Jay-Z: American Gangster 4.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 12 Hip-hop's never seen anything like this before. It's never had the chance to see a legend reflect on his career, taking a step back and offering insight into the madness before the fame, while objectively considering the consequences and chances. But in the ... full story
G.R.I.T. Boys: Ghetto Reality In Texas 2.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 0 If you've heard of H.A.W.K or Paul Wall, then more than likely, you've heard of the Grit Boys. Grit, aka Ghetto Reality in Texas, includes members Poppy, Scooby, and Unique. After an appearance on Lil O's 2000 album, Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze, the group began ... full story
Little Brother: Getback 4.0 out of 5.0 | Comments: 2 For the most part, the only things coming out of people's mouths and pens about North Carolinian duo Little Brother is, "They left Atlantic, how they gonna eat?" Or "How are they going to make it without 9th Wonder's production?" Exhaustion of the same warmed-over ... full story
DJ Envy & Red Cafe: The Co-Op 2.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 2 Like any aspiring rapper who has done a lengthy bid in the clink, Red Cafe has had to make up for lost time -- 5 years in his case. And since his release in '97, he has had double that time to pursue a rap career. But as countless examples have shown, the ... full story
Hell Rell: For The Hell Of It 2.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 3 What the hell? The release of Hell Rell's debut album, For The Hell Of It, happened almost two months ago. Yet, he still hasn't received much radio play in New York, as far as we've heard, and Hell Rell is from the Bronx.Hell Rell began his career as part ... full story
Aesop Rock: None Shall Pass 3.0 out of 5.0 | Comments: 0 Once hailed as one of rap's most literary voices, Aesop Rock fits cleanly into the niche created by the Def Jux camp. Like head honcho El-P, Rock finds comfort behind both the microphone and the mixing board. The two men also share a penchant for decidedly ... full story
Trey Songz: Trey Day 3.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 1 After many release date changes, the Prince of VA is back and is more mature than ever before. Trey Songz' sophomore album is not a star studded LP like many others in the music business. Bun B and Dipset's Jim Jones are the only two rappers that have the ... full story
Kia Shine: Due Season 2.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 0 All one can truly say is, "WOW," and laugh when listening to Kia Shine's Due Season. It seems that the more new artists come to the forefront of the hip-hop hustle, the more ridiculous and outrageous the songs are. So after seven years of grinding and making ... full story
Jagged Edge: Baby Makin' Project 2.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 2 You just can't deny the unique talents of the four vocalists that make up Jagged Edge. Even though this is their sixth studio album that has been leaked to the net one week prior to its release, you know all those JE fans went out and bought the album regardless. ... full story
Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds: Playlist 3.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 1 When you speak of legends and music icons in the world of R&B, you have to think of Babyface. For over a decade, Face has sung, written and produced so many number one songs, it's hard to keep count. After a few mediocre attempts at a comeback in the early ... full story
Rick Ross: Rise To Power 3.0 out of 5.0 | Comments: 1 Rick Ross isn't MIA when it comes to delivering good music on his second album, Rise To Power. It seems Rick's new album has brought a natural evolution rather than a "sophomore jinx." This time around, Ross sets the bar higher and raps on every track like ... full story
Chamillionaire: Ultimate Victory 4.0 out of 5.0 | Comments: 2 The South has carved a niche in the mainstream that's hard to break. Besides a North Carolina brotherly duo that got more fame for a spat with BET than their music, and the politician-in-rapper's-clothing David Banner, the list of Southern representatives ... full story
Plies: The Real Testament 3.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 18 The front cover of Plies' new album, The Real Testament, features him with his right hand raised as if he was taking an oath. The cover is supposed to relay Plies' oath to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, about his experiences in the streets, and ... full story
Swizz Beatz: One Man Band Man 2.5 out of 5.0 | Comments: 0 When Swizz Beatz released his solo debut One Man Band Man, many hip-hop aficionados were secretly thinking "let the battle of the producers begin." Timbaland, Dre, Alchemist, Marco Polo, K-Salaam and 9th Wonder are all names of producers who are more than ... full story
Tupac: Nu Mixx Klazzics Vol. 2 (Evolution: Duets And Remixes) 3.0 out of 5.0 | Comments: 1 Hip-hop fans can scream hallelujah; there's finally a decent rap record to cap the summer off with the release of Tupac's Nu Mixx Klazzics Vol. 2 (Evolution: Duets And Remixes). Tupac was more than an MC, he was an icon, and it's unfortunate that many of us ... full story
Features Romeo: Wise Beyond His Years Romeo, the son of No Limit Records founder Master P, has grown up before our eyes. At the young age of 11, he followed ... full story
Editorials & Columns Scouting Report: J-Mizz Arkansas isn't exactly known for its hip-hop influence, but rapper J-Mizz hopes to put state on the map as well as become ... full story
Beyond Hip-Hop EYEgasim: Precious Muir Sometimes the best things come in unique packages, and that is surely the case with the 23-year-old blonde bombshell ... full story
