stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews

Rome Cee – Grey Area (2012)

Artist: Rome Cee

Album: Grey Area

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. The Dual
2. Nightfall (ft. Jay Mastermind)
3. For The People
4. Black Ring
5. Double Think (ft. R.A.H.)
6. Illusion Love (ft. Wisdom and R.A.H.)
7. Bout To Blow (ft. Rickie Jacobs and Scarlette)
8. Makes Me High (ft. 810)
9. Moment To Sine (ft. Boy Blesst)
10. Virtue
11. Cold World
12. Something Beyond
13. Koole (ft. Pascal and Jay Mastermind)

Note:

Sometimes you just happen to wander into a gem.  And that’s really how I came across Rome Cee…by musically wandering.  I first caught wind of him on UllNevaNo’s project, The Color Brown Part II.  Then after that, I would see these videos pop up, after that I knew this artist was making the music that I like.  He is an intelligent lyricist, with a good turn of phrase, and he surrounded himself with some other very talented individuals.

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stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews, Mixtapes

Big O – The Delegation

Artist: Big O

Album: The Delegation

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. Grand Entrance
2. Signal Your Team
3. I Rep Myself
4. AnyThing Goes
5. Love Ain’t The Same
6. Class By Myself
7. Let’s Go
8. Make Music 4
9. No Compassion
10. On My Mind
11. Gotta Keep At It
12. 24-7-365

Note:

The best part about running this blog is putting people on to new and under appreciated talent.  That segues perfectly into introducing you all (once again) to Big O.  He’s repping out of Cleveland, Ohio  and really giving the city a face for it’s contribution to the independent hip hop scene.

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stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews

Forbidden Dialect – Orange Sessions (2011)

Artist: Forbidden Dialect

Album: Orange Sessions

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. Peoples
2. Eat my WOrds
3. Good Shite
4. Claymore Cafe
5. Long Tail
6. 40 Mules
7. Sueño del Carajo
8. Walk with Paris
9. Cycle Logic
10. Aopkhes
11. Sad City f/ Scrap Iron Jame
12. DMZ
13. Traffic Jam
14. Monumental
15. Scat Song
16. Small Favors

Note:

Give me something different.  Something unique.  Give me…some more music from Forbidden Dialect! I reviewed their first joint, More Than Your Money’s Worth, more than a year ago.  I found it on my own, web surfing and thought it was refreshing.  This time Forbidden Dialect sent me the link to their new album.   I thought to myself, “What are the chances that this album is as good as the first?”   I was incredulous, but to my pleasant surprise, Orange Sessions, is probably better than their first effort.   If More Than Your Money’s Worth is initially fresh, then Orange Sessions is consistently vibrant.  It simply follows in the footsteps of it’s predecessor and expands upon that foundation.   When you have six (count them) talented artists, with diverse backgrounds, then it is inevitable that you are going to get a very unique album.

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stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews

Awthentik – Foreclosure (2011)

Artist: Awthentik

Album: Foreclosure

Source: Bandcamp

Tracklisting:

1. Take A Bow
2. The World Isn’t Yours
3. A Nobody (ft. Laelo Hood)
4. It’s My Job (ft. Kutta)
5. The Real Awthentik
6. #FUCKACOSIGN (ft. Kutta)
7. Purified Madness
8. Cereal But No Milk (ft. Kutta)
9. Don’t Do It
10. 6AM Rap (ft. Incwell and Sleepwalker)
11. Beat The Cat (ft. Ethan Spalding)
12. Cigarillo In My Pocket (ft. Laelo Hood)
13. Morning Motivation
14. Lifetime’s The Right Time (ft. Alison Carney)
15. Pour Out A Little Liquor

Note:

An artist who produces and emcees is usually great/good at one and subpar/mediocre at the other.   This could not be further from the truth with Awthentik, which is why his project, Foreclosure,  is being mentioned on HHD.  I am really impressed with his ability to write and emcee as well as his ability behind the boards.  He is accomplished at both crafts, hence this release is full of gritty bangers and above average lyricism.

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stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews

Praverb The Wyse – Professional Hobbyist (2011)

Artist: Praverb The Wyse

Album: Professional Hobbyist

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. My Journey
2. Professional Hobbyist
3. Blue Collar (ft. Don Streat)
4. Everlasting Struggle
5. For My People
6. The Critic
7. Nothing To Gain
8. I Pray (Fall To My Knees)
9. That’s How It Is (ft. Don Streat)
10. November 11th
11. The Critic (Smimooz Remix)

Note:

Lets face it, we live in a world where people are just not honest with themselves and others.  Artists portray themselves often times as something that they are not.  It happens everywhere but is extremely prevalent in the music industry.  It is especially, true in a convoluted independent music environment when so many people are vying for exposure.  In walks, Praverb The Wyse, who with his album, Professional Hobbyist, bucks that trend.

We have talked about Praverb before as a member of the collective known as The Brainstormers.  What separates him, and makes him noteworthy?  Well part of that is just being genuine.  He speaks from his own experiences and not that of someone else.  The second element that makes him worth talking about is that God given ability.  Lets face it, not everybody has a voice to be an emcee.  You can’t teach that or coach that. Praverb’s voice and flow command respect and attention.  Professional Hobbyist is the culmination of that honesty and talent that everyone will be able to appreciate.

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stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews

Benjamin Miles & Eddie Logix – Play It Forward (2011)

Artist: Eddie Logix x Benjamin Miles

Album: Play It Forward

Source: Artist

Tracklisting:

1. Begin The World
2. Meaningful Work
3. In Sickness And Health
4. My Mind
5. Stay
6. Tree House
7. Good Right Now
8. Pay That Tab
9. BTW
10. Play It Forward

Note:

This is one of those albums that somehow found it’s way to me and I eventually listened to…and subsequently loved.  The note that came with the album was that the producer, Eddie Logix, found beats that perfectly fit the emcee, Benjamin Miles.  And you know what?  You can tell.   Each track relates to a different part of Benjamin Miles personality to the point the album has an autobiographical feel to it.

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stefanoneder Album, Album Reviews

Rite Hook – Draw You In (2011)

Artist: Rite Hook

Album: Draw You In

Source: Bandcamp

Tracklisting:

01. Draw You In (Feat. Lisa Bello)
02. Now And Then
03. Walk This Town (Feat. Planet Asia And Copywrite)
04. Bear With Me
05. Chemical
06. Strange
07. She’s Crazy
08. Lock Eyes On The Enemy (Feat. Saigon And JoJo Pellegrino)
09. King Of The Throne
10. Cuttin Down (Feat. Stu Cat)
11. Waste
12. Take My Picture
13. Exposed
14. Lose Control (Feat. Action Bronson)
15. Nothing
16. Come Tommorrow
17. D.E.A.D End (Bonus Track)

Note:

I make no secrets on this blog about the artists I am feeling.  And usually, the pattern repeats, as consistency appeals to me.  This brings us to the latest work by Boston artist, Rite Hook.  I have spoken to his appeal before but to recap previous posts, Rite Hook has great song making ability.    He is able to put intelligent and emotional music together.  He also has become a master at being able to construct dope hooks.  His dark crooning really ties his songs together.

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stefanoneder Album

SP Double & Focus… – Lethal Weapon

 

Artist: SP Double & Focus…

Album: Lethal Weapon

Source: Kevin Nottingham

Trackllisting:

  1. Moton Picture
  2. @#$! The Radio
  3. Iron Man
  4. Lethal Weapon
  5. the60barSetUp
  6. Interlude – Game Over Part 1
  7. What Did I Do?
  8. Father (ft. C. Ray)
  9. Conspiracy (ft. V.O.A.)
  10. Interulude – Game Over Part 2
  11. Number 1
  12. The Br3@k!

Note:

Here is an extremely dope release that went largely unnoticed in the blogging circles that I follow so I thought I would rectify the wrongs by posting up a review of Lethal Weapon.  I don’t know how you neglect such extremely dope music.  Focus… and SP Double have worked with some of the illest names in hip hop and have some great releases of their own.  SP Double had an EP entitled Focus On SP which was entirely produced by Focus… in 2009 that was exceptional. The two really pick up where they left off with that release, but on Lethal Weapon both of the artists showcase their rhyming skills.

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