I thought Dred Scott’s Breakin’ Combs was slept on back in the 90s when it originally dropped. I’m pretty sure I first heard of him through Rap City or Yo! MTV Raps, but it became one of those albums I liked pulling out to show my talent for digging up hidden gems.

All these years later, the album still holds up. I still think it’s underrated, though I wouldn’t call it essential listening. This is more for the hip hop purist or completist.

Back then, I remember ... read more

Flex Mathews and Damu the Fudgemunk’s Dreams and Vibrations feels like a continuation of the spirit that groups like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul opened up-jazz-rooted hip-hop focused more on feel, groove, and atmosphere than spectacle. Damu’s production is warm and unhurried, full of dusty drums, live instrumentation, and mellow jazz textures that feel lived-in rather than overly polished.

What really stands out is how naturally Flex Mathews fits into that world. He’s ... read more

Hip-hop was at a crossroads in ’92. Boom bap was exploding in New York, but the genre was stretching its boundaries—Dr. Dre was about to flip the soundscape with The Chronic, the Pharcyde were bringing a playful West Coast weirdness, and nearly every week, a new artist or group was adding their unique twist to the culture.

Enter Showbiz & AG.
Runaway Slave was solid, no doubt, but I always felt like the duo stayed too close to the traditional blueprint. While the scene was ... read more

A slept-on gem that deserves way more recognition.

By the time Das EFX released Hold It Down, they were dangerously close to being remembered as one of those novelty one-hit acts — largely due to the diggity-iggity gimmick that defined their debut. They tried to pivot on their second album, but it arrived with little buzz and quickly faded from conversation.

So when Hold It Down dropped, I was honestly surprised.
What immediately stands out is that they lose none of their creativity or ... read more

Black Sheep’s sophomore album, Non-Fiction, was one of the most disappointing follow-ups I can remember from back in the day. After A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing came out of nowhere with its creativity, humor, and effortless chemistry—especially Dres’ laid-back delivery fitting perfectly within the Native Tongues movement—I expected them to push hip-hop forward again.

To be fair, Dres still raps his ass off here. There are moments where his wit and smooth, ... read more

By 2019, Common had already lived several artistic lives: hungry underground MC, socially conscious standard-bearer, accused sellout, actor, and now an artist seemingly circling back to his roots. Let Love feels less like a comeback and more like Common simply doing something genuine — making music because he loves making music.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this album, but there’s also very little that demands your attention. As we used to say, there aren’t ... read more

Control System feels less like a fully realized statement and more like an artist caught between identities.

There are genuinely strong ideas here — social consciousness, personal trauma, spirituality, systemic critique — and moments like “Book of Soul” show what Ab-Soul is capable of when he commits. The production is creative and eclectic, giving the album an ambitious sonic palette.

But that ambition is constantly undercut by corny, lazy hooks and stereotypical ... read more

On Kwesbaar, Neak proves he is a capable lyricist with a clear respect for hip-hop history, regularly referencing pioneers and the culture that shaped him. But the album feels too polished and overly focused on broad appeal. The production leans toward slick, pop-oriented sounds that do not match the message he is trying to convey. There is a disconnect between the reverence in his lyrics and the safe, polished backdrop behind them. As a result, the album lacks some creative depth and ... read more

When this dropped, the title immediately grabbed my attention. I knew of Billy Woods from Super Chron Flight Brothers, but the album title and cover demanded my attention, which is exactly what hip hop is supposed to do. It reminded me of Public Enemy in that way. The cover of It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back immediately told you that Chuck D and company had something to say; History Will Absolve Me carries that same confrontational energy. Before you even press play, it announces ... read more

The Love Movement is the first time I remember feeling a real distance from a group that had always felt like home. For years, A Tribe Called Quest represented the perfect balance in hip-hop: laid-back energy, jazzy production, and thoughtful rhymes that felt intelligent without ever sounding forced. But this was the point where I started realizing I was gravitating more toward De La Soul instead.

The biggest issue here isn’t the technical side. The rhymes are fine. The production is ... read more

Redman’s solo debut, Whut? Thee Album, carried real anticipation. Running with the Hit Squad and appearing on multiple EPMD records, he had already built a reputation—and he delivered.

The album is packed with his trademark wit, humor, charisma, and sharp lyricism. What always stood out is how much it feels like he’s enjoying himself. There’s a looseness to it, but never at the expense of skill.

The biggest thing, though, is the production. At the time, there really ... read more

After nearly a decade since his last release, Pharoahe Monch returns not with urgency, but with intention. During his time with Organized Konfusion and into Internal Affairs, Monch built his reputation on technical brilliance—dense rhyme schemes, unpredictable cadences, and that almost breathless, start-stop delivery that felt like lyrical acrobatics. He sounded like someone with something to prove.

Desire flips that entirely.
It raises a bigger question: what actually makes an emcee ... read more

The biggest issue with The Fall Off is the disconnect between message and execution, and how consistently that shows up in the production and hooks.

J. Cole leans heavily into polished, R&B-tinged hooks that prioritize instant accessibility over lasting impact. Instead of adding depth, they often flatten the tracks into something predictable. The formula is clear: smooth hook, clean beat, solid verse, repeat.

That wouldn’t be an issue if the project felt like it was evolving its ... read more