DMX "Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood" (1998)

I don't know why DMX never sparked my interest before. From 98 to 03 the New York rapper killed it with a string of five records debuting at number one, making him the fifth highest selling Hip Hop artist of all time, of course commercial success doesn't equate to taste. Once again it was youtube suggesting a performance of his at Woodstock 99 that drew me in. Its one of my favorite festivals and I had no idea he performed there. I was blown away by his stage persona, owning every word, flowing and spitting with that wild hype he has on the track. It might be one of the best rap performance out there, rocking a crowd of four hundred thousand without a backup crew, just him and his DJ. I wanted to start at the beginning but a while into this record I realized it was the second of the two he dropped in 98.

"Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood" is a typical industry record of the era, a loaded compact disc with tracks and skits filling the seventy minutes without an over arching concept. Swizz Beats, who made his name with DMX, handles a lot of the production with tight programed percussion and MIDI instruments arrangements. They leave a lot of space for X to flow, just a couple of additional strings and keys looping short melodies over tight thumping bass lines and grooving drum patterns. Its not to crowded, yet packs a punch in the better tracks.

DMX strikes me as a logic step forward from the likes of Tupac in terms of mainstream appeal. He has that crisp, fluid, coherent delivery making for easy following. His tone a little deeper, lyrics nastier and of course brimming with anger and energy that spills out in his legendary wild barks and "what?" background shouts. He even growls like a dog too, its a remarkable, confident burst of energy that sparks up the tracks. With a distinct style X doesn't drop the smartest set of rhymes but with a reasonable vocabulary he has the craft to story tell and walk you through his thoughts, an internal dialog or scenario like a pro. His style elevates on tracks like "Slipin'" where gang life and violence take a backseat to emotions and introspection.

There's a fair bit of mediocrity in the track listing, a few features mix things up, The LOX sound great on these tracks and Marilyn Manson gives a chorus to the dark and gloomy "The Omen". On occasions things gel better and produce banging tracks like the opening "Bring Your Whole Crew", thanks to a wicked hook from "P. Killer". X's personality is loud, pronounced and in your face, he spits like fire and in fairness its a big draw for this record which he carry's a long way. I don't expect this one to hold up as I get used to his discography however it has been a really fun introduction to one of Hip Hops biggest names.

Favorite Tracks: Bring Your Whole Crew, Keep Your Shit The Hardest, Slippin', Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood

Rating: 6/10

Mobb Deep "Hell On Earth" (1996)

As the album opens its purpose is stated with the opening words. "You know how we did on The Infamous album right?", "Well were going to do it again son!". Fitting lines to summarize both the albums strengths and weaknesses, Mobb Deep intentionally attempt to recreate the success of their legendary 95 "The Infamous" record. Just a year later the duo were fast to jump back into the studio, rounding up some familiar voices, Big Noyd returns for a couple of tracks, Raekwon and Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan and Nas once again. Despite "The Infamous" being one of my favorite records, Id never given many of their other records, bar "Juvenile Hell" much of a try and with my conclusion in mind I believe this would be a record Id of really loved had I gotten into it years ago. These days my appetite for more of the same flavor is rather diminished.

"Hell On Earth" takes "The Infamous" blueprint and attempts to twist it to darker territory. Firstly the beats have the same sharp, crisp snappy tones and programming arrangements, with deeper spare baselines backing the kicks. The sampling looks for more upfront, direct sounds, sinister ensemble strings sections with Gambino crime family vibes rub up against the rugged, urban drum loops. It finds itself more involved, removing some of the atmosphere and reverb the drums use to fill between more sparse sample choices. As a result thicker walls of sound bare down on the listener with grimy mafioso vibes. The soundtrack to scarface inspired crime, it creates quite the air of burden, gloom and doom on some tracks like "G.O.D. Part III" where the mood is rather grim.

On the vocal front much not has changed in the duos tone, delivery and flow but lyrically there is less story telling and more gun play, braggadocio and threatening word play as the two make remarkable statements related to crime life and violence. Some tracks run narratives and others not so much but as a lack of familiarity would suggest I didn't enjoy the lyrical side as much as the beats which on a few tracks really hit the mark. "Hell On Earth" is very much a repeat of success that leans into the Mafioso Rap genre that was emerging at the time. Its a solid, enjoyable record but as I said I have a diminished appetite for "more of the same" in this instance.

Favorite Tracks: Extortion, Man Down, Can't Get Enough, Nighttime Vultures, G.O.D. Part III, Give It Up

Rating: 7/10

Mobb Deep "The Infamous" (1995)

"To all the killers and a hundred dollar billars"! A Classic line from a classic song on a classic record. In 95 the Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep, consisting of Havok and Prodigy, hammered the nail in the coffin on their sophomore record which time has taught us is a fine moment in the history of Hip Hop. Following up on their patchy debut two years earlier the duo took full control over production with a helping hand from Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Coming with an inspired set of rhymes their dark and shadowy beats illuminated the pairs lyrics to a level of unrivaled harmony.

Both Havok and Prodigy have clean, concise flows. Likeable, easy to follow and plenty of mind for clever rhymes within conventional flows. Their tones differ and compliment one another as they pass the mic back and forth throughout the tracks. They are both brilliant story tellers, coming with very direct trains of thought as they walk us through the rough and rugged environment they call home. "Temperature's Rising" caught my attention for not only being a story of criminal events but a direct message to a friend locked up, with instructions on what to do. Very real and very direct the two make a point of letting you know they talk the walk they walk unlike the majority of rappers who reflect their environment and the people they know.

When not direct the duo can paint graphic pictures of ghetto life with their vivid word play and violent lyricism which dives into all sorts of drug abuse, crime, conflict and the imminent threat of death. Its an unapologetic picture painted sublimely with words that flow effortlessly. A chemistry oozing with pace and coherence to follow the main tales told through the sixteen songs which span sixty sixty minutes without a second of filler. Quiet the achievement!

Pairing with the lyrical direction, the beats are hauntingly dark, conjuring scenes of streetlamp lit nights in dangerous areas as banging drums lead chilling, eerie samples of guitars and pianos over the deep lurking baselines. Urban, harrowing and unforgiving they set a paranoid stage for their luminous flows to strike. The snare kick grooves are superb, using programed kits a selection of sharp, crisp punching drums that snap, making for banging grooves as they attack fast with minimal decay, even soaked in short reverb they create such a density without the instruments lingering. The result is infectious and repetitious without weakness, as the same sampled drums snap over and over the wild energy of the rappers keeps it feeling fresh through the entirety of the song. For most of the beats they don't go beyond the basic loop, with the occasional dropping of a drum line or sample as the lyrics reach an ample moment. The records best track "Right Back At You", with a momentary exception, is the same six second beat looped for the entire track and with the sublime verses of the duo and their guests its exceptionally banging.

Speaking of guests there's, Nas, Q-Tip featuring as well as Ghostface Killah & Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan. This is a 90s wet dream as New York's finest team up to kill it. All the elements lined up for this record and I couldn't list how many cracking lines have never left my mind, one sticks out though "Your crews featherweight, my gunshots will make you levitate"... Goosebumps! I seem to be drawn to picking out old favorites and revisiting this one really filled me with joy, such an incredible record and brilliant insight into a frightening and entirely different world.

Favorite Songs: Eye For A Eye, Temperatures Rising, Up North Trip, Right Back At You, Drink Away The Pain, Shook Ones Part II, Part Over

Rating: 10/10

Snoop Dogg "Coolaid" (2016)

As he states it in the opening track, Snoop Dogg's a living legend and "Coolaid" is the fourteenth record from the American superstar who solidified his name in the history of music with his iconic debut "Doggystyle" back in 93. He has never manage to reach that peak again but has remained in the limelight ever since, appearing at all sorts of cultural events and consistently releasing records every couple of years. Personally I haven't been particularly impressed with his output since 93 but every record has a few decent songs and "Coolaid" is a slick, smooth record with easy going, polished beats and steady, lush instrumentals. Snoops flow is as smooth and stylish as ever, however a lack of lyrical substance weighs down the mood as Snoop flips the same themes over. At seventy seven minutes the slick hooks and catchy versus get lost between a lot of fluff and mediocrity from Snoop. He focuses much of his words on status, image and general braggadocios themes which get tiring. Snoop has often been about his unique style and persona on the mic but when the rhymes are half baked it can fall flat.

Snoop's production choices are a little varied across the record with modernized beats intermingling with G-Funk and synthesizer instruments. It flows well, hits a high point with the summery oldskool "Oh Na Na" and a low with "My Carz" where Snoop raps over Gary Numan's classic track "Cars". It lacks charm or chemistry, the two styles feel opposed to one another. Then "Two Or More" comes in, another highlight culminating with some breezy jives and Disco like funk. The synths on this track are gorgeous and chorus really sells the track. Its a moment where Snoop and the beats are their best and for the most part you don't quite get both together. That's just how it sounded to my ears, a well produced record that's easy to enjoy but it lacks the trim to put the best moments together in a shorter run time.

Favorite Tracks: Oh Na Na, Two Or More, Kush Ups

Rating: 4/10

Schoolboy Q "Blank Face LP" (2016)

The "Black Face LP" is American rapper Schoolboy Q's forth full length and an ambitious one. Dark, mean and uncompromising Q brings a large group of producers together for a seventy two minute ride. Despite many banging beats, sharp production and musical creativity the albums stretch strolls through some weak points in the start and end. Between the psychedelic, laid back "Kno Ya Wrong" and the catchy, ghetto whistles of "Neva Change" a string of eight songs illuminate with strong verses, brilliant hooks and fleshed out production. Either side of these tracks things aren't as focused. The opening "TorcH" starts with a myriad of Q's voices over a warm bass guitar, with "Blank Face" the theme is returned to as if signaling the end of a lengthy listen. It winds down, fades out and is then followed by two more mediocre songs. Its nitpicking but as a whole these songs don't flow of one another well, the whole things feels a little disorganized.

The album gets rolling with two introductory tracks, slowly unfolding before Kanye West hops onto the albums first defining song "That Part". The mood is slow, dreary and gloomy. The hook plays over and over between broken down verses, Q stating his successes and the Independence of his "bitches". Then Kanye drops in with an unusual lively, contagious flow making timely use of his pitch and a squeaky "ugh" to add rhythmic gratification to his bizarre and unfocused verses. Its a big guest to have on and the song... Its memorable but maybe for just being different more so than banging. Another dark street song comes through "Groovy Tony" and another big name, Jadakiss, on the track. The song has a great break in the middle with violent vocal stabs and heightened drums, they transition into a powerful vocal moment before Q brings the track back.

And then a string of my favorite songs occur,  "Kno Ya Wrong" shifts through three organic, jazzy, psychedelic phases with a joyful sampling of Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness". The constant tone shifting happens again as we dive into a ruthless gangster track with violent lyricism, dark groovy layered beats, machine hi hats and the sound of guns firing between the banging hook. Halfway through his verse Q hands the mic to Vince Staples who drops heavy verse that gets better with each line. Unsurprisingly we sway to a poppy, "accessible" tune with light trance synths and a sing along "dollar dollar be-als" hook, lots of great singing on this track.

"Dope Dealer" gets dark, really dark as Q paints an ugly picture of the gritty life doing the illegal to survive. The drums really bring the spacious, paranoid instrumental to life and its another killer hook. "John Muir" might be my favorite, something about this flow and beat reminds me of the 90s. "Big Body" jumps in as the albums romp track with the tightest beat, thudding bass pedals, slick claps and a melodic bell instead of hi-hats. Its crowned by a timely roll of hard and swift sub kicks. Tha Dogg Pound, friends of Snoop Dogg, also make a great feature. "Neva Change" gets a little pop once again with a friendly instrumental and brilliant vocals in the chorus, topped of by a G-Funk ghetto whistle its another subtle banger. And that's where the magic ends for me. the album strolls out with what feels like a pre-outro, "Black Thoughts" are spoken thoughts over an experimental instrumental reminiscent of DJ Shadow.

Production wise its fleshed out with many ideas. A lot of songs come with breaks, big variations and an organic sense of instrumentation. The records flow though is all over the place with a handful of distinctively different styles not meshing together well. The features were brilliant and Q was on the mark with his fiery flow, his words had bite and wasn't short of creativity when writing hooks. Its interesting because even the weaker tracks had something to offer, but in the grand scheme of things it just doesn't play well between some tracks. Very ambitious but unfocused, more like a compilation than album.

Favorite Tracks: Whateva U Want, Dope Dealer, John Muir, Big Body, Neva Change

Rating: 6/10

Clockwork Indigo "Clockwork Indigo" (2014)

Clockwork Indigo, a play on Stanly Krubrick's classic movie, is the name of a collaborative effort between Flatbush Zombies and The Underachievers, also of Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. This is the super group's only release, a short five track EP which to me sounds like an Underachievers release considering I am unfamiliar with the Flatbush Zombies. The project was created when the two groups decided to tour together. Rather than just tour they decided to take it to the studio and create this record to help promote the tour and vice versa.

So being unfamiliar with the Zombies it feels like a completely organic and natural exercise as their raps and contributions fit right along AK and Issa. With equally aggressive and boisterous raps it fits the tone, however with mostly violent, braggadocios and party raps, the occasional sprinkling of insightful or social conscious lyrics do little to stop my attention from shifting to the instrumentals. The opening "Butterfly Effect" graces seven minutes as each rapper gets passed the mic over a memorable beat with unnerving string samples looped over a rough, boom bap beat where you can hear the vinyl needle static in the capture, playing it over and over ads a little dirt to the beat. After the verses the song winds down with some speach samples before transitioning into warm and bright piano chords with a melody whistled, then played on the piano, then sung before snipping short segments of the samples again.

Its nice to hear an instrumental expand itself beyond the basic loop but the opener is the only one to do so, the other four just play out to the raps and so the best part of these songs are the hooks. "Ain't this what you want?" with its flamboyant delivery will stick in the mind. "Benefit Concert" has dampened group shouts calling out "Mosh. Mosh, Mosh. Mosh" in the chorus. Great hooks but not much lyrical substance beyond a few catchy lines. As a record it doesn't feel too indifferent from what id expect of The Underachievers. It doesn't wow but it ain't bad either.

Favorite Tracks: Butterfly Effect, Benefit Concert

Rating: 5/10

Ill Bill "Septagram" (2016)

It's been a while since I heard the name but I'm glad I decided to pick up Ill Bill's forth and latest record. Brother of famed New York rapper Necro, Ill Bill has been on my radar for some time, 2008's "Hour Of Reprisal" was the last time I tuned in. "Septagram" is essentially what id expected but far easier to digest and to the point. At twenty seven minutes its a comfortable record of short songs that don't out stay their welcome, dropping a better selection of rhymes over samples and drum loop beats that don't have a lot of variation beside a generalized theme drawn together with audio snippets from some obscure horror movie featuring some form of evil villan.

Much like his brother Necro, Ill Bill's style revolves heavily around horror, violence, torture and gore. These guys are tapped into the same sort of subject matter you might hear in Extreme Metal music and that may be because these guys are also metalheads too, many of the lyrics drop references to Metal bands and musicians. With subjects along the lines of serial killers, Satan, murder and evil for fun its an entertaining listen if that's your thing. I like it but there isn't a lot of depth here. There's plenty of skin crawling lyricism and brutal lines with vivid descriptions but they rarely add up to much. "The Cycle" touches on a social conscious observation but the song is mostly led by Ill Bill's guests William Cooper & Trife Diesel. The beat behind this track is skeletal, not a lot of polish on the beat and to transition to its string section samples the audio cuts of completely. Not a complaint but an observation, for some reason it works pretty well. Ill Bill's energy and flow is lively and forceful as expected but a lot of the work falls on his guests who make up a large portion of the airtime. His guest Slane on the final track sounds and spits like a mid naughties Eminem, the similarity is uncanny.

None of tracks here particularly stick out, it generally flows with the same intensity and each beat brings a different flavor in a played out style that sounds like it could of been produced ten years ago. You'll have a better time with it if you like their Horror Rap niche but breaking it down its a pretty tame release from a rapper who's capable of much better.

Rating: 5/10

YG "Still Brazy" (2016)

Two years back Compton rapper YG dropped his debut "My Krazy Life" which stirred up rave reviews, solid sales and featured a lot of big names including Kendrick Lamar. That's as much as I know about YG, I have the record but never got around to listening to it and I probably would of passed on this one if it wasn't for the promise of G-Funk era beats, something Ive never heard enough of. Unfortunately these beats were the only side of this record I genuinely enjoyed, as It can often be with Rap the braggadocios, violent, misogynistic lyrics don't carry as much weight when its not to your taste.

YG's flow, tone, delivery, all decent and steady but the lack of substance and meaning in his words was disturbing, most of what made an impact did so for the wrong reasons but looking at the positives he does have the knack for a good hook and catchy lines however replacing your c's with b's only goes so far before feeling like a gimmick. There's a lot of features too, big names like Lil Wayne and Drake, none of the guests made much of an impression either but I''m stuck in the 90s still. Its the track "She Wish She Was" that really gripes me on this record. Such a sexist and hypocritical statement holding double standards for men and women, slating a women's behavior for things they would celebrate in other songs, calling her a bitch for being a groupie while flaunting sleeping around in other tracks... Its a ludicrous song, not a topic I haven't heard before but not with such a lack of moral consideration.

It made a mess of a slamming beat and "Still Breezy" is loaded with them. As I mentioned this album revives the G-Funk sound in style, keeping it fresh and relevant, allowing modern Trap beats to swim in out between the tracks, giving it a great flow converging two styles together. The Funk baselines pop in with texture and density, accompanied with piano chords and swirly ghetto synths at times feels right out of Doggy Style. In fact there's quite a few tracks that are very reminiscent of Dr.Dre, especially his use of minor key chords.

Beyond these thoughts I didn't get to deep into this record. Its got a great instrumental vibe but the lyrics mostly drifted in one ear and out the other. I can't end it without mentioning the track "FDT", fuck Donald Trump. The sentiment of the track is musing, its not often gangster rappers get political but in its simplicity there's an sentimental message of unity between gangs either side of the border. Not what you might expect to hear.

Favorite Tracks: Twist My Fingaz, Gimme Got Shot, FDT

Rating: 5/10

The Underachievers "It Happened In Flatbush" (2016)

I was very excited to see this record pop up in my inbox. The Underachievers are one of my favorite modern Hip Hop acts and their last full length "Evermore - The Art Of Duality" really made its mark on me. The first half of the two sided release is loaded with deep and meaningful messages about achieving in life and keeping on top of your goals. Its a record I frequently turn to when running and working out. Unfortunately "It Happened In Flatbush" isn't on that introspective wavelength and is stated as a "mixtape". Essentially a less focused and shorter release to tie fans over.

Initially this sounded fantastic. Tight spacey, dark beats and deep cutting baselines but a few tracks in the lyrics were tiring me. Gone is the insightful, thought provoking, life changing lyricism. In come the blow trading, braggadocios flaunt raps loaded with violence and threats. With much talk of gun play, settling rivalries and street warfare the mood is ripe for these dark atmospheric beats however Its not what Ive been in the mood for from the East Coast duo who won me over with their honest lyrics and positive attitudes. If the subject matter wasn't to my taste I couldn't deny their flows were pretty solid throughout and at times elevating with technical prowess. On the flip side there are a few singular rhyme flows cropping up with the word niggaz that gets nauseous repeating it over and over and over.

After a few banging beats at the start the album drifts into a continual setting of gritty, deep sub baselines grooving under spacious minimalist leads with flickering trap beats. With violent raps the atmosphere is tense and intimidating. With a lack of lyrical charm it simple wasn't my cup of tea and the most interesting thing beside the instrumentals were references to Master P and Silkk The Shocker of No Limit Records. Always fun to pick up on name dropping in Hip Hop.

Favorite Track: Al Capone

Rating: 4/10

A$AP Ferg "Always Strive And Prosper" (2016)

NYC based rapper Ferg of the A$AP Mob opens up with a record that gives us a glimpse into the life of the man behind the music. His debut "Trap Lord" was a marvel of trendy beats and trap influenced production that has grown on me with time but lacked any lyrical substance to chew on. Three years later Ferg puts story and emotion to the mic with a collection of beats that don't feel rigid and type cast as the previous record. Its loaded with trendy bangers stepping up the game and between them an unusual sense of variety that lets 90s Dancehall, jazzy beats and Pop numbers into the flow.

The record starts strong with Skrillex producing a hard hitting banger, "Hungry Ham", full of tension building for the beat drop, sure to get stuck in your head. It paints a picture of a tough neighborhood and crazy characters, including Ferg's uncle a violent man who fights for money. A feature from Schoolboy Q has these heart felt stories crossing over into the banger territory, which gives it much more substance. A few solid tracks in the vibe turns back to the roots with the A$AP Mob flaunting their braggadocios raps loaded with nonsense, it continues through a few more menacing beats and switches up the mood bluntly with "Beautiful People", sampling something very reminiscent of the string sections in Marvin Gaye's "Whats Going On". "Let You Go" flows with the positive vibes on an introspective number that has Ferg reasoning his promiscuous behavior, playing the sympathy card, his narrative seems rather self indulged and unapologetic, a sterling beat but I'm not quite sold on Ferg's musings. After a strong set of beats "I Love You" throws the pop single into the mix just to throw you off the scent.

I'm left feeling "Always Strive And Prosper" is halfway there, a record between two ideas that pushes and pulls in different directions. The production is clearly varied but also solid, each track feels fully realized, developed and its the lyrical content lets the album down where it drifts from the open, introspective, story led narrative Ferg sets us up for in the beginning. Individually each song is pretty rad but flowing from one to the other a lot of problems arise in its vision but that's just about how i want to hear this record.

Favorite Tracks: Hungry Ham, Pyscho, Let It Bang, Beautiful People, Let You Go

Rating: 5/10

Black Moon "Enta Da Stage" (1993)

Brooklyn based Hip Hop trio Black Moon may of beat Wu-Tang's "36 Chambers" claim to the first low-fi, gritty Hip Hop record even if only by a couple of months. Of course there are always precursors to such ideas emerging and Wu-Tang's demo tape date back to 91 but on occasions where their classic debut is discussed this record may get a mention, which is how I found my way to it. Unfortunately its not aged well, it didn't sell at the time and the groups trajectory declined with exception to 99s "War Zone" having some moderate success. Although the groups debut "Enta Da Stage" may not be well remembered it is definitely a must listen for any fan of east coast 90s Hip Hop.

Although a trio it is mainly rapper Buckshot Shorty who dominates the audio waves with a predominantly braggadocio rhyme style and easy to follow flow. There's plenty of gun play and street talk with little socially conscious substance but Buckshot is the sort of rapper who draws you in with his flow and entertains with violence, slang and lifestyle provado world play. Behind him an array of grimy beats with hard grooving drum loops, deep sub baselines and string arrangements coming together to conjure an urban atmosphere of danger. At times they have a slightly Jazz vibe with horn and flute samples but never for a relaxing or soothing moment, the record is always on edge, no thanks to Buckshot's aggressive delivery.

There's not a bad beat on the record but its not without its flaws. There was a time I couldn't put down this album, however over time the lack of insightful lyrical substance and rigid nature of the loops made it tire somewhat. Although the beats are tight there is little variation through the course of a song, with a couple of samples dropping in or out the songs they mostly remain the same for the duration of, which gets tiring after many listens.

This isn't true of every song though, a couple numbers are just timeless and credit to the sample selections, the chemistry is on point, its the composition and variation that lets it down. The mixing style is fantastic too, much of the gritty urban atmospheres comes from the narrow ranges the samples are squeezes into, filling much of the low and mid section. There is also some fantastic hooks from the group who throw together catchy group shouts in the choruses. "Enta Da Stage" has its place in history however for me It falls a little short in places of preference but not to focus on the negatives its a fantastic record well and truly worth your time.

Favorite Songs: Who Got Da Props, Buck Em Down, Make Munne

Rating: 8/10

UGK "Ridin' Dirty" (1996)

The Underground Kings, abbreviated UGK, are a southern Hip Hop duo from Texas, America. Released in 96 "Ridin' Dirty" is considered a classic and remarkably sold shy of platinum with no official singles released. On my first spin I recognized a few tracks from various movie soundtracks and shows Ive watched, its like another piece of the puzzle falling into place with lyrical references lining up, like Jay-Z's "We like underground kings, riding dirty" from "The Blueprint". This wasn't as distinctly southern as I was expecting. With tinges of Outkast's debut vibe, UGK find the best of the east's sampling and the west's programmed beats, it amounted to a very defined and accessible record.

The two both have strong, clear and steady flows with a keen ear from rhymes and hooks, Bun B with the deeper tone and Pimp C a sharper, aggressive delivery that compliment each other. It makes for great listening but on a deeper level there isn't to much to delve into lyrically beyond the gangster lifestyle. Its about the mood and moment, telling it through slick rhymes for the listener, UGK ain't trying to make a point or reflect on their lifestyles but just tell it how it is. With a blunt approach and unapologetic story telling there's plenty of disagreeable misogyny and glorified violence on display.

Where the record works for me is the beats and production. Most these instrumentals are simple, to the point and can be deconstructed with ease as they don't over complicate. Its a fine line to tread but "No Joe" and the two rappers handle the production with a keen ear for samples, mixing some Funk and Soul sounds with sharp kits playing out tidy grooves. At around an hour it shows its consistency without a weak track. It couldn't be done by the instrumentals alone which are often small sections on repeat with a few breaks. Although there wasn't much food for thought the duos rhyme styles carry weight and keep one entertained for the duration of what I can agree is a classic record for its time.

Favorite Songs: Pinky Ring, 3 In The Mornin', Good Stuff

Rating: 7/10

2Pac "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z" (1993)

The late American rapper Tupac Shakur is undoubtedly Rap and Hip Hop's most acclaimed, celebrated and mourned artist. Shot several times and fatally wounded in 96 at the peak of his career the man has a legendary status in music with a body of widely influential work including a plethora of posthumous records created by other musicians who strived to keep his name alive and relevant in the post 2Pac world. In popular culture his "All Eyez On Me" and Death Row era is the most celebrated but for me its his first two, often overlooked, that mean the most. On "2Pacalypse Now" a young teenage Tupac charmed us with his social conscious, intelligent, intrepid flow and weightless articulation. The talent was raw, untouched and full of promise but the events that would follow would set him on a wild journey through the pressures of being a person of national interest.

Following a violent police beating and public criticism on his music from senator Dan Quayle, Tupac arrives at the microphone with the anger and frustration frothing at the mouth and with his unrivaled talent focuses it all into his words with an endless onslaught of rage induced rhymes to strike back. These where times when Rap music was shining a light on the systematic racial impoverishment in American society and being targeted for shining that light Tupac strikes back "And now I'm like a major threat, cause I remind you of the things you were made to forget". The record is loaded with sharp and concise rhymes like this which convey so much weight and meaning when you understand there context. Given the recent attention to racist police brutality and the outcry in response its as relevant as ever. "So we live like caged beasts, waiting for the day to let the rage free".

Head locked with the political system, Tupac's once observational lyricism heats up as he steps inside the minds of the characters he speaks for, taking things to the next level as he tells the struggles of ghetto life. It can easily come across as glorifying violence and is often misunderstood as such. Tupac see's criminals as what they are, people, and gets us inside the mind to understand the social and economic environments that create criminality in his neighborhood. He gives them a voice and does so with the help of legends Ice Cube and Ice T, as well as Treach of Naught By Nature for some brilliant and would be classic collaborations.

Behind an arsenal of eye opening lyricism the production is one to remember for being vibrant, aggressive, noisy and obviously flawed. Through its shortcomings it triumphs in making a memorable and firey backing to Tupac's inspired attitude. The beats are chaotic, layers of samples stacked noisily and at times incoherent. Theres similarities to Public Enemy's Bomb Squad style, and underneath deep sub bass lines groove in an unsettled and restless set of beats. The consistency is varied, some tracks sound like they are from the previous record and others, mainly the records closer have a Naughty By Nature vibe. It rough, raw and ambitious, with more polish it could of easily been a classic but feels rushed and results with an easily aged character to it.

This was the first Tupac record I brought, must of been over fifteen years ago and it was the wild fiery, red and green album cover that sold it for me. At the time I enjoyed it but it was many years later that my appreciation grew as I understood its context more. Interestingly, I can draw some comparisons to the southern Hip Hop style with the cover art, years before it became popular in the south. One other thing I adore about this record is the use of deep pitch shifted vocals like on "Something To Die 4". Its fantastic but hardly ever utilized, although Killer Mike's recent "Rap Music" does it to great effect. On another note, Tupac's most known track "Changes" is actually a leftover from this record. Having collected all the outtakes I can hear why, the beat just isn't on the same level as Tupac. Anyway, there's my thoughts, I adore early Tupac and this record gets me fired up and angry when I need it.

Favorite Tracks: Holler Ya Hear Me, Point The Finger, Something 2 Die 4, Last Wordz, Souljah's Revenge, Strugglin', Guess Who's Back, Keep Ya Head Up, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z, The Streets R Deathrow, Deadly Venomz

Rating: 9/10

Mac "Shell Shocked" (1998)

Coming from the No Limit music factory, Mac's "Shell Shocked" is another from the year of 98 when No Limit Records pumped out 23 record from 20 different artists. Going for quantity over quality it would be hard for many of the artists on the hyped label to stand out and Mac is one of those who didn't sell as well at the time but this record is respected as one of the labels best. It's also got the most sensible album cover Ive seen of the over shopped and sometimes tacky southern style.

Its a typical record fitting Master P's formula. 73 minutes of solid beats stretching the format, compact disc, limit. On first listen it felt like Mac was being smothered by other characteristics, being another voice in a large crowd of No Limit artists it was the presence of Master P that seemed over the top with a barrage of over enthusiastic UGHs and Tupac pronunciations, emulating his delivery style and using similar lyrics, best head on "Money Gets" or "Memories". Getting used to Mac's voice I heard solid and steady flow more reminiscent of the east coast sound than southern. His lyrics flowed tight from word to word and sounded best when double tracking or using reverb on particular tracks.

Beats by the pound provided another set of sturdy beats with the typical range of styles and themes expected of this era. "The Game" recycled a beat from Silk's "Aint My Fault", nice to hear, and "Be All You Can Be" uses the classic melody from George Michael's "Careless Whisper", might sound odd but it works. I always enjoy noticing these entities in Rap music, as well as recycling beats the "Tank Dogs" would be reused Silk's "Southside Niggas" along with components to its beat. The records title track has some weak gun sound effects at the end, including the shotgun sound from the classic game Doom! "My Brother" also uses a sample from the eJay music composers that were popular at the time.

These quirks were fun to notice but the most important point is the strength of the beats holding the record from start to end, there maybe a few tracks you'd want to skip if not in the mood but it has what a good record needs and although nothing special happened in the lyrical department it still made for a great listen, one that's continuing the itch for more of Master P's brand of Hip Hop.

Favorite Tracks: Murda Murda Kill Kill, Tank Dogs, Can I Ball, The Game, Memories, Beef, My Brother

Rating: 6/10

Juvenile "400 Degreez" (1998)

Returning to the dirty south again I picked up this record from the Cash Money crew that's been hailed as a classic. Fronted by one of the better heavily shopped covers it has Juvenile surrounded by fire, golden frames and a sprinkling of sparkling diamonds. Coming from New Orleans Juvy brings a weight of localized slang and pronunciation to digest as he spits with a limp, twisting words to his style, moving syllables, slacking on fidelity in favor of a southern rawness. Production is once again handled entirely by Mannie Fresh of Big Tymers who delivers a solid collection of beats with one or two distinct numbers.

The record opens up with a classic track "Ha" that could turn many a listener away with verse after verse of raps with a single rhyme, "Ha". Juvy shows his skills in other tracks but on this one poses a bunch of questions that creates a range of scenarios relevant to his environment. His flow is lethargic, in a laid back way, pronunciation loose and casual while keeping to the tempo. His charm comes from the subtle grooves and tone shifts as his delivery works like an instrument chiming in with the music. His deliveries trump his rhymes time and time again with the exception of "You see me? I eat, sleep, shit and talk rap! You see that 98 Mercedes on TV, I brought that!". Classic opening verse on the title track.

Its a standout track, and its production brings a dark and gritty vibe to an ethereal and spacey chorus as morphed vocals sweep through the spacious atmosphere, saluted with a subtle roll of bells in the mid. The tracks are mostly composed of electronic instruments typical of the era but in the rhythm department the kicks, snares, hi hats and stabs bring a distinct bounce and southern groove. Doubling up on the beat the songs often drop in shuffling hi hats and harsh 4/4 claps onto the beat. Its raw, and sets a president for further experimentation, which would have an influence on Trap music. Overall its a great record but between its better tracks the 72 minutes does feel stretched. Unlike B.G. these Cash Money rappers don't keep me captivated on that side of Hip Hop music as much as the instrumentals do.

Favorite Tracks: Ha, Ghetto Children, Follow Me Now, Welcome 2 Tha Nolia, Back That Azz Up, 400 Degreez

Rating: 7/10

Jay-Z "The Blueprint" (2001)

American rapper Jay-Z needs no introduction, a household name around the world he dominated Hip Hop in the naughties as an artist and a business man who's built a substantial amount of wealth. A true rags to riches story of a young man who went from drug dealer to international rap star. I've never found myself drawn to his music, however I adore the Mafioso Rap debut "Reasonable Doubt" he dropped in 96. Watching the movie "Dope" the lead character referred to this record as the end and "exclamation point" of the 90s era I love so much. Of course I promptly picked this one up and found a couple of familiar songs, "Izzo" I remembered from MTV in my youth and "Renegades", a menacing and dark duet with Eminem who drops a classic verse from the prime of his defining style.

So "The Blueprint" is hailed as a classic, and picking up a record like this its hard to avoid the acclaim and ratings the record received. It certainly set the bar high, but didn't get my blood pumping around the clock. That being said its a mighty fine record illuminated by production from Just Blaze and Kanye West who both make their breakthroughs with a fine set of instrumentals that was the highlight for me. It steps away from the radio rap of "Volume 3" and brings a soulful vibe to snappy beats with a variety of kits and themes to keep the track running fresh. The track "Girls, Girls, Girls" is a blinding moment on the record, Just Blaze sampling Tom Brock to perfection, a true example of what the art of sampling is about. Legends Q-Tip and Biz Markie dropping in with the hook borrowed from the oldskool Crash Crew while Jay-Z talks about his promiscuous lifestyle.

The record opens up with Jay-Z making his return statement before dropping into a diss track aimed at Nas and Mobb Deep, I know Nas's response "Ether" and "Takeover" pales in comparison but to give Jay-Z credit the raps are tight and creative but again the magic comes from the beat with its rumpus baseline and baron atmosphere characterized by samples between the kick snare and bass groove. Jay-Z's raps are alright, hes straightforward, easy to follow and light on the ears, but quite honestly he rarely does much to grab my attention. Sometimes a rapper just can't do it for you and its hard to put my finger on why. He did drop a couple of great lines though "I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell, I am a hustler baby, I sell water to a well" is one that's stuck in my mind as well as his tragic mathematics on the diss track, somehow calculating four records in ten years is a two in ten average.

The only other times Jay was grabbing my attention was dropping references or recycling classic rap lines. The best rap came from Eminem on renegade, also with a fantastic hook chorus. I walk away from this record dazzled by the production, desiring more from the lyrical substance and understanding its reputation. Surprised I didn't find this one sooner but there is an ocean of music out there and the size of a name is rarely a hook to pull me in.

Favorite Tracks: Girls Girls Girls, U Don't Know, Holla' Hovita, Heart Of The City, Renegades

Rating: 8/10

B.G. "Chopper City In The Ghetto" (1999)

Being a longtime big fan of West and East coast Hip Hop I've recently taken an interest in the southern scene which flourished in the late 90s through record labels like No Limit Records and Cash Money. "Outkast", "Killer Mike" and "Master P" have been great discoveries but I've struggled to find much beyond them that's appealed to me and learning about Cash Money and their history I was brought to this record, Chopper City In The Ghetto. The album cover stood out to me as being one of the better, and most atypical of the trend of that time created by Pen & Pixel Graphics. Now looking horribly dated this first wave of photoshop overkill had a lot of gnarly over effected microsoft word fonts and stitched together images, however this one strikes a fair balance and holds up well, but lets talk about the music.

My first impression of this record has held up play after play, this is a solid collection of instrumentals with a distinct style that has B.G's softer rapping presence accompanying them. Initially I felt B.G was tame, inoffensive and calm but quickly I saw this in a good light. His raps are delivered steady, with a soft tone and controlled energy that comes across as borderline spoken. As the lines, verses and hooks become familiar the subtitles come across as his raps hold up time and time again. There's a lot of street talk, bling bling and boasting and it lacks a meaningful depth at times but that's far from what its about. It enjoyable, fun and easy on the mind. There's an absence of technicality and "wow" moments the occasional overuse of one worded rhymes and over simplistic lines e.g "I go for a walk past the chalk, give me the fork for the pork" but B.G can write a hook and deliver it and his style is enough to make this record work.

The chemistry between beats and rhymes is on point, however the instrumentals get the merit with focused and consistent production from Mannie Fresh who delivers 67 minutes of balanced numbers that bring a distinct mood reminiscent of an espionage, undercover spy vibe to many of the tracks, "Play'n It Raw" reminding me of Goldeneye from Nintendo 64. The compositions show their strength through instruments that sound both dated and fantastic, reminding one techniques and limitation not heard so much anymore. The drum machines are cut hard with rigid kicks and snappy snares that lack reverb or any volume variation yet sound terrific. The accompanying midi controlled instruments, bass, synth, ghetto whistles and plucked leads are on the minimalist side with simplistic, to the point melodies that balance varying degrees of complexity (within simplicity) across a spread of sounds that quietly add up to crafted tunes with depth and a fair use of rhythmic instrument hits (Bling bling) to tie the instruments to the core rhythm.

I'm still very much enjoying this record and will continue too, the features of Big Tymers, Turk and Juvenile is warming me up to more southern artists, especially Lil Wayne who I formerly had a negative opinion of thanks to buying into the "Hes not real Hip Hop" comment's on Youtube video, without checking him out for myself. He's fantastic on this record on features on my favorite song "Niggaz In Trouble" which has an interesting song structure that flips between a bi-polarizing southern hitter and a oldskool rhythmic groove. As the album stretches on I personal enjoy the final tracks more and this one also features the classic "Bling Bling" song. Great record, very happy I found it.

 Favorite Songs: Trigga Play, Play'n It Raw, With Tha B.G, Knock Out, Real Niggaz, Dog Ass, Cash Money Roll, Niggaz In Trouble, Hard Times, Uptown My Home

Rating: 8/10

N.W.A "Straight Outta Compton" (1988)

Just about everything that can be said about this records immense impact on Rap and music has already been said. It set Hip Hop on a new path, put the west on the map and delivered us the phenomenal talents of "Dr. Dre" and "Ice Cube" while forcing Gangster Rap and reality raps into the mainstream. If you have never heard of this record you need to do yourself a favor and read about it, listen and love it. Along with Metallica's "Ride The Lightning" I found this record through VH1 at around thirteen years old and it forever changed my outlook and music direction, so for this blog I thought Id focus on how this record impacted me as a person.

Being a relatively angry and frustrated young person I was initially attracted to the aggression and attitude on display, but as I learned the words the message sunk in quick and I found myself envisioning a reality I would of otherwise never know about. The lyrics depicted the American ghettos riddled with poverty, gangs, police brutality and drug problems. It opened my eyes to reality, I had a fortunate upbringing and I was understanding that the world was a big place with many problems. "Fuck Tha Police" was the song that really blew my mind, I had never heard such anti-authoritarian anger and it taught me to question what the police were and to challenge what was wrong and right in the eyes of the law. From that point on I always gave second thought to my assumptions and it set me on a path to be an open and accepting person who looks for tolerance and compassion over prejudice and judgement.
 

I've never grown tired of this record, there's a ferocious energy of anger and rebellion that always comes across and Dre's beats are still rocking today despite some obviously dated aesthetics the core compositions are fantastic, breaking out of the mold thanks to Dre's attentive ear for sampling music. Its him and Cube that make the record for me, MC Ren holds is own and drops some great raps but its Cube lyrics, also ghost writing for Eazy and Dre, and tireless flow that delivers line after line of Hip Hop's most memorable verses. He's raw and unfiltered, and with time developed his word play, flow and delivery but he could never top the impact and relevance of his rhymes on Straight Outta Compton.

I always felt the best of the record was found on the first three tracks and "Express Yourself", although the rest of the record doesn't fire quite with the same intensity its practically impossible to write thirteen tracks of "Fuck Tha Police" but the reality is they overshadow the rest of the record that's full to the brim of unfiltered reality raps and story's not for the faint of heart. Its hard hitting substance of tough times and reckless attitudes that take it all the way to the final track before Dre and Yella's throw back to their DJing days. Its a classic, one that had a profound personal influence on me and if you've never heard it before you should do yourself a favor.

Favorite Tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Gangsta Gangsta, If It Ain't Ruff, Parental Discretion Is Advised, Express Yourself
Rating: 10/10

Dr. Dre "Compton" (2015)

 

Its been a long time since we last had a Dre album and over those sixteen years there's been the constant tease of Detox lingering in the mind and "Compton" AKA "Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre" arrives as a pleasant surprise that's not to be confused with Detox which has officially been scrapped and may never see the light of day considering Dre has stated this will be his final album. Inspired by the upcoming N.W.A. biopic, Dre had been reminded of his youth and jumped into the studio to record this record in a relatively short window of time. My initial impression was positive, its sounds like he never left the studio. This is of course true as Dre has been busy over the years nurturing the talents of others.

The gap in time will give fans an obvious point of contention surrounding the "modern production" but as familiarity sets in a lot of Dre's song production come past the aesthetics with many of the tracks not feeling not to dissimilar to Hip Hop from the late 90s and early 00s. Its the array of guests who give the record a modern flavor with new vocal styles from Kendricks unique tone, to the sing rap antics of King Mez and a severing of auto-tune that even Dre gets in on during his raps. There's also a fair few drawn out sub kicks, trap hi hats and shuffling snare rolls but behind the shiny aesthetics the group at work on this record put together a collection of solid tracks.

Obviously the overall theme is about the city and the inspiration the artists have for it. In between Dre throws in a couple of numbers about the pressures on him in his business adventures and a solo track "Talking To My Diary". When using auto tune he is somewhat unrecognizable, but otherwise sounding solid, not to dissimilar to "2001", his tone aged slightly but still showing the finesse to deliver tight raps, however lyrically their aren't as many hard hitting lines and verses, but its still decent. His array of guests sparkle and light up the record, surprisingly so Snoop Doggy Dogg pulling out some of his best lines in years, sounding mean and angry with some real attitude in his delivery. Xzibit and Ice Cube where two names on the bill I was excited for but didn't feel either of them had the impact their raps once did. Eminem also delivers a fast hitting rap delivered with that relentless monotone force that can be a little unbearable at times. Kendrick and King Mez really lit the songs up with their frequent presence inflicting melodic hooks which gave a lot of flavor to the record.

According to the details Dre didn't directly produce every track on the record. To what extent this impacts the music may not be known, but the variety from track to track keeps this record fresh and vibrant. "Animals" by DJ Premier has his classic vibe and fits well in the record despite throwing it back to that early 90s feel. There's a couple of rigid transitions like a sudden mood and tempo shift on "Loose Cannons" and "Darkside Gone" executing a similar idea with a lot more style thanks to a sample of Easy-E. There's no skit tracks but some great audio scenes created around "Deep Water" which really add a layer of graphic to the song. There's a lot of quality on display, a large selection of tracks to digest and right now I can't get enough of this record which sounds fantastic now and I hope the excitement this one offers wont fade with time. His last two certainly haven't.

Favorite Songs: Talk About It, Genocide, Deep Water, One Shot One Kill, Satisfaction, Animals, Medicine Man, Talking To My Diary
Rating: 7/10

Dr. Dre "2001" (1999)

Wising up to the dangers of working with Suge Knight, Dr. Dre left Death Row Records to set up his own label, Aftermath. It took seven years for Dre's anticipated second release to come to light and the timing couldn't of been better. With Eminem's mainstream debut dropping earlier in the year its success put Dre's name in the limelight for "finding" Eminem and gave the record a massive momentum with blinding singles like "Still D.R.E." & "Forgot About Dre", an unforgettable collaboration with Eminem that the two spitting some of their slickest verses with Dre explaining where he'd been while blasting his doubters who thought he couldn't make a "comeback". When Eminem steps up to the mic he gives one of his most vivid raps that continual grew with intensity as he violently describes the two causing havoc and dropping the "Hoping out with two broken legs, trying to walk it off" line. The timing of the record couldn't of been much better and it delivered some of Hip Hops most successful music, but beyond the shiny surface of the singles, this album has a touch of quality on its own level, inspired by a drive to prove wrong to his doubters Dre gave us his best record.

Staying ahead of the game, Dre and co-producer Mel-Man took the clean, instrument oriented direction of the bling era to a new plateau, mixing the slickest, cleanest and tightly polished sound of the time with timeless hooks and flawless songwriting that gave every song a hook and catchy instruments that would stick in the mind for years. Track after track Dre carefully orchestrates a genius balance of instruments that play of each others space, dropping in subtleties behind the leads and narrating themes through short distinctive melodies and grooving beats. Looking into the source materials you can see a large portion of this record comes from the production team alone, and where there source material is used it sometimes barely resembles the original with the tunes and melodies being reinvented on lush, charismatic instruments.

The overall mood and tone of the record is sleek, dark, smooth and grooving. Proving himself time and time again, the main theme follows Dre through the recent years as he reminds wheres hes been and stating that hes still got it through dynamite tracks and raps. As a lyricist he finds his best form here, taking a stronger presence than on "The Chronic" while showering us in classic lines and solid verses that hold up so well over time. Once again there's an array of guests supporting Dre including Snoop Doggy Dogg who appears on two of the albums best tracks, but doesn't have quite the same charm as he did last time, Eminem, Xzibit, Kurupt and Nate Dogg all bringing their best to the record.

Despite having similar blueprints to other Hip Hop records of the era, 2001 is loaded with a substance and style that's executed to perfection. Its a stronger and congruent record that knows itself s better than The Chronic did. There is even an instrumentals version available that sounds great when you're in the mood for just the beats and they hold up on their own. The record wraps up with "The Message", a moving number produced by Lord Finesse, the only one not by Dre and Mel-Man and has the classic Finesse bell ringing quietly in the background. Its a humbling tribute song to end the record on and takes it over the hour mark without a moment of filler. A genius record that solidified Dre's status in Hip Hop forever.

Favorite Tracks: The Watcher, Still D.R.E., Xxplosive, Whats The Difference, Light Speed, Forgot About Dre, Lets Get High, Muder Ink, Ed-Ucation, Ackrite, Bang Bang

Rating: 9/10