We all knew it was coming and this is the day of reckoning. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the reasons I got so much ass in high school was because of my years of dedication to my debate team. While on this team, I had to learn to defend stances that I didn’t necessarily agree with. This may be one of those cases.

I feel bad for Rick Ross. I felt bad for him after the whole parole officer revelations and I feel even worse now that 50 Cent is launching a multimedia beatdown of epic proportions. So, I’m going to try to help the guy out.

*Sigh* Here it goes.

Five Reasons To Root For Rick Ross

1. He’s Not A Bad Rapper — You only get one change to make a first impression and that’s definitely the case for Ricky. “Hustling” was lyrically a terrible song (“whip it real hard, whip it whip it real hard”) and I can’t defend that. In fact, Ricky’s first single and album was nothing but great beats being shit on in the bad way by an slow-talking, incompetent MC. But Rick Ross took some sort of MC growth hormone between his Port of Miami and Trilla. Don’t dismiss Trilla because it’s Ross.

“They pinching pennies while I’m muscling for meals
And that muscle be that muzzle when I stuff it in your grill
Stuffed shells thanks to crack, I crack crabs and lobsters
Not all mobsters imposters, gotcha!” — “Maybach Music”

Go back and listen. Trilla showed improvement from a star in the making.

2. “The Yankees Effect” — I remember in 2004, my dorm was full of students glued to the games when the Red Sox came back to beat the Yankees in the playoffs. They cheered for every Red Sox hit and booed the Yanks to no end. Half of the people in the rooms were cheering against the Yanks…without even knowing a single member of the Sox. Read the rest of this entry »

Generally, the bickering and babbling that coincides with ranking the year’s best LPs tend to blur the focus on the overall picture.

While some albums directly catered to personal preferences more immensely than others, all the selections emerged amongst the year’s best in regards to quality, visibility and of course, durability. Behold fifteen albums deserving of all the accolades and praises heaped upon them throughout the course of 2008. And their value will only solidify going in to 2009.

No order. No bias. Just noteworthy Hip-Hop.

Nas – Untitled

“From the brooding opening piano loop of “Queens Get The Money” to the uplifting snares on “Black President,” Nas channels his inner Walt Whitman as he explores the Black Diaspora. Lyrically though, his wordplay and delivery are sharp as ever as if all the attention to the title made Nas put extra effort and focus into his words…“ — From “America” – Review Of Nas’ Untitled Album

BONUS – Get familiar with Nas & DJ Green Lantern – The Nigger Tape Read the rest of this entry »

New video from Rick Ross. The third single from Trilla entitled “Here I Am.”

See how it’s @ zero views right now? We fuck with SNS. Always have & always will. Don’t let young Mundy fool you.

Previously Posted — “Maybach Music…” – Review Of Rick Ross’ Trilla

Words by Matthew Mundy

Sometimes, some object will arrive in the world that is so useful, so superlative, that it literally comes to define its era, influencing and shaping everything that goes on around it.

Think — the printing press, or the Internet, or liquor.

At the same time though, occasionally something can come along that is so utterly devoid of good, so bereft of genius that it comes to act as the polar opposite of good, a magnet of evil, a signpost for where that culture went wrong.

In hip-hop today, my friends, that thing is music videos with DJ Khaled in them.

Now I know I’ve been down this path before, with my measured discussion of the ‘I’m So Hood (Remix)’ video. It was a path soaked in blood and tears, the type of human viscera that only repeated watching of the most mediocre video in the history of time can drag out of me. And yes, I also know that the video for “Speedin’” has been out for a while, and from all signs appears to boast a budget roughly 35,000 times that of the “I’m So Hood” video. But, tradition and a sense of obligation to this culture that I love so much, demands of me that I visit this video and once again trumpet the most astounding parts of it. And, like “I’m So Hood,” it should be noted that I genuinely like this song, as much as it pains me to admit it. Without further ado, then, I bring you my review of “Speedin’,” and remember – I do this so you don’t have to and never forget that.

1. The cinematography

From the get-go, we know we’re in for a treat. No need for quick jump-cuts here – Khaled and his ilk have clearly upgraded here and it’s a nice start. My first impression is that this video could, just maybe, jump off from the thematic content of the song in the form of a polemic against the police and racial profiling. I’m impressed, thus far.

2. The stop

Not more than 13 seconds in, and already this video has jumped the proverbial shark. A lethargic-looking Rick Ross, with smoke cascading out of his nostrils, looks to be in some sort of diabetic coma. Perhaps, I think, he was driving all over the road, his blood-sugar levels having deleteriously affected his driving skills. But no – he is being pulled over, of course, because he was speeding. Read the rest of this entry »

In a day and age where hustling on records is about as common as a rap-based reality show, Rick Ross validated his “bigg dogg status” his first go around with platinum credentials unlike the majority of his drug-affiliated counterparts. With his prestigious style and husky vocals that were instantly recognizable and marketable on several fronts, the other bearded rapper had no difficulties finding his way onto popular remixes and proving he was worth the weight he was constantly pushin’. Back for the re-up, Ross indubitably dodges the sophomore slump with the high-octane Trilla. Packed with grade-A production and fluid lyricism, the album still manages to have its low points with the majority of the songs sounding like they were cut from the same ki. Read the rest of this entry »