This is one of my favorite tracks from Random’s “The Call.”

Played a Fool is a little twist on the Eric B and Rakim classic Paid in Full from Random’s upcoming album. Random’s “Mega Ran 9,” the sequel to his critically-acclaimed “Mega Ran,” is due out in February 2009. Click below to listen:

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  Rating:
  Review Date: September 16, 2008
  Website: Random Website
  Label: RAHM Nation

Random “The 8th Day” Album Review
Back in 2006, I reviewed Random’s debut album “The Call.” I remember having such a hard time deciding whether to give the album a 4-star or 4.5-star rating. A 4-star basically means an album is dope, but if I kick the rating up to 4.5 stars, that means the album is likely to remain a part of my regular rotation. Some albums, for some reason or another, just continue to get plays in the future – while others just sit on my hard drive. And back when I reviewed “The Call,” I just didn’t think I’d still be listening to it in 2008. So I gave it four stars. (more…)

This week’s underground hip-hop track of the week is Random’s Granny Smith. This track is one of a handful of great lyrical storytelling tracks from Random’s new album “The 8th Day,” which has a review coming soon. Granny Smith tells the story of a young boy who’s favorite teacher helps him through hardships at home, while commenting on domestic battery, flaws in the education system, and the mindstate of young people. Click below to listen:

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And follow along with the lyrics after the break. (more…)

This is a new video from one of my favorite underground emcees, Random, who is from one of my favorite underground labels, RAHM Nation. Random’s albums “The Call” and “Mega Ran” both have spots on my regular rotation. This video is for Fly, which is the first single off Random’s new album “Patches and Glue,” which the cats at RAHM Nation sadly never sent me – so I guess I gotta actually go out and cop it.

If you were ever into the Mega Man video, you’ll feel this video and song. From Random’s spectacular 2007 Mega Man concept album “Mega Ran.”

The final American Gangster project is here, but this one is for gamers, not gangsters. Created by Random of RAHM Nation, K-Murdock of Panacea, Ravage and Macross, “American Gamer” is available for free download here:
http://www.zshare.net/download/7787078ae24a89/

Random made big news last year with his critically acclaimed album “The Call,” which was voted among the top ten underground hip-hop albums of 2006. Shortly after a move from his hometown of Philadelphia to Phoenix, Arizona, Random followed the example of several hip-hop heavyweights this year by releasing an album for free download to his fans. That album, “Mega Ran,” is based on the Mega Man video game, and successfully gives the characters individual voices and a spoken agenda – a perspective of the classic video game never attempted before.

The self-proclaimed “Bruce Wayne of hip-hop” is a mild-mannered school teacher by day, and a “bad-guy slaying emcee” by night whose lyrics transcend boundaries to reflect the pursuits, accomplishments and struggles of the common man. (more…)

  Rating:
  Review Date: June 12, 2007
  Website: Ohene Website
  Label: RAHM Nation Recordings

Ohene “Inner City Soul” Album Review 
I’m calling it now … independent album of the year goes to Rahm Nation’s Ohene! Ohene’s “Inner City Soul” is easily one of my favorite hip-hop albums of 2007 thus far, underground or mainstream, and is a masterpiece of poetic, lyrical and productive proportions. Every track on this album is dope; every verse is quotable; every song is both intellectually and socially significant. I just can’t stop listening to this album, and I guarantee that most fans of meaningful conscious hip-hop will feel the same. (more…)

  Rating:
  Release Date: February 21, 2006
  Website: Random Website
  Label: RAHM Nation Recordings

Random “The Call” Album Review
Man, the underground never ceases to amaze me. I’ve been struggling to find albums to write about lately. Over the past two weeks, I’ve checked out five new and pretty major hip-hop albums, which cost me over seventy dollars total, yet none inspired me to think, do research, or write about anything. And that sucks. (more…)