2007 Hip-Hop Rap Up

While everyone else was ranting about hip-hop being dead/commercialized/too-pop, I spent most of the year completely in-love with it.

Canadian Top 5 Fav:

• Pull Up-Rochester// Boi-da is a monster on this track, Rochester pulls off the energy live as well
• Hell In A Hand Basket-Crown A Thornz// Bone-chilling hook gives me goosebumps
• T.O/O.T-Point Blank// Infectious Canadian anthem
• Don't Holla-Tona & S Roc// FINALLY.
• DueceDuece-Paper Chaser// This song makes me pop my collar..yesssir

The biggest disapointment for me was Wu Tang, Beanie Sigel and KRS ONE but I was surprisingly satisfied with Freeeeeeway!

Best concert of the year wasn't even a concert..it was Large Professor. The crowd didn't even know who he was-it was a surprise-but he played Live at the Barbeque.

Songs of the Year

• **Outkast- Art of Story Telling P4When DJ Ev Starr first played it on The Masterplan Show, that Andre 3000 verse had callers going craaazy. That verse, and the "Player's Anthem" verse made 3000 one of my fav lyricists all over again.
• **Can't Tell Me Nothin-Kanye WestThis song was the reason I made some of the moves I made in 2007. Line for line, it's easily one of Kanye's best EVER.
• **C'mon Baby-SaigonSOOOOOO much better than the remix, Saigon KILLED it. Too bad "the greatest story" will never be told. Just Blaze, you get a white-girl thumbs up for this. Too bad the video bombed.
• **Ignorant Shit-Jay ZI feel like everyone had their own "OH THATS MY SONG" on American Gangster. Mine was easily Ignorant Shit..G'head Jay Z, show em Beyonce didnt take away your swagger.
• **Little Girl Gone-Lil Wayne/Devin The DudeWhile I thought this was the weakest of Lil Wayne verses on his 483093tracks this year, I still liked the track. Can't go wrong with Devin The Dude. Dream collab.
• **War-Kardinal Offishall/Marco PoloDJ Miss Kittie and I were stopped at a traffic light in Manhattan BLASTING this, and the car next to us rolled down their windows, nodding their head. That sums this track up. Beat is bananas, Kardi's energy kills it. I love Canada.
• **Sound The Alarm-Black MilkMaybe because I have the hip-hop taste of a 17 year old boy, that I love the aggression of this single. I didn't like the album as much as media hyped it up, but thought this track was fiiiyah.
• **Man's World-Guilty SimpsonPlain and simple, I like the raw emotion/honesty.
• **Push-Pharoahe Monch Sidenote: If you haven't seen him LIVE, do it. do it. do it.The whole album was one of my favs, but this song stands out to me with the horns + Showtyme.
• Honorable Mentions: Long Way To Go- Joe Budden, Hip-Hop- Joell Ortiz (RMX),Gutted-Beanie Sigel, Can't Forget About You-Nas

November 2007 Reviews

N.O.R.E.-Noreality

By Tara Muldoon

N.O.R.E. has been putting time into the hip-hop game for over a decade and like many of his colleagues, switched to an independent label to experiment with a new sound. With his signing to Babygrande, the anticipation grew for his comeback, especially with word of the Kanye West, Jadakiss, Peedi Peedi and Three Six Mafia appearances. Noreality starts with the welcoming banger "Set It Off," produced by Swizz Beats, which matches the quality of the only other standout track, "Throw 'Em Under The Bus." The rest of the 13-track disc tries to cleverly be creative and fails, especially with its more aggressive reggaeton influence. "Pop A Pill" and "Drink Champ" are lacklustre attempts at being comedic, while "Paternity Test" just suffers from downright bad lyricism. However, Noreality does earn bragging rights with its roster and selection of singles. The old N.O.R.E. charisma peaks out occasionally but the rest of the album sounds like he's having an identity crisis. (Babygrande)


Chamillionaire-Ultimate Victory

By Tara Muldoon

Chamillionaire has definitely been a recent music industry shocker: he won a Grammy, made a public announcement that he'd reduce swear words in his music and has created a worthy sophomore album. Ultimate Victory is surprisingly smart, with an array of features and content. "Hip-Hop Police" and "Evening News" attack those who blame hip-hop for social destruction, "Rock Star" is the shinning club track, while "Pimp Mode" is unexpectedly haunting about relationships. Although a common theme to the album is bitterness — at money, at girls, at the industry — it's not redundant. The downfall to Ultimate Victory is that the top-notch guest spot verses from Lil Wayne, Devin The Dude and Slick Rick outshine Chamillionaire. Ultimate Victory is by no means a classic but Chamillionaire pulls off being mediocre in a refreshing way. (Universal Motown)

Souljah Boy- Souljboytellem.com

By Tara Muldoon

Souljah Boy would be easy to dismiss if he wasn't on every media outlet possible but unfortunately, he's the new teen sensation of crunk music and he's embracing every catchy beat of it. Lead single "Crank That" is based around steel drum production, which represents the sound of his debut album Souljboytellem.com At 17 years old, Souljah Boy is making music his friends can snap, pop and drop to. Souljboytellem.com is 14 tracks deep of wholesome subject matter ("Booty Meat," "Donk") and is ultimately a bass-heavy party album laced with simplicity. Check out Souljah Girl and please, avoid the temptation to listen to "She Thirsty." The catch to Souljah Boy is that he produced and wrote almost the whole project. How many artists, let alone 17 year olds, can take credit for that level of creative control? He's clearly an ambitious young man and should be respected for that, if nothing else. Save him while he's young. (Collipark/Interscope)

May 2008 Reviews

Dizzee Rascal
Maths + English

By Tara Muldoon

Dizzee Rascal is letting go of all his inhibitions and speaking his mind on Maths & English. With a clever title — representing the least favourite but most essential school subjects — his wrath is felt as he speaks on the music industry, record labels and life in general. “Hard Back” represents this completely. “Da Feeling” is a sexy summer song in waiting and is a much-needed track on this album, but “Suk My Sik” is ridiculous. Luckily for Rascal, his sound is so unique and alluring that content won’t matter as much as how the bass sounds in your car. The highlight of the album is the weirdest/best collaboration “Where’s Da G’s,” with UGK. If you’re already a Rascal fan, pick this album up because he’s sounding stronger than ever. If you’re not already a fan, pick it up so you know what you’re missing. (XL)

Black Milk / Fat Ray
The Set-Up

By Tara Muldoon

Black Milk was 2007’s hip-hop darling and the media praised the producer/MC. Now in 2008, he has again delivered a standout product to those same open arms. The Set Up is Black Milk’s production and flow combined with Fat Ray’s baritone, representing Detroit’s legacy to the fullest. Don’t mistake the high quality of the production for a well-rounded album though — the lyricism falls flat in almost every song — but if you’re looking for something to kick back and enjoy, The Set Up has that sound. The best track is “Flawless,” with every other song also making that “best track” list. “Bad Man” featuring Guilty Simpson is crazy and the listener must resist the temptation to press repeat to move to the next track. One can only hope this is the Setup for even better projects. (MuSick)

Reviews March 2008

DJ ENVY & RED CAFE: THE CO-OP

DJ Envy and Red Cafe both needed to be relevant in the press for their solo projects- and this collaboration album was the product geared to create a buzz. The lead single “Dolla Bill”, featuring Jermaine Dupri and Fabolous, was an underground success but didn't catch on to a mainstream audience, probably because it gets redundant after the first listen. The follow up single with Nina Sky “The Things You Do” was the standout track on the album and showed a mesh of chemistry between all artists. Every song on the album followed a formula of simple beat and generic lyrics (“life is so good, I could bottle this stuff”). Ironic that DJ Envy yells over every song what a listener thinks about this album; “What else!?”

Hi-Tek- Hi-Teknology 3: The Underground

Hi-Tek had a well-received album in late 2006 called “Hi-Teknology Volume 2: The Chip”. Highly rated, and still buzzing, he opted to release a follow up, “Hi-Teknology 3: The Underground” within a year. Unfortunately for the superproducer, strength isn't in numbers. A wide array of hip-hop artists were featured over his captivating production and the content selection for The Underground is varied and impressive, but the chemistry is lackluster for the majority of the album. While it should be noted that while he used this album to put on his local home-town artists, none of them shine. Stellar exceptions: My Piano featuring Raekwon and Ghostface, Time featuring Talib Kweli and You Give Life To Me.