HipHopDx Reviews
DOOM - BORN LIKE THIS
It is no Doomsday or Madvillainy, but BORN LIKE THIS is still more than enough to satisfy as DOOM cuts as sharp ever. Even without the metal fingers.
Themselves - theFREEhoudini Deluxe
Because that's what rappers do. theFREEhoudini is just boom bap twisted beyond recognition, raw Hip Hop obscured by noise bursts and thesaurus abuse and identity politics
Aaron Lacrate & Debonair Samir Present... - B-More Club Crack
This fact will bring serious consideration to Baltimore, Maryland as a hotbed of future talent. In due time, B-More might just become the next Rap Mecca in not only rhythm, but also in rhyme
Jim Jones - Pray IV Reign
Jones's cockiness still outpaces his performance to a degree, but anyone who stops by Pray IV Reign will get exactly what they paid for and you can't be mad at that
8Ball - Memphis All-Stars: Cars, Clubs, & Strip Clubs
This album's liner notes claim it is dedicated to the late Isaac Hayes. Like Ike, 8Ball has put on for his city by being both political and pimpin', soulful and street. 8Ball's attention to detail and musical range has not changed.
Cymarshall Law & Mr. Joeker - Hip Hop In The Soul
Cymarshall Law has a lot of opinions about what is wrong with Hip Hop and the world in general, he also has a lot of ideas on how to fix them. Unfortunately both the wrongs and the rights are expressed in boring language.
Reks - More Grey Hairs
While sonically better than the original, More Grey Hairs is simply a rehashed version of its predecessor. Its not necessarily a terrible thing, with many tracks having a similar taste Reks is unable to fully give a broad spectrum of who he truly is
Keri Hilson - In A Perfect World
As Miss Keri recently dropped her "Turnin' Me On" remix with T-Pain [click to read], blasting every girl in the game with longevity, let's hope her next attempt will give her credence for firing off, because In a Perfect World... is not convincing enough
Gorilla Zoe - Don't Feed The Animals
Don't Feed Da Animals takes a significant step in proving the south should not be confined to just one way of making records
Saigon & Statik Selektah - All In A Day's Work
When looking at the amount of time Saigon had to record this album, the result is nothing short of incredible. However, when looking at the finished product, it has to be examined as a work on its own, rather than the context in which it was made
Capone-N-Noreaga - Channel 10
Fans who hear the album won't be able to say that 'Pone and N.O.R.E. don't go in on the majority of the tracks, and will likely be satisfied; the fact remains, however, that this is an extremely uneven effort
Krumb Snatcha - Hidden Scriptures
Still, 11 years after he came under the highest cosigns in Hip Hop, Krumb still can make a few songs that dazzle deejays and deep-thinkers alike, having never lost a step or something meaningful to say.
Eligh & Jo Wilkinson - On Sacred Ground: Mother & Son
A creative surge from a mother-son duo is still hard to knock when it's done well. Despite some breaks in cohesion and an extremely short playlist, the album delivers compelling work in what feels like during family jam sessions
The-Dream - Love vs. Money
Dream has an unparalleled knack for making R&B interesting at a time when it seems so stereotypical and redundant. He will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Kells, but with Love vs. Money Dream proves his spage age music is in a galaxy all its own
Quite Nyce & Raydar Ellis - Champs Vs. The League
This is a quality album, it's clearly not for everyone. Quite Nyce and Raydar Ellis may not reach their championship aspirations this time around, but they've managed to create something suitable for a long postseason run
Nat King Cole - Re: Generations
The producers had to be inventive, innovative, creative and even out of the box, but the smartest thing that they had to do was to make sure that the star of the track always remained the vocals of Nat King Cole.
Rootbeer (Pigeon John & Flynn Adam) - Pink Limousine EP
On the right day, root beer hits the spot, and reminds the pallet of a classic childhood flavor. Other times, it prompts headaches and fails to quench thirst of any kind. Its musical group of the same name follows suit.
Brother Ali - The Truth Is Here
Ali has disassembled his life, and put it back together on wax. He's shown us his darkest and most joyous of moments in a way rarely seen in rap. Matching skill with candor with an intimidating delivery, he's consistently crafted praise-worthy releases
Keelay & Zaire - Ridin High
With undeniably strong production styles suited to creating a laid-back mood for discussion of serious topics, Ridin High blends West and East Coast styles smoothly and with finesse to create a unique and desirable hybrid sound
Dashah - Rap Burglar 2.5
If there's anything Rap Burglar is actually stealing, it's everything Hip Hop fans enjoyed about the mid-'90s; a simple reminder that lyrical integrity, the art of storytelling and beats built upon great sample records of yesteryear are all still possible
