HipHopDx Reviews
Everliven Sound - Freedom
Everlivin Sound, the tag team of Cymarshall and Skit Skam, challenges the notion that important issues ought to be swept under the rug as a result of the art form gaining a much wider mainstream audience.
Little Vic - Each Dawn I Die
Little Vic isn't reinventing the wheel by any means, but his understanding of the original East Coast sound and his ability to recreate it today's rap scene without it sounding contrived is commendable.
J-Live - Then What Happened?
Then What Happened? is J linking with the producers who've proven themselves capable of crafting tracks equally as awe-inspiring as his lyricism and making J-Live whole again.
Giant Panda - Electric Laser
Electric Laser, Giant Panda's newest album, is a worthwhile addition to their growing catalog and a glowing testament to their allegiance to Rap's Golden Era and creative ingenuity.
Jackson Conti - Sujinho
Jackson Conti works well together, and the experimentation is showcased in the reflection of those '60s and '70s Jazz albums from the world that helped inspire Lootpack, Quasimoto and all of Madlib's various incarnations.
The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale EP
The Cool Kids might put more emphasis on being cool than lyrical, but with a booming system and tweeters tweetin', most listeners reason to give Mikey Rock the same pass they gave Cool C.
Killah Priest - Behind The Stained Glass
Behind The Stained Glass is too much cutting-room floor concepts and make-do production. Core fans may rejoice at the new content, but in the search for Priest wisdom as of late, all texts point back to The Offering.
Bun B - II Trill
here's no new ground broken on II Trill, but got dammit, the album sounds great and proves that Bun is more than capable of going for self--even though we wish he didn't have to.
Kidz In The Hall - The In Crowd
There's no telling why Kidz In The Hall have become the center of so much debate, but in reality, the discussion about their music is honestly more interesting than the music itself.
Lil Mama - Voice Of The Young People
Voice of the Young People speaks children and adults alike, and while several of the songs could've been left on the cutting board, it is no exaggeration to say that it is the surprise album of the year.
Foxy Brown - Brooklyn's Don Diva
Foxy Brown's new project is definitely worth the purchase for existing fans, and even has the power to convert non-believers to the side of Brooklyn's Don Diva.
Braille - The IV Edition
Braille's latest effort promises listeners a reprieve from the dichotomy of Thug Rap and Pop Hop with a counterattack of uplifting spirituality, Pop catchiness and Old School reverence.
DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist - The Hard Sell
The Hard Sell is a well-mastered reminder that even in these troubling times of music for some, Pitch Black said it and meant it, "it's all real."
Keith Murray - Intellectual Violence
On Intellectual Violence, Keith Murray forgoes the legacy of his intelligently bugged-out rhymes and comedic wordplay for dark tales of life in the pen, albeit with less-than-stellar results.
9th Wonder & Buckshot - The Formula
Despite sticking to the tried and true formula, 9th Wonder and Buckshot crafted a solid album and provide a refreshing reintroduction to the long lost pairing of a single MC with one producer for an entire album.
Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English
There's a method to Dizzee's madness here, as the ever-changing sound of Maths & English provides a vessel for his creativity and strong personality on the mic.
The Roots - Rising Down
While it won't grab you at first listen like the last album, Rising Down joins Things Fall Apart nine years ago for its acquired taste and timeless relevance.
Prodigy - HNIC Pt 2
Unfortunately for HNIC 2, with bland beats and sorry rhymes, this is a shoddy send-off disc he leaves behind during his government-sponsored vacation
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
The pillars of Rhymesayers continue to evolve on album number six; making increasingly mature music to relatively young fan base without blinking an eye.
Devin The Dude - Smoke Sessions Vol 1
Smoke Sessions is the demo we never got to hear from the Odd Squad - almost. Never before has an album or mixtape focused so much on "balls" as subject matter, but in doing so, found a way to keep it moving and musical
