I was caught off guard by Moe Green. I heard him on a compilation and I had to hear more. I just found this video for a cut off of his album, Rocky Maivia Non Title Match. I haven’t caught the album but I am all over it right now. If it’s as good as the couple of songs I have heard it will be up here shortly with a little review. It’s great to discover an artist with this much talent.
Curtiss King – Scumbags ft. Ab-Soul and Stevie Crooks (Video)
This joint comes off of Curtiss King’s album, Jetpack On E, which can be found at DJ Booth’s spot. I have yet to listen to the whole thing but I have dabbled and this track is hot. I will post the whole thing once I can give it a fair listen.
Fel Sweetenberg – The Sophomore Jinx
Artist: Fel Sweetenberg
Album: The Sophmore Jinx
Guests: Aul Purpis, Dave Ghetto, Baby Blak, Ethel Cee, Tanzania Lateef
Production: Fel Sweetenberg
Best Tracks: Look Into The Eyes Of Fel, Save Ya Life, Code Of Silence, Skyz Fallin
Recommendation: Must Have
Note: When mentioning the best tracks, I should really just mention every song from the album. They are all that good. I was wondering why it was taking so long for him to get his sophomore album released, but in listening to the final product that no longer matters. What you get from The Sophomore Jinx is a complete album in every facet. Everything from the production to the lyrics seems flawless to me. This is an album that hip hop purists crave. The album is very polished in terms of it’s mixing and mastering. It harkens back to the mid 1990s in it’s content but with elevated lyricism and wordplay. There is nothing not to like in this album. If you love hip hop then you simply must cop this. No excuses, because this may be a release people start using the word “classic” to describe a few years from now.
Roc C – Scapegoat
Artist: Roc C
Album: Scapegoat
Features: Lyric James, Illa J, Oh No, Chino XL, Prime One, Chali 2na, Fredro Starr, Glasses Malone
Production: Valentino, DJ Khalil, Oh No, Evidence, Mr. Porter, 3AM, Slopfunkdust, Imakemadbeats, The Alchemist, DJ Romes
Best Tracks: Stay On My Grind, Hustle 101, I’m Ready, OX
Recommendation: Take It Or Leave It
Note: There are some hot tracks on here but there are some definite ‘ho-hum’ tracks as well. It is a decent album, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t think there was anything groundbreaking taking place. The production tends to be a bit stale at times as do some of the rhymes. It’s decent but I don’t see this one getting a ton of replay value.
If I am in the mood I will definitely play some Roc C in spots but a whole album ( I own all three by the way.) seems a little redundant. His voice was destined for rhyming, however the flow seems very deliberate and the rhyme schemes seem overly simplistic when you compare him to a Planet Asia for instance. He has the street bravado but the skill level is not in same class. On tracks like Stay On My Grind and Hustle 101, Roc C goes hard. The upbeat temp really suits him. There’s just not enough of that throughout the album. If you like Roc C and have dug his past work then you will probably like this album as well. If you are unfamiliar make sure your stream the album.
Rasheed Chappell: Building 8 (Video)
Ooooh….this song is deep and dope at the same time. Be sure to check for Rasheed Chappell. This is a voice that needs to be heard in hip hop.
Koncept – Playing Life EP
Artist: Koncept
Album: Playing Life
Guests: Sene, Silent Knight
Production: The Audible Doctor, J57, Maticulous, DJ Brace, DJ Dyllemma
Best Tracks: Keeping On, First Time, Old Man Winters
Recommendation: Highly Recommend
Note: The BBAS has never given you reason to doubt the skill that lies within. Koncept’s release is no different. Playing Life is short and excellent. I always was impressed by Soul Khan from BBAS but this EP gave me an opportunity to really see what his compadre Koncept could do on the microphone. He does not disappoint. He is not a punchline rapper but rather relies on a great flow and emotion to rock a track. When you listen to him you really feel the music.
The production is also incredibly solid. Ever since I heard the Undeniable Remix by The Audible Doctor I was an instant fan. He laces three tracks for the EP and all of them are on point. He has great command of his production. It just seems so effortless. But the banger on the album has to be Keeping On which was laced by maticulous. The song just knocks.
In conclusion, I feel that this EP deserves a spot on your Ipod. It’s just too nice not too. While to call it an “instant classic” is a reach, it still differentiates itself from the rest of the pack to make it one of the better releases in 2010.
Black Milk – Deadly Medley ft. Royce Da 5’9″ and Elzhi (Video)
Black Milk’s, Album Of The Year, is one of the most anticipated of 2010. This song just goes to prove that point. The Matrix from 2008 was a heater that featured Sean Price and Pharaoh Monch and Deadly Medley has the same effect but this time it features lyrical heavyweights Elzhi and Royce da 5’9″. Enjoy and get ready.
Forbidden Dialect – More Than Your Money’s Worth
Artist: Forbidden Dialect
Album: More Than Your Money’s Worth
Features: None
Production: Redd
Best Tracks: Smoke Break Reprisal, How To Make A Bomb, Tangier
Recommendation: Must Have
Notes: I am not going to even front. This album is a must have and the fact that you don’t own it, let alone heard it is a shame. This is one of the dopest offerings of 2010. Let me tell you why…IT PUSHES THE ENVELOPE. It’s not overly flashy. It’s doesn’t go out of it’s way to be trendy, it just happens. The production is phenomenal from the standpoint that people just aren’t doing this kind of innovative stuff with their beats. The production on each song is an evolution in and of itself. So the album certainly can be labeled as eclectic without leaving the genre of hip hop. Also lending to the diversity is the number of emcees that touch the mic. Some are superior to others but the whole collective sounds dope when backed with the superior production. This is certainly something to sink your teeth in for a little over an hour.
Gotham Green: Haze Diaries Vol. 3
Artist: Gotham Green & DJ Quickie Mart
Album: Haze Diaries Vol. 3
Features: El Prez, Planet Asia, Freddie Gibbs, Jes Hudak, Icon The Mic King, Malkovich, Jackie Tohn, Tunji
Production: DJ Quickie Mart, Josh The Goon
Favorites: Tell Me Something, Smoke For The Ladies, The Five Families, Dirty Filthy Liar
Recommendation: Highly Recommend
Notes: If you are not familiar with Gotham Green and DJ Quickie Mart then this is a perfect opportunity for you to do so. Haze Diaries Vol. 3 features a full range of production, dope flows, and a good assortment of guest shots throughout. Gotham Green continues to show his competency when he is confronted with a microphone. He simply slays his verses. The female vocalist, Jes Hudak, is also very noteworthy. I rarely give credit when it comes to the vocalists on releases but she really makes the songs so much better when she comes on over the chorus. I think in all there was one song I might skip over but that should not detract from the overall quality of the project.
Kali – The Cali Kali EP
– Artist: Kali
– Album: The Cali Kali EP
– Guest Shots: Termanology, C-Scharp, Glasses Malone, Mistah Fab
– Producers: Statik Selektah, Cinema, Blaze P
– Recommendation: Highly Recommended
– Stand Out Tracks: Rock Starr, Mister Misunderstood
– Notes: I have listened to Kali for a while now. Just picking up this and that mixtape and let me tell you I was not prepared for how good this was. It is eight tracks in length and each track holds it’s own. There is nothing that is skippable. I think you need to have this in your collection.
