dropmagazine.com Album Reviews

GHOSTFACE KILLAH “Big Doe Rehab”

Alex Viard — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:48:41 +0000

Contributed by Alex Viard on 1/10/08 Ghost is simply dripping with style and has been, however quietly, ever since he and his Wu-Tang brethren sprinkled the world with their presence in the early nineties. While Ghost wasn’t the groups original star he’s shined the brightest in the long haul, with consistently colorful releases drenched in the [...]

HI-TEK Hi-Teknology 3: Underground

Ryan Strauss — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:40:31 +0000

Contributed by Ryan Strauss on 12/28/07 The opening screams on Hi-Tek’s new album might well scare the hell out of you. Giving fans a way to relate to a mother’s perspective on the growth of Tony Cottrell is a cool way to start the third installment in the Hi-Teknology series, but the actual execution is [...]

FREEWAY Free at Last

Brian Meredith — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:29:39 +0000

Contributed by Brian Meredith on 12/28/07 The years following the Roc-a-Fella “break-up” and Jay’s move to Def Jam seem to have marinated unrest among those closely involved. Damon Dash was obviously upset the situation, as the selling of his share left him out of the loop. Now, it’s clear that artists like Beanie Sigel [...]

CASSIDY B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story

Andrew Kahn — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 12:16:04 +0000

Contributed by Andrew Kahn on 12/16/07 If there’s one song that explains what’s wrong with Cassidy’s approach to making albums, it’s “All By Myself,” the final cut on his latest record, B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story. As a simple piano loop and sample plays, Cassidy explains how he produced the track himself. With no help. [...]

BUSTA RHYMES & J DILLA Mick Boogie Presents Dillagence

Hubert Sawyers III — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:45:58 +0000

Contributed by Hubert Sawyers III on 12/12/07 I want to apologize for the tardiness of this review, but as a Dilla fanboy, I had to marinate on this project in order to give it a balanced review. I know everyone is not sold on the greatness of James “Jay Dee aka J Dilla” Yancey’s beats [...]

WU-TANG CLAN 8 Diagrams

Ryan Strauss — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:21:06 +0000

Contributed by Ryan Strauss on 12/11/07 Fifteen years after they burst onto the scene as one of hip hop’s flagship acts in the 1990s, Wu-Tang should’ve already followed the path of many hip hop acts into obscurity and irrelevance. They should’ve already walked away with their place in history intact. Never straying from his role as [...]

JILL SCOTT The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3

Sam — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:29:50 +0000

Contributed by Brian Meredith on 12/4/07 Sexy soul songstress Jill Scott might have released the most ironic single of the year. The angry “Hate on Me” steps out of her smooth comfort zone and calls for a sentiment that is rarely associated with her persona. Although the lyrics seem to be directed at a [...]

JAY-Z “American Gangster”

Andrew Kahn — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 08:42:09 +0000

Contributed by Andrew Kahn on 11/27/07 If only Ridley Scott was able to release American Gangster, the film, a year earlier. It likely would’ve had the same impact on Jay-Z then as it did a month or so ago during the rapper’s private screening and, in turn, American Gangster, the album, would’ve been Hov’s glorious comeback [...]

LITTLE BROTHER “Getback”

Ryan Strauss — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:15:37 +0000

Contributed by Ryan Strauss on 11/21/07 If you’ve ever heard or read Little Brother’s MC duo, Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh describing their music, chances are you’ve noticed that the two like to downplay the storylines that underlie their music, almost to the point where you wonder if they even understand the importance of their group’s [...]

9TH WONDER Dream Merchant, Vol. 2

Alex — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:55:45 +0000

Contributed by Brian Meredith on 11/7/07 Despite being a rather young genre, hip hop has gone through drastic changes since its inception. It’s not your dad’s industry anymore. Singles, mp3s, and ringtones dominate today’s musical culture - not albums. And while the internet has done so much for exposure, publicity, and artistic manifestation, [...]