Reviews of hip hop albums by independent artists.
Aritst: PremRock
Album: Mark’s Wild Years
Source: Artist
Note:
Certain artists just push the thresholds as to what hip hop can do and speak about. PremRock expounds upon many topics with his album, Mark’s Wild Years. And it’s not just what he’s talking about, it’s how he’s talking about it. The wordplay throughout this album is exceptional and the somber tones in PremRock’s voice offer up his thoughts with that much more potency.
Artist: The Narcicyst
Album: Leap Of Faith EP
Source: Artist
Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. Leap Of Faith
3. Blame the Label (Ghida Fakhry)
4. Color Blind (ft. Meryem Saci)
5. Larry David (Pretty Good)
6. Everywhere (ft. Sway)
7. Falling Down
Note:
I have been a huge fan of The Narcicyst since he was in the group Euphrates. I have dip and dived across the internet to accumulate his music for my collection. Since his days in Euphrates, he has emerged a more accomplished solo artist with every release. Through Leap Of Faith, The Narcicyst, seems takes a more personal and introspective approach to his music, moreso than his preceding releases.
Artist: Ruste Juxx x The Arcitype
Album: V.I.C.
Source: Artist
Tracklisting:
01. V.I.C. (Intro) (feat. Zash Chinhara)
02. G.G.T.C.
03. Lava (feat. Termanology)
04. Can Only Be Me (feat. Genius)
05. The Life I Live (feat. Copywrite)
06. Jump Start (feat. DJ Slipwax, Jaysaun, Planet Asia & R.A. the Rugged Man)
07. Barbarian Bars (feat. Punchline)
08. Right There With Me (feat. XL, Sadat X & Skanks)
09. Rock to the Rhythm
10. She Get It In (feat. Genius)
11. The Walking Dead (feat. Shabaam Sahdeeq, Guilty Simpson & Ill Bill)
12. Where They Be At
13. That La La La (feat. Craig G & General Steele)
14. Stand Strong (feat. Sarah Miller)
15. Something Outta Hopeless (feat. Aisling Peartree)
16. Champion (feat. King Magnetic) (Bonus)
17. Summertime on the Ave (feat. KiKi, Promise & Skanks) (Bonus)
18. Give Em What They Want (feat. Genius & Illa Ghee) (Bonus)
19. That La La La (the WEEDmix) (feat. Viceversah & Cortez) (Bonus)
Note:
I can say, without hesitation, that Ruste Juxx has been on of the most prolific artists in the last few years. He has been featured donzens of times on other people’s projects. He has been on a a blistering pace of almost releasing two albums a year and V.I.C. is his second of 2012. His first project this year was with French producer Kyo Itachi, entitled Hardbodied Hip Hop. That album was outstanding and I thought Juxx had outdone himself with that effort but, V.I.C. expounds even further on that effort, making it one of the top notch albums of 2012. I believe one of the reasons this album shines so bright is the beat selection from producer, The Arcitype. He is able to fuse different sounds together for an album that I really hadn’t heard before and that only enables Ruste Juxx to showcase even more of what he can do with the microphone.
Continue reading “Ruste Juxx x The Arcitype – V.I.C. (2012)”
Artist: DJ K.O.
Album: EMPBeTheTeam
Source: Artist
Tracklisting:
1.Stand Up! (feat. Silent Knight, Jered Sanders, Justin Bates, K-Hill, East & MadKem)
2.I Can Tell (Remix) [feat. MadKem, Silent Knight & K-Hill]
3.Pick a Card (feat. Justin Bates)
4.Meek Man’s Dream (feat. Jered Sanders)
5.Drunk Girls (feat. MadKem, Jered Sanders & Silent Knight)
6.EMP Cypher (feat. MadKem, Silent Knight, Jered Sanders, Justin Bates & K-Hill)
7.Power of the Tongue (feat. K-Hill)
8.Ogre (feat. Silent Knight)
9.Kill ‘Em (feat. Justin Bates & MadKem)
10.A Few Good Men (feat. MadKem, Justin Bates, Silent Knight & K-Hill)
11.Do Ya Thing (feat. East)
12.Seize the Moment (feat. MadKem)
Note:
Elementality is home to some of the most talented emcees and producers in the business and it all starts from DJ K.O. He can orchestrate some beautiful music with his team and that’s exactly what he does with EMPBeTheTeam. Everything is done in house production wise and with the duties on the mic because when your camp is this talented you don’t have to rely on anybody else.
Artist: The Plexiglass Fountain
Album: Concrete Mythology (Year Of The Dragon)
Source: Artist
Tracklisting:
1. The Year Of The Dragon
2. Buggin Out Part 0
3. Self Conversation
4. Kill Zone (ft. The Cause)
5. Bloody Idiotz
6. Fallen (ft. Keb0)
7. Neon Moonlight
8. Vampires
9. Midnight Symphony (ft. Cee)
10. The Sun (ft. Kyle Hubbard)
11. We Got Today
12. Me For Me (ft. Czarina)
13. The It
14. 20 Caskets
15. One Line
16. The It Remix (ft. Donny Goines)
Note:
It’s time that I bring you something different in a not so subtle way. The combination of producer/emcee, Tokyo Cigar, and emcee, Cyclops, constitute the group The Plexiglass Fountain. On the promo for the album, Cigar is described as eccentric. I am not sure about that but how about the the term nouveau? Or maybe cutting edge, or nontraditional? I think all of those adjectives fit our combination emcee/beatsmith. Cyclops is described as poetic, and I think that shoe fits without exception.
Continue reading “The Plexiglass Fountain – Concrete Mythology (Year Of The Dragon) (2012)”
Artist: The 17th
Album: The Free Music EP
Source: Artist
Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. No Name (ft. My Son)
3. Rubbish (ft. Spoke In Wordz x Fokis)
4. Local Artist
5. Vacation
6. The Product
7. Asshole
8. My Drug
Note:
Where to start? How about this…The 17th brings you the best EP of 2012 thus far…for FREE. I would not dare to joke when it comes to musical taste and sending this project in your direction. This EP simply is one of the most complete packages this year. Rarely do I have an “Oh Shit!” moment when it comes to listening to music these days, but this guy made me say that exact phrase several times throughout this eight track project.
Right after the Intro, about thirty seconds into the track, No Name, I knew that The 17th was onto not only to something fresh, but also exciting. The production is really astonishing. The way the kids voices are used to antagonize and respond was nothing short of genius. That work behind the boards was done by Clockwork, whom I later became aware has passed away (RIP). The 17th, in his bars, points out all the misconceptions and stereotypes he has been confronted with.
We’ve talked about the tracks, Rubbish and Local Artist previously but they still remain heavy highlights on this short EP. I especially appreciate Local Artist because of how he portrays the woes, hustle, and lifestyle of being a local hip hop artist. But he also has a warning (or suggestions) for those who claim to be ‘artists’
Shit look where my town’s at / I haven’t gotta gun, it’s just my hand in a brown bag / Before you speak, learn how to breathe and pronounce raps / Otherwise you ain’t seeing shit like it’s on a brown rag / You couldn’t hold cheese if you was a mouse trap / You can’t make shit fresh if you was a house cat / Don’t let me catch you out in the town alone with out gas / Or you’ll be screaming for your homies like Al Scratch
The Product showcases The 17th’s storytelling ability on all three verses. The track’s basis is how we are each made, in part, as a product of our environments. The second verse in particular is especially dope, yet unnerving. It gets inside the mind of a terrorist on an airplane getting ready to crash. The production which is done by the 17th himself is straight out of the movie The Omen. He’s on some kill Damian type movement with this track. This is hip hop with an evil intention.
In a genre where it gets harder and harder each day to stand out, The 17th sets himself light years apart from the rest of the field. Not only do his rhymes create this kind of differentiation, it’s also his ability to produce. He produced six of the eight tracks on this EP and his ear for creating beats is on par with some of the best. But along with beats and lyrics, there is something intangible, that I can’t point my finger on to describe to you. The word that comes closest to mind is simply…special.
Artist: Serge Severe x Zapata
Album: Silver Novelist
Source: Artist
Tracklisting:
1. Silver Novelist
2. Seasons
3. Dead Poets
4. Casually Obscene
5. Hunger Games
5. Magic-Less World
Note:
When Serge Severe drops a project I take notice. The man is amongst my favorite emcees with his style and delivery. It’s something that is as different as it is dope. For this project he teams up with producer Zapata. Zapata’s sound is a little less traditional than lets say, Terminill (Service Without A Smile). His style is ambient and ethereal. And while I may prefer the Service Without A Smile when comparing the two projects, Silver Novelist is undoubtedly worth the listeners time on more than one occasion.
Continue reading “Serge Severe x Zapata – Silver Novelist (2012)”
Artist: Genghis Khan
Album: The Broken Love
Source: Artist
Tracklisting:
1. Salvation (feat. Unconscious Rascall)
2. Violence (feat. Thirstin Howl III, Block McCloud, Gutta, Chris Carbene & DJ Waxwork)
3. Enter the Void (feat. Reef The Lost Cauze & Spit Gemz)
4. The Black Lodge (feat. Block McCloud)
5. Baby Boy
6. Sadistic Sphinx (feat. Block McCloud & Virtuoso)
7. Eat Your Motherfucking Heart Out (feat. Unconscious Rascall, Dirt Tha General & Chief Kamachi)
8. Hotel Hyde
9. Lust and Loves Domain
10. This Tainted Impulse
11. Kill the Magic (Remix) (feat. Julia Baburova)
12. She Used To Be Love
13. Fallen (feat. Unconscious Rascall)
Note:
Today I bring you something entirely different type of project. The Broken Love is unlike anything I have reviewed or heard before, which is actually very refreshing. The first thing that comes to mind when I heard this project for the first time is the word taboo. I felt like was reading a blacklisted book that I was told never to touch or like Adam and Eve when they touched the forbidden tree in the Garden Of Eden. Is that too melodramatic? Perhaps. But I want you to understand, in no uncertain terms, how unique this album is.
Artist: Crafsmen
Album: Arts and Crafs
Source: DotGotIt
Tracklisting:
1. Arts & Crafs Intro
2. The Ring (ft. Poe Mack x Rhaa)
3. The Basis
4. Split Second Thoughts
5. Some Cats Got Skillz (ft. Detective Dandridge x Poe Mack)
6. Hell Naw
7. Idle Hands (ft. Inqwesson)
8. Bludstainz
Note:
I am overwhelmed with the amount of music I have slated to review but haven’t been able to get to, but I would regret it immensley if I didn’t touch on the talent that can be found on this Arts and Crafs EP. I have been sitting on this project for at least four weeks. It was presented by the good folks at DotGoIt and picked it up just to see what it was about . What it is, is creative hip hop.
Artist: Terminill x Reign State x PMO x Chi Duly
Album: Stone Face
Source: Terminill
Tracklisting:
1. Doubt (Reign State)
2. Judgement (Chi Duly)
3. Fear (Reign State)
4. Struggle (Terminill)
5. Vanity (Reign State)
6. Courage (Chi Duly)
7. Success (PMO)
8. Awakening (PMO)
9. Loyalty (Reign State)
10. Apathy (Reign State)
11. Compassion (PMO)
12. Transcendence (Reign State)
Note:
It is typically not my practice to promote Beat Tapes. I have always felt the need to have lyrical content added to the music. I want to listen too wordplay in addition to to having dope production, but Terminill passed the Stone Face project along to me and I told him I would check it out. I procrastinated and hemmed and hawed, but he is the beatsmith behind the highly acclaimed Service Without A Smile by Serge Severe and I wanted to afford him every opportunity on the strength of that project. I was glad I did.
The project actually consists of production from four producers in the Great Northwest. Reign State, PMO, and Chi Duly all lend their talents, along with the aforementioned Terminill. Terminill however is responsible for the arrangement of the tracks which is a highly underrated part of the process. By the time I reached track number three, Fear. I was hooked. All the producers really brought something impressive to Stone Face. My favorite beat was from the man Terminill himself with his lone production, Struggle. The vocal sample on that track was a gem. It put my head in the clouds for three plus minutes.
I never thought I could listen to Beat Tape straight through nonetheless want to re-listen to a project but Terminill’s efforts may have converted me. I have gained a true appreciation for something that I had been fighting for a long time.
If I was an emcee I would be working my connects to get in with him and his camp because the sound is extraordinary. Check it out..
Hip Hop Dependency 