Best Of The Year: 2012

Consider this me making up for no posts for a month. These'll be like my end of year awards, and assuming Childish Gambino doesn't drop anything in the next week, he won't pull anything, because Royalty was kinda shit. So here we go!

Worst Rapper Of The Year: 2 Chainz
Based On A Tru Story was easily the worst non-intentionally bad album of the year, and you already know my opinion on it. Not only that, 2 Chainz's guest spots were enough to ruin most songs, so a lot of tracks that could've been good weren't.

Runners Up: Nicki Minaj, Papi Champagne, Kreayshawn


Album Of The Year: "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" By Kendrick Lamar
I feel like every other hip hop blog ever for saying that, but I'm not gonna go against the grain for the sake of going against the grain. In his debut album with a big ticket label, Kendrick kills it. But you already know doe, ya bish.

Runners Up: "Mic Tyson" By Sean Price, "No Idols" By Domo Genesis & The Alchemist, "Long.Live.A$AP" By A$AP Rocky

Producer Of The Year: The Alchemist
Between his work on "No Idols", and "Russian Roulette", The Alchemist became my favorite producer. Why? Because his shit is straight up fire, and usually the guy spitting on it destroys it. Alot of the tracks on "Mic Tyson" were a good example of that.

Runners Up: Clams Casino, El-P, Hit Boy

Song Of The Year: "Reagan" By Killer Mike
Not only does this track BANG, it's smart too. It's political, but not in a try-hard way. The video might be the video of the year too. The beat on this one could be one of the best of the year too (by El-P) but it's Mike's lyrics that shine.

Runners Up: "Goldie" By A$AP Rocky, "M.A.A.D City" By Kendrick Lamar (Feat. Mc Eiht), "Oldie" By Odd Future

Best Single: "Mercy" By Kanye West (Feat. Jay Z, Big Sean & 2 Chainz)
"Mercy" pretty much dominated rap singles this year, with the chopped and screwed sample, and some real hip-hop heavyweights. Unfortunately, 2 Chainz. I don't mind this track at all though, despite the thousands of times I've heard it.

Runners Up: "The Recipe" By Kendrick Lamar (Feat. Dr. Dre), "Hands On The Wheel" By Schoolboy Q (Feat. A$AP Rocky), "I Don't Like" By Chief Keef

Biggest Breakout Year: Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar was an inch away from being rapper of the year. He dropped "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" which is already being called a classic, killed every one of the many guest verses he had,went on tour with Drake, and established himself as a heavyweight in rap.

Runners Up: Action Bronson, Killer Mike, Joey Bada$$

Female Emcee Of The Year: Azaelia Banks
Azaelia dropped "1991" this year, and destoyed alot of tracks on it, such as "212", and "Liquorice". That's more than I can say for most female emcees, and Azaelia did it in style. Plus I'd tap that.

Runners Up: Kitty Pryde, Angel Haze, Rapsody

Rapper That Faded Off The Face Of The Earth: Tyler, The Creator
Tyler's one of my favorite rappers, so it's a shame that he ended up here, but he did. Maybe he took some time off after a HUGE 2011, but I still would've liked to see "Wolf" come out as scheduled.

Runners Up: Childish Gambino, Eminem, Tech N9ne
 
And without further adieu...

Rapper Of The Year: Kanye West
This probably won't be a popular choice, but hear me out: Yeezy was always in the news. He dropped "Cruel Summer" which had some of the biggest songs of the year, started dating Kim Kardashian, and was just generally interesting, as always. And for the first time in a while, the Taylor Swift incident isn't the first thing that anyone mentions when 'Ye comes up.

Runners Up: Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky

Review #16: Sean Price - Mic Tyson (2012)

So I figured now that I have some time I'll review some shit! I heard about Sean Price on some other blogs, and he seemed to get pretty good reviews, so I checked out his newest album, Mic Tyson. It seemed aight, but nothing crazy, so I buried it on my computer for a bit. But I gave it another shot recently, and I found I liked it much better.

1. The Genesis Of The Omega
The beat for this is pretty fucking epic, and while Sean's rapping style takes a bit to get used to, once you do, this track bangs. A little bit short, but it works.

2. Bar-Barian
The beat for this is also pretty great, although it's a little less in your face than the last track. The lyrics are better though, another great track.

3. Pyrex
The first VERY small misstep so far, as this track seems to by trying too hard to be tough. The beat isn't terrible, but not as great as the first two, although the lyrics don't take a step back.

4. Price & Shining Armour (Feat. Ruste Juxx)
This is seriously one of the dopest beats I've heard in a long time, and Sean P kills it. Great fucking track.

5. Title Track
I like the retro feel of this beat, and Sean kills it too. Probably the best lyricism so far on the album. This track's like what you would beat up orcs to in ghetto Lord Of The Rings.

6. Straight Music
Not good in terms of the beat, but Sean has an awesome flow on here, and ups the ante on lyricism again. This album's shaping up pretty fucking well.

7. STFU Part 2
The vocal sample at the beginning of this is pretty funny, and the beat's the best so far. Sean just destroys this one, best track so far...I actually believe it when he says "Sean P the greatest rapper alive".

8. Hush
Fuck you man. I say you're the greatest rapper alive, and you make me eat my words. This track was pretty shitty. Especially the hook, Sean should NEVER sing.

9. Solomon Grundy (Feat. Ill Bill)
With the sound on this beat, I half expected Madchild to jump on this shit. One thing I've liked about this album is the lack of guest stars. If you can pull it off, it makes your album pretty sweet. Also Ill Bill's shit.

10. Frankenberry (Feat. Buckshot)
This track straight up bangs. EASILY best track so far. Like this shit was hard as fuck. The beat was fucking awesome, Sean wasn't taking any shit, and Buckshot wasn't a detrement. The last couple lines of this track were some of the best I've heard since the end of Tron Cat off Goblin, so that's pretty sweet.

11. BBQ Sauce (Feat. Pharoahe Monch)
Another banger. I have no idea which of the last two tracks was better, but I'm thinking this one. Like holy shit this was good. Pharoahe didn't contribute much, but Sean fucking destroyed it.

12. Bully Rap (Feat. Realm Reality)
Eww. This beat sounds like soemthing your local "underground" rapper would put out. I mean, Sean still kills it, but the beat was poor as fuck. Also, Realm Reality outraps Sean which was odd. Did Sean P get lonely or something though? This is the fourth track in a row with guest stars.

13. By The Way (Feat. Torae)
Fifth Staraight. But Sean destroys a more minimalistic beat, which was refreshing. Would've been better without Torae though.

14. Battering Bars (Feat. Pumpkin Head)
This beat's dope, but Sean does nothing crazy on here. And Pumpkin Head was a minus on this one. Stop it with the guests!

15. Hardest Nigga Out
Sean finishes things off pretty fucking strongly, with one of the best tracks on the entire album, and NO GUEST RAPPERS! Awesome. I'd say this is probably the best beat on the project.

Rating: 8.5/10

Best Tracks: Genesis Of The Omega, STFU Part 2, Title Track, Frankenberry, BBQ Sauce, Hardest Nigga Out

Sean vaulted himself into my favorite rappers list with this one, an album with just a couple missteps. That run of six straight songs with guests was annoying, but the beats on this were amazing as fuck. Shouts out to the Alchemist for being an awesome producer.

Oh, and also sorry about that break there. I didn't have much time over the last month or so, but I should have more now.

Review #15: Das Racist - Relax (2011)

I've decided to finally get around to reviewing a group that's been making a lot of noise lately, Das Racist. I've already heard Michael Jackson, which was dope, so this shit should be half decent I guess, can't get worse than 2 Chainz.

1. Relax
This was fucking sweet, the electronic voice saying relax and making noises was cool as fuck. The first verse was aight, but the second one is pretty cool. Pretty good track, although the laughing at the end drags on a bit.

2. Michael Jackson
If this tracklist is a team, this track's the superstar going in. The hook's already a saying with my friends and shit. Not much to say about this song, it's awesome, and funny as fuck. And the beat's sick.

3. Brand New Dance
This track was trying too hard to be a stoner track I think, but it's still pretty funny. Decent track I guess.

4. Middle Of The Cake
Cool flow on this, and it's funny too. Too bad the beat kinda sucks. The track's passable, but not great.

5. Girl
I don't like this. Das Racist is trying too hard to be trippy, and this wasn't a nice thing to listen to.

6. Shut Up, Man (Feat. El-P)
There we go. Everyone goes fucking HAM on a simple beat, and it's great. This is what the whole album should be like. El-P definitely helps out too, one of the best tracks so far.

7. Happy Rappy (Feat. Diplo)
Damn, both Kool AD and Heems destroy this shit. It's kinda like a dance beat, but then AD and Heems fuckin come and they're like "no we gon rap k?" and Diplo's like "aight bruh just don't destroy it" and they're like "man, fuck Diplo" and destroy it.

8. Booty In The Air
This kinda seems like a filler track, like it's un-important. Although there is a R & B part that kinda makes me scared. Like it's the trippiest thing so far. "Yo booty is my life-line".

9. Power (Feat. Danny Brown)
Another Michael Jackson type track, killer beat. Good flow, and the lyrics are pretty funny too. Then Danny Brown shows up, his voice peirces my brain, and his lyrics poison my eyes. And after all that, this is the best track so far, because of Danny's cameo. Like he's actually what this album needed. I don't like the fact I said that, Danny's fucking terrible at rapping.

10. Punjabi Song (Feat. Bikram Singh)
This is pretty much a joke song I think, the beat sounds like some Lonely Island shit, and the lyrics are pretty stupid. Still pretty funny though, and the flow's good.

11. Selena
I'm not sure what this was. It's like a mexican dance song with bored rappers and Beatles references. So pretty much the best thing ever.

12. Rainbow In The Dark
I like the immediate reference to Combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bell, and overall this track's pretty awesome. The beat's cool, and the flow is the best on the entire album.

13. The Trick
There's some cool video game music, and Heems is aight on it too. Not a great track, but it's okay.

14. Celebration
Das Racist finishes off the album with some weird skit-crack-rock-song about celebration, which I wasn't a fan of. As always, pretty funny though.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best Tracks: Michael Jackson, Power, Shut Up, Man, Happy Rappy, Rainbow In The Dark

Overall, this album is like a stoner album on more drugs than usual. It's very experimental with it's beats, but I really did like how they did that. The rap itself is pretty good when the flow's on point, but that's only like half the time. And I know it isn;t really what they were going for with an album called Relax, but I liked the more energetic songs better. Decent project though for sure.

Anyways, since I'm getting some more readers now, it might be a good idea to leave some comments, new stuff to review? Like what you guys wanna see?

Review #14: 2 Chainz - Based On A T.R.U Story (2012)

I realized I haven't had a good laugh in a while, so I decided to finally review Tity Boi A.K.A 2 Chainz's debut album, Based On A T.R.U Story. At the moment 2 Chainz is consistently proving that all you need to make it in the rap game is an apprenticeship with Ludacris, and a friendship with Weezy. Let's see what he can do in an album.

1. Yuck (Feat. Lil Wayne)
The beat sounds like the soundtrack to a spy mission in a low budget movie, and 2 Chainz is a bad rapper. Lil Wayne just kind of sings about girls being on their period. Yuck.

2. Crack
This has to be one of the worst songs I've ever heard. Like the flow is non-existent, the beat's generic and repetitive, and the hook makes me wanna punch a baby.

3. Dope Peddler
I don't like this beat either, it sounds like a bad counterfeit version of Gossip by Lil Wayne. 2 Chainz is 2 Chainz on here.

4. No Lie (Feat. Drake)
I dunno if I've said it, but 2 Chainz is a terrible rapper. But this is pretty much Drake Feat. 2 Chainz, and Drake sounds better than usual on here, so it's the best track so far I suppose.

5. Birthday Song (Feat. Kanye West)
SHE GOT A BIG BOOTY SO WE CALL HER BIG BOOTY (DAMN)! 2 Chainz upped the lyrical ante on that one. At least the beat's good, and Kanye goes in. So this beats out No Lie, but still nothing I'd listen to if I weren't blogging.

6. I'm Different
Titty Boi named this one after his high school motto. 2 Chainz was that kid in the LLS class who decided rapping was cool, and people liked it because was unorthodox. That's all I can find to explain his success. At least he has flow on this, and sounds the best he has so far. WAIT WTF DID HE SAY 100K FOR A FEATURE!?

7. Extremely Blessed (Feat. The-Dream)
This is deffinitely the worst song I've ever heard. 2 Chainz raps worse than usual over a terrible beat, and a JB impersonator makes a large ass cameo.

8. I Luv Dem Strippers (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
It's songs like this that make me wonder why I'm talking about 2 Chainz. Like he obviously makes an effort to be stupid. He must be a human practical joke. WHERES PARIS HILTON? WHERES KAT STACKS? (DAMN) MIIISTER TELEPHONE MAAAAN THERES SUMTHIN WRONG WITH MYYY LINE. YEAH I LOVE DEM STRIPPERS YEAH I LOVE DEM STRIPPERS! This and Extremely Blessed are fighting for worst song ever.

9.Stop Me Now (Feat. Dolla Boy)
Titty Boi gets on a beat left off Rick Ross' catalogue, and is bad on it. This is somehow more boring than the rest of this shit.

10. Money Machine
HA! A confession. 2 Chainz is a money machine. He uses this machine to produce money he uses to buy his way into YMCMB collabos. These propell him into the mainstream, where skids hear his weird 2 Chainz language and try to emulate him. An army of 2 Chainz. A Million Chainz. Also he says he's a fucking example of a fucking example. Word up.

11. In Town (Feat. Mike Posner)
I couldn't decide whether Posner was male or female, but I guess he's a dude. Doesn't sound like it. Another terrible slow track, and Titty Boi says he wants to lick up a girl's squirt. Eww 2 Chainz.

12. Ghetto Dreams (Feat. Scarface & John Legend)
There's three terrible artists on here! Wow, Titty Boi outdid himself I guess! This song was disgusting as fuck.

13. Wut We Doin (Feat. Cap.1)
2 Chainz forgets what he's doin. He's gettin to it. Gettin to it. I don't want to listen to this anymore. Cap.1 is actually just a second 2 Chainz I think.

Rating: -10/10

Best Tracks: Birthday Song, No Lie

There was no fucking way I was listening to the bonus tracks. Fuck that. Anyways, 2 Chainz is now worse in my eyes than he was before. That's how bad this shit was. I hate 2 Chainz. Fuck 2 Chainz.

Review #13: Childish Gambino - R O Y A L T Y (2012)

So, as you can tell by my last post, I'm pretty high on Childish Gambino, so obviously I was excited when this came out, although I was worried by the Bun B guest appearance, as well as some black hippie shit. Oh well, I don't see how it could be bad.

1. R O Y A L T Y
A ten second intro, just people saying royalty. Blake Griffin makes a cameo.

2. We Ain't Them
The beat's a little bit repetive on here, but Gambino has some real talk on it. It sounds like something that didn't make EP, but still a pretty good track.

3. One Up (Feat. Steve G Lover)
A fucking dope beat, and Steve G does pretty well on it. Gambino out-raps him obviously, but he sounds like he's still getting warmed up. His flow's pretty sweet here though. Also, the hook was pretty catchy.

4. Black Faces (Feat. Nipsey Hussle)
The beat starts out kind of cheesy, but builds up nicely. Nipsey kills his part, and Gambino is really showing how good he is on hooks so far this album. Still not reaching his potential on the rapping part yet.

5. Unnecessary (Feat. Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul)
Pretty sweet beat at first, and Gambino and Q kill it. But then it changes. And Ab-Soul fuckin DESTROYS it. Easily best song so far, everyone brings their A-game.

6. Shoulda Known
Gambino gets on his Drake steez. Singing, over a Drake beat, with a improved Drake flow and lyrics. I didn't like it, but I'm sure his female fans did.

7. Rip (Feat. Bun B)
Was not looking forward to this track because of Bun, but this is easily the best I've heard him. The hooks pretty cool too, and Gambino goes in. Pretty good track.

8. American Royalty (Feat. RZA & The Hypnotic Bass Orchestra)
RZA goes in on this shit, but after the beat changes the shit goes beastmode for Gambino. Like holy shit, he killed it. I wish they were seperate songs so RZA looked good. Even the instrumental at the end was fine. Best track so far.

9. It May Be Glamour Life (Feat. Ghostface Killah)
A Ghostface Killah solo track, as Gambino takes a well deserved break. I don't like this beat for Ghostface, but whatever, this shit was fine.

10. Toxic (Feat. Danny Brown)
For his lack of skill at rapping, and hype, Danny Brown is a running joke with me and my friends. He doesn't do much to change that on this track. The beat sounds cool until you realize it's a Britney Spears remix. Also, Childish Gambino has his second best verse on the project so far.

11. Silk Pillow (Feat. Beck)
Beck sounds like a really really really bad white rapper...it kind of reminds me of Buck 65. The cool techno part between verses works though, and Gambino has deffinitely upped his game since track 7. He sounds better on the last 3 tracks than he did on Camp, which is a good thing, because Camp was dope.

12. They Don't Like Me (Feat. Chance The Rapper)
I love the beat on this, and Chance and Gambino both kill it. Also, for some reason, this track doesn't stick out to me. Like it was good, but not great.

13. Arrangement (Feat. Gonage)
I found this track pretty annoying lyrically for Gonage's verse, but the beat was pretty dope. Gonage is just a bad rapper. Gambino does his thing here.

14. Won't Stop (Feat. Dannielle Haim)
Huh. I usually hate crooning, but I like Haim. She actually sounds sincere or something like that. Also, the beat changes for the rapping, and Gambino is the only rapper on here, which is awesome. Good Track.

15. Bronchitis
Gambino sounds really good on here, and I like the simplistic beat. One of my favorite songs on here, it's pretty chill. The monster-voice hook is weird though, and so are the beat changes, but that's what you get when Beck produces your song.

16. Wonderful (Feat. Josh Osho)
I hated his shit. Josh Osho is Gambino's favorite Bruno Mars, and he's an annoying singer. Plus Gambino only puts one verse on here, and it's not a great verse.

17. Make It Go Right (Feat. Kilo Kish)
This sounds like Gambino did a song with a classier British Kitty Pryde. I don't like her. The beat's annoying as fuck, and Gambino isn't great on it.

18. Real Estate (Feat. Alley Boy Swank & Tina Fey)
This was BANGIN. The beat was major dope, Gambino kills it like he shouldv'e been doing all album, Alley Boy Swank makes an okay contribution, and talks him out, before Fey gives us a laugh to finish off the album. The hook was also catchy, it seems like Gambino's pretty good at that. Very good track.

Rating: 8/10

Best Tracks: Real Estate, One Up, Unnecessary, American Royalty

Gambino has much higher potential than this, but he still out-raps almost everyone else in the game. A little bit dissapointing being his first release since Camp, but whatever. The tracks were very hit and miss, which was annoying, and there were way too many guests for my liking. Still, a pretty good mixtape.

Review #12: Childish Gambino - EP (2011)

Childish Gambino  (real name Donald Glover) is the most talented performer I know of. He's a stand up comedian, actor, producer, writer, and ofcourse, a rapper. He's easily my favorite active rapper, and has the potential to be one of the best of all time. I'll be reviewing his newest release, the mixtape R O Y A L T Y after this, part two of two in my EP reviews. This was a really solid lead up to his debut studio album, Camp, and I'd even say that the quality of these tracks are better. Obviously I've already listened to this, but fuck it.

1. Be Alone
Now, as much as I like this EP, this song has one of the gayest starts to a rap song of all time. But whatever, he deffinitely recovers, and delivers two really good verses. Also the beat was awesome and progressed really well through each verse. Also, Gambino has ridiculously good punchlines.

2. Freaks And Geeks
I'm not a giant fan of this beat, but Donald completely tears it apart. Like he goes fucking HAM. This song also helped his fame a ton after appearing in some commercials. Another really awesome track.

3. My Shine
I really like the direction Glover goes with progressing beats so far on here. Also, his flow is perfect on this track, especially just before the first hook. That shit's perfection in rap. Another awesome song.

4. Lights Turned On
A little bit of a step back in comparison with the other tracks, but it still trumps 90% of rap. Gambino's flow on here is great, and it's pretty funny too. Really good track, just not as great as the other three.

5. Not Going Back
Glover's singing on here doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it works. That's how great this shit was. The lyricism is as close to perfect as I've seen in a while, the beat progresses like I talked about earlier, but still sounds fresh, and you can really feel the passion on here. The best track on a really great EP. Best line on the album too "Couldn't see me as Spiderman, But I was spittin venom". Dope.

Best Tracks: All of them.

Rating: 10/10

I've heard this EP like a million times, and it doesn't get old. This is easily my favorite collection of songs of any sort I can think of right off hand. If Glover could have this calibre of music for 20 tracks, he'd be the best rapper of all time.

Review #11: Kitty Pryde - haha i'm sorry (2012)

I feel like I end up saying the same thing about a rapper when I do reviews of albums with like 15 songs, so I've decided I'll take a quick break from that, and post two reviews of short EP's. This will be the first of those two, and I'll start with tumblr-famous female Bay rapper, Kitty Pryde.

1. OKAY CUPID
A pretty good introduction to Kitty Pryde's style, but it deffinitely seems like she's trying too hard to be "quirky". Some lyrics were funny, and the beat's all right. It also sounds like she's rapping nursery rhymes which is kind of cool. A weird singing number then some fake giggles seal this songs fate though. It's okay I guess, but not great at all.

2. Ay Shawty THE SHREKONING!!! (Feat. Dankte)
This track's nice and chill, and is a good example of a love song done right in rap. Dankte makes a solid appearance, but Kitty Pryde (surprisingly) out-raps him on here. She reminds me of a lot of girls in high school. Good track.

3. GIVE ME SCABIES
I think I have cancer. This track was a Carley Rae Jebson rap remix, and the beat was a saxaphone. Kitty Pryde herself is hardly hearable over the disgusting beat, and Call Me Maybe in a monster voice. I hope this was a joke. At least she tries a different flow.

4. smiledog.jpeg
Smiledog is an online "creepypasta". Kitty actually sounds okay on here, although I'm not a fan of the beat. This seems like it should've been a filller track on a full-length album. Still, not terrible.

5. Orion's Belt (Feat. Riff Raff)
The grand FUCKING finale, A.K.A the only song on here I'd listen to normally. Kitty's flow is catchy as hell, the beat's awesome, and Riff does his thing. This track is easily Kitty Pryde's best song.

Best Tracks: Orion's Belt, Aw Shawty THE SHREKONING!!!

Rating: 5.5/10

There were 2 listenable tracks on here, and one was only alright. Without Orion's Belt, this EP would've gotten a 2 just for bringing GIVE ME SCABIES into existence. Like seriously, that might've been the worst song I've ever heard.

Review #10: Royce Da 5"9 - Success Is Certain (2011)

I came across Royce Da 5"9 through Eminem (just like every other fan of Royce ever), and while he's impressed me at times, in Slaughterhouse, and on Hell: The Sequel, he's never really hit his peak in terms of talent. Word on the street is that this is his most polished, and lyrically saavy solo album, so I figured I'd give it a shot, and see whether Royce can be the elite rapper he says he is.

1. Legendary (Feat. Travis Barker)
This beat's one of the best I've heard in a while, as I love Travis Barker's collaborations with rappers. Royce goes pretty hard on here too, with a pretty monotone flow that works well with the busy background. This song's probably one of the better tracks I've reviewed so far.

2. Writer's Block (Feat. Eminem)
The beat for this was pretty flashy, but still good. Royce spits fire on here too, but I can't get over Em not spitting a verse. Why do people get him to do hooks? It doesn't make sense to me.

3. Merry Go Round
It's too bad the hook was fucking GAY and the beat's meh at best, or this would be the best track on the album. Royce spits hard rapidfire rap, over a shitty beat. He pretty much just tells his story since he was beefing with Eminem, which is cool.

4. Where My Money
I kind of expected tracks like this, with gimmicky production, and rapping style from 2006. I obviously wasn't impressed by this track.

5. ER (Feat. Kid Vishis)
Again, very gimmicky production. I have a feeling that might be the route Royce is going with this album, which I'm dissapointed about because Royce is at his best over simple beats, spitting hot bars at a high pace. Kid Vishis makes a good cameo though, so that was enjoyable, as is Royce's hook. An okay track, it seems like it sucks, but then leaves a good taste in your mouth.

6. On The Boulevard (Feat. Nottz & Adonis)
This was awesome. A sweet, slow, simple beat, with a solid hook. Nottz is okay on here, but Royce steals the show (as he should), with his best flow so far, except maybe legendary. A good track.

7. I Ain't Comin Down
I was pretty excited for this track, as The Alchemist is my favorite producer, and he doesn't dissapoint, delivering a solid beat for Royce to do his thing. He's not his best here, but good enough for this to be a sweet track. It's too bad the hook had to be so fucking long.

8. Security
I started to write some bad stuff about this track, until I realised what Royce was talking about; Proof's funeral, and how he couldn't say anything about it because of his beef with Eminem at the time. This seems pretty heartfelt, and sounds good over a beat by another one of my favorite producers, Mr.Porter.

9. Second Place
DAMN this track goes hard. It sounds like a really good Alchemist beat (it's actually my second favorite producer, DJ Premier. Great production on the last three tracks). This is probably my second favorite track on the project, and it ha the highlight of the album too: Person - "why this nigga gotta bring up em's name all the time, man. Nigga wouldn't even be rich without 'em"  Royce - "shut up faggot."

10. My Own Planet (Feat. Joe Budden)
You know I like Mr.Porter, but this beat sucks, bad. Royce is still good, and Joe Budden's pretty great too, but this is deffinitely not a highlight of the album.

11. I've Been Up I've Been Down
Royce sounds pretty good over a sweet beat. Not exactly a grand finale, but a good way to finish off the album.

Best Tracks: Legendary, Second Place, Writer's Block, On The Boulevard

Rating: 6.5/10

I haven't really listened to too much of Royce's solo work, but this album is a worthy introduction. It's deffinitely worth listening to, and Legendary may be one of the best tracks I've heard in a while. However, there's a lot of really bad music on here too.

Review #9: D12 - Devil's Night (2001)

For this review I'll be doing D12's debut studio album, Devil's Night. Now, after listening to D12 World, I had zero expectations for this, as D12 World was total bullshit. But word on the street is this was like another Eminem album with loads of guest stars, which would be great, because it'd be old Eminem, not new disgusting Recovery crap. So I figured I'd give this a try.

1. Another Public Service Announcement (skit)
This, I guess, was the retiring of those Service Announcement skits on the Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers LP. This is a good sign though, as both of those albums were great.

2. Shit Can Happen
The beat's pretty simple and the hook's annoying. But the rap itself is still way better than anything D12 did on D12 World, and Eminem, as he probably will all album, in comparison to the rest of his band. He sounds like a tweaked version of the Shady on Marshall Mathers LP, so that's good.

3. Pistol Pistol
Just by the name of this track, I can tell it's probably gonna be a slapstick song about D12's guns. Eminem pretty much just sings the hook, and as most tracks without him are gonna be, it's lackluster.

4. Bizarre (skit)
This was pretty funny, especially when he farts, and says it's "from the soul". This is pretty much Bizarre's role.

5. Nasty Mind
This is pretty much your average D12 song, with kinda creepy female vocals that remind me of Die Antwood. Actually, this was pretty shitty.

6. Ain't Nuttin But Music
Eminem seriously kills his verse, and his hook is even alright. The beat's terrible, but the rest of D12 is okay on this. Maybe Eminem writes his band's lyrics for them on tracks he appears on?

7. American Psycho
Probably the only track on here I've heard already, and Eminem raps for like the first half of it. Also, as for Bizarre, he was pretty good on here. It's also funny when Kon Artis says he smokes 40's and drinks weed. Pretty good track.

8. That's How (skit)
That was fucking useless.

9. That's How...
Why does Eminem insist on singing hooks? He's not good at it. The rest of Dee Twizzy was solid on here though.

10. Purple Pills
I know I said American Psycho was the only track I've heard, but Purple Pills is a Shady classic, as is Fight Music. Everyone kills this. Like this is easily the best D12 song ever.

11. Fight Music
This beat goes super hard, and it's the only song besides Shit On You that even come close to Purple Pills for D12. Again, everyone in D12 goes hard, except Eminem. His verse was better than everyone else on here, and still sub par for him. You think D12 might be shitty?

12. Instigator
This was pretty boring, nice scratching on the beat though. Still, probably the least listenable track so far, besides maybe Nasty Mind.

13. Pimp Like Me
This track sounds like a Superman remix by everyone in D12, except Eminem, who does some funny background vocals, and the fucking hook. Stop it Eminem. But Swifty probably spits his best verse ever. Actually, this is probably the best D12 song that doesnt have Eminem spit a verse.

14.  Blow My Buzz
Eminem's alright on here, but even more sub par than Fight Music. Bizarre's opening line was the highlight of this song, besides maybe the beat, which was decent.

15. Obie Trice (skit) (Feat. Obie Trice)
Obie Trice wasn't good enough to get on an actual track, so he just did a short verse on a skit. Obie Trice is a bad rapper.

16. Devil's Night
This was alright, but Eminem's getting worse as the album goes on. Some lines were funny though, Kon Artis says he's an "anus" and Bizarre says he has Bow Wow in his basement. Should've kept him there Bizzy.

17. Steve Berman (skit)
Easily the best Eminem skit ever. Like, now I can see why they put sequels all over the place (I've reviewed one of em on Relapse). Steve Berman's yell at the end is funny as fuck.

18. Revelation
Uh oh. D12's getting deep. Wait maybe not. Slim kills this shit, and everyone else is pretty dope too. One of the best tracks on the album.

19. Girls (Eminem Solo)
My favorite way to close out a D12 album, with an Eminem solo track! This is a diss track for Limp Bizkit and Whitey Ford I believe, and he easily kills anything they've ever done. Actually listening to it, it might be a diss track to everyone Eminem's beefed with. The hook is pretty funny, and this is overall a good Eminem track. Classy way to end things.

Best Tracks: Purple Pills, Fight Music, Revelation, Girls, Ain't Nuttin But Music

Rating: 7/10

This is really good for D12, and easily the best thing they've put out. But it's no where near the status of an early Eminem solo album, so it's kiiind of a let down. Still, it's better than alot of shit now, and it's nice to hear some old Eminem verses.

Review #8: Madchild - Dope Sick (2012)

Just about two weeks ago I was perusing VEVO on my phone, when a Canadian rapper named Madchild appeared on the front page, with the song "Devil's Reject". I gave that song a listen, and the beat hooked me immediately. I'll go more into that song in a moment, but it was good enough for me to check out his newest album, Dope Sick. So let's take a look at it!

1. Devil's Reject (Feat. DJ Revolution)
And this is the song that got me to take a look at this album. I always like a good horrorcore track, and that's what you get here. It isn't so much wordplay that powers Madchild it seems, but vocabulary and sound. Speaking of sound, a main knock on Madchild is his high pitched voice, which I got over quickly. The quality of the rap drops off in the 3rd verse, but it's deffinitely still a solid track, especially with an awesome beat, and scratching.

2. Grenade Launcher (Feat. Slaine & Prevail)
The beat is easily the best thing here, it sounds like something out of a Dracula film. Madchild's okay here I guess, but Slaine outraps him and Prevail. Also the hook's poor.

3. Monster
This is what I wanted to hear. After a sub-par second track, Madchild comes back strong with this one. The skit at the beginning of the music video makes this track much better, but still, this track goes hard, with another awesome beat. The hook on here's pretty good too, which is odd, because it's done by Madchild himself. Still, great lyrics and production, great track.

4. Runaway
A massive mis-step. Madchild's flow is okay on here, but the beats are getting kind of redundant, and the high pitched vocal sample sounds like a crappy fan remix on Youtube.

5. Oxylude (prelude)
A bunch of people talking about Oxycotton. Not really needed.

6. Wake Up
The beat on here sounds kind of fresh, in comparison to the other stuff on here, which is okay in small doses. On the other hand, Madchild's lyricism is pretty poor on here, and in terms of content, he just talks about his addictions. I find this is kind of over-played in rap.

7. Battleaxe (Feat. Dilated Peoples, Bishop Lamont & D-Sisive)
The beats pretty cool on here, and madchild sounds good on it. The hook's annoying though, and while everything's good enough, it ends up being kind of boring as a track.

8. Jitters (Feat. Dutch Robinson & Matt Brevner)
You're like 1:17 into this thing before you hear anyone rap. I was being to think it was a shitty instrumental, and Dutch sounds like he's gonna cry. Out of the singles with videos I've seen, everything else was at least entertaining, whereas this was just poor. Madchild was the lone bright spot on here, as the beat was lack-luster, and the guests were terrible.

9. Little Monster Blend
This track was actually pretty sweet, as the beat was simple, but solid. When the beat changed Madchild went the hardest he's gone so far. One of the best tracks so far.

10. Judgment Day (Feat. Sophia Danai)
The beat's pretty solid, and Sophia Danai's hook is cheesy, but it works. This track sounds as ready for the radio as Madchild is gonna do, with short verses, long hooks, and cheesy one-liners. Somehow this isn't terrible.

11. Dickhead
Deffinitely a change from Judgement Day. This track's funny as hell though, and was initially my favorite track. After a few listens it's novelty wore off, but it's still pretty good.

12. Fuck Madchild (Feat. Phil The Agony)
This track's okay I suppose, but Madchild's flow, and lyricism is getting poorer, or I'm getting bored. Phil The Agony's also fucking terrible at rapping, and he should feel bad.

13. Mongoloid
This track was actually pretty decent despite the lackluster beat. Madchild goes pretty hard on this one, and actually has flow. Best track in a while, besides Dickhead.

14. Freak
This beat and song sounds like everything else on here. Read above. (Also, this one's for his grandma apparently). Not terrible, but not great, and the beat's annoying, as is the hook.

15. Reaper
The second best beat on here, behind Monster. Madchild's pretty good on here too, and changes his voice at one point, which is cool. Should have done that more often on this album.

16. Wanted
This track's okay I guess, and it's real talk I guess. Should've closed out the album with more of a bang though.

17. Out Of My Head (Bonus Track)
Not surprised this didn't make the actual album. It sounds like everything else on the album, except worse. Maybe I'm just bored of listening to him.

Best Tracks: Devil's Reject, Monster, Little Monster Blend, Dickhead

Rating: 6.5/10

I had higher hopes for this when I heard the singles, but it really droned on a lot. It wasn't bad, and maybe I'm being a bit hard on it, but 17 tracks without anyone who didn't sound like Madchild was hurtful to the ears. Again, I'm not saying it was bad, just not great.

Review #7: MellowHype - BlackenedWhite (2011)

So this'll be my second Odd Future review, and it'll be for MellowHype's BlackenedWhite re-released version (or some shit. Whatever I downloaded has tracks from both versions). In my opinion Odd Future is the most interesting, if not best, group of rappers out there at the moment. They have charisma, stay in the news, and make good music. there's not much more you can ask from rappers. MellowHype is the combination of rapper Hodgy Beats, and producer Left Brain, two of the best in OF. So I'll get to it!

1. Primo
A nice slow track to start things off. The beat's like an A$AP beat mixed with Odd Future, I like it. A decent opening track.

2. Gunsounds
After an over-long intro a sweet beat picks up, and Hodgy kills it. Not much more to say, except Left Brain is a solid producer.

3. Brain (Feat. Domo Genesis)
I like the video game feel of this beat, and the under-lying bass, makes it sound kind of sinister. Pretty short track, but both verses are solid.

4. 64
This is deffinitely in the top 3 Odd Future beats ever. Like this shit goes HARD. The hook is catchy, and both verses go hard. Left Brain makes a nice cameo at the end of the second verse too, which is icing on the cake. Still, doesn't this sound like something Tyler, The Creator would absolutely murder?

5. Hell (Feat. Frank Ocean)
The beat's kind of cluttered on here, but it works. Frank Ocean's cameo is kind of useless, but I'll let it slide. Not the best track so far, but a funny ending, courtesy of Left Brain.

6. Loaded (Feat. Mike G)
This is pretty great beat, and Mike kills his part of the hook and verse. Hodgy holds his own, but Mike G deffinitely outdoes him on this track. This is a pretty great track.

7. Deaddeputy
Hodgy decides to speed rap here, and kills it. His flow's awesome here, and Jasper Dolphin's cameo is just gravy. Another great track.

8. Right Here
This track's alright. It's kind of like a long hook except the second verse. It's passable, but not overly good. Worst track so far.

9. Igotagun
Another speed rap, and the contrast from Right Here is crazy. Once again Hodgy kills, and the beat pretty sweet too. The "Left Brain is my Lex Luger, bitch I'm Wacka Flocka" line was genius. Pretty short but a good track.

10. Loco
Hodgy slows his flow down for this track, and does pretty well over a dope slow beat by Left Brain. Hodgy gets drowned out by the beat sometimes, but it still works. Solid track.

11. F666 The Police (Feat. Tyler, The Creator)
Left Brain, Hodgy, and Tyler destroy this beat, even though it's sub-par for Left Brain. Tyler spits one of his best verses ever...it seems like he really brings it for Domo and Hodgy, more than his solo shit. The dialogue with the cops is pretty great, and overall in terms of rapping, this is the best track so far.

12. Stripclub
Hodgy is pretty good on the best beat so far, besides 64. I'm not sure whether the hook was intentionally cheesy, but it's still a pretty good track.

13. Rico (Feat. Frank Ocean)
Frank Ocean's second cameo, and I'm still not sure why he bothered either time. I mean I like Frank Ocean, but shouldn't he be singing on Analog type shit with Tyler or something? Still, another solid beat, overall a pretty good song.

14. Chordaroy (Feat. Earl Sweatshirt & Tyler, The Creator)
After looking over the tracklist, this was the track I was most excited for. It wasn't a letdown either, as Earl opens things up with a verse that's up there with Tyler's on "F666 The Police" for best on the album. Hodgy also kills it, but doesn't even come close to Earl on this one. Must've been dissapointing for people who only got the re-released version without this track! But then Tyler shows up, and DESTROYS the beat, making this song the best on the album easily.

15. Gunz (Bonus Track)
Hodgy has pretty good flow on this, im not sure why it didn't make the original cut. Like, it isn't the best track on the album, but it's still good!

16. Gram
This is litterally a gram of rap. It runs for a verse and an outro, over a meh beat. Not terrible, but not great.

17. Circus (Bonus Track)
Another track I was excited about, just because I've heard of it. Left Brain's pretty great on this, but he's usually pretty great. The hook on this is pretty catchy too. Hodgy's out-rapped by Left Brain, but still good on here.

18. Based (Feat. C.Renee)
Well I've never heard of C.Renee, but she's pretty great on here for a female emcee. Hodgy also spits his best verse all album here, and it was interesting to hear him say Odd Future is the new Wu Tang.

19. Game (Feat. Tyler, The Creator)
Hodgy's alright on here, but Tyler out-raps him again, for the third time this album. Tyler closes out the album with another great verse...every verse on this album by Tyler was better than anything (except Yonkers I guess) on Goblin.

Best Tracks: 64, F666 The Police, Chordaroy, Game

Rating: 7.5/10

The album was actually really great, but the production, while awesome in small doses, got a little bit boring, as did Hodgy's rhyming. This could have been helped by more guests, although the ones that did show up were awesome. I'd deffinitely say this is one of the better CD's Odd Future has put out.

Review #6: G.O.O.D Music - Cruel Summer (2012)



 

For the first post in about a week, I'll be reviewing arguably the most anticipated album of the year, Cruel Summer, by Kanye West and his entourage. It's a good thing they decided to drop an album called "Cruel Summer" in Fall. But still, I've got decent expectations for this, especially in terms of beats, with singles like Mercy and Cold. So let's get this shit started.

 

1. To The World (Feat. R. Kelly & Kanye West)

R. Kelly sings for a long ass time over a corny beat. Like the first track on the album is 70% R. Kelly. The Rick James line was pretty funny, and Kanye spits some okay lines on his short verse. Not a good way to start though.

 

2. Clique (Feat. Kanye West, Big Sean & Jay Z)

A relatively star-studded song with an awesome beat. Big Sean spits, possibly, his greatest verse ever. Jay Z starts his verse off pretty badly, but recovers alright. And the boss, 3 Chainz, A.K.A Kardashian's Bitch, A.K.A Kanye West spits your average Kanye West verse, isn't bad. Overall a pretty great track.

 

3. Mercy (Feat. Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz)

This is that song that's on the radio every other track, and we've all heard a billion times. Like even if you don't like the song, you know all the lyrics. To be honest, I really liked this track when I heard it on the radio, and put it on my phone right away. But now I've heard it way too many times, and it's easy for a track with a chick yelling as the beat to get old. Still, Big Sean's pretty good on this, Pusha T spits the most enthusiastic verse, Kanye decides he deserves a better beat, then spits the worst verse, and 2 Chainz is alright for being 2 Chainz, which is still bad.

 

4. New God Flow (Feat. Kanye West, Pusha T & Ghostface Killah)

Pusha spits two great verses to start things off, and it's over an awesome beat. Kanye then enters the house, makes another LeBron reference, then boasts a bit. Then the main attraction, Ghostface Killah. Ghost spits a pretty dope verse. But then Kanye decides to come back at the end and do some stupidness. It may sound like I don't like Kanye, but I do. It's just he tries my patience sometimes, and this was one of those times. Still, probably the second best song so far, behind Clique.

 

5. The Morning (Feat. Pusha T, Raekwon, Common, Cyhi Da Prince, 2 Chainz, Kid Cudi & D'Banj)

After the intro, Raekwon spits a solid verse over a dope beat. Although Kanye isn't on this track it still sounds like your typical Yeezy track. Common's verse is short, but pretty good, even though I don't like Common. Pusha then spits an okay verse, but not his best on the album. 2 Chainz A.K.A Titty Boi makes another appearance, and again, isn't very good. Cyhi Da Prince spits an okay verse, although I hate his voice. But wait, what's this? A Kanye appearance? It appears he appears even on tracks he doesn't appear on.

 

6. Cold (Feat. DJ Khaled)

This is essentially a Kanye solo track, as Khaled just shows up to introduce Yeezy. Kanye decides to say some pretty weird stuff on here, like how he only has respect for Wiz (Khalifa). Like didn't you just do an entire album with one of rap's greats, Jay Z? The beat's the best so far, and Kanye uses it well. There is an over-long outro by an uncredited DJ Pherris that's kind of annoying. Still a decent track though.

 

7. Higher (Feat. Pusha T, The-Dream & Mase)

A lot of this song sounds like Justin Bieber if he swore, which isn't too odd, as The-Dream helped write Baby. Pusha's kinda poor on here, but still better than Mase, who sounds like a worse, more slurred 2 Chainz. This is a pretty shitty track, especially the weird ass outro.

 

8. Sin City (Feat. John Legend, Malik Yusef, Travis Scott, Cyhi Da Prince & Teyana Taylor)

This track starts out with one of the dopest beats so far, but then calms down unfortunately. Still, great production on here, and Cyhi Da Prince spits my favorite verse overall on the entire album. And I HATE Cyhi Da Prince. Travis Scott starts things off well too, and the hook is decent on here. Malik Yusef also comes up with the best one liner so far in the outro with "I always feel like / I'm almost Phil like / Cause I could feel it in the air tonight".

 

9. The One (Feat. Kanye West, Big Sean, 2 Chainz & Marsha Ambrosius)

This sounds like something of My Dark Twisted Fantasy. Kanye's alright on here I suppose, but he's been sub-par this alum. Big Sean spits your typical "I made it" verse. 2 Chainz doesn't contribute much either. This is a pretty poor song.

 

10. Creepers (Feat. KId CuDi)

This song was pretty terrible. Plus why'd they give KId CuDi a solo track? Poor idea. Plus at one point he says "fuck making it rhyme". That's probably not the way to go.

 

11. Bliss (Feat. John Legen & Teyana Taylor)

For the last five tracks it's been almost all R&B, and while that isn't really a bad thing, the last three have been pretty bad (including this one, Sin City was pretty good). I could deffinitely do without this track.

 

12. I Don't Like (Remix) (Feat. Pusha T, Kanye West, Chief Keef, Big Sean & Jadakiss)

Well that's better. I Don't Like has one of the best beats out there, and Pusha, Kanye, and even Chief Keef kill it. As usual Big Sean is all flow, no lyrics, and Jadakiss is always pretty bad. But this song is the shit I do like.

 

Best Tracks: Clique, New God Flow, Cold, Mercy, Sin City, I Don't Like

 

Grade: 7.5/10

 

I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. The production's awesome, and while Kanye doesn't bring it, the guests do. Some tracks are awesome, but some are the worst shit I've heard in a while.



Review #5: Domo Genesis & The Alchemist - No Idols (2012)

The fifth review I'll be doing is one I was excited about; No Idols by Domo Genesis & The Alchemist. The Alchemist one of my favorite producers, up there with DJ Premier, while Domo consistently puts dope records together, even though he's not my favorite rapper in Odd Future. This is the first one that has potential to take away Relapse's title as top rating on the blog, so let's get to it.

1. Prophecy
I love the guitar riff on the beat, and Domo, despite having a pretty annoying voice, flows great on this, and drops a ton of dope punchlines. I really liked this track.


2. Fuck Everybody Else
Again, great flow on this, a pretty sweet beat, and also improved delivery. Feels pretty short though.

3. All Alone
I guess it was predictable, but I'm not sure if there's one beat I won't like on here. The grunting in the background is annoying, but Domo sounds great again, and has some pretty decent lines, despite sounding a little bit whiny.

4. Elimination Chamber (Feat. Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples & Action Bronson)
Possibly the track I was most excited for, being a major Earl fan and all. The beat's probably the dopest so far, and Domo sounds awesome. Earl sounds a little bit sub-par for him, but I'll give him a pass. Vince drops some sick ass lines, and probably drops the best verse so far. Action Bronson kind of sounds like he shoud be the best rapper in Young Money, just because of his delivery. He's okay on here, and it all makes for a really decent track.

5. Power Ballad (Feat. Smoke DZA)
Another dope guitar riff, and DZA sounds fucking awesome over the beat. Domo also drops his best verse so far, making this the top track so far.

6. Me And My Bitch
Domo's ballad to weed. This track is actually really well done, and Domo has his best flow so far over yet another awesome beat. Still doesn't break the record for best weed song however, which goes to Domo's "Smokemon" joint. The crying at the end on this is pretty funny too.

7. Till The Angels Come (Feat. Freddie Gibbs & Prodigy)
C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER. I don't like the beat on here, seems way too laid back to me. Like if Drake was underground he'd rap over this, on an album called "Lavender Queen: Scented Candles And Incense". I don't like Gibbs on here at all, and Prodigy isn't much better. Not my least favorite song of all time, but I didn't really like this.

8. Daily News (Feat. Spaceghost Purp, Earl Sweatshirt & Action Bronson)
I really like this beat by Alchemist, and the vocal samples actually sound pretty cool at the beginning. Domo spits fire to start things off, and got me laughing with a Kat Stacks reference. I'm not sure why they got Earl and Bronson to do the hook, that was odd. Purp's verse was meh at best, but the beat and Domo's verse save this one.

9. Gamebreaker (Feat. Earl Sweatshirt)
This is the type of beat I love to hear Odd Future rap over, cool different type stuff. Earl spits a pretty dope verse on here, so it's one of the better tracks already, and Domo's pretty good too.

10. The Feeling
Another awesome beat, althought the track ends up being nothing more than passable. I mean, it's pretty good, but just passable for Domo. The hook's pretty boring too.
11. No Idols (Feat. Tyler, The Creator)
Holy fuck this track was awesome. Tyler spits one of his best verses ever, and Domo holds his own with the OF boss. The beat switches up a ton, but is great overall. This is easily the best track on a great album.

Best Tracks: Power Ballad, Gamebreaker, and No Idols. Honourable mention to Elimination Chamber, which was good, but dissapointing.

Grade: 9/10

So, this ends up being on-par with Relapse for my favorite on here so far. Domo is second fiddle a little too much for my liking, but the guests are some of the best I've seen in a while.