Here are snippets of my RapReviews write ups from the month of January (and one from December) and links to the articles in their entirety.

December:

James Jr. :: Intent 2 Distribute :: Spin Move Records
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“According to the press kit, James Jr. was raised in a few locations that range from Tacoma to Richmond, Virginia to Clarksdale, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee. He was an excellent student in school and even graduated with honors. While he was pursing audio engineering, he came down with a severe case of pneumonia which caused him to leave school and battle the illness for two years. He wound up moving to Florida to make a name for himself. As fate would have it, James Jr. met his would-be future producing partner, Scott Coslett during a vacation in California, and through that association, he would land a deal with Spin Move Records. The culmination of all of the moves and turmoil in James Jr’s life was the release of his debut album, “Intent 2 Distribute”, which was released this past summer.”

Link: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2009_12_intent2distribute.html

January:

various artists :: Soca Gold 2009 :: VP Records
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“First off, I’d like to offer an apology to the good folks over at VP Records for getting to this compilation so late. I’ve had it in my possession for a good while, but somehow it got pushed to the backburner’s backburner. I realized this about a month ago and decided that when it got cold enough outside, I’d do a write up in hopes that it would bring a bit of warmth to our readers in locations that are brick cold right about now. On a whole, I’m not overly familiar with the soca genre, but I’ve listened to it from time to time. The term “soca” is a shortened form of the term “soul calypso”, which is a form of music that originates in Trinidad and Tobago. In my search for more information, I ended up at the Holy Grail for all things that COULD be true…Wikipedia. I took a look at the section that listed some of the genre’s notable artists and many of them have songs featured on the 2009 edition of “Soca Gold”.”

Link: http://rapreviews.com/archive/2010_01_socagoldcomp.html

Baron Von Alias + Arhat :: GMT+1-Timezones & Loopholes :: BurnBlock Records
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“This time around, Alias aligns himself with his long-time partner in crime, Arhat. The last collaborative effort between these two, “The 13th Hour”, was released in 2007. Keeping with the time element, this release is called “GMT+1-Timezones & Loopholes”. For awhile, GMT was more like WTF to me. I’d see it when registering for a forum or something, but rarely gave a thought to what it actually stood for. As time went on, I just applied my now memorized setting of GMT-5 and kept it moving. Officially, GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time and is the basis of world time. Baron and many of the guest emcees on the album hail from Newcastle which is in GMT+0. So why name the project “GMT+1″? Well, Arhat is from the Netherlands which is in the GMT+1 zone, but I think the bigger idea was to live in the future.”

Link: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2010_01_gmtplusone.html

I also wrote “Back To The Lab” reviews of Boss and Busta Rhymes that have already been posted on here, but I’ll put the links below anyway.

Boss :: Born Gangstaz :: Def Jam West
** RapReviews “Back to the Lab” series **
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“For the record…she doesn’t give a fuck, not a single fuck, not a single solitary fuck. This is the mantra in play for the entirety of the 1993 debut release from Boss, “Born Gangstaz”. For what it’s worth, Boss was actually a duo consisting of Lichelle “Boss” Laws and her DJ partner Irene “Dee” Moore, but much like the currently re-emerging Sade, the group took the name of the premier artist. The story of Boss (the group) is filled with valleys and peaks, and are only slightly eclipsed by the story of Boss (the individual). As a group, trying to secure a deal took Lichelle and Dee from their native Detroit, to New York, back to the D and off to California. “

Links:

http://www.mannywallace.com/2010/01/boss-born-gangstaz/

Busta Rhymes :: E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event) :: Flipmode Records/Elektra Records
** RapReviews “Back to the Lab” series **
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“Remember Y2K? I think most of our readers are old enough to recall the frenzy that most of the world was in at that time. The entire planet seemed to be up in arms about an impending doom that so many had predicted would come down on the world. There were tons of films and television shows that raked in tons of earnings by playing the “world’s gonna end” card, but in the world of music, no one did it better than Busta Rhymes. This may be due to the fact that he had a bit of a head start on everyone else. His solo debut “The Coming” was released in 1996. He then followed with “When Disaster Strikes” in 1997. By the time 1998 began to wind down, the rest of the world had hopped on the train to inevitable demise. “

Links:
http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_extinctionlevelevent.html

That’s about all for now. Remember to check out RapReviews.com every Tuesday for the latest  in mainstream, indie and underground hip-hop reviews. To get a daily hip-hop fix you can subscribe to the RapReviews news feed here [link] or follow me on Twitter @MannyWallace [link] and get updates sent directly to your Twitter stream!

This past Friday, Skully’s Music Diner was filled to the brink of its capacity as the Cleveland Invasion rolled in to town. The show featured Columbus natives The Midas Touch, NiQ, Le and The 3rd. The headliner for the show was Cleveland’s Chip Tha Ripper.

By 11pm, a large mob had formed outside in the bitter cold, hoping to catch a glimpse of the artist that many feel is destined to be the next big thing to come out of the city known primarily for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Kid Cudi and the Cavaliers, led by Lebron James. Tickets for the show were made available in advance and those with tickets received priority entrance into the venue.

Inside, The 3rd treated the crowd to several songs from both their “Club In My Car” fixtape and their recently released debut album, “1979″. Elevator Music family member Le followed with a set of his own, featuring songs from his “Anti-Parachute Theory” release, including the insanely popular “Polo On My Body”. Close to the end of the set, a few restless members of the audience voiced their opinion by booing. This prompted Le to jump off the stage and into the crowd, but nothing significant came of it.

The headliner made his way to the stage, and as expected, the crowd greeted him with open arms. Obviously familiar with the material, the crowd recited nearly every word with Tha Ripper as he delivered an array of songs from his various mixtapes, including his recently released “The Cleveland Show”.

Clouds of smoke from a certain substance seemed to be in the air for the majority of the show, but the audience didn’t seem to mind one bit. Although both the stage area and the crowd were packed in like sardines and hotter than a sauna, the acts put on a fairly good show.

Although there seemed to be moments of tension between the native Columbus residents and the people who had made the trip from Cleveland and other surrounding areas to show their support, the mere fact that there was a show at all is a sign that Ohio hip-hop is starting to make strides towards some sort of unity.

More photos available at URB.com [link]

Source: Examiner.com

Mark the Prophetional is a Columbus, Ohio based artist who serves a higher power. His messages like “Love God”, “Love each other”, “Be just”, and “Love mercy” are some of the creeds he lives by. His Facebook fan page boasts over 800 fans and is growing more by the day. While many are drawn to his genuine nature and his sincerity, even more are taken by his character and integrity.

On the musical front, Mark is considered to be a risk-taking trailblazer who makes music that goes beyond the would-be typical boundaries of the music industry. Mark’s debut album, “The Way Of Storytelling” is the story of a young man going through the ups and downs of life. The first single, “Research & Development”, is just one chapter of the story.

The accompanying video helps to being a better understanding of the song. Mark, the lead character, decides to deviate from his normal cleaning schedule at his janitorial job and ends up overhearing the beginning of a business meeting. Being the curious individual that he is, Mark decides to listen in on the meeting and is shocked by what he hears.

The meeting outlines a plan to destroy the Black family unit. The presenters pitch several ideas that center around decapitating the head of the Black family and perverting the mindsets of the women and children that are left behind. A vessel like hip-hop that was once despised, would now be used to infect the world with damaging stereotypes. According to one of the presenters, the latest propaganda campaign to further suppress the role of the father comes in the form of the “Independent Woman”. Consequently, this leaves the women alone and damages the sons which helps the cycle to repeat itself.

With its sparse beat, the words of the song are easy to follow and comprehend. The points of the song are well thought out, but some leave room for disagreement or debate. For example, some may argue that welfare was a support mechanism put in place with the intention on helping all poor people, and not just Blacks. However, for the direction that the song goes in, the Columbus emcee seems to make a valid argument. On a whole, the song is a great thought provoker and dialogue initiator. It’s enough to make one wonder what else Mark the Prophetional has up his sleeve on “The Way Of Storytelling”

Mark the Prophetional – Facebook Fan Page
Full Album – “The Way Of Storytelling” – Download Here

Remember Y2K? I think most of our readers are old enough to recall the frenzy that most of the world was in at that time. The entire planet seemed to be up in arms about an impending doom that so many had predicted would come down on the world. There were tons of films and television shows that raked in tons of earnings by playing the “world’s gonna end” card, but in the world of music, no one did it better than Busta Rhymes. This may be due to the fact that he had a bit of a head start on everyone else. His solo debut “The Coming” was released in 1996. He then followed with “When Disaster Strikes” in 1997. By the time 1998 began to wind down, the rest of the world had hopped on the train to inevitable demise.

“E.L.E.” was released in mid-December of 1998 and I actually received it as a Christmas present (along with RZA’s “Bobby Digital In Stereo”. The lead single was the Bernard Hermann-sampling “Gimme Some Mo”, produced by DJ Scratch (of EPMD fame). The minimalist approach to the production of the track is a contrast to a great deal of Busta’s previous works and even a few tracks on this album. But it’s that approach that made “Mo” so accessible and subsequently, made it a hit record as Buss raps:

“Yeah nigga what, what a surprise
Get ya sumn’, make a nigga close both of your eyes
All my niggas gettin’ money capitalize
Die little small guy, we on the rise
Everything a nigga touch platinumize
Fully equipped, you know we come wit’ all the supplies
Got a big gun, and I’ma show you the size
You fuck wit’ any of my Flipmode family ties
Me and my niggaz be comin’ through stalkin’ you out
Killin’ off any and everything you talkin’ about
See you in the club, now we walkin’ you out
Shoulda’ thought twice ‘fo you went and opened your mouth
Yo, anyway we stay keepin it movin’
Fuckin’ with the wrong nigga, hope you know what you doin’
Now blame me, all the same niggas is lame
It’s not a game, makin’ names still splittin’ your frames!”
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]

The theme of an apocalyptic demise comes into play from the first track, as a little girl asks her father what it will be like in the year 2000. He answers, and begins explaining that the end is near, in a voice that becomes deeper as the stream-of-consciousness rant goes on and on. It includes the mention of killing for overcooked food, collapse of government, nuclear holocaust and starvation that “reigns supreme…forcing unlucky survivors to eat anything and anyone in their path”. It actually reminds me of a recently released movie I saw over the weekend. The album’s first song is “Everybody Rise” which features a sample of The Controllers song, “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and a city roll-calling Busta Rhymes encouraging people to “get what’s yours outta this ‘fucka ‘fore your time runs out”. This is the first of three consecutive Nottz productions on the album, with the third being the title track.

“Tear Da Roof Off” and “Against All Odds”, are closer to the traditional fare of Bussa Buss…high energy beats, paired with aggressive rhymes. The latter song features the once-upon-a-time always-present Flipmode Squad. A short skit of a guy being chastised by his parents for listening to Buss leads into “Give It To Me Raw”. Songs like the Rockwilder-produced “Do It To Death” and “Keepin It Tight” are decent tracks, but not really overwhelming. Former No Limit Soldier (and recently released inmate) Mystikal comes through on “Iz They Wildin Wit Us & Gettin Rowdy Wit Us” in a tit-for-tat, back and forth lyrical speed fest that is complimented well by the 2000 Watts beat. The playful DJ Scratch-produced “Do The Bus a Bus” shows the jovial side of the former LONS leader that made him a star long before he was a solo success.

The other major single released from “E.L.E.” was the Janet Jackson-featuring “What’s It Gonna Be?!”. Its high budget video was futuristic, gothic and sexy all at the same time. Janet Jackson was covered in heavy makeup and donned a purple leather getup that made one beg, plead and hope for a wardrobe malfunction (which happened some years later, of course). More importantly, it was another radio-ready song and actually hit number three on the Billboard Top 100 Singles chart.

“Baby just tell me just how you feel (how you feel)
We livin it I’m just givin it to you real, baby c’mon
Ev-erytime we crossin the borderline
Be giving it to you makin you feel fine, turn the heat up
Better believe we gon’ shine, make your body wind
Baby the pleasure is all mine — to my people
who be regulating the dancefloor (dancefloor)
Better step to your business and handle yours, how we do it?
Making your people just wanna bounce and get busy
because you know that we always’ll hit you off, what you say?
You wondering why you feeling the force (force force)
And don’t you worry cause yo we ready to floss (floss floss)
Mohicans’ll always a put you on
And blow the spot til the very second I’m gone – get your groove on
Now that you tired I hope your body recoupin
because we keepin you movin that’s what we doin and you know we’re…”
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]

The album starts to head towards the final stretch with “Hot Sh– Makin’ Ya Bounce” and “What The Fuck You Want!!”. The latter was produced by Diamond D of the legendary DITC crew and exhibits a more brash in-your-face style, akin to older songs in Bussa’s catalog. Former Black Sabbath member Ozzy Osbourne puts his personal stamp of approval on the “Iron Man”-sampling “This Means War!!” by appearing on the track himself. Busta closes the album out with the spoken outro, “The Burial Song”. He makes a mention of how close the year 2000 is and the changes that appear to be on the horizon.

Well, needless to say, we haven’t perished just yet. But quite a few things have changed for the worse, so maybe Busta was halfway right. The world didn’t blow up, but here in the States we DID have George W. Bush as a president for eight years. In anycase, the album itself is entertaining and was a wonderful Christmas present back then. The varied beats and rhymes added a lot of replay value to the album. The high energy joints were good when I was in my bedroom doing push-ups, and the slower tempo jams were cool when I wanted to relax. Following this album, Busta released “Anarchy”, “Genesis”, “It Ain’t Safe No More”, “The Big Bang” and “Back On My BS”. His next release is tentatively titled “The Chemo”. I’m just wondering what Buss has up his sleeve for the next prediction of apocalyptic doom… 2012.

Source: RapReviews.com

This past Friday, BLAKstar Media, R.E.A.C.H. LLC and an all-star cast of others pooled their resources to put together a benefit concert with hopes of bringing help to people that really need as much help as possible right about now. The price of admission was set at ten dollars, but many people saw fit to give even more.

Between the sponsorship logos and various photos showcasing the landscapes and rich traditions of the country, there were random facts about Haiti and it’s contributions to world history. One interesting tidbit read “From 1697 to 1791, Saint-Domingue, now Haiti, was the richest colony in the world”.

For a country with such a history of wealth, the irony is almost depressing.

After a brief welcome, the evening’s host, Javier Sanchez took to the stage and introduced Hope For Haiti’s first performer of the night, the world-acclaimed Liquid Crystal Project. As the crowd began to fill in a bit more, wordsmith Barbara Fant blessed the attendees with a few intense pieces of poetry. The lights were dimmed as L.e. made his way to the stage. He delivered a few quick songs, including a freestyle dedicated to the people of Haiti. He was followed by Speak Williams who actually had both L.e. and Barbara Fant out on stage with him during his set.

Right before the intermission, the lights were lowered and the audience was silent for thirty seconds in remembrance those who lost their lives and in support of those who were injured.

The second half of the Hope For Haiti Benefit Concert started off with two songs from vocalist Carlotta Penn, each one prefaced by a poem. Performances by crowd favorites Fly Union and Carpe Diem followed . Hope For Haiti closed out with the Caribbean sounds of the legendary and electrifying Flex Crew.

Before the crowd departed, they were reminded of the reason that had brought them all together in the first place. Emphasis was placed on the need for continuous service and to not forget the families that have been changed forever in Haiti at the hands of this devastating natural disaster.

The organizing sponsors of Hope for Haiti: BLAKstar Media, REACH LLC, Cover Me LLC, WUGR, The FlyPaper, Hipolicy Magazine, JWORK LTD, De2 Media, 3 Birds Collective, Soulo Theory Design & LudieTrends

Source: Examiner.com

Late Wednesday evening, the news of the passing of one of this generation’s most revered soul singers, Teddy Pendergrass was a shock to many people, including myself. Early reports were posted on social networks like Twitter and Facebook, and just like with the death of Michael Jackson this past year, the news was at first abrupt and unbelievable.

However, unlike Michael, it appeared that the man affectionately known as Teddy P had been ill for awhile and having difficulty in recovering from a recent colon cancer surgery he had undergone. Ultimately, it was those complications that led to TP’s passing.

Although he had officially retired from music in 2006, Teddy’s influence can be found in many hip-hop songs of both today and yesteryear. I’ve put together a short list of my favorites in his honor. While I’m sure he will be missed by his family and closest friends, his music will continue to live on.

Teddy Pendergrass – Easy, Easy, Got To Take It Easy
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]
Little Brother – Not Enough
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]

Teddy Pendergrass – Can’t We Try
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]
Ghostface Killah – Camay
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – I Miss You
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]
Jay-Z – This Can’t Be Life
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]

Teddy Pendergrass – Let Me Love You
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]
I-20 – Hennessey & Hydro
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]

Teddy Pendergrass – Love T.K.O.
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]
Ahmad – Back In The Day
[Visit MannyWallace.Com To Hear Audio]

Those are my favorites. It was tough picking between the last two, but I felt like I had to give the edge to Ahmad mostly based on the strength of his usage of the sample. It helped to introduce Teddy P to a whole new generation of kids, and over time his song has become a classic in its own right.

Rest In Peace, Teddy!

For the record…she doesn’t give a fuck, not a single fuck, not a single solitary fuck. This is the mantra in play for the entirety of the 1993 debut release from Boss, “Born Gangstaz”. For what it’s worth, Boss was actually a duo consisting of Lichelle “Boss” Laws and her DJ partner Irene “Dee” Moore, but much like the currently re-emerging Sade, the group took the name of the premier artist. The story of Boss (the group) is filled with valleys and peaks, and is only slightly eclipsed by the story of Boss (the individual). As a group, trying to secure a deal took Lichelle and Dee from their native Detroit, to New York, back to the D and off to California. With a survivalist mentality, the ladies did everything they had to do in order to get by, short of resorting to the world’s oldest profession. The girls eventually found their way to DJ Quik’s management team at the time, which helped to get them off the street. Their biggest break didn’t come until they met with Russell Simmons and signed to his Def Jam West imprint, where he would make them his pet project of sorts. Uncle Rush felt that the same women that were purchasing music by the likes of N.W.A. and Ice Cube would also buy into the same type of rap from females if given the opportunity to do so. With top-notch producers like Erick Sermon, the late Jam Master Jay, MC Serch and Def Jef (whom they had met before), Boss was ready to take the world by storm.

After a short introduction, the album kicks off with the Barry White-sampling lead single, “Deeper”. Just after the audio clip of Eddie Murphy in “Beverly Hills Cop II” proclaims “this is deep, but I’m goin’ deeper”, Boss (for the sake of sanity, all further references to Boss will be in reference to the individual, unless noted) goes deep into her rhymes about feelings of despair and trying to make a way out when none seems to be in sight.

“Every now and then I start flippin’ and get to thinkin bout deep shit
beyond all that bullshit I shoot at people
(Yeah I know what you mean) But fuck it I’m evil
And I’m hip to every bitch tryin to get a grip
and every nigga tryin to get a grip but fuck that shit
And I say fuck that shit with my mighty middle finger
I’m heavy off into this rap shit, buckin singers
Yo I think I’m gettin tense (word?)
Cause my dollars ain’t makin no fuckin sense;
But then again, it’s probably all that chronic that I smoked
I used to be like that when I was out there slangin dope
And lately I been flippin on some old paranoid shit
Like lookin fuckers up and down tryin to start shit, cause I’m a hard bitch
(So why don’t you just soften up?)
I try to be cool but I get caught up when I go to clubs, straight up
I don’t even trust myself (yo, you can trust me)
Fuck I know? (I’m just like you)
Riiiiiiight, that’s deep”
Boss – Deeper

Erick Sermon lends both his vocals and trademark sound to “Comin’ To Getcha” and former DJ Quik associate, AMG contributes both the beat and his high-pitched raunchy lyrics to “Mai Sista Izza Bitch”. The latter has Boss fully embracing the concept of being just that, a bitch. The full embodiment of what Apache was rapping about on his 1992 song, “Gangsta Bitch”. Dee makes the first of a handful of appearances on the “Thelma and Louise” skit and “Drive By” which followed it. Onyx alumnus, Sticky Fingaz shows up on the JMJ and Chyskillz-produced, “Livin’ Loc’d”. if the beat sounds familiar, it’s The Meters’ “Cardova”, which is the prominent sample on N.W.A.’s “She Swallowed It”. The other single that was released was “Recipe Of A Hoe” and just like the other single, it featured a slower tempo. This time the song was built around a sample from an Isley Brothers song, “Ain’t I Been Good To You”. The song itself finds Boss taking aim (pun intended) at wanna-be players, letting them know they they’ll either be robbed or even worse, have their Johnson blown “clear the fuck off”. Ouch.

“Guess who? The down ass bitch BO$$!
Speakin’ on how ya dick’ll be gettin’ shot clear the fuck off!
If ya keep, talkin’ that shit cuz all bitches aint hoes!
And imma be the one to let ya stray ass know, niggaro!
So many bitches, ya keep a file on ‘em
State to state dick, ya draws got too many muthafuckin miles on em’!
But then again so many fakin’ the fuck, claimin’ they getting it,
but on the real they really ain’t getting shit
Steadily stressin’ you knockin the boots, yo nigga please!
You’s a nappy headed havin’, hoe ass rooty poot g!
And any bitch can see for her damn self
Niggas thats talkin’ the most shit ain’t even buldgin’ up under them belts!
Ya fake ass wanna be a pimp muthafucka!
Ya heard me right brother, this bitch here don’t stutter!
You no where next to the pimp you wanting to be, oh no
Getting your nut on the solo from get go was a no no!
Don’t even think about steppin’ to me see!
I’m tellin’ ya like it izzzz nigga….I know the fuckin’ recipe! “
Boss – Recipe Of A Hoe

The Def Jef-produced “Catch A Bad One” makes for one of the album’s most aggressive tracks and features both Boss and Dee with a one-two combination of sorts that makes one wonder why she wasn’t featured on more songs. “Born Gangsta” samples Parliament’s “All Your Goodies Are Gone” and once again features Dee. She gets the chance to shine on her own on the MC Serch-produced “Diary Of A Mad Bitch”. She kicks tales of a struggling “good girl gone bad” and gets revenge on all those that have wronged her with no remorse to be found. The ladies start closing the album out with “2 To Da Head” and “I Don’t Give A Fuck”, which basically puts a stamp on their music. They’re brash women who refuse to back down from any man or woman, and if you doubt that, then you’ll change your mind after a few slugs to the chest.

I purposely neglected to mention the bookends of the album which includes “Intro: A Call From Mom” and “Outro: A Call From Dad”. In these two short tracks, Boss’ (again, the individual) parents both voice their disapproval of the profanity that their baby girl is using on her answering machine. But to me, the mere inclusion of those tracks seemed to indicate that Boss hadn’t forgotten about her origins. For some reason, the media of the day seemed to make a spectacle of her upbringing as if she were hiding something, but she had laid it all out on the table from the jump. More recently, Boss found herself in need of a kidney transplant and taking close to fifty pills a day. She was planning a comeback in 2004, but other than a short mixtape called “The Six Million Dollar Mixtape”, not much has materialized.

Damn near twenty years have passed since these Bitches On Some Shit crept up on the scene, and the album still has a magnetic element to it. Perhaps it’s the beats, or it may be the females and their malevolent, sometimes over-the-top lyrics. Whatever the case is, there are generations of female rappers that followed in the footsteps of Boss that more than likely would have not seen the light of day if it were not for these bitches that refused to give a fuck.

Source: RapReviews.com

“The Year In Review” is a tradition over at RapReviews.com that they’ve upheld for a decade. Experimenting with a few different approaches, they finally found the most successful formula in 2004 – individual editorials from each of the site’s contributors, allowing them to choose their “best of the best” as they see fit. This year is no different and includes pieces from myself and a few others. Click on each of the names below to read their respective write-ups on the year that was 2009.

• Adam Bernard
• John-Michael Bond
• Steve ‘Flash’ Juon
• Jesal Padania
• Patrick Taylor
• Emanuel Wallace

I wanted to make a list of my ten favorite albums that I reviewed, but I didn’t have the time to do so. That may be something I work on in the next day or so and post it here.

For awhile, I was trying to figure out what I would do with this section of the site. Instead of showcasing all of the weekly reviews over on RapReviews [link], I’ll just highlight mine every couple weeks or so. They’ll only be in snippet form, since my new agreement prohibits me from posting full length reviews of new releases. I will still continue to post my Back To The Lab reviews in their entirety. This entry will be a bit longer that future ones since I’m going to go back a few months.

December:

Blee :: The Black Lion Chronicles Chapter 2: Respect Your Legacy :: Cross Seas Entertainment
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“The press release included with this album addressed my initial question of “Who the hell is Blee?” As it turns out, Blee is actually an acronym for Black Lion of Eternal Excellence. The name was bestowed upon him by his father and it has stuck with him. He’s lived in a few places that range from the Caribbean to Canada to the UK, and as a result, Blee’s music is a mixture of Caribbean swagger, the passion of the American hustle, and a slight touch of the British die-hard attitude…or at least that’s what the press kit says.”

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2009_12_blacklionchapter2.html

Kottonmouth Kings :: Hidden Stash 420 :: Suburban Noize Records
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“For over ten years, the Kottonmouth Kings have been ignored by most mainstream media outlets while continuing to release album after album. In the process, their fan base has continued to flourish and grow, much like the pot and mushrooms they openly indulging in. A common belief is that marijuana usage expands the mind and allows for more creativity. With the Kings, I’ll take that as the truth due to the fact that it has been quite a while since the Kings released an album that didn’t have at least twenty tracks on it. Just a year after the release of “The Green Album”, the Kings return with the fourth installment of their popular “Hidden Stash” compilations. This particular joint (pun intended) consists of forty tracks, split between two discs, and features guest appearances from the likes of Tech N9ne, X-Clan and Potluck.”

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2009_12_hiddenstash420.html

BeatMonstas :: Bomb ‘Til We Hit ‘Em
BeatMonstas Entertainment
Author: Emanuel Wallace

“The Chicago-based act joined forces in 2003 and released their first album, “The 3rd Weapon” in 2005. The reviewer of that album made it a point to mention that the BeatMonstas are at their best when diving head first into the murky waters of social and political issues. Upon reading that and the press mailer that pointed out the fact that most of their latest album, “Bomb ‘Til We Hit ‘Em, was recorded during the later years of the Bush Administration, made me think that every song was going to be a “Fuck George Bush” rally cry. To my surprise, they really aren’t.”

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2009_12F_bombtilwehitem.html

November:

iLL-Literacy :: iB4the1.1 :: digit.ILL.funk
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“A couple of weeks ago, I thought I had received an extremely oversized packet of tropical punch flavored Kool-Aid. Even more weird was the fact that I had actually purchased the traditional sized packet earlier in the day. However, to my surprise (and slight disappointment), it was the first release from Oakland trio, iLL-Literacy. The group consists of Dahlak, Drizzletron and N.I.C., and seems to draw influences from any and everything, ranging from afrobeat to X-Men. The self-proclaimed Ritalin babies have decided to release their album in three separate chapters, for the benefit of any others like themselves who lack the ability to sit still long enough to listen to an entire release at one time.”

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2009_11_ib411.html

50 Cent :: Before I Self Destruct :: G-Unit/Shady/Interscope
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“Everyone knows that Curtis Jackson handles the business side of things. He does shows like “Power Lunch” on CNBC, he co-authors books with authors like Robert Greene, he makes investments with unknown companies that in turn, pay off big, However 50 Cent is the gun toting, crime committing ignorant bastard that will start a beef with anyone and in some cases, destroys careers. 50 is also the one responsible for 2003’s “Get Rich Or Die Trying”, the breakout album that was the perfect combination of beats, hardcore rhymes and the often-overlooked element of success…timing.”

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2009_11_beforeiselfdestruct.html

Swollen Members :: Armed to the Teeth :: Suburban Noize Records
as reviewed by Emanuel Wallace

“I suppose it is apropos as such because the group Swollen Members is no joke. They’ve been on the scene for over a decade, their first studio album, “Balance” was released in 1999. From that point on, SM established themselves as one of Canada’s premier hip-hop acts. With all of that exposure, you would think that I have heard more of their material, but just like the reviewer of their last effort, “Black Magic”, my familiarity was minimal at best. I knew the name, but that was about all. Between the three years that have passed, the crew has persevered Mad Child’s drug addiction, the collapse of their former label, and a handful of legal problems.”

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2009_11_armedtotheteeth.html

Older posts have already been  listed here in my previous (W)rap Up posts, but from now on this will be the format that I use. Feel free to check out the reviews and subscribe to the RapReviews newsfeed [link] to stay up to date!

Many hip-hop fans across the world were filled with excitement when Chef Raekwon’s oft-delayed sequel to the seminal 1995 debut album, “Only Built For Cuban Linx” finally became a reality. After its release, Rae continued to record as both a solo artist and as a member of the pioneering Wu-Tang Clan, but many loyalists had been begging for a return to the form of that album that made the summer of ‘95 so memorable.

Fourteen years later, the fans finally got what they wanted, and for their patience they were rewarded with an album that would end up being ranked #7 on Time Magazine’s list of 2009’s best albums and #1 on iTunes.

Recently, Lex Diamonds has embarked upon a nationwide tour in support of his latest effort. Opting for smaller and more intimate venues instead of larger arenas, the tour made its way to a bitterly cold Columbus this past Friday, with Alrosa Villa being the gracious host.

The show got off to a good start with Columbus’ own Greenhouse. The duo performed a rather lengthy set which included many songs from their new release, “Electric Purgatory” and also a few freestyles over beats from The Who and Run-DMC. Other opening acts included Likeblood and Queen YoNasDa.

After a brief intermission, the man of the hour made his way to the stage. Surrounded  by an entourage that included Capone (of Capone-N-Noreaga). Playing to the crowd, Raekwon started out with a few Wu-Tang classics before moving into songs from the original “Linx” album.

Capone held down a short set which featured crowd favorites such as “T.O.N.Y.” and “Bang Bang”. He even did justice to a few songs that belonged to his absent partner in crime, Noreaga, such as “Superthug” and “Nothin’”.

If anyone came into Alrosa Villa doubting that the Chef still had the same edge as when he first came onto the scene, then they were certainly proven wrong by the time Lex left the stage. Songs like “Catalina”, “Surgical Gloves” and “Kiss The Ring” show that Shallah Raekwon still has the right ingredients to cook, and he’ll be doing so for awhile to come.

Source: Examiner.com