concept album of the same name.
Witchdoctor - Diary of an American Witchdoctor
Diary of an American Witchdoctor is an amazing feat for Witchdoctor, as he blends the southern sounds of yesteryear and today. Covering all aspects of the games; Witchdoctor paints a visual landscape of life, as the canvas is our eardrums.
Smif N Wessun - The Album
They offer their fourth release, The Album, which seems to be completely different then anything else in their existing catalog. The most obvious difference is the production. You won't find any Evil Dee & Mr. Walt reunions going on here.
Army of the Pharoahs - Ritual of Battle
As it stands Ritual of Battle is a very strong showing from what would be a supergroup given more individual success, it just might not have what it takes to warrant repeat front-to-back spins
Hurricane Chris - 51/50 Ratchet
There are a lot of opportunities Hurricane Chris missed with his album, but it seems as if it were done purposefully. Today's standards reflect that making an album is more about lucre than art
Mac Lethal - 11:11
11:11 is a welcome change of pace from the normally paranoid RSE roster. Despite its inevitable (albeit quasi-stereotypical) similarities toInterscope's melanin-deprived cash cow, Mac adds yet another golden star to Rhymesayers' impressive r
Little Brother - Getback
It seems inevitable that all the great groups split up: A Tribe Called Quest, NWA, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Gang Starr, Brand Nubian, EPMD, and the list goes on.
will.I.am - Songs About Girls
It turns out that will's album works exactly the same way as his other production ventures; it's interesting when he tries new things, and incredibly annoying when he churns out the same simplistic sound found on Elephunk and Monkey Business.
Boyz N Da Hood - Back Up N Da Chevy
Song concepts are weak and lyrics could definitely use a tune-up. Though you have no business listening to this crew if you're after lyrical prowess, the beats aren't good enough to excuse the shortcoming.
Special Teamz - Stereotypez
Though there are moments where the skills give chills, much of the Special Teamz official debut sounds pretty typical in the stereo.
9th Wonder - Dream Merchant Vol 2
Without question, Merchant is how Hip Hop is, and how it could be, boasting 18 tracks of a purists or backpacker's dream--emcees spitting over dope beats. In the words of former partner Phonte: "Dope beats, dope rhymes, what more do y'all want?"
Havoc - Kush
The Kush unfortunately gives listeners less reason to wonder why Havoc has played the back for so long, while Prodigy has remained the (sometimes-swollen) mouthpiece of the crew. Perhaps now he'll stick to crafting those moody heatrocks more often.
Soulstice - Dead Letter Perfect
Amidst stiff competition in the Midwest, Soulstice has emerged as a very formidable emcee. Dead Letter Perfect isn't quite perfect; for that matter, neither is Soulstice - but that's fine - he doesn't pretend to be.
Median - Median's Relief
Median manages to avoid the sophomore jinx by remaining true to himself. Longtime fans will not be disappointed and listeners tired of the mainstream will find refuge in Relief.
