Reviewing this because I never got to it and we got pretty much nothing for hip-hop this week.

The point here really isn't to rip off the Beastie Boys, and I think they're getting ripped on too much for that, though I do have other complaints. Before that, let me say why this is a good album. The first leg of the album with "BUSSIT", "PACKAPUNCH", "NO HANDS", and "LIKE A PUNK" is a streak this album didn't even get close to with the rest ... read more

Only rating deluxe: Not a huge fan of "loading" and "more chaos" but from there the new tracks are actually really solid. From "toxic" onward, the deluxe gives some dope material, and with "overseas" in the mix, it gets extra points. Production choices here are really interesting and in a good way. They switch things up, not being strictly rage, and show a new direction for Ken that at least promises intrigue.

I got what I expected with this album. It is without a doubt longer than need be, but honestly I think Cypress deliver some seriously great stuff here and there. This album in a nutshell follows a pattern throughout its track list in which you get a really really good song every few tracks, and in between is some okay or meh material. Songs like "Checkmate", "Riot Starter", "(Goin' All Out) Nothin' to Lose" are absolutely phenomenal that I would genuinely ... read more

Not entirely sure how to rate this one. There's some really REALLY bad material here, especially a couple of the Based Freestyle tagged on near the end, but it's almost hard to let these hinder the experience because they're either funny or they at least feel ironic. The good stuff on here slaps though. Production can be an absolute acid trip, but with a Lil B mixtape from the early 2010s, that's very much to be expected. Songs I enjoyed include "Hit Da 4lo", ... read more

This one's pretty weak. I think Tory is pretty overhated on this site, but the ratings for this one are definitely valid. On this tape, Tory tries to blend his R&B style with sounds of the current. I have a similar problem with this as I do The Weeknd's My Dear Melancholy. The production is alright, but almost everything about it is just so uninspired and lifeless. It might not be devoid of passion, but the product surely doesn't feel that way. There are a handful of two ... read more

This was certainly an interesting listen. I'll be honest, with it's length, and how much this album kinda throws at you, I didn't get through it in one sitting. While it is pretty skeletal in its essence, there's a lot to digest with the unorthodox production and Aesop's intricate beyond comprehension lyricism. Oddities aside, I do really like what this album goes for. The character in Aesop's vocal performances is really an enticing feature of this album. For one, ... read more

Definitely better than I anticipated. I think this tape actually starts off really strong. The first leg provides a ton of bangers like "Pricey & Spicy", "Stupid Again", "Dope Boy's Diary", "Accidents Happen", and "Broke In A Minute", but it takes a huge nose dive from here. The songs start feeling more effortless and formulaic. The flows deteriorate, the production dips, and even though it doesn't even cross 45 minutes, the ... read more

Wasn't totally blown away by the deluxe tracks but they're pretty good.

This is not the energy I was expecting from Mick and I'm pleasantly surprised. You're still getting your conscious Mick, but he's going way harder, sounding eager, hungry, and aggressive. As usual, his production is really consistent, and as a result this album delivers a ton of highlights from front to back. "Michelin Star", "Show & Tell", "Sitting Ducks", and "Smoke Break-Dance" start the album off really strong with their elite ... read more

On The Water (S), Mick Jenkins displayed artistry and quality that kind of blew me away. The mixtape brings what I believe is some of the most well-rounded conscious hip-hop of the 2010s. Naturally, I'm curious for more. And well, this album is good. The first couple tracks, started strong, giving me the impression that this album would be better than it was, but really, it feels like a watered down version of what I *know* this guy's capable of. It certainly is a good album. That ... read more

So unfathomably ready for this album.

It didn't end as strong as it started, but it's a very solid release nonetheless. "Cosmic" and "Sunflower" were amazing first impressions for me, especially the first of which being just absolutely phenomenal. It's fun to dip my toes into K-Pop, especially when the music genuinely sounds effortful and isn't nonsensically overproduced which is a huge musical pet peeve of mine. The next couple songs were okay, but "Bubble" was the last major ... read more

Boldy is the type of rapper that can drop 5 times a year and it's always gonna be at least decent. However, this one in particular I highly recommend you check out. Don't sleep on it. Conductor Williams production is really something special and brings out the best in Boldy from track to track. Varying from your classic no drum soul sampling to boom bap and even trap influenced production, this thing varies, and with it, Boldy adapts beautifully. You see this dynamic throughout tracks ... read more

Was anybody expecting any less? Lupe's latest project further solidifies Lupe being one of the rappers with the most longevity of quality. This guy knows how good music sounds and usually delivers. The singles "Samurai", and "Cake" were phenomenal impressions, and I'm glad to say the rest of the album holds up. Solid boom bap production, great introspection on the lyricism, and Lupe hasn't lost his slick, enticing cadence. The production in particular from ... read more

It's a shame this album isn't very good as Barbara Lewis has a really nice voice and great songmaking potential. You can probably blame this album, and many others of its time, on the state of the music industry then. It was so commercially superficial, and unfortunately people didn't really care about albums much. Many albums of the time, including this one, were made to inflate the sales of a hit single, which in this case is "Hello Stranger". This is actually a ... read more

This man needs to be captured and studied in a lab 50 feet below the earth's crust.

It's okay, but way too formulaic and tunnel visioned for me to give it any more credit. The production and Lucki's vocals are pretty solid on songs like "4 The Betta", "Geeked", and "Send Me On My Way", but other than that it's pretty basic stuff. There's some really low quality material on here too though like "TBT and "Way 2 Rare", which really have no place on this EP. It's not bad, and I'm almost tempted to rate it a ... read more

For the music head that I am, it's long overdue for me to dive into Radiohead, particularly this album which, by the majority of this website's standard, is almost the best album ever. Well, publicly shame me but I was expecting a little bit more. Now to make something abundantly clear, this album is packed with some seriously quality stuff, and there really isn't a moment I didn't think was good except for maybe "Fitter Happier" but I can't really hate on an ... read more

This is lifeless trap. The first Mental Trillness actually showed a lot of passion and far better production, so much of this is just super bland. There are some bangers here actually, the only revisitable songs among the track list being "Sukihana", "Cut Back", "On the Way", "All It Takes", and "Suffering From Realness". The rest lacks so much substance and intrigue, coming in one ear and out the other. It's unfortunate that this is just a ... read more

Obviously none of these three are in their primes and so their verses aren't the best, but the fact that we're getting a new Rakim album bringing so many legends back together with elite production like this is enough to get me hyped. This is good shit.