Homeboy Sandman – Actual Factual Pterodactyl

Homeboy Sandman - Actual Factual Pterodactyl   Rating: Album Rating - 4.5 of 5
  Review Date: October 6, 2008
  Website: Homeboy Sandman
  Label: Independent
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Homeboy Sandman “Actual Factual Pterodactyl” Album Review
I knew this album was going to be dope. But to be honest, I didn’t know it was going to be this dope. I’ve always looked at Homeboy Sandman as an emcee with crazy lyrical skills and an innovative flow, but I didn’t know he could put together such a comprehensive album: one that combines humorous rapping with conscious lyricism; the underground mentality with popular appeal – all while remaining fluid and entertaining. “Actual Factual Pterodactyl” is that album. (more…)

    Random – The 8th Day

    Random - The 8th Day   Rating: Album Rating - 4.5 of 5
      Review Date: September 16, 2008
      Website: Random Website
      Label: RAHM Nation
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    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…)

      Danny! – And I Love H.E.R.

      Danny! - And I Love H.E.R.   Rating: Album Rating - 4 of 5
        Review Date: July 24, 2008
        Website: Danny! Website
        Label: Badenov Records/1911 Music
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      Danny! “And I Love H.E.R.” Album Review
      “Like them young boys say, let’s keep it real” (credit Eddie Murphy in Life) – the game is overly saturated. Saturated with 60% of wack emcees and producers; 20% lukewarm ones; 15% of those who are “almost there but often overlooked”; and 5% of the hottest, highly promoted the movement has to offer. After listening to Danny!’s “And I Love H.E.R.,” I’m not quite sure where he believes he fits in (not that he should box himself in). But the bottom line is that Danny!’s talent sits at the top 5%, but his name lags behind; and I believe the game is partly at fault. (more…)

        Core Rhythm – Ronin

        Core Rhythm - Ronin   Rating: Album Rating - 4 of 5
          Review Date: July 16, 2008
          Website: Core Rhythm Website
          Label: Spitmatix Sciences
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        Core Rhythm “Ronin” Album Review
        Back in Japan’s feudal period, samurai warriors who lost their masters were called ronin, a word that literally means “drifting person.” Samurai became ronin upon the death of their feudal lords, or if they escaped their masters. These ronin were often shamed, discriminated against, and left without a means of survival. In earlier times they were even expected to commit “oibara seppuku” – or ritual suicide. Yet many went their own direction, continuing to live the way of the samurai. You often see a similar mind state in the world of underground hip-hop. (more…)

          Animal Farm – The Unknown

          Animal Farm - The Unknown   Rating: Album Rating - 3.5 of 5
            Review Date: July 9, 2008
            Website: Animal Farm Website
            Label: Focused Noise Productions
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          Animal Farm “The Unknown” Album Review
          Music critics often make the mistake of basing their claims about the talent of an artist or quality of an album on the resumes of the guest performers. In doing so, they compromise the artist’s creativity and style, failing to develop a full appreciation for the unique window into life that can be found in each album. When it comes to Animal Farm, a hip-hop group from the Northwest on a meteoric rise, however, listeners should do both. (more…)

            Homeboy Sandman – Nourishment

            Homeboy Sandman - Nourishment   Rating: Album Rating - 4 of 5
              Review Date: June 17, 2008
              Website: Homeboy Sandman Website
              Label: Independent
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            Homeboy Sandman “Nourishment” Album Review
            Everybody listening to Homeboy Sandman for the first time will agree on one thing: this guy can rap fast. In one of the tracks from the CD, React, he mocks critics who can’t keep up with him: “Yo sand, yo what’s up with all this fast shit man, slow that shit down man, can’t even understand what the fuck you saying man.” Sandman, though, you can tell, does not take his rapping speed to the limit in this album. (more…)

              Everliven Sound – Freedom

              Everliven Sound - Freedom   Rating: Album Rating - 4 of 5
                Review Date: June 4, 2008
                Website: Everliven Sound Website
                Label: Freedom Entertainment
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              Everliven Sound “Freedom” Album Review
              Looking at the state of things, I made a prediction recently that many of the independent hip-hop releases to come will be early-to-mid-90s inspired, politically based albums. It’s crazy how, as soon as I made this forecast, I got an album called “Freedom” by a crew called Everliven Sound. Everliven Sound is made up of Cymarshall Law (Rawkus 50) and Skit Slam; and on this release, both deliver an up-tempo, jazz-filled Poor Righteous Teacher sound - all with a message of sovereignty within the hip-hop game and the world alike. (more…)

                Little Vic – Each Dawn I Die

                Little Vic - Each Dawn I Die   Rating: Album Rating - 5 of 5
                  Review Date: May 28, 2008
                  Website: Little Vic Website
                  Label: Orena Records
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                Little Vic ”Each Dawn I Die” Album Review
                In my English class I just finished reading “The Catcher in the Rye” and I can’t help but venture a parallel between Holden Caulfield and the voice behind this album, “Each Dawn I Die.” I can imagine Mr. Salinger wincing at my reference to his text (I would, too, if the man who attempted to assassinate President Reagan publicized my book), but Little Vic seems to truly epitomize the freedom of spirit and the indignant yet honest self-expression associated with Caulfield. (more…)

                  Kats – Katskills

                  Kats - Katskills   Rating: Album Rating - 4 of 5
                    Review Date: May 5, 2008
                    Website: Kats Website
                    Label: Shit-Storm Records
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                  Kats “Katskills” Album Review
                  Being a fan of what I like to refer to as “underground hip-hop” seems to be getting more difficult every day now. Originally, I started following the underground because I was tired of the fakeness and the repetition in mainstream hip-hop. Back then, the underground was a place that allowed rappers to be themselves and stray from the same tired images, styles and sounds. These days, however, that is not necessarily the case. (more…)

                    Fat Ray & Black Milk – The Set Up

                    Fat Ray & Black Milk - The Set Up   Rating: Album Rating - 4 of 5
                      Review Date: April 23, 2008
                      Website: Black Milk Website
                      Label: Music House
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                    Fat Ray & Black Milk “The Set Up” Album Review
                    Black Milk and Fat Ray’s “The Set Up” is a straight gutter, battle rap release – period. Every now and then I need a balance of my hip-hop music to include the street-inspired presentations like “The Set Up.” As of lately, I have been on some personal “rename random albums,” and this album I renamed “Punchlines & Amped Beats Vol. 1” – as there are plenty to go around. A true fan of battle raps will be in heaven with this presentation. (more…)

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