Grabbed this a couple of days ago but as usual didn’t really have a chance to check it out. I’m always down to try a new Japanese producer (there’s so many talented ones out there!) so I checked out these two during some down time at work earlier today and was very pleased. A must for fans of the ever-so-popular Jazz-Hop fusion genre. Info from his MySpace:

Amongst the Hiphop DJ’s & Producers in Japan, DJ RYOW is one of the most famous.   He is from Nagoya and He belongs to several crews and units such as “Ballers”(key member of M.O.S.A.D. from Nagoya,Tokai area.), ”Endless File”(with WATT, Rapper), GRAND BEATZ”(with TOMOKIYO,Tarck Maker).   As a DJ, he has regular parties in Nagoya(”THE BALLERS” with his crew), Fukuoka, Kagoshima etc… Moreover as a guset DJ, he spins at a lot of parties in many cities, everyweek.  He has played with so many artists and DJ’s from US such as DJ GREEN LANTERN,DJ WHOO KID,DJ ENVY,DJ ENUFF,THE ALCHEMIST,DJ CIPHA SOUNDS,D12,JUST BLAZE etc… As well, he released over 64 titles of his Mix CD’s, “BEST OF TOKONA-X”, “NEXT GENERATION”, “STREET MIX TAPE” with AK-69, “052 LEGENDS”, “THE CLASSICS”etc. These MixCD’s are highly praised by Hiphop listener in Japan.     As a Producer, DJ RYOW has cut over 170 tracks for various artists, include “TOKONA-X “(who created “WHO ARE U?” the theme song of the film “Kazuyoshi Miura File Case” and the opening song of K-1fighter “Tomihira”),  M.O.S.A.D.,”E”qual, AKIRA, BALLERS, AK-69, KALASSY NIKOFF, 般若, GANXTA CUE, Mr.OZ, EL LATINO, LA BONO, 307 BOYZ, YOUNG BERY, BIG IZ MAFIA, SHADY, SYGNAL etc. He’s released his own albums “Project Dream”,ENDLESS FILE & SYGNAL “FROM THE BALLERS CAMP”,ENDLESS FILE “BEGINNING OF LEGEND”,DJ RYOW & TOMOKIYO(GRAND BEATZ) “PROJECT DREAMS PT.2 ~ PT.4″ etc…     DJ RYOW has won “Blast Awards 2007, FIVE GRAETSET Japanese Hiphop producers of the year”(in the Hiphop magazine “Blast”). But his carrer is not limited to Japan. He’s currently making an official remix track for “DEEMI”, and he spins in NYC Club.Also he release a Mix CD “The Dream Term” in collaboration with DJ ENVY. His dream to expand his career to the whole world.   he has recently started his own record lavel, “ICEBERG STEPS”, and  a clothing brand “Dream Team”.   He never stop even for the moment. And definitely he will be a crucial person for the Hiphop industry of the next generation. NO,1 street mix tape king !!

Tracklist after the jump.

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Been super busy the last couple of days. The launch of 5MC’s hasn’t helped, and going back to work has been a big-time bummer. Here are a few requests that I got around to checking out during the holidays. I’ll be posting some sick discographies in the comin days so be on the lookout fam!

EMC-The_Show-2008-u*
Grieves-Irreversible-2007-F*D
Moka_Only-Airport_2-2008-F*D

Tracklist after the jump.

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Late night insomnia drove me to do a random discography so here’s to Cincinnati finest producer, Hi-Tek (sorry Ill Poetic :D). I think most cats are familiar with Tek’s name due to his collaboration with Talib Kweli under the name Reflection Eternal (hands down a classic hip-hop album), but Tek has dropped his own respective gems out of Talib’s shadow. Most of Tek’s “solo” albums are heavy with the guest appearances, but Tek also gets on the mic from time to time and handles it very well. If you’re familiar with Tek due to his big billed production credits (G-Unit affiliates mainly) don’t let that fool you and note he’s done prodcution for everyone from Little Brother, Cormega, Common, and Dead Prez to Ghostface, Gym Class Heroes, and Phife Dawg. All 4 of the efforts in this drop are solid to say the least, but if you’re going to only grab one for a test run I recommend Train of Thought or Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip for starters.

Talib_Kweli_and_Hi-Tek-Reflection_Eternal-2001-M*
Hi-Tek-Hi-Teknology-LP-2001-C*S
Hi-Tek-Hi-Teknology_2-The_Chip-Retail-2006-F*D
Hi-Tek-Hi-Teknology_3-2007-F*D
More info after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

theBside requested something jazzy and being one of my favorite hip-hop acts of all time, Digable Planets were the first thing to pop into my head. My favorite album from the trio is already floating around on CTR somewhere (Blowout Comb, also one of the best 5 albums ever made IMO), but this is a nice rundown of some of DPs standout tracks from their full length efforts. I would’ve personally added or replaced a few tracks with others, but this compilation certainly is a good way for heads to become accquainted with Digable Planets if they aren’t already, yet is still nice for any fan to have in their collection. Recommended for fans of Tribe, Panacea & Jazzanova.

More info after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

I really like this album. Got some nice jazzy tracks.  “Early Dayz Amazement” and “Passin’ By” in particular vibe nicely for me.  If you don’t know these cats, check this out if you like Insight, Nujabes, Y Society, Panacea, Cyne, etc. Cop this here and check out their MySpace.

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Had a request for a Juice discography not too long ago so here it is. I first got into him when browsing some Molemen CDs (nice production team outta Chi-town) a while back, dude’s been around for a minute. Check him out below.

Terry Jones who is better known by his stage name, MC Juice is a rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He is best known for beating Eminem in the famous Scribble Jam freestyle battle competition in 1997.

Known for his smooth flow and his ability as a ‘punchline rapper’ he has received acclaim for his freestyles and battle raps. One notorious contest was his $5k battle against Supernatural.

Perhaps his first notable album release was the independent album 100% J.U.I.C.E. featuring the track “Sincerely” in which he speaks of his underground status, and proclaims to be “the kat that got famous for never being famous.” MC Juice’s latest album was entitled All Bets Off and was released in early 2005.’ MC Juice is also very well known for other critically acclaimed albums such as “Tip of the Iceberg,” “Listen2ThaWerds,” and the acclaimed freestyle mixtape “30 Minute Freestyle.” Due to the complexity of his freestyle lyrics, he is often accused of writing his freestyle, something he denies.

The one & only, original J-U-ICE from Chicago, where I was born. At four years old I moved to L.A. where I spent my school years. Having many creative people in my family I found a love for music, specifically rap, and wrote my first rhyme by the time I was 6 yrs old. A little after high school, I moved back to Chicago. After being told so many good things about my “amazing” word play and showmanship, I decided to leave college to pursue this music thing full time. I’ve been in dozens of rap competitions and beaten hundreds of rappers, and I’ve lost only twice. I enjoy making new songs so I actually have an extensive music catalog (approx. 250 recorded). Currently there are a handful of projects floating around people’s CD players - The Man, 100% JUICE, Tip Of The Iceberg, Listen 2 The Words, All Bets Off, New Money - thru my company Conglomerate Music Group. Look out for my new project scheduled to debut in 09′. Support good music - Support Hip-Hop.

J.U.I.C.E.-100_Percent_J.U.I.C.E.-2001-WH*A
Juice-Tip_Of_The_Iceberg-2003-F*D
Juice-Listen_To_The_Words-2003-F*D
J.U.I.C.E.-All_Bets_Off-2005-S*E
Juice-New_Money-MIXCD-CDR-2006-F*D

Talks about a “The Man” CD above. If anyone has it or knows anything about that project holla in the comments!

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Merry Christmas people! I’ve managed to break away from the fam for a few minutes to drop ya’ll a little Xmas treat to keep you afloat for a minute music-wise. 

Brother Ali is unlike any other emcee in the industry. I’ve been a fan ever since I came across Shadows of the Sun many years ago, and having the opportunity to see him live on multiple occasions has been absolutely amazing. Highly underrated in my opinion, here’s your chance to carefully examine the greatness of Brother Ali first hand. 

Brother Ali LP’s:
Brother_Ali-Rites_of_Passage-Remastered-2000-F*D_INT
Brother_Ali-Shadows_Of_The_Sun-Retail-2003-F*A
Brother_Ali-Champion-EP-2004-F*D
Brother_Ali-The_Undisputed_Truth-2007-F*D

Brother Ali VLS’s:
Brother_Ali-Room_With_A_View_VLS-2003-F*D
Brother_Ali-Truth_is_BW_Freedom_Aint_Free-Promo_CDS-2007-R*D
Brother_Ali-Uncle_Sam_Goddamn-(White_VLS)-2007-C*
Brother_Ali-Uncle_Sam_Goddamn-(Red_VLS)-2007-C*
Brother_Ali-Uncle_Sam_Goddamn_Blue-PROPER-VLS-2007-F*D

Brother Ali Mixtapes:
Brother_Ali-Off_The_Record_Mixed_By_BK-One-Bootleg-2007-F*D

Brother Ali has no reservations in saying that he’s “trying to be one of the greatest of all time” (on the Molemen track “Life Sentence”). Inspired by golden era legends like KRS-One and Rakim, this undisputed Master of Ceremony began rapping as a means of survival.

Growing up albino (colorless hair, skin and eyes, poor vision, and extreme sensitivity to the sun) in a world of cruel kids made it strikingly obvious to Ali that he needed a high-powered way to earn some respect and prestige among his peers. As a result, every since elementary school he hasn’t slowed down with his lyrical grind. In his rare moments of silence these days, if you catch his eyes, you’ll notice that this Minneapolis denizen is rapping in his head. For Ali, hip-hop doesn’t stop when he exits the studio or stage.

Around the turn of the millennium, Rhymesayers Entertainment couldn’t overlook Ali’s talent and drive when he submitted his self-produced demo, Rites of Passage. This rare, cassette-only effort features collections of rhymes, poems, and stories that he wove into his live sets. Its release help make him a welcome member of the RSE family alongside Atmosphere, Musab, and Eyedea and Abilities.

Before returning to the lab, Ali kicked his way onto the battle circuit and even wound up facing off with fellow RSE rep Eyedea at the 2000 Scribble Jam festival in Cincinnati. Ali beat battle champ Eyedea, but didn’t take home the trophy. Nonetheless, the MC collected his props and headed back to the Twin Cities, ready to record his official debut, Shadows On The Sun.

By no means a mixtape act, Ali focuses his energies on making complete records that will stand the test of time. This became clear on Shadows, the album that left critics and hip-hop kids alike stunned. As the Village Voice raved, “When Ali raps…I can’t do anything but sit and stare at my stereo, engrossed by the raw emotion and tricky wordplay.” Released in the spring of 2003, this breakout effort produced by ANT of Atmosphere saw Ali present himself as a “modern urban Normal Rockwell” who’s a “cross between John Gotti and Mahatma Gandhi.” Indeed, Ali painted vivid portraits of inner city plight on the fiery single “Room With A View” and showed the world that you can stand your ground without always resorting to violence on the uplifting track, “Win Some Lose Some”.

Since the release of Shadows, Ali has become just as revered for his performances, in which the MC takes audiences through heavy passionate ballads to high-energy crescendos and back. Among his 500-plus shows, Ali has shared stages with the likes of Atmosphere, Brand Nubian, Rakim, MF Doom, and Murs throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. And he hasn’t been limited to playing clubs and concert halls as he has participated in renowned music festivals like Coachella, Sweden’s Hultsfred and the Eurokeenes Festival in France.

During down time from touring, Ali returned to the studio with ANT to build off the chemistry sparked on Shadows to craft the Champion EP. While brief, this mini-album is an expansive effort that sees Ali express himself through everything from classic braggadocio (“Bad Ma Fucka”) to poignant societal examinations (“Chain Link”).

Following the release of Champion in the spring of 2004, Ali ran into a number of roadblocks that halted his usually steady recording process. This included him parting ways with his wife, being homeless, and trying to secure custody of his son. Armed with a wave of stories to share, Ali recorded The Undisputed Truth, once again with ANT in his corner. Due out Spring 2007 on Rhymesayers, Ali’s second full-length sees him dig deeper into his life experiences (“Walking Away”) and political views (“Uncle Sam Goddamn”) than ever before.

“I wanted to make an album that gives you no choice but to feel what I’m feeling at the time,” Ali explains of The Undisputed Truth. “I made choices that sent me through a lot of struggle in the past few years and ANT and I have made music that really communicates the exact feeling of those situations.”

As he ponders, “How does it feel to have to walk away from a ten-year marriage with a child? You got a six-year-old boy and he’s your life. How does it feel to look him in the eye and explain to him that you’re breaking up his home? The music and the sound of my voice and the way I’m describing the situations and emotions involved should make you feel like you’re in my shoes at that moment. That’s The Undisputed Truth.”

Gotta run, I’ll add info/covers when I get more time.

Requested by yung phuk. As I was going through my Silent Law albums I realized that I had missed one album on my Cymarshall Law discography. In 2006 Silent Knigh and Cymarshall Law did and album together as Silent Law called Simplexity. I apologise for missing it in the first place but here it is now along with other Silent Knight albums of course.

Solo:

Silent_Knight-Fall_of_Ignorance-The_Mixtape-2005-M*R_iNT [EAC rip]
Silent_Knight-Bar_Food-EP-2006-F*D_INT
Silent_Knight-Hunger_Strike-2006-M*R_iNT [EAC rip]
Silent_Knight-Restoration-2008-2* [EAC rip]

Collaboration:

Silent_Law-Simplexity-2006-F*D_INT (missing NFO and SFW)

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Requested by Ber. One of Slum Village’s ex-members. Never been a huge SV fan, but Baatin is most memorable for being the crazy member (I believe he is actually medically schizophrenic) and having the best verse on Tainted.

Baatin got his start in Hip Hop rapping and beat boxing in (86) with influences from MC Shan & The Juice Crew, MC Lyte and Big Daddy Kane to name a few.

In 89 he hooked up with T3 & Jay Dee and formed a group Slum Village. After dedicating 14 years of his life to Slum Village

Baatin decided to pursue a solo career. He left his fans with hits like Tainted from the Trinity album and Players & Climax from the Fan-Tas-Tic 2 album to remember him by.

With his new career Baatin plans to go to the top with his Titus Chapter 10 Verse 13 album amongst other projects. He will be releasing his album “Daytwah” in the future featuring production from Drummer of Iron Fist Records.

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Requested by Nick. Dope album from Living Legends.

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UPDATE: Added Silent_Law-Simplexity-2006-F*D_INT (missing NFO and SFW)

I have been a huge Cymarshall Law fan since I heard his Hip-Hop In The Flesh album. Everything the man drops is just dope! If you havent checked these out before I highly recommend to do it now. Also this post includes the Grouprip of Hip-Hop In The Soul which we somehow missed.

Solo albums:

Cymarshall_Law-In_The_Flesh-2007-F*D
Cymarshall_Law_And_Mr_Joeker-Hip-Hop_In_The_Soul-2008-WH*A

Collaborative albums:

Pumpkinhead_and_Marshal_Law-Power_Man_and_Iron_Fist-(Retail)-2004-S*N_EAC
Everliven_Sound-Freedom-2008-F*D
Silent_Law-Simplexity-2006-F*D_INT

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Another dope request. Got into Illogic only recently with the release of his new EP, dude is real nice. High praise for this one all around the net so I really hope it’s as good as they claim.

One of the, um, endearing little quirks of CMG is that, on occasion, we get horrifically meta and first person. This is going to be one of those occasions, so hold on to your Vonneguts. Herein, I’m razing my old review for what I swear to be a neo-classic of hip-hop, last year’s and Illogic’s Celestial Clockwork. NY-based Raptivism now peddles Weightless wares, hopefully ensuring much better distribution of the small Columbus label’s quality releases; as a sort of dowry, Weightless presently offers a reissue of their (to date) watermark album, Illogic’s personal opus and third LP. This reissue features a shiny new remix and bonus track, so I can’t think of a better excuse to jump aboard my private/lonely hype wagon and lavish more praise on an album that I admire to a rather pathetic degree. In my jumping and admiring, I eradicate and redux my old review, a bulky and awkward beast that lumbers about with a track-by-track approach mired in choppy lyrical examples and overdone metaphors… oh, and long sentences, naturally. Looking at other reviews from my early CMG days (see Cryptic One and Cee-Lo Green), it’s surprising that Scott and Amir didn’t stage an intervention and send me into some sort of writing detox program. Judging by this paragraph, it may already be too late for me.

It’s almost diabolically fitting that the whole Celestial Clockwork reissue should come about with my self-conscious revisionism in tow, for one of the major themes of the album is the idea of time passing and the inevitable changes it brings, how the very process of change is the only medium in which life and growth can take place. If you don’t believe that that’s a big theme in an album belonging to a genre often possessed of short-sighted materialism, well, you can check the fantastic title track and the lyrics to the songs “The Only Constant” and “Stand,” both of which feature Illogic positing that “change is the only constant.” So, uh, booyah.

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Requested by jasn. Appears to be Christian Hip-Hop; the reviews seemed good so I’ll give it a chance, you should too. For fans of: ill harmonics, Deepspace 5, Mars ILL, Phonetic Composition, Freddie Bruno, Sintax the Terrific, LMNO. You can cop this one here.

The Playdough I’m introducing you to is known from his work with ill harmonics and Deepspace 5. He loves to rhyme, but instead of rapping about the common subjects among rappers these days - women and money - he raps about his lack of wealth and his reliance on God.  Lonely Superstar starts off with “You Will Listen,” an acoustic track with the lyrics “We lift up Jehovah Jirah…” comprising the chorus. “Seeds of Abraham” follows, one of my favorites off of the Left Behind, Urban Hip Hop soundtrack. This is followed by “5 Cent Needleheads,” more upbeat than the previous tracks, with a tight track pumping behind catchy lyrics. “Clappy Valentino” is another acoustic track, and is followed by “Shadow Dance,” with a track full of horns, bass, and an awesome drum loop. Playdough follows this up with the title track, “Lonely Superstar.” He laments his situation as a rapper with not much recognition, though by his performance on this record, his talent warrant much more recognition. “Lonely Superstar” is followed by “Freedom Fighters” - more guitars found on this loop, a style used many times on the disc. “Single 1″ follows, a much more laid back loop backs this song, still rhythmically together on the vocals.   

Jakki The Motamouth is a fairly unique MC. He’s not always my favourite type of cat to listen to, but I can definitely appreciate most of the shit he spits. The MHz (Camu Tao, Copywrite, Jakki Da Motamouth, Ramble Krohn, Tage Proto, RJD2 on the beats) album is actually fairly slept on, very top notch work. I haven’t listened to the Weathermen (Cage, Camu Tao, Yak Ballz, Copywrite, Vast aire, Tame One, Breeze Brewin, El-P, Jakki Da Motamouth) album, but it involves a buncha flame throwers so it should be more than solid.

Jacki The Motamouth LP’s:
MHz-Table_Scraps-2001-C*S
Weathermen-The_Conspiracy-(Retail)-2003-C*S
Jakki_The_Motamouth-God_Vs._Satan-2005-C*S
Jakki_Da_Motamouth-Psycho_Circus-CDR-2008-Xpl*de

Jacki The Motamouth VLS’s:
Jakki_Da_Motamouth-Im_Tryin_Bw_Stage_Fright-VLS-2003-J*E

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In the world of acquired taste for hip-hop, there are MC’s that don’t just push the boundaries of expected flavors, they blow right past it. Pacewon has that covered in spades. Ever since “The Rah Rah” broke in 2000, using a background sample culled from a spy movie, the sometimes goofy but always fresh rapping style of Pacewon has been a known fact for underground rap fans. You ever heard a rapper say about another rapper’s freestyle that the kid is “dumb nice” on the mic? Pacewon’s got that locked, figuratively and literally. Between Pace, RZA, and G. Rap the greatest book of rap delivery known to man could be written on how to make even bad concepts sound good and good concepts sound fresh as ALL hell.

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Constantly changing his art, experimenting with different methods is the usual mode of operating with Mathematik; he is always trying to expand people’s minds and expose them to the potential of hip hop culture and its music. He is inspired by his youth and after seeing many MC’s rise and not achieve international success, Mathematik is determined to see the Canadian hip hop scene gain the respect and recognition it deserves.

Mathematik’s experience in the music industry comes from working with producer K-Cut (Main Source) as well as artists such as Sic Sense, Citizen Kane, Saukrates and Dream Warriors. Mathematik speaks about everything that is a part of his life and will freely voice his opinion against those who disrespect hip hop. He is an innovative artist that is constantly exploring musical mediums to create a revolutionary hip hop sound.

In 2000, Mathematik released his debut album called “Ecology”, a testament to his commitment to hip hop culture. It showcased skilled lyricism backed by beats produced by Erf Productions. Exclaim Magazine says his “thought provoking lyrics reveal an MC blessed with deep wisdom and insight…”. This was just the beginning for Mathematik, he continues to weave himself into the fabric of hip hop culture.

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“In a time when hip hop is in desperate need of originality, a refreshing sound can be heard coming from the bay area.  The Loyalists are made up of Framework (emcee) and E Train (dj/producer). They have been making music together for over 12 yrs. and continue to bring you back to the roots of hip hop with hard hitting beats and rhymes.

The Loyalists are strong artists who don’t let today’s trends shape where they take their music. Clever, rapid fire lyrics are weaved over hard, melodic beats to keep your head nodding while demanding a conscious mind from listeners. Their turntablism background becomes evident with lightning sharp cuts that separate them from some common groups of today. The Loyalists influences come from their love of the early 90’s hip hop sound. However, they produce an original sound that can’t be found anywhere else.

The impact of The Loyalists can be felt from their ILL live shows. The classic combination of an emcee and dj playing off each other creates an energetic scene wherever they rock a crowd.  They have shared a stage with artists like KRS-One, Jedi Mind Tricks, Wordsworth, Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, Pharcyde, and others. When they come to your town, you won’t want to miss them.”

The_Loyalists-Moodswing-2004-FTD
The_Loyalists-Get_What_You_Give-2005-FTD
The_Loyalists-Redemption-2008-uC

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Another one I dug up from the archives. Two heavy weights in the game of hip-hop showcase their love for chess for Grandmasters. The Remix Album is done up by the likes of Dialekt, DJ Khalil, James Alsanders, L.D., King Karnov, DJ Solo, Lewis One, St. Louis, J-Thrill, and Scoop Deville.

Intro done… and we’re in. This record is good, though perhaps competent is a better word – it doesn’t scale the same artistic heights of, say, a Madvillainy, another collaborative record, but it’s still pretty enjoyable.

As is perhaps betrayed by the title and certainly by the cover art, most of the metaphors on Grandmasters are chess related, which very loosely wraps the record around a vague concept. (In between the songs you’ll find samples of chess pros talking up their game.)

GZA is an excellent rapper and lyricist – he has a knack for couching his tales-of-gritty-street-life™ in interesting metaphors and for populating those same stories with enough details to help lend an air of realism to the whole affair.
Of course, that doesn’t stop some of the songs from being, what, tacky? “Queen’s Gambit” uses gridiron as a metaphor for sex and is clever only in that it incorporates the names of different football teams in the lyrics. Unfortunately, this is now the third song in which GZA has done this, albeit with different narratives, and it just isn’t as impressive or clever as it was the first time.

Muggs, for his part, does pretty exceptional work throughout the record. The beats and the music are pretty solid, though not extraordinarily different to what you might have heard on something like Muggs Presents… The Soul Assassins. This isn’t a criticism, mind, I’m just placing everything in context.
There are some inspired moments, though. On the aforementioned “Queen’s Gambit,” whilst GZA is busy fucking three chess enthusiasts, Muggs drops a pretty spectacular bass line that comes close to salvaging the whole affair. Additionally, every once in a while, just to keep things interesting, Muggs breaks the music down and mixes things up in some very thrilling ways. This coupled with GZA’s rhymes makes for a pretty decent purchase.

(Via TheWaxConspiracy.com)

Tracklist after the jump. Cop these two albums here.

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I wasn’t sure what to think of BHV’s request of “College Registration” so I played it safe. I really do love both these CDs, is that Kanye gone for good? I sure hope not, it’s not promising though. 

Yes, Kanye West’s debut album The College Dropoutis proof that you can be one of hip-hop’s hottest producers and still be proficient at writing and delivering rhymes, that not all producers sink a track when they get on the mic. Yes, The College Dropoutis an example of a much-hyped, long-delayed, heavily bootlegged album that is worth every second of the wait, that is just as good as you expected it to be. Yes, the track that so much of that attention has been focused on — “Through the Wire”, Kanye’s confessional rap about his horrific car accident, capably rhymed while his jaw was still wired shut — is as riveting and moving as everyone says it is. Yes, the beats on this album are at least as hot as those he’s grown famous for. And yes, as a link between Jay-Z and Talib Kweli (or the “first nigga with a Benz and a backpack”, as he puts it on one song) he is likely to win over hip-hop fans of all stripes; when critics refer to him as “hip-hop’s savior”, you understand what they’re getting at, even as you think “Does hip-hop need to be saved?” But all of that is only half the story. That’s just the beginning of what The College Dropout is all about, only the first in the long list of reasons why the album is so unique, and so powerful.

A college dropout himself, West uses the cover art and a serious of skits to frame the album as a commentary on the educational system, a criticism of what people expect to gain from school and of the tenuous connection which that often has to what is taught and learned. That idea holds the album together as an extended look at the choices people make in life, and the reasons behind them. On song after song he uses his own life to rap about growing up and trying to survive in a harsh world, about the things we do just to get by. “Through the Wire” may be the album’s most startling personal horror story (though it’s also a song of hope and gratitude), but many of the other songs use autobiography in a more fluid and casual way. It’s like you’re listening to one of your neighbors tell you about his life — not because Kanye’s talents as an MC are pedestrian (by no means), but because he crosses subjects and contradicts himself in a very real way. His style of rapping is both self-boosting and self-deprecating; he expresses from-the-heart feelings about the world and where it’s gone wrong, then makes fun of himself for feeling like he has any right to judge others. He rhymes with conviction, and then steps back and laughs at himself… but instead of cutting against what he’s saying, that style makes the songs feel more honest. Kanye’s a Whitmanesque everyman figure who stands out in a genre where even the most “complicated” MCs — the sensitive gangstas — still all too often feel like they’ve built themselves personas to sell. On The College Dropout, Kanye West feels not like a persona but a person, and one who’s remarkably gifted at putting his worldview into a song, even when it’s messy and contradictory.

The more you listen to The College Dropout the harder Kanye becomes to define. In one moment he’s a street journalist who dissects the low expectations America has for young black teenagers and who understands the mechanics behind crime and the criminal justice system all too well; on the first track “We Don’t Care” he offers this wry chorus as a graduation anthem, and gets a kid’s choir to joyously sing it: “All you people that’s drug dealing just to get by/ Stack your money till it gets sky high/ We wasn’t supposed to make it past 25/ Jokes on you we still alive.” Then in another moment all he cares about is shiny car and women’s bra sizes. But lest you think that scholar/player is the only dichotomy here, check out the variety of ideas and complexities displayed across even just three of the album’s tracks:

On “All Falls Down” he criticizes consumerism as an expression of self-hatred rooted in history (”We shine because they hate us/ Floss cause they degrade us/ We tryin to buy back our 40 acres”), and then implicates himself in the same process.

The gospel hymn “I’ll Fly Away” leads into “Spaceship”, a low-key funk track about wishing you could get away from the working world via a spaceship; with help from GLC and Consequence, Kanye effectively links the legacy of slavery to modern-day corporate enslavement, while using the spaceship image to make evident the often invisible line between the “free us from the burdens of this world” theme of gospel music and the Afro-futurism of Sun Ra and P-Funk. Take into account the doo-wop style in which “I’ll Fly Away” is sung, and the Marvin Gaye sample the song uses, and you have a rich study of themes in the history of black music as well as a working man’s anthem.

On “Jesus Walks” Kanye proclaims his devotion to Jesus as seriously as the most devotional hymn singer would, while illustrating the way he falls in and out of what he perceives as the good path to follow. “I wanna talk to God but I’m afraid cause we aint spoke in so long,” he confesses, but then he goes ahead and asks us all to join him in that conversation, to push the song onto radio and push the divine into the heart of public dialogue. Extra dimensions are added to the song by the intense, cinematic presence it has, with all of the drama of a gangster film’s climactic scenes, and by a Curtis Mayfield drop that makes the song ripe for a study of intertextuality.Add to those the over-the-top “New Workout Plan”, both a hilarious parody of an aerobics routine and a platform for Kanye to wrap his words around weird shifts in tempo and style; “Never Let Me Down”, where Jay-Z rhymes about attaining status and power, Kanye one-ups him with a show-stopping attack on racism and meditation on death, and J Ivy offers words of spiritual upliftment; “Slow Jamz”, both an ode to quiet-storm R&B and a goof on it; “Two Words”, a deafening mix of social critique and bragging with Mos Def, Freeway and the Harlem Boys Choir; “Family Business”, a sweet, soulful tribute to family; and a few tracks with him boasting and goofing over slamming funk-n-soul tracks, and you have an album that’s complicated in exactly the right ways.Call The College Dropout over-ambitious, if you will, but every single one of these songs comes off like a genuine extension of Kanye’s personality and experiences. And all of them are musically engaging — an instrumental version of this album would rock the house. The album’s focus on old-school soul, gospel and funk sounds, with classic R&B hooks often processed and looped at a song’s center, fits thematically with the album’s look at survival, struggle, and community. Kanye uses samples and beats in a highly emotional way that feels entirely authentic even in the album’s most heart-on-sleeve moments, like “Family Business”. Here what would be hokey in another musician’s hands makes you feel real shivers, maybe even cry real tears. That level of “realness”, the way that the songs ring true whether he’s bragging or self-criticizing, joking or praying, is what makesThe College Dropout more than worthy of all of the attention that it’s getting. Even the 12-minute autobiographical monologue that closes the album is off-the-cuff and honest, against the odds.(Via PopMatters.com)

Tracklist and Late Registration after the jump. Cop them here.

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Easily one of my favourite albums of 2k7. This one kinda got lost in the shuffle after a little bit, which tends to happen with way too many good albums for me. I put WinAmp on shuffle the other night and just loaded up a huge playlist and I freaked when Trilogy came on. I used to bang this album every day in my car for what seemed like months back when I didn’t have an iPod hookup there. I’ve always felt that Pharoahe Monch is one of the best to ever touch the mic, and that he’s never really ever gotten the dues he truly deserves. If you’re not too familiar with either him or this album, definitely cop this album. Heavy politically-themed tracks laced over soulful beats. I’ll try and get to a full disco post in the coming weeks, he’s been making heaters for as long as I can remember. HipHopDX with a quickie:

Considering that Pharoahe Monch is the type of emcee that comes along once in a lifetime, having to wait some 8 years between solo albums is inhuman and cruel. After splitting from Prince Po and their too often overlooked Organized Konfusion union, the southside Queens native finally got the shine he deserved…well sort of. At the height of Rawkus Records popularity and on the strength of his smash single Simon Says, Pharoahe was on his way to a platinum plaque. That is until an uncleared sample forced them to stop all promotion and pull every record from the shelve. Internal Affairs ended up fizzling out around the gold mark, Rawkus soon folded and Pharoahe went into hiatus.

A couple years of rumors that he was signing to Shady, an 8 month delay from his original release date and here we are with Desire. Despite signing with Steve Rifkin’s SRC rather than with Marshall, Monch still has Mr. Porter (bka Denaun Porter of D12) executive producing the album. Don’t get it twisted, there are noPurple Pills here, Desire is Pharoahe doing what Pharoahe does best; Rap.

Funny enough, the album may become best known for the track where Pharoahedoes as much singing as he does rhyming. Body Baby has drawn some comparisons to Gnarls Barkley, but its P’s Elvis swagger in the hook that will really catch some attention. While it’s a great song and single, it isn’t where he shines brightest. Those moments come in a few other places. His chops on Body Babymay get more notice, but it’s Push where Pharoahe really brings the soul over some equally expressive horns. His triumphant return on the album’s title track is one. Over Alchemist’s best production in a minute he brings the lyrics; “I embody antibiotics, you are infected by germs/rap’s fatally ill, please get the serum.” Then again, when it comes to lyrics you’ve really gotta point to When The Gun Draws, the sequel to his classic Stray Bullet (where do you think Nas got the idea for I Gave You Power?). Let’s Go may lack the conceptual brilliance of When The Gun Draws, but it hardly lacks P getting stupid with the wordplay; “listen man, stop snitchin man/you use to sex to sell, and your next to tell/to sprint, everything you represent is immoral/singular, not plural/you and your sidekick get rid of that wack trio/I freeze emcees zero degrees below/the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice.”

All the jaw dropping moments above still don’t measure up to the apex of Desire; the 3 part, 9 minute, 24 second epic called Trilogy. With the help of Mr. Porter, Dwele and Tone respectively, Pharoahe weaves a story of love, friendship, infidelity, revenge and murder – in reverse – with exquisite execution. They may not be the cream of the crop, but the album is still rounding out by a handful of dope tracks, most notably his excellent cover of Public Enemy’s Welcome To The Terrordome and the bedroom music that is So Good.

A title like Desire can be taken in any number of ways. One way is to assume he is alluding to his desire to create timeless art. When so much music is just churned out in the interest of making a quick buck, it is impossible not to take notice when an artist of this caliber displays their craft at the highest level. WhateverPharoahe’s aspiration was, let’s just hope it inspires other rappers to step their fucking games up and try and compete with his Desire.

Tracklist after the jump. You can cop the CD here. 

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I really don’t think this cat needs any introduction so I’ll get down to the music. Blu’s debut album with SoCal producer Exile dropped in 2007 and was instantly hailed a classic by man heads (and yours truly). The album includes is critically acclaimed for Exile’s usage of obscure late 60s to early 70s samples as well as his twisting of more well known 90s & early 2ks hip-hop tracks into completely different, yet incredibly beautiful new tracks. It is on this first full length LP that we are introduced to a extremely introspective kind of griot in Blu who fully delivers over Exile’s production with his own brand of average nigga type storytelling which paints panoramic visions in the unworldliest of minds.

Onto C.R.A.C. Knuckles. The Piece Talk is Blu’s second full length album released under the moniker C.R.A.C. Knuckles with Detroit native Ta’Raach. A lot of cats were feeling 50/50 on this one, but I personally think it was quite good. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop acts like Arrested Development, The Pharcyde, Gnarls Barkley and PM Dawn or acts of other genres (particular Afrobeat like Fela Kuti or Brazilian Samba/Funk like Azymuth) then you’ll love it.  On this album you’ll catch a more expiramental spontaneous Blu. The production isn’t completely hip-hop and the music isn’t either, but you’ll find a nice mesh of several different genres in here (no electric circus).

As far as full length releases go, the Johnson&Jonson joint is Blu’s last full length joint (thus far). Again Blu revisits his Bridgetown stomping grounds to find a producer for this work in the little known Mainframe. A lot of people don’t realize it, but this Johnson&Jonson joint was actually put together before Below the Heavens and thus considering he was probably on a different wavelength at the time and the album has a different producer we get another completely original sound from Blu which is by no means a bad thing. When I initially heard this album (I got it in late ‘07 ’cause I got it like dat =D) I wasn’t a fan and I let it sit in my unsorted downloads folder for ages. Finally, about three months later I listened to it again ’cause I lost most of my music and it was one of the only things I still had left and I was more than a little impressed. Word, it’s not like Below the Heavens, but it’s almost just as good. The way Blu proved to be an amazing storyteller on BTH is the way he proves to be an amazing wordsmith on J&J. This album is packed with crazy punchlines, wordplay and metaphors and unlike his major label counterparts, his shit also makes sense… no random punchlines here and there (ahm, weezy). BTH or J&J… which album is better? Too close to call…

This drop also includes The Lifted EP, an EP released before BTH, The BeSene EP released earlier this year by Blu & Sene under the moniker Patch Adams (predecessor to an upcoming full length to be titled A Day Late & A Dollar Short), The Narrow Path & Buy Me Lunch VLSs (the only two current VLS avaiable to my knowledge). Purchase information available on Blu’s myspace page (all are worth buying… support the trueschool) and keep looking out for Blu’s upcoming debut Solo album.

Blu LPs
Blu_And_Exile-Below_The_Heavens-Retail-2007-I*T
C.R.A.C._Knuckles-The_Piece_Talks-2008-C*
Blu_And_Mainframe_Are-Johnson_And_Jonson-2008-C*

Blu EPs
Blu-Lifted-EP-2006-C*S
Patch_Adams-BeSene_EP-(WEB)-2008-CTR

Blu VLSs
Blu-The_Narrow_Path-VLS-2006-F*D
C.R.A.C._Knuckles-Buy_Me_Lunch_(WEB)-2008-F*H

*BeSene EP isn’t a scenerip.
*The DJ Heat & Blu So(ul) Amazing mixtape wasn’t include as it’s not official, but can be copped here via our affiliates at SpeakerBoxxx.
*The C.O.R.E. mixtape can be downloaded here.

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Real nice album outta the 12 man crew coming at ya from Ohio. Beats by A Piece of Strange as well as a Masta Ace feature. Dope!

Scribbling Idiots is JustMe, Cas Metah, Theory Hazit, Wonder Brown and Mouth Warren. Extended family includes MattmaN, Re:Flex, Motion Plus, Elias, Kaboose and Ruffian. What does that list mean to you? Well don’t be surprised if only a few of those names hit you and the larger balance passes over your head. Nevertheless make no mistake you shortly will know each member in their own right. Lets dissect shall we?

Theory Hazit, former Holy Culture Radio show host and DJ, Producer, Emcee has several indie releases under his belt including a famed Scribble Jam Beatdown championship and a highly acclaimed classic album under the Hip Hop IS Music label titled “Extra Credit”. Theo is a solid all-around artist and definitely holds his crew down and lends some of the top production to this the crews debut record “The Havenots”.

Aside from Theory there is also members making their solo mark with previous releases making noise such as JustMe, and Cas Metah who combined with solo projects also put out a collab project together. Additionally, the extended S.I. fam members Motion Plus, Elias, and Kaboose have solo albums out prior to this conglomerate release.

Having mentioned all of the prior accolades its pretty evident that the S.I. massive is not a group of newcomers to the music scene. Don’t expect a proving ground of untested lyricists and unpolished beats here. “The Havenots” is a solid release which comes equipped with sample heavy rifts of chopped strings, piano keys, funk, smooth bass lines, and dirty hard hitting drums reminiscent of Dilla, Hi-Tek, 9th Wonder, Premier, etc… Rhymes focus on subject matter from self introspective to braggadocios to spiritual enlightenment to life struggles and ailments of the indie music industry.

In a pleasant mix of dope