HipHopDx Reviews
Sean Price & M-Phazes - Land of the Crooks
Sean Price and M-Phazes' "Land Of The Crooks" commands respect not for its size, but for the quality of each verse and beat included.
B.o.B. - Underground Luxury
There's far more Luxury than Underground on B.o.B.'s third LP, making for a dispirited & surprising genuflect to the worst of commercialized Southern Club Rap.
Skeme - Ingleworld
On "Ingleworld," Skeme combines an array of styles and cadences and an unheralded but highly-skilled production team to craft an album with charm and depth.
Skyzoo & Antman Wonder - An Ode To Reasonable Doubt (Mixtape Review)
Skyzoo removes he plot line of "Reasonable Doubt" away from the drug game and and places it in the world of an up and coming emcee to stunning results.
Roc Marciano - Marci Beaucoup
Roc Marciano's "Marci Beaucoup" shines as a solid but scattered collection of raw rhymes that reference the drug game and street survival.
E-40 - The Block Brochure: Welcome To The Soil 4, 5 & 6
E-40 is inventive and entertaining on "The Block Brochure: Welcome To The Soil Parts 4,5 & 6." But the 45-song set often drags due to formulaic, forced songs.
Busta Rhymes & Q-Tip - The Abstract & The Dragon (Mixtape Review)
While it's only comprised of a handful of original tracks, "The Abstract And The Dragon" is a cohesive mix of Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip's old and new material.
Snoop Dogg & Dam Funk - 7 Days Of Funk
Dam Funk's stellar production and arrangement combine with a refined, sometimes oddly romantic Snoop Dogg to make "7 Days Of Funk" Snoop's best effort in years.
Smif-N-Wessun - Born And Raised
It isn't much longer than an EP, but Smif-N-Wessun's "Born And Raised" succeeds at blending Hip Hop and Reggae into its own unique entity.
Childish Gambino - Because The Internet
Childish Gambino's sophomore set, "Because The Internet," is ambitious, self-referential, experimental and an overall improvement from his 2011 debut, "Camp."
R. Kelly - Black Panties
R. Kelly's "Black Panties" is a raunchy return to baby-making music bathed in club-friendly Rap production. But the debauchery kills the mood at times.
Jhene Aiko - Sail Out
Jhene Aiko displays solid Hip Hop influenced soul on "Sail Out" giving off a feeling of authenticity to hold over current fans and possibly gain a few new ones.
Hopsin - Knock Madness
Hopsin's "Knock Madness" is a perfect album for die-hard fans & his bar-for-bar execution and self-awareness yield a solid listen despite a bit of shtick.
Esoteric & Stu Bangas - Machete Mode
"Machete Mode" is Esoteric and Stu Bangas' way of providing fans of Hip Hop's raw underbelly with further proof that the subgenre is still alive and well.
Jonwayne - Rap Album One
The triumph of "Rap Album One" is that Jonwayne manages to experiment sonically while his rhymes maintain an undeniable true school appeal.
Alexander Spit - Dillinger
With "Dillinger," Alexander Spit's forward thinking becomes a gift and curse that requires investments of time and patience.
Chris Brown - The X-Files EP (Mixtape Review)
Despite his penchant for self sabotage off the mic, Chris Brown is still immensely talented. But the flashes of his skill are hit or miss on the "X-Files" EP.
Kool G Rap & Necro (Godfathers) - Once Upon A Crime
With Necro's brand and Kool G Rap's title long established, "Once Upon A Crime" is little more than another notch under the collective belt.
Yo Gotti - I Am
Yo Gotti does a superb job of making sure he connects with his core audience, but "I Am" doesn't offer much dynamic production or rhymes for casual fans.
Troy Ave - New York City: The Album
Troy Ave's wittiness and overall personality make "New York City: The Album" not just a good New York, street Hip Hop album, but a good Hip Hop album period.
