AltWeeklies Wire
Raekwon's Newfound Peace of Mind Leads to Release of Long-Awaited 'Cuban Linx' Sequelnew
Now, 14 years later, the Wu-Tang Clan's slang-master general is ready to follow Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II through to fruition.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Philip Mlynar |
09-22-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jay-Z's Latest 'Blueprint' is Still Less Inspired and Less Fluid than the Firstnew
Mostly, the album is Jay's attempt to get hip -- or hipster -- as he enlists a crop of fresh new talent discovered by Kanye West to help him sound relevant. Unfortunately, much like a 40-year-old divorcee who hits the town with her daughter's friends, it's clear that Jay doesn't quite fit in among this crowd, and The Blueprint 3 suffers for it.
Seattle Rapper D. Black Trades Rhymes for Religionnew
Most musicians with a brand new album would probably spend a Friday night at clubs or music venues, either playing a show or promoting their record. But Black isn't interested in any of that. In fact, he's ready to give up rap entirely.
Seattle Weekly |
Jonathan Cunningham |
09-14-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Dallas Producer Rob Viktum Serves Up A New, Tasty 'Drink'new
Viktum makes beats all the time, but the beats he's created on a new EP for his latest project, well, they're a bit different. Not in style, mind you, but in creation.
Dallas Observer |
Pete Freedman |
08-31-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
After a Lauded Major Label Debut, Hush Hits Rock Bottom and Rises Againnew
Within two years, he'd gone from Detroit hip-hop's other "white meat" to an unemployed, grieving father of three with a family and a mortgage. Hard up for cash, he took a job working the night shift at a factory that was an hour-plus drive away. He'd get home and during the hours before his sons got up for school, he'd make music.
Metro Times |
Hobey Echlin |
08-25-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Mos Def Gets Back into Hip-Hop With His New Albumnew
While The Ecstatic doesn't cash in the promise of those first two albums, it is a worthwhile listen, and it is a hip-hop album, which is cause to celebrate.
Boulder Weekly |
Dan Hinkel |
08-24-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Remember Onyx? They’re Still Pissednew
There was a moment between the late 80s and the early 90s when hip-hop was cheerier than diaper commercials. Then along came Onyx -- shamelessly slinging, slamming, shooting, and reminding us that hip-hop has a dark side.
Boston Phoenix |
Chris Faraone |
08-13-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Solillaquists of Sound Make Florida Safe for Conscious Hip-Hopnew
Solillaquists' new album goes retro with talk boxes, nods to Salt-N-Pepa and a love for their home town of Orlando.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Bill Forman |
08-13-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Busdriver's Latest Album is Both Playful and Fiercenew
Like an auctioneer on speed, Busdriver's impressively fast rhyming skills help him stack the strange, intriguing Jhelli Beam with a word count generally reserved for major Russian literature.
Tucson Weekly |
Michael Petitti |
08-12-2009 |
Reviews
Method Man vs. Redman: Tale of The Tapenew
Known for sharp and hilarious contributions to albums like their 1999 collaboration Blackout!, they've also appeared in deodorant commercials, the stoner cult classic How High and even a short-lived Fox show Meth & Red. But when the two perform together, who's the real headliner?
Dallas Observer |
Ben Westhoff |
08-10-2009 |
Music
To Serve and Protect: Dance Championship Celebrates Hip-Hopnew
Street dancers from around the globe said hip-hop hooray! at the the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, as the 8th Annual World Hip Hop Dance Championship drew fierce but friendly competition.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Sarah Feldberg |
08-06-2009 |
Performance
John Forte: From Jailhouse to Jazzhousenew
Ex-Fugees producer Forte keeps a low profile these days. Since his release from prison last December, after serving seven years of a fourteen-year drug sentence, Forte has started treating home as his sanctuary.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
08-05-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Brash and Ballsy MC Amanda Blank is Here to Take What's Hersnew
With equal connection to Philly's electronic music and hip-hop worlds, Blank is an anomaly: Laurie Anderson with a dirty mouth and better dance steps, Karen Finley without the yams.
Philadelphia City Paper |
A.D. Amorosi |
07-28-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Run-DMC's Darryl McDaniels Rolls With Life's Impromptu Flownew
It's not McDaniels' voice that makes conversations with him strange, it's his habit of trailing off on confusing, lengthy digressions. For example, rather than speaking directly about his recent visit to the White House, he launches into a seven minute diatribe about foster children.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Ben Westhoff |
07-21-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
'If Tomorrow Comes ...' Doesn't Really Work as an Albumnew
Maino doesn't have enough variation in his style, too many of the songs sound alike, and the narrative skits throughout are not especially believable or interesting. Still, in an era when the traditional long-version album has all but disappeared as an art form, it's hard to hold these complaints against him.
