´The Doc umentary´ by The Game (out 17/01/05).
The death of rap legend Tupac Shakur on september 13th 1996 marked the end of the west coasts reign of hip hop,artists such as Dr Dre,Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg still remind us of the classic g funk style of rap,but there isn´t a stand out star reppin the westside.That is until now.Just 2yrs ago Chuck Taylor was lyin in a hospital bed after bein shot several times wen he dreamt of rap stardom,now the Compton resident finds himself on the hottest label in rap and surrounded by some of raps biggest sellin artists.Signed to Dr Dre´s Aftermath label The Game is one of the most anticipated and excitin artists to emerge onto the scene since his label mate 50 Cent.After droppin joints on numerous mixtapes The Game is about to unleash an album that will single handedly put the west coast back on the hip hop map.With production by some
of the games hottest producers and good guest appearances this album is filled wit heat.The poundin club banger ´Higher´ is one of the best cuts,produced by Dr Dre The Game makes this record both gangsta and hilarious wit lines such as: ´´i´ll do anythin but i wont f**k mar-i-ah/even if she had Ashanti butt naked in bed/cos she got a forehead jus like Tyra/i can say woteva i want´´.The 1st single ´How We Do´ is already heatin up the radio and charts,50 Cent who has been lackluster as of late comes tight on this joint and if he continues to up his game,his album will be somethin to look forward to.´Envy Me´ is a hot record and is followed by several dope tracks featurin Faith Evans and G-Unit.The only really disappointin song on here is the Eminem produced and featured ´We Aint´,The Games lyrics however save this track,just.
Apart from that 1 weak track the album is fire.The production is excellent from Just Blaze,Kanye West,Hi Tek,Scott Storch and Dr Dre,but the real standout factor on this record is The Game himself.He has seriously raised the bar in terms of his lyrics and comes strong (pause no h**o lol) on every track.Dont expect to hear the same old ish that the G-Unit has put out recently cos this album is the best Aftermath/G-Unit record since 50 Cents debut,infact it maybe even surpasses it.If ur a fan of gangsta rap,westcoast g-funk or just good hip hop u will luv this album from start to finish.Although not quite classic status ´The Doc umentary´ is bangin.Oh and 1 last thing: ´´wake up the west coast is back!!´´.
9/10.
As reviewed by aLDo.
Loyal To The Game by 2Pac (out 13/12/04).
Since his death 8yrs ago,where he was tragically murdered in a drive-by shootin,Tupac Shakur has become a worldwide icon.He has grown to be far more popular in death than he ever was in life,his life and death have become tha subject of thousands of conspiracies and debates,whilst his music has still managed to remain relevant.However tha 1 thing that seperates 2Pac from all otha deceased musicians is tha fact that after all these yrs he is still releasin NEW material,through his mother Afeni and Deathrow Records CEO Marion ´Suge´ Knight,6 full length albums of previously unreleased songs have been released.His album ´Until The End Of Time´ was tha biggest sellin hip hop album of 2001.Now to ´Loyal To The Game´.Due to tha success of Eminems production on tha ´Tupac: Resurrection´
soundtrack,Afeni has allowed him to produce an entire album of her sons work.Tha album opens wit ´Soldier Like Me´ and straight from tha jump u can tell that havin Eminem producin all 13 tracks is a mistake.2Pac´s lyrics are strong,as usual,but why Eminem decides to sing (terribly) on tha track is beyond me.Tha next coupla tracks are sadly in tha same vein as tha previous,weak beats,strong 2Pac vocals and Eminem guestin.´Uppercut´ is a decent track,although E.D.I.´s (of The Outlawz) verse is unusually weak.´Ghetto Gospel´ is a slightly better attempt production-wise by Eminem and Elton Johns vocals seem to work wit Pac´s heartfelt lyrics.Next up is ´Loyal To The Game´ featurin G-Unit.Once again tha beat is poor,tha guests verses are poor and tha alterin of Pac´s voice at tha end to say ´G-Unit in tha muh f**kin house´ is
jus wrong.´Henessey´ and ´Crooked N***a Too´ are only listenable if u wanna hear new Pac verses,othawise,skip em.Eminem finally produces his best work on tha album on ´Thugs Get Lonely Too´,tha beat is good and 2Pac´s lyrics about bein away from his girl are excellent.Nate Dogg comes up wit a decent hook,but he does sound a lil bored though.So thats it for tha Eminem portion of this album,which is really only listenable for Pac´s lyrics as most of tha production sounds very amateur.However tha best is saved for last,as Scott Storch,Red Spyda and DJ Quick save this album from bein wack.Storch gives tha unreleased classic ´Cuz I Had 2´ a good reworkin and new name ´Po N***a Blues´.´Henessey´ is also redone well,minus Obie Trice,wit Sleepy Brown and E.D.I.So ´Loyal To The Game´ is nearin release and i no that u all are
probably gonna go cop it,but i strongly urge u 2 think twice before spendin ur cash.If not alot of people buy this album maybe Afeni Shakur will finally get tha message,we want to hear 2Pac´s original versions of these songs wit tha original beats and original collaborations.Eminem,as much as i used to like him,does his best to desecrate 2Pac´s memory by ruinin some classic unreleased material and tha wack Shady/Aftermath guests dont help matters either (and by tha way,where tha heck is Johnny Jackson).When u listen to tha 4 bonus remix tracks by otha producers,u cant help but think that had this album been given to Red Spyda or Scott Storch it would be a far better joint.´Loyal To The Game´,a album full of more good Pac lyrics ruined by money.Buy if ur a fan,but u will be disappointed and angry wit Afeni and Eminem.
6/10.
As reviewed by aLDo.
R&G: The Masterpiece by Snoop Dogg (out soon).
In tha early 90s Snoop Doggy Dogg (as he was known then) was one of tha brightest talents to emerge on tha west coast hip hop scene.However since his Deathrow days he has seen many of his fans desert him stating his recent pop-esque songs as tha reason,but on ´R&G´ Snoop attempts to revisit his past glories.He has made a large 20 track opus and he decides to open wit a fittingly grandious track ´I Love To Give U Light´.The Alchemist puts in his work here with a beautiful gospel sample over which Snoop spits ´As an adolescent,one black child/i had a message to reach/teachin tha masses´.´Bang Out´ is a disappointly lowly gangsta track,were Snoop sounds bored.He makes up for this wit tha amazin 1st single ´Drop It Like It´s Hot´,it is a song only described by 1 word: Fresh.
´Can I Get A Flicc Witchu´ is a formualic blast of G-Funk,but Bootsy Collins presence and tha poundin bass make this a head nodder as well.On ´Ups And Downs´,a Bee Gee sample is made into an outstandin anthem that is explained in 1 word: Wake-up music.´The Bidness´ is almost ´Doggystyle´-like wit its freestyle structured and sinisterness shinin,this is a blarin alert that tha old Snoop is back!.´Snoop D-O Double G´ is tha definition of filler,but its overcome wit ´Lets Get Blown´,its mellow,yet funky,music for fans of tha Neptunes ventures.Snoop makes another sure to be single wit ´Step Yo Game Up´,a Lil Jon and Trina collaboration made strictly for tha clubs.Tha album reaches its peak wit ´Perfect´.´Fresh Pair Of Panties On´ is a corny/pathetic song.However ´Oh No´ is a were all of tha former vigor of tha classic Snoop
culminates as he and 50 Cent sound decisively dangerous in a track that even samples ´Pulp Fiction´.´Can U Control Yo Hoe´ is pure funk,nuff said.´Signs´ is another perfect Neptunes/Snoop collab wit Justin Timberlake addin good vocals too.´Im Threw Witchu´ is borin,as is tha Nelly featured ´Girl Like U´.Tha album ends wit tha beautiful ´No Thang On Me´,were Bootsy Collins again joins him to make a sweet R&B cover.Maybe its a strange finish,but all that breezes by wit tha fun involved wit this album.Although this album is heavily R&B influenced and Neptunes produced,it is,probably,his best album since his classic debut ´Doggystyle´.His lyrics are on point and tha beats are pretty good too,makin this album one of tha hottest joints of tha year,forget tha hype of tha weak ´Encore´ and get this instead.
8.5/10
Reviewed by aLDo.
Diplomatic Immunity by The Diplomats (out now).
The Diplomats we´re tha 1st group to totally dominate tha New York underground mixtape circut,there ability to make bangers out of average beats is wot made tha anticipation for their debut album even greater.Wit tha success of Cam´rons ´Come Home With Me´ tha album had to deliver and it most definately does.Although tha album begins wit a average Un Kasa freestyle track,Juelz Santana quickly gets tha 1st disc on tha right path wit tha touchin ´Who Am I´.Next up is tha thumpin 9/11 influenced ´Ground Zero´.Then after a small skit tha groups best mc Cam´ron delivers some excellent verses on ´Real N***as´.Followin a couple of average Dipset joints and tha bad ´Whats Really Good´ feat. DMX,we are hit wit tha classic ´Dipset Anthem´.This record is probably tha best on tha whole
album.The Diplomats then revisit tha smash hit ´Hey Ma´ wit an equally good remix.Tha rest of Disc 1 is pretty average.Disc 2 unlike tha 1st starts off wit tha 2nd best track on tha album ´I Really Mean It´.Cam´ron does his thing on tha track and Jim Jones also chips in wit a couple of diss references to Nas.Freeway guests alongside Juelz on another hot record ´My Love´ and its followed by tha patriotic ´I Love U´.Tha next couple of tracks are all good,but tha terrible ´Bout It,Bout It Pt.3´ feat. Master P seriously destroys tha mood of tha disc.However once again tha album is rescued by tha excellently inspirational ´I´m Ready´.This song is definately one tha highlights of tha whole album and sets us up for 1 of tha most discussed songs they have ever done.´We Built This City´ heavily samples Starships awful track of tha same
name,but i think tha Diplomats make a bad song sound decent wit excellent lyrics and a bangin Heatmakerz beat.Tha album closes wit ´Lets Get It On´,which is a brilliant cover of Marvin Gayes classic and it serves as a preview to Juelz Santanas debut record as tha full version of this track is only available on his album.So after many disappointin group albums (Iron Flag,The W by Wu Tang Clan) The Diplomats deliver a great double album that is well worth a listen if its not a essential purchase.Tha Heatmakerz and Just Blaze´s thumpin beats are matched brilliantly by tha lyrics of tha 4some,tha lyrics in truth are not anythin special,but together wit tha beats and content they work very well.I no alotta people will disagree wit this review,but as a fan of everythin tha group does,i love this album.
8/10
as reviewed by aLDo.
The New Danger by Mos Def (released 12/10/04).
It has been 5yrs since a Brooklyn mc named Mos Def dropped his instantly classic debut album ´Black On Both Sides´ and was heralded as the most promising underground rapper in years.Now after a long wait we finally have the follow up,´The New Danger´.This album is as Mos said himself ´the album he wanted to make´ so therefore it is a stark contrast to his debut album.Where the former was hip hop with rock and soul influences this is almost the reverse,there are more rock tracks in the same vein as his band ´Black Jack Johnson´ and this is what may deter fans of his debut or his work with Talib Kweli as Black Star.However Mos comes with some good rock songs such as ´The Boogie Man´ and the albums non hip hop highlight ´Ghetto Rock´.But where theres good,there is a vast amount of
bad.´Freaky Black Greetings´ and ´Zimzallabim´ are rock songs so basic and dull they are almost unlistenable.Then however Mos finally gets back on track with the 1st hip hop song of the album ´The Rapeover´,which although a jacking of Jay Z´s classic diss record Mos manages to make this his own and he breathes new life into the song with lines like ´All white men is runnin this rap s**t/we poke out our asses for a chance to cash in´.The next song ´Sex,Love and Money´ which is the 1st single,is a catchy piece of hip hop that will do well in the charts.After a couple of average blues inspired tracks we are hit with the brilliant Kanye West produced ´Sunshine´,Mos´s lyrics are hot and the beat is one of West´s best in years.Mos then proceeds to spit his best lyrics since ´98 over a bad beat on ´Close Edge´.Minesotta then joins
in tradin lyrics with Mos over The Alchemist´s ´No Ideas Original´ beat.The album then breaks the trend of most hip hop albums by saving the best for last as we are hit upside the head with the epic piece of artistic brilliance ´Modern Marvel´,at 9mins 20secs this gem just breezes past settin us up for the last track on the cd ´Champion Requiem´.This is like a comeback song which would have been better placed at the begining,it is probably the highlight of the whole album and is mos definately (excuse the pun) one of the hip hop songs of the year so far.´The New Danger´ is a very original piece of work and although nowhere near as good as ´Black On Both Sides´,it is still above average and Mos´s heartfelt lyrics/vocals make this a worthwhile addition to any true hip hop fans collection.
8/10.
As reviewed by aLDo.
Kiss Of Death by Jadakiss (out now)
After Kiss´s disappointin debut ´Kiss Tha Game Goodbye´,he returns with ´Kiss Of Death´.This album is far superior to its predecessor,the beats are better and Kiss´s rhymes are excellent.As he says himself he doesnt just ride a beat,he parallel parks on the track.This joint has many highlights,the lead of single ´Why feat. Anthony Hamilton´ is a strong track that even Kanye would be proud of.´Times Up feat. Nate Dogg´ is another hot one as is ´U Make Me Wanna feat. Mariah Carey´ (surprisingly).My favourite tracks on the album are ´Goin Back´,´By Your Side´ and ´Shout Outs feat. Styles P´.For me the weak songs are ´Hot Sauce feat. Pharrell´ and ´Welcome 2 D Block feat. Sheek,Styles P and Eminem´.Both aren´t really that bad but they dont hold up to the rest of the album.Jadakiss has come wit
a straight banger of a album that is head and shoulders above the vast majority of the competition in the game today.The beats are mostly all hot and the lyrics are hot,at times even exceptional.I would recommend this album to all fans of hip hop,but it aint gangsta and it aint rnb,its a mixture of both.Some tracks are directed at the hardcore rap fans and some to the commercial ones.However dont let this rnb flava deter u from purchasin this high quality album.
8/10
-as reviewed by Aldo.
The College Dropout by Kanye West (out now)
This is the debut solo effort from hip hop producer of the moment Kanye West.Since Jay Z´s album ´The Dynasty´ Kanye has been battling with Just Blaze for the spot of best producer on Roca-Fella records.However Kanye was not satisfied with just producing records,he wanted to rap on them aswell.Due to the heat generated by his 2 mix tape tracks ´My Way´ and ´Through The Wire´,the Roc allowed West to finally start work on his own,self produced album.The result is definately one of the best hip hop albums of 2004.The album is full of hot beats and dope,but yet simplistic,lyrics.His lyrics are reminiscent of the introspective Brooklyn mc Talib Kweli,who makes a guest appearance on one of the joints.Other collaborators include Twista,Jamie Foxx,Mos Def,Common,Freeway and others.The
highlights of this record are ´Never Let Me Down feat. Jay Z´,´School Spirit´,´We Dont Care´ and ´Family Business.However i do like almost every song on the record,those are just a few of my favourites.The low points,i think are ´Breathe In,Breathe Out feat. Ludacris´ and the closing track ´Keys To The Roc´.Both are not really that bad,but compared to the other joints they are noticeably weaker.The album also contains the hits ´All Falls Down feat. Syleena Johnsson´,´Through The Wire´ and the full version of ´Slow Jamz feat. Twista and Jamie Foxx´.This album is hot and i would highly recommend it to anyone.All beats are above average,the collabs do their thing and the lyrics r good.Dont purchase this album and expect the same quality of lyrics from Kanye as u get from his peers though.Overall very good.
9/10
-reviewed by Aldo.
Final Destination /w Purple City bonus cd- Juelz Santana (mixtape out now)
This is a 2 disc set that is used to showcase not Juelz Santana but the whole Dipset/Purple City family.Lets deal wit the Juelz disc first.Now Juelz is not the best rapper,in fact his flows are very mediocre,but for some reason they work.On this mixtape Juelz drops exclusives from his album ´From Me 2 U´,some new joints aswell as flowin over some of the hottest beats around.Most of the tracks are hot,typical dipset.But some joints like ´Let My Gun Go´ and ´Ladies´ are pretty weak.The high points of this joint are his remixes of songs by Monica,Big Pun,BoneCrusher and R.Kelly.Now for the second disc.This disc is full of hot beats and unknown mcs spittin some crazy shit.There is joints from Cam´ron,Shiest Bub and Jim Jones.One low point on this second
cd is the freestyle track by Agallah feat. ´2Pac´.Dont get me wrong the shit is hot.But when i saw ´featuring 2Pac´ on the track listing,my eyes lit up and i thought it was a exclusive Pac freestyle.However the only Pac on the joint is clips from the outro to ´Better Dayz´.Anyway the closin Hot97 freestyle is hot and it is a good track to end a pretty good mixtape.Yeah the flows aint great,but if ur like me and love Dipset,then this is a good addition to the collection.Dont buy this if ur just gettin into Dipset,get the albums first,so then u will no what to expect.
7/10
-as reviewed by Aldo.
The Hunger 4 More-Lloyd Banks.(out now).
To tell u the truth i wasn´t really expectin much from the mixtape artist of the year,but man was i proved wrong.This album is street.Point blank.From the openin track ´aint no click´ to the closing ´southside story´ i was hooked.Banks flow is good throughout.The beats r dope,Em,Red Spyda and Black Jeruz do they´re thing.The high points r ´Warrior´,´On Fire´,´Warrior Pt.2´ and ´Karma´.The lows r ´Playboy´ and ´Til The End´.For me the standout track is ´When The Chips Are Down feat. The Game´,it is str8 gangsta.So even with a few filler tracks this is definately worth a listen,decent (not great) lyrics,good production and hot guest appearances by Snoop,50,Em and the other G-Unit members.This album is alot more than i expected,but 50 it aint.
7/10.
As reviewed by Aldo.
Endangered Species by Big Pun (out now)
This album was released a few years back,but i have just copped it recently and i wanna review it for people who aint up on Pun yet.This album was released after his death,so it contains some of his greatest hits,but u also get his best collaborations and a few unreleased cuts.The high points on this album are the straight up hood joints ´You Aint A Killer´,´Watcha Gonna Do´ and ´Off Tha Books feat. Tha Beatnuts + Cuban Link.Then there is the more rnb flavoured joints ´Still Not A Playa feat. Joe´,´Mamma feat. Tony Sunshine´ and ´Top Of The World (RMX) feat. Brandy + Fat Joe.The lows here are the overrated ´How We Roll feat. Ashanti (the beat makes this unlistenable) and the truly awful ´Livin La Vida Loca (RMX) feat. Fat Joe + Ricky Martin.My favourite tracks on here are
´Dream Shatterer´ and ´How We Roll ´98´.Both showcase Pun´s styles to there full effect and the beats are dope too.This album is definately hot,there are very few weak tracks here,the majority of tha beats are above average and Pun´s lyrics prove to any doubters that he was the greatest since Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls.He should have been the king of New York when he was at his best,he would have destroyed Jay Z and Nas anyday of the week.If u buy this album expectin the same flows as Fat Joe,then u are in for a big surprise,as Pun´s lyrics surpass Joe´s in all areas.Buy this album,u wont be disappointed.
8/10
as reviewed by Aldo.
