Eminem – Infinite

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WWC

Do I even have to intro Eminem? Y’all know him. He wasn’t always stressed, psycho, immature or even angry at the world tho…back in the day of Infinite he was a pretty mellow guy on the mic. This was Em as a real MC, not the tired, hounded, overrated, distracted etc. etc. rapper he is right now.

1) Infinite

It’s really, really ironic, but this song has to be the song of Eminem’s career. Before this I’d never heard Em rhyme laid-back before, and the shit was crazy; especially the insane shit he spits on the mic here. (Excellent)

2) WEGO

Just an intro to his next song, It’s OK.

3) It’s OK ft. Eye-Kyu

Eminem rhymes on his current situation and his dreams for the future, with a crazy continuous multi-like style. Former rhyme partner Eye-Kyu does the optimistic chorus, and the beat is mellow with a fading chord in the background. (Excellent)

4) 313 ft. Eye-Kyu

Over a slow-drum, deep-bass beat (with a sax that comes in later) Eye-Kyu starts off with a pretty damn good verse, with really the same style Em uses, but Em ultimately comes tighter. (Great)

5) Tonite

This beat has a lounge-feel to it, kinda jazzy. Em uses the same rambling, multi-ish style he had before, still ill. (Excellent)

6) Maxine ft. Denaun, 3

A song about a ho with AIDS, who claims she’s clean so guys will hit and pay her for it. Eminem spits some sick lyrics, but his flow’s a little off on the spacey beat. Denaun spits a pretty good second verse, but it’s not as good as Em’s, and neither is the third guy’s (3, who I’ve never heard of before). (Good)

7) Open Mic ft. Thyme

The beat here is different; kinda jerky, with a dyslexic string and a warped bass. Em spits some real shit, but again his flow is off-and-on. Thyme does the hook; his voice is pretty annoying, kinda high-pitched. (Good)

8) Never 2 Far

Em’s flow is a bit better. He spits about his plans to get money by any means necessary, and he has’nt stopped spittin sick yet. The beat is kinda simple, jus a bass loop over a drum track that’s a little faster and more consistent than the others (prolly why he flows over it easier). (Great)

9) Searchin ft. Denaun

The hook here is kinda gay; a woman singing about love, and the sample sounds a bit annoying and repetetive. The beat is, again, pretty simple, just soft tones over a drum track with a rambling string thrown in sometimes. Eminem and Denaun both spit about the loves of their lives; Em’s verse is sick, and Denaun sings his verse so that it doesn’t even sound like Denaun, nice effect though. (Good)

10) Backstabber

This beat kinda sucks, it’s pretty amatuer and repetitive. Em raps some abstract shit about being a cop chasing a criminal, I think it’s a diss. (Poor)

11) Jealousy Woes II

Em raps about a jealous chick, over a funky beat with overblown bass and drums. He spits pretty sick, though. (Decent)

My Rating: 3/5

Em’s first outing is unprofessional, amatuer, with lazy beats and only a couple of used-and-reused guest appearances. That said, it must be one of his best albums to date, simply for the fact that some of his tracks rival Nas’ Illmatic in hunger, siccness and creativity. This album was basically meant to put him out there, and a first step to really see how shit works in the music business. Subtract some of the wacker or more boring shit like Jealousy Woes II, Open Mic and Backstabber and you have a great album at your disposal.

My Recommendation: It’s really hard to find to buy, so download it and keep what you like.

Masta Killa – No Said Date

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WWC

Masta Killa is one of the most-overlooked members of the Wu-Tang, one of the three who haven’t achieved the superstar success of the other six (along with U-God and Inspectah Deck). In Killa’s case I’m assuming it’s cuz he never released an album until this year, with No Said Date.

1) Born Chamber

An intro using a clip from an old kung-fu movie to detail the splitting of the Wu.

2) Grab the Microphone

Over a sicc beat (by “Brock”), that involves a hard drum and a cool horn, Masta spits some dopeness wit a laid-back flow that goes seamlessly into the catchy hook. (Excellent)

3) No Said Date

Over a fast, anxious, actiony RZA beat, Killa spits the typical Wu-style sick and slightly detatched lyrics that have you figure what he’s talking about but which give sick imagery. The track is about the release of his much-anticipated album, and hopes for success. (Great)

4) Last Drink

The beat, by Mathematics, is pretty good; it’s got a kung-fu-movie-duel type of flavor to it. Masta spits good, but not his best, and not the flame that’s on the previous tracks. (Good)

5) Love Spell

The beat is bouncy, simple with a guitar chord and a bumpin drum; Killa spit’s a vivid story about a chick. (Good)

6) The Future (Skit)

Has a bunch of young kids freestylin hardcore gangsta lyrics. Kinda disturbin.

7) DTD ft. Raekwon, Ghost Face Killer

Another Mathematics beat, this one’s kinda mesmerizing, with hard kicks and a drawling horn, a “different”-style club banger. Raekwon comes on first with a pretty nice verse, starts slow but gets better later on. Killa’s verse is next, it’s pretty good but nothin special compared to Kwon’s. Ghost’s verse is last, almost as good as Rae’s and better than Masta’s. (Good)

8) Whatever ft. Streetlife, Prodigal Sunn

Okay…time to endure the Wu-Affiliates. This beat is odd, doesn’t seem to fit–it’s like an Old West saloon tune. The first rapper’s (Streetlife?) verse is aight, nothin special; the second (Prodigal Sunn?) is a bit better but Masta Killa’s is sub-par. (Poor)

9) Secret Rivals ft. Killah Priest, Method Man

Over a more traditional Wu beat (ironically produced by True Master, not RZA) which has a head-bobbing drum shuffle and a sporadic piano, Priest and Meth spit some siccness; Masta follows with a pretty good verse. (Good)

10) Skit

A clip from an old kung-fu movie.

11) Digi Warfare

A great, futuristic beat with echoes and a crazy snare an shit. Too bad, what Killa spits here is nothin special. (Decent)

12) Old Man ft. ODB, RZA

The best way to describe this beat is “unfortunate,” especially for a RZA joint. It’s bouncy and unnecessary, and I’m really not feelin it. Killa’s verse is pretty nice, but RZA’s is lacking. (Poor)

13) Queen

Better. Disjointed piano chords play over an echoey, shuffly drum track. Killa spits pretty nice shit, a track for the ladies. (Good)

14) School ft. RZA

The beat here is more like what made RZA famous. It’s kinda eerie with a slow drum track, until RZA’s verse, when it becomes faster, consisting of a drum, a bass and an annoying…thing…in the background. (Decent)

15) Silverbacks ft. Inspectah Deck, GZA

Beat: various accoustic riffs aligned chaotically over a soft snare. All verses are good, but GZA’s verse is the only one that stands out. (Good)

16) Masta Killa

This unique, old-Japanese-molded beat courtesy of Baby Dooks brings Masta to life. His flow picks up, and his lyrics are pretty nice shit. (Great)

My Rating: 3.5/5

A solid Wu release by recent standards, unfortunately pale compared to their older shit. Masta Killa’s flow can get unbelievably boring, especially when the whole album seems lazily done, like each member was distracted with other shit–typical of the Wu nowdays. RZA’s production, on the few tracks he does do, lacks the fire of older releases like Cuban Linx and Liquid Swords, and the collage of styles leave the album a thrown-together, disconnected feel. Combine all that with Masta Killa’s (pretty much most of the Wu’s) style of vague, jump-around topics and the album is hard to get into and really listen to.

My Recommendation: Buy or burn, whichever you like, but don’t expect too much–the Wu’s not what it once was.

Yukmouth – United Ghetto Of America Vol. 2

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WWC

1. Intro(Feat J-Flo)

An intro on a compilation? Well it’s funny atleast.

2. Kill Em off(Feat Gonzoe, Tech N9ne, & Big Krizz Kaliko)

YES! Nice opera type beat, picture Regime Mobstaz here. Gonzoe starts it off with a good verse but nothing memorable. Tech N9ne with the VERSE OF THE YEAR!!! I’m calling it here, and also a great intro to Tech’s rapping. Tech just rips it here going through atleast 3 different types of flows. Chorus is good, Krizz’s singing is kept to a minimum which is good, I like Krizz but sometimes his singing is just all over the place. Yukmouth with a good verse but his starting is awful. Great track. Good

3. Kalifornia G’z(Feat E-40, Crooked I, & Nat’e)

I assume Nat’e is the girl singing the chorus. Nice bouncy beat here, this can be a crossover track, it doesn’t have that usual Bay sound, it has a So-Cal vibe to it. I dig the chorus, it’s catchy and isn’t overwhelming towards the listener. Crooked I with a pretty dope verse, why Tha Row wasted him is beyond me. Yukmouth with a good verse but he sounds awkward here, still dope stuff. Good

4. We Just Wanna Thug(Feat NORE & D-Don)

Well if anyone can kill a song it’s NORE and he does just that. This track is awful, with a beat so generic that it can be sold next to the Sam’s Choice Cola. D-Don with a horrible verse, this guy’s the drizzling shits. Skip this track. Train Wreck

5. I Love Dro(Feat Bun-B & Nat’e)

Stupid chorus but the track is great. It has that 1998 Rap A Lot sound to it, with the smooth Devin type vibe here. Yukmouth starts it off with the basics on a smoking track. Yukmouth with a second verse(?) on here which is a little odd. Bun B with the next verse and he outshines Yuk, Bun B is easily one of the best Southern lyricist of all time. Good

6. Don’t Be Scared(Silver Back Guerillaz)

No Yuk on here. This has a grimey Eastcoast vibe to it, dope stuff here. I can’t tell these guys apart so I’ll just say it’s a good track. Good

7. Spin & Chop(Feat Dru Down, Nate Da Nut, & Kieu)

Just so you know whenever I put “Feat” that means Yuk is on the song, he’s on every song except “Don’t Be Scared” & “Suga Daddy”, just clearing it up. This track is sloppy with a weird spastic annoying beat. Yuk with a decent verse. Dru Down with a decent verse. Nate Da Nut with a good verse. The chorus and beat drag this down alot, in fact this is pretty wack. Wack

8. What’s Beef(Feat Luni Coleone, I-Rocc, & Monstah Ganjah)

I like this track, well sort of, the problem is the squeeking robotic sounds in the beat, very annoying. This track hurts my ears, with Luni yelling over the track and this squeeking crap. Luni with a good verse, I-Rocc with a good verse, Ganjah with a dope verse, and Yuk finishes it with the best verse. I want to give this a good rating, they tried but the squeeking ruined everything. Average

9. American Me(Feat Chino Nino, C-Bo, & Young Noble)

This track is insane with a slow starting and then a rough beat kicks in with Chino Nino ripping the first verse. C-Bo with a good verse, wow he really shocked me on here in fact this is one of his best verses. Yukmouth then rips it with a great verse, this track is crazy. Noble finishes it with a good verse. Great stuff here. Good

10. Suga Daddy(Ms Toi, Nyce, & Numskull)

Odd line up. Ms Toi with a boring first verse. Numskull sounds drunk off his ass here which is either sad or hilarious, man this guy has fell off with him slurring and tripping over his words. Nyce with a boring verse. Blah! Crap be gone from my ears! Wack

11. The Side Show(Feat Richie Rich, C-Bo, & Nat’e)

I can see why this was left off “In Thugz We Trust”. This is a little too bouncy and the chorus is all over the place. C-Bo with a good verse. Yukmouth with the best verse. Richie Rich with an awkward verse, his flow sounds awful over this beat and he couldn’t adjust to the different style of it. Average

12. Top Shotta(Feat Gangsta Girl & Brando)

Arabian type beat, think Neptunes here. Yukmouth with a good verse, the thing I like about Yuk is that he can adjust to any kind of style no matter how odd the beat is. Horrible chorus here as some guy is yelling babbling nonsense. Gangsta Girl with a horrible verse, these people suck at Reggae. Yukmouth finishes it with a pretty good verse, he is carrying this track. Good

13. Skit(Feat D Of The Menace Clan)

A skit? On a compilation? Unreal, but it’s decent as D spits a pretty dope flow over the phone.

14. Regime Mob(Feat Chino Nino, Amp-Pachino, & Nate Da Nut)

This song lacks direction as none of these guys except Yuk are in the Regime. This song is pretty bad as the guy rapping the second verse is the drizzling shits talking about rocking “boobies” to sleep(Huh?). Horrible chorus, this is a cluster*****. Yukmouth has a good verse though. Wack

15. Stunt 211(Feat Domination & Bang Em Smurf)

This song is hilarious as they make fun of Stunt 101. This is a Lloyd Banks diss(For the most part) and they spit some hilarious lines here(“Ray Charles can see *****es only want you for your money” & “Young Buck he just happy he got white gold teeth”). Yukmouth with a good verse as well. Everyone from 50 Cent to Game get dissed here but Banks gets it the worst. Good

16. On The Block(Feat Jacka, LiL Cyco, & Benjilino)

Not a big fan of the beat, it’s pretty basic and boring. Benjilino sings a decent hook but man is this beat boring. Yukmouth starts it off with a pretty good verse. Jacka(!) with a really good verse. LiL Cyco with a pretty good verse, nice flow. Average

17. Wet Dreamz(Yukmouth)

The only Yukmouth solo and it’s about a wet dream, amazing…Anyway this track sucks, as Yuk talks about women he wants to have sex with, don’t care. Wack

18. Heat(Feat Planet Asia & Monstah Ganjah)

DOPE! This track is straight Hip Hop here. Planet Asia with a great verse. Ganjah with another great verse, this track is flawless. Yukmouth outshines both of them as he spits an insane verse. Great chorus on here as well. DOPE!

19. Get Stupid Go Dumb(Feat Mac Dre, & Sauce)

Weird beat but it’s dope as it has a goofy bouncy beat mixed with a Halloween sounding piano beat. Sauce with a good verse. Yukmouth with a great verse, this is probably his most thugged out verse on the whole cd. Mac Dre sounds so awkward on this track, like a kid lost in a mall. Good

20. United Ghetto’s Of America Part 2(Feat The Realest, C-Bo, Dru Down, 151, Spice 1, Eastwood, & Roscoe)

Insane line up here. This track has a dope piano beat. Realest starts it off with a decent verse, he doesn’t sound too much like Pac on here. C-Bo with a pretty good verse. Dru Down raps fast on here(!) well fast in Dru Down terms. 151 with a really good verse, this is insane there is no other word to describe it. There is no chorus here, just straight spitting. Spice 1 spits a verse that sounds like something he’d spit in 1994(!), really dope stuff here. Eastwood with a really good verse as well. Roscoe with an insane verse that shows how slept on he is. Yukmouth finishes it with an insane verse. Oh man this was just dopeness! Easily the best track on the album, everyone stepped up their game. DOPE!

All in all this gets a Good rating. Pretty dope compilation, this was totally different than Vol 1 which is good. Some awful tracks but some really good tracks, Most def cop it if you’re a Bay fan & a Regime fan, ah hell cop it if you’re just a fan of music because people like Yukmouth who are working their asses off making this dope music need to be supported.

VA – Beef Soundtrack

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WWC

1. No Vaseline(Ice Cube)

Of course you all know of this diss track, classic stuff here as Cube takes on a whole group and lyrical slaughters everyone of them. This track has a killer bouncy beat with a dope flute melody in there. Classic diss track! DOPE!

2. Beef(Tech N9ne Feat Big Krizz Kaliko)

This is one of the best Tech tracks I have ever heard, great beat that resembles “FTI”. Tech starts it off with a great verse, the way he changes flows here is great. The chorus is easily one of the best choruses I have ever heard with a Rock vibe to it with Krizz singing. Krizz with a dope verse, the thing I like about Krizz is that he can go from a sing-song type flow to a lethal rapid type flow. Tech finishes things off with another great verse, he even mentions Joplin here(For all my Missouri kats). DOPE!

3. You Don’t Really Want It(KRS-One)

I respect KRS and all but this track is horrible, from the beat to the chorus, pure drizzling shits. KRS disses Nelly and he has some good lines but it just isn’t clicking. Wack

4. Westside Slaughterhouse(Westside Connection)

One of my favorite West tracks of all time. WSC go after Common here as Ice Cube has some really good lines aimed at him. One of the best disses ever. DOPE!

5. Murder By #’s(Skatter Man & Snug Brim Feat Ricky Skarfo)

What the hell is this doing on here? This was later put on Urban Legendz, I wrote a review for this a while back and I listened to the track more so this is going to be totally different. Skatter’s verse is easily the best as he tells a great story. Snug has a good verse. Skarfo has a decent verse. Good

6. Drama(Prodigy Feat Twin)

Nice guitarish style beat here but Prodigy sucks anyway and Twin is worse. Average

7. Real Muthaph****in’ G’s(Eazy E Feat BG Knoccout & Dre’sta)

I think this song is really overrated, I think the beat is classic and Dre’sta’s verse is good but the rest just doesn’t do it for me. Good

8. Caution(Black Child)

This track isn’t bad, in fact it’s quite good. I have no clue who the first 2 guys are since it never mentions them. Great beat here. Good

9. When The Rain Drops(Kutt Calhoun Feat Snug Brim)

Slow starting, I mean really slow but once it kicks in it’s a pretty dope track. Kutt is overlooked and Snug actually spits a rapid style verse(!). Good

10. That’s It(KRS One Feat Mad Lion)

Another horrible KRS track, I just don’t care about this song, there is nothing good about this. The beat is horrible. Wack

11. Postman(Poverty)

Who? This track may have the worst starting ever. Horrible chorus, who the hell is this guy? This is horrible. Wack

12. Now I See(MC Shan)

I like Shan but this track is terrible, and the beginning is an automatic skip. Wack

13. Snake Ya(Tech N9ne Feat Big Krizz Kaliko)

Nice Arabian type beat here. Tech’s first verse is crazy here as he goes into about 3 different styles here. I like the chorus here, it’s a little silly but it gets the job done. Krizz with a pretty good verse. Tech finishes it off with a very dope verse. DOPE!

14. Let’s Go(It’s A Movement)(Warren G Feat KRS One & LiL Ai)

Decent track, KRS & Warren do their verses well but this LiL Ai person is horrible, has to be one of the worst flows and verses I have ever heard. Average

15. Witness Protection(Jayo Felony)

YYYYEEEAAA!!!!! This track has a wicked weird beat, Jayo’s chorus is great but a little awkward. This track is crazy. DOPE!

16. Day I Die(Tru-Life)

Tru-Life is some guy who beefed with Mobb Deep, the bonus DVD explains it better and it’s a great segment, but this is not great, in fact this is horrible. Wack

17. F*** The Police(N.W.A.)

I don’t have to explain this track, you all know it and it’s a classic. DOPE!

All in all this gets a Good rating, the concept here is good but they ruined it by putting weak tracks and tracks that have nothing to do with beefing. Cop it if you don’t own any of these classic tracks, oh yea the Tech tracks are great as well so be sure to atleast peep it.

Copywrite – High Exaulted

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WWC

There was a time when people said whites couldn’t rap..even after the Beastie Boys and House of Pain, most hardcore rap fans refused to think of the possibility that a white dude could beat a black dude rappin. After a few exceptions (growing more and more common) like Cage, Bubba Sparxxx and most notably (of course) Eminem, Eastern Conference signee Copywrite78 steps up to try and bridge the gap even further.

1) Sintro

Intro to the album, just a bunch of samples hyping Copy.

2) *****soundcheck

Over a funkified, horn-laced beat by RJD2, Cop really starts up the album. These first verses might mislead, it’s good but not what he can truly do, and might make it seem like he’s overhyped. Don’t be fooled; he’s just starting up slow. (Good)

3) Fire it Up

This beat is more aggressive, produced by Camu Tao but in the same general vein as the previous. Cop follows his own advice and really kicks it up here, especially on the last couple of verses. Shit begins to warm up. (Great)

4) Let Me In

The beat is more creepin, a bit psycho. Cop spits about *****in *****es with obscene lyrics, funny punches and general shock value. Though the song is good, it was a bad move for Copy to make a song that, in almost every way, sounds exactly like one an unsigned Eminem would make. Best to stay clear of that comparison. (Good)

5) Enterlude

RJD2 shows off here, with a slower beat that could easily be something off Big’s Ready to Die. No lyrics.

6) Three Words ft. Camu Tao, Tage Proto

Over an enticing, string beat that sounds almost classical (by Copywrite himself), 78 and Camu spit crazy, complex-styled lyrics; Tage, however, gets extremely annoying with his heavy, distracting lisp. Sounds pretty funny, actually. Other than that, the track is sicc. (Great)

7) Hear Me Though

This, another Camu beat, is rambling and more layered, mostly guitar riffs. Copywrite spits even harder on this one, killing the complexity and punchlines at the same time. One of the best tracks on the album. (Excellent)

8) Badabing

Produced by DJ Mighty Mi, with an organ-type instrument combined with a church bell, gives it a feel of impending doom. Copy’s darker lyrics work with the atmosphere. The hook is flat, purely business, shows Copywrite will destroy enemies. (Excellent)

9) Centerlude

Another showoff, no-lyric cut, this one produced by Copywrite. This time it’s a RZA-like style, bumping drum/bass with a disjointed piano. Pretty good.

10) Nobody ft. Jakki da Mota Mouth

Once again produced by RJD2, it’s a dark, jazzy beat, another RZA flavor. Copy and Jakki work well together, going back and forth to finish each others’ lines. Nice collab joint. (Great)

11) Holier Than Thou

This beat RJ is aight, it seems too low and drops out sometimes. It’s not aggressive or dark enough for Cop’s style. Copy is good, but doesn’t seem to know how to flow over the unusual beat, so just goes straight through with a basic old-school style. (Decent)

12) Ready, Aim…

This is more like it. A Camu Tao production; if you’ve ever heard Royce ft. Twista – Let’s Go, it kinda sounds like that, especially when Copy starts speed-spitting. Like the versatility, since he does it pretty well, though mostly he has to abandon his punches. (Good)

13) On My Dick

Apparently, Cop ain’t afraid to get behind the boards himself, cuz this is another self-production. It’s a halting beat, not the best, not the worst. Copy’s lyrics are about being in the club, causing chaos. It’s not bad, takes a couple shots (you ain’t hostile, you hoestyle; all up in VIP tryinna pop ’Cris) (Good)

14) Tower of Babble ft. Smut Peddlers

Once more produced by DJ Mighty Mi. It’s a rambling beat, relying mostly on a drawn out violin sample that feels like an Italian opera sample. 78, Mr E and Cage spit nice verses for the most part, but nothing mind-blowing. (Good)

15) Seven Light Years

Yet another production by RJ. It’s hard to explain; you have to hear it, but it’s good. Copywrite is at his siccer moments here. There is nothing, absolutely nothing wrong with this track. (Excellent)

16) Theme Music ft. Jakki the Mota Mouth

This DJ Mighty Mi cut is a bit lighter-styled synth track, Copy spits the first verse, some hard lyrics. The man is so good, even good is starting to sound bland at this point. It seems lopsided, since Copy’s first verse is unassisted, but Copy helps Jakki stress/finish some of his words and lines. However, the second verse is still nice. Another solid collab joint. (Great)

17) Exitlude

A brief cabaret-style beat/singer combination that has no place on the album.

18) June

This is a deep track about Copy’s life and frustrations. The beat is a sad string beat, kinda surprisingly produced by RJD2. It’s a sad joint that sounds almost like something Royce might do, with an instrumental slapped in the middle. Has some deep shit relating to the month of June, the month of his birth and the month of his father’s death. (Excellent)

My Rating: 4.5/5

This is as close to a latter-day classic as it gets, folks. The whole thing has a different style and flavor that’s so refreshing from cardboard-cut popular rap, with some of the best underground production out and style reminding of some of the best Eminem/Canibus material rolled into one. If not for a very few weak links like constant battle rhymes and nearly no topics (and those wasted instrumentals–c’mon, someone SPIT on em!!) this could be classic shit. One of the best rap albums I’ve bought, and that includes Illmatic, All Eyez On Me and Ready to Die.

My Recommendation: No excuses. BUY.

Kutt Calhoun – B.L.E.V.E.

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WWC

1. Bring The Flame(Feat Big Krizz Kaliko)

Great way to start off the album, no stupid intro here, IT’S ALL MUSIC!!!!! Kutt uses a Pac-like chorus on this song. Man Kutt just rips the first verse here, great beat on here as well, very hard hitting. Kaliko isn’t really on here much, he just does the beginning, this was all Kutt here! Good

2. Hip Hop Warning(Feat Big Krizz Kaliko)

Great song here, has a touch of Hip Hop with a hint of bounce here, nice chorus with Krizz singing the typical Strange chorus which is always great. CONSIDER YOURSELF WAAARRRNNNEEEDDD!!! Heh! Kutt actually uses some good wordplay here and some good lyrics, he speaks the truth on here. Good

3. Nationality(Parlaa Remix)(Feat Big Krizz Kaliko)

Horrible, skip this. Wack

4. Keep It Keeblur(Feat Tech N9ne & Big Krizz)

DOPE! They used a great West beat here, Kutt sounds comfortable over these type of beats. Seems to flow better here as well. Tech N9ne with a great verse as usual. I dig the chorus as well, Krizz is seriously overlooked. Kutt ends the song with another good verse. DOPE!

5. Walk With A Limp(Feat Big Krizz)

Awkward, that’s how I can describe this song. Big Krizz is all over the place on the chorus here. Average

6. Goldberg(Feat Tech N9ne)

Song’s hilarious, Tech finally disses the stupid “urrrr” phrase(Like Right Thurrrr). Track is just average to me though, I don’t like the beat but Tech is on point here with his flow. Average

7. Got Plans(Feat Big Krizz)

Another average track. Average

8. Real Sex(Feat Tech N9ne)

The beginning just messes up the whole vibe, why waste a Tech N9ne appearance on this? Wack

9. In My Face(Feat Skatter Man, BG Bulletwound, & Snug Brim)

DOPE! I dig the beat here, very dark and dope. BG Bulletwound & Snug Brim kill this song! One of the best tracks on here easily. DOPE!

10. Panic Box(Feat Boy Big)

I semi dig the old school Bay sound but it’s just another awkward track. Kutt tries but everything just comes off as weird, a track that is really hard to listen to. Wack

11. The Know How(Big Krizz)

Beginning isn’t good but once the beat kicks in with Kutt rapping then it gets really good. Nice bouncy type beat here with Kutt flowing perfectly over it. Good

12. N A WhiteManzEyez(Feat Tech N9ne & Big Krizz)

Tech only does the beginning by talking. Kutt raps pretty fast over this track which is very dope. Dope message here. Great chorus here as the beat really kicks in with Krizz singing. Dope track! Good

13. My Life(Feat Tech N9ne & Big Krizz)

Tech isn’t even on this song. Kutt owns it here though, Krizz with a good chorus. Good

14. To Whom it May Concern(Feat Snug Brim, Skatter Man, & BG Bulletwound)

Snug rips the first verse, then Skatter with a good second verse, then BG with a decent verse, and finally Kutt with a good verse but he sounds way too much like Pac here, I’m sure that was his intention but it sounds a little weird. Still a good track, if you listen closely you’ll hear Tech play one of the Mayor’s workers(lol). Good

15. Parlaa(Feat Big Krizz)

Blah blah blah, heard it before. Wack

16. Dat N*gga Dare(Feat Big Krizz & BG Bulletwound)

Great way to end this track, I love the bouncy eerie style beat here. Krizz is a little weak on the chorus here, I dig Krizz but he makes the chorus really annoying. Kutt owns it here. Good

All in all a Good album, this is way different than Skatterman & Snug Brim’s album. Kutt went for a more West style here and I can dig that. Cop it if you’re a Strange Music fan.

VA – Grit City Volume One

Posted on March 1, 2013 by WWC

1. Step Up

This is a great way to open the album. This song has a real hip-hop feel to it. The beat is on some real hip-hop shit, the lyrics are also on some real hip-hop shit. This track is really good. 8/10

2. Beverly Davis

On this cut, Swann Notty talks about meeting a girl and all that. He really puts a picture in your mind, which makes you enjoy the track even more. Even though he is talking about a girl, this in no way is a “pop love song”, this still has a good hip-hop feel to it. Real good shit. 8/10

3. The Professional

This one is not as good as the first 2 songs on this CD, but it is still a good song. The lyrics are on point, delivery is on point, nice track. The chorus on this might remind you of a DJ Premier chorus, cause of how the way it’s parts from different songs mixed together and scratched. 7/10

4. Sunshine Days

The beat on this is fresh. In a way reminds of a Kanye West beat how it samples and old track and the voice is sped up and put together on the beat. The lyrics on this are about as tight as the lyrics on the other songs. The lyrics on this song mostly reflect the struggle these rappers went through, in a way this is a deep dong. Tight song. 8/10

5. Niggas Don’t Know

This one is on some soulful hip-hop stuff. Beat is nice, lyrics are nice. This is probably one of the tightest songs from this CD. Definitely worth checking. 8.5/10

6. Who’s Who

This sounds like a jazzy hip-hop song. It’s really nice to relax to, just chill you know. The delivery on this is not as good as the delivery of the other MC’s on this CD, for some reason, it sounds like Soul Supreme goes off beat from time to time. Going off beat doesn’t take away the fact that the lyrics are tight, but if the delivery was more on point, this track would have been better. 6.5/10

7. What Would U Do?

This song features T-Max, the beat on this is well put together. Nice instruments played on this, well put together. The lyrics on this is kind of like a story type rhyme, T-Max basically talks about a scenario, and at the end of it, he asks you “What Would U Do”. Real tight, something you don’t really hear these days in hip-hop. Great song. 8/10

8. Still Spittin’ (RMX)

This song features the legend himself, KRS-One. KRS-One comes off tight on this. This one also features Akbar, L D Headtoucha, Illin’ P, Supastition and An Ion. I have to say the MC who came off the best is Illin’ P. His verse was really nice. But all the MC’s on this dropped hot stuff. This is definitely one of the best songs on this CD. 9/10

9. Bizzy To The Letter

This one is different. The beat is not that good really, you can’t really hear the kicks on this. I can’t say I’m feeling this track. The only thing that saves this song is the lyrics, if the beat was better, it would have been way better. 5/10

10. 17 Emcees

This one is good, it is not the best but it is still good. Not everyone is going to like this one, it really depends on your style. I myself can’t say I love this song but I can listen to it, it is not the wackest song out there, it is not that wack, it just isn’t my style, that’s all. 6.5/10

11. Story Of The Warrior

This song is really nice. The beat for some reason reminds me some Chinese stuff. The lyrics flow nice, goes well with the beat. This song is definitely one worth checking out. 7.5/10

12. Ghetto Fabulous

This one is really nice. I love the beat on this one, it is slow but it is really nice. The lyrics are tight as hell on this. I really love this one, another one of the best songs on this. 8.5/10

13. Shine It On ‘Em

This track is dope. I’m feeling this one, the beat reminds me of something, I can’t really remember what it reminds me of but I’m sure I heard a beat like this before. The lyrics are nice, really on point. 8/10

14. 9’s Revisited

I like this one. The beat in a way reminds me of a live jazz song. The piano on this one is kind of wack though, I think if the piano on this was taken off this song would have been great. But the rhymes on this are tight. Real hip-hop in my opinion, dope shit. This song is nice but the piano gets annoying after a while. 7.5/10

15. Ma$$ Rise

This is another nice one. I’m really feeling this one. Beat is nice, rhymes are nice, dope ass shit. One of the songs you definitely need to peep from this CD. 9/10

16. Take Time Out

This is another one of the different type songs. This is better than the other Ra Degrees song on this CD, I got to say this one is better. Still not the best but better. This is a cool song. 7/10

Overall this CD is really nice. This is better than most of the rap CD’s coming out today. This CD contains some really fresh talent, this just shows you some of the best talent is underground. This is a CD definitely worth looking out for. I say this one is worth buying, real good CD.

Final Rating: 3.65/5

Jim Jones – On My Way to Church

Posted on February 27, 2013 by WWC

Jim Jones, of Roc signee Cam’ron’s crew DipSet, was one of the first Cam brought to the forefront to show off his group. Known for being on every Cam’ron album and more recently, starting beef with ex-Cam affiliate Ma$e, Jones is Cam’ron’s right-hand man in the ways of so many rappers today–Jada and Styles, 50 and Banks, Em and Proof, etc. His first solo album, released on Koch records, was “his goal–everything else is just a blessing.”

1) Intro

The album starts off with a little babtist-style sermon and gospel music, played on an organ. Horrible way to start off this album considering none of it has anything to do with church.

2) Capo Status 1st Take

Over a chime-filled, guitar-driven beat, Jones spits a short but nice verse to really intro the album. Ironically it’s probably his best verse on the whole thing. (Good)

3) Only One Way Up ft. Cam’ron, Juelz Santana

The beat here is unimaginative, sounds a lot like the previous one, only faster-paced and more layered. His verse is aight, no surprises, nothing mind-blowing for the most part. Juelz comes on second, flowing fast, which is better, but then slows down. Cam’ron’s verse, sounds a lot like Jones’ verse, but at least it makes sense. One word to describe the track, boring. (Decent)

4) This Is Jim Jones ft. Cam’ron

This track is cursed with a horrible-sounding sample crooning in the back. It grates on the nerves. Jim and Cam rhyme in nearly the same style, and since there’s no wordplay or any lines that jump out at you, it’s hard to focus on their words. (Poor)

5) Let’s Ride ft. JR Writer

Feelin this beat, dangerous-sounding light piano backed by a pretty heavy drum track. An organ or something comes in and backs it up later on in the cut. It’s obviously a Big tribute, since for one, Jones says “RIP Biggie Smalls” at the cut’s start, and for two, he jacks Biggie’s delivery off “Notorious Thugs” and even twists some lyrics from the song in his second verse. Woulda been more impressive if he’d come up with his own flow, but the verse is pretty good (considering he ‘borrowed’ most of the lyrics a la Eminem & Hail Mary ’03); Writer comes on for the third verse, needless to say his flow is less impressive. My problem with Writer is he sounds like a carbon copy of Cam’ron, and this is no exception. (Decent)

6) Certified Gangsta ft. Cam’ron, Bezel

You may have heard this track, and by “may have” I mean “this is the DipSet track you’re probably sick of.” The beat is pretty nice, sounds like more of the same, though the horns that come in during the cut sound out of place. Jones and Bezel rely heavily on the three-syllable scheme while still not really saying anything fantastic, and Cam goes back to his fragmented multi style saying shit like woopty-woo, and “baby I move the drugs right on the computer love, it sounds like computer love.” (Poor)

7) Jamaican Joint ft. Cam’ron, Juelz Santana

Cam’ron jumps right into his childish, nonsensical rap routine. At least the beat is a different flavor, though it’s pretty bad quality. The track is the predictable tribute to weed. Jim’s verse is nicer than on his previous songs. (Poor)

8) End of the Road ft. TI, Bun B

Feelin this piano beat, sounds Kanye-produced by the sound of the squeaky singer in the background, however (s)he’s *****ing annoying as the producer keeps cutting the beginning of the line over and over. TI comes on and rhymes a laid-back, pretty nice verse. Jones is next, more animated this time, his verse is a bit nicer. Somehow the usually-sicc Bun B isn’t very impressive on this joint, due to his basic scheme. (Decent)

9) Shotgun Fire

Finally, a solo cut. Unfortunately, Kanye decided to simply rework his Twista hit Celebrity Overnight; the beat is nowhere near as impressive, and neither are Jones’ lyrics/flow. Dissappointing. Plus the hook is *****in horrible. (Horrible)

10) Capo Status 2nd Take

Jones goes back to the cut from the first beat. The lyrics aren’t quite as impressive, but they’re mostly better than the other cuts so far. (Decent)

11) Lovely Daze (Memory Lane)

A clumsy beat, a light synth track with an utterly out-of-place tuba-sounding instrument in the background. Jim reminisces on street experiences, has some good lines but bars and flow are mostly unimpressive. (Decent)

12) Spanish Fly ft. Chico DeBarge

I’m actually really feelin the beat, something creative for once. It’s a Spanish-styled flute-and-kicks deal, with Chico singin smoothly on the hook. Jones’ flow also breaks out of the monotony here so that he can flow over the more imaginative beat. His lyrics are above average, not his best but definitely not his worst. (Good)

13) Livin Life as a Rider ft. Denise Weeks

Jones’ verses are pretty nice here, the beat is pretty good too, not that it’s very creative, just appealing. Denise Weeks is good on the hook as well. (Good)

14) Twin Towers ft. Bizzy Bone

Yes! With Bizzy comes a nice floaty, piano-styled beat trademark to most Bone Thugs cuts that really lifts this track. Bizzy’s verse is good, usual Bizzy, his flow starts really good but later slows down. Jones’ verse is better overall on this cut as well. His lyrics are more catching, as they actually have a topic. (Good)

15) When Thugs Die

Starts off jacking the first couple lines to Pac’s When We Ride On our Enemies, this is the ever-so-predictable riding song. The beat is pretty good, some xylophone shit with a church bell, but it really just sounds like he was going for a Pac style with the beat as well, and once again I hate the hook. (Decent)

16) This is Gangsta ft. Juelz Santana, Bezel

Feelin the beat, hard to describe but it kinda reminds you of the NFL anthem. Santana’s verses are pretty good (probably since his flow’s more lively). Jones’s flow and lyrics are also better here, though some of his lines seem a little ridiculous (‘Them niggas ask questions and we do not answer,’ oh no! They’re dangerous!) while predictably claiming to be gangsta the whole cut (like it’s something new). Bezel’s verse is pretty nice but again the topic just goes in circles, it gets pretty frustrating. (Good)

17) Crunk Muzik ft. Cam’ron, Juelz Santana

The predictable crunk banger that you knew had to be on the album. The beat, while good, sounds only slightly dissimilar to “Lean Back.” It’s starting to get really, really frustrating how these guys say the same shit every song. Cam’ron’s back to his childish fragmented bullshit. Juelz is decent. (Decent)

18) Bend n Stretch

Well! Another club banger, 2 in a row. This beat isn’t as good, and besides absence of Cam and Juelz that’s really about the only difference. Takes a shot or two at Ma$e on this joint. (Poor)

19) Talking To the World

Sounds the same as most of the previous tracks. The beat is a little lighter, with more complex kicks, and Jones is more animated, somehow alternately showing off his gangsta and wondering why people are trapped in their own hustle. His verses are pretty nice, though. (Decent)

20) Capo Status Final Take

Back again to that one beat. Jones spends most of it talking, but spits a verse in between, which is decent. (Decent)

21) Outro

Back to the church setting for the outro.

My rating: 2.5/5

Listening to this album, it was extremely clichÃ©, predictable and commercial. Jones has skills, if only he’d use wordplay or something sometimes. He’s more boring than Banks is. It seems on most of his collab joints, he follows the mood of the other rapper–Cam’ron’s scheme, for example, or Juelz’ energy, and he’s usually carried by the beat. The album really only has two or three good cuts on it, the rest are boring filler. It was really hard to sit all the way through and try to focus. Plus I can’t imagine why the title is On My Way to Church, since it has nothing to do with church, wisdom or spirituality, just commerciality.

My Recommendation: Download/burn your favorite cuts.

AZ – Final Call

Posted on February 27, 2013 by WWC

Let the phrase “new AZ shit” catch a true hip-hop fan’s ears and he’s in a good mood. Arguably, the Firm’s finest, the only guest on Nas’ undisputed classic Illmatic, one of the most underrated underground NY MC’s around. The flow is smooth, the voice is chill, the lyrics & style are sick..probably the only reason this man has yet to find fame with his friend & rhyme partner, is his tendency to choose horrible beats to rhyme over, but he attempts to correct that with Final Call.

1) Intro ft. Lemon

Just an intro, with some dude named Lemon talking. Lemon lets the crowd know, vividly and persuasively, that the album is going to have a message. One of the best intros to an album I’ve ever heard.

2) Omega

First real track on the album, and the beat is eh. Not a good way to start off the album; even AZ’s verse starts off slow. It picks up, though the beat (soft piano and a soft snare with some chick singing off-key) doesn’t. (Poor)

3) The Truth

The beat is decent, a kickin snare & a funk singer in the background with soft horns in the background. Instead of a chorus, the song is broken periodically by a heated OG talkin about the old days. AZ seems like he’s resting, saving his good shit for later, but he has some good shit here and there. (Good)

4) Seems That Way

A nice beat, really Cali-styled, laid-back. Great cruising song. AZ’s mellow voice and his complex, sicc lyrics really liven the cut, and the hook is good; somehow him talking over it adds something extra. (Great)

5) Talkin’ Gangsta ft. Tony Sunshine

The beat is aight, latin-styled, salsa-ish (complex drums), too simple for me. Tony Sunshine does a good job on the hook, his voice is smooth and catchy. More of a dance track, but AZ comes pretty nice. (Good)

6) Side 2 Side ft. Ron G

Damn. We were on a roll. An 80’s styled dance cut. The beat is pretty wack…AZ’s lyrics are pretty good but really don’t fit the dance vibe, it’s disorienting. Sounds like an Aziatic outtake. (Horrible)

7) You Know ft. Rell

The beat is nice, smooth, has a lounge feeling to it. Rell is smooth as hell, too. AZ comes nice on this while being commercial, a bit like Jay-Z. A lot like Jay-Z. He’s switchin up really well on this track. (Good)

8) No Strings

Aaahh…great. The beat is fire, smooth, but not laid back; AZ comes aggressive on this one, which always makes his flow sound better, and the lyrics are sicc. The chick on the hook is pretty good. (Great)

9) Gangsta MC’s ft. Lemon

Lemon talks his poetry in rhyme style here, he talks to modern “gangsta” rappers. Says some deeeeeep shit like “hip hop has always been about the rusty fork tryina eat like the silver spoon” and “how you know holla isn’t short for hallelujah?”

10) Live Wire

God Damn, I *****in love this beat, jazzy but grimey. It literally sounds like AZ making his own cut for Illmatic; that vintage, flavorful style with the Vizualiza flowing old-school but crazy. (Excellent)

11) Magic Hour ft. C L Smooth

The beat is pretty *****in nice, halting but smooth at the same time. AZ flows and comes sicc on the track as usual, shows his versatility by switchin up styles/schemes here. CL helps bring that smoothness and presence to the joint; shit is good on the beat, good on the flows, good on the lyrics, good as a collab..shit is just *****in good. (Great)

12) I Am AZ

Okay, this is an odd one. The beat is aight, it’s really simple, but AZ just *****ing RIPS IT. Has that sound of a street freestyle on the corner, where the beat is improvised. If more was added to the beat this could become another excellent cut. (Good)

13) Girls R Free

Mmm..AZ tries a new flavor here, with some reggae shit. Him singing on the hook is unacceptable, and the beat kinda sucks. The whole vibe is just weak, AZ’s verses are aight, A’s flow is choppy due to the beat. (Poor)

14) Poor, Poor People ft. Lemon

Lemon does it again, period. “Next time you see a young man wit a criminal record tryinna get a job, hook a brother up cuz that’s the truth behind why he sells crack and why your ass got robbed.”

15) Let Me Know ft. Aaliyah

Over a slow, kinda popish 80’s type jazzy beat AZ rhymes about his life. His rhymes are good, but the beat takes some getting used to. I don’t know why Aaliyah is listed on the track, I think the dude on the hook is singing something she wrote. (Decent)

16) Quiet Money Anthem ft. Nu, Young

This is a nice energetic beat, clapping making up the drum kicks and a string beat makes up the background. Catchy. The hook is pretty catchy too, an anthem as it says, suttin to be bumped in the ride. AZ comes pretty nice, Nu comes aight, Young is aight too. (Good)

My Rating: 3.5/5

AZ is making progress from his last couple of albums, though sadly he has no Nas collab on this one. He still seems to choose wack beats to try to counterpoint his lyrics for some reason, but he doesn’t do it near as often. He has some heavy joints on here, but mostly this is a progress album, not a breakthrough album. Shit that shows what he can do and gets people noticin him again, waiting for the next album (if one’s to come).

My Recommendation: Support AZ, let him know you’re out there, buy his shit. There’s enough good joints on it to make it worth the price, maybe get it on sale, but you’ll be largely satisfied, and wait for the Vizualiza to announce his next project.

Pete Rock – Soul Survivor II

Posted on February 27, 2013 by WWC

Pete Rock. I first heard the name not too long ago, when I found out he’d remixed PE’s Shut ‘Em Down and produced Common – The ***** In You. Pete is a very prolific producer, with a very ’70’s style that is truly soulful and can be nostalgic. He has a talent for picking out fitting MC’s to be on his songs, and since he doesn’t rap often & has a collab on every track that’s a good thing.

1) Truth Is ft. Black Ice

Over a great slow beat with echoey riffs and lazy strums, Black Ice talks his verse, which is pretty nice even with no flow. Kinda makes you feel like Malcom X is talking to you in rhyme, over a beat. (Great)

2) We Good ft. Kardinal Offishal

The beat here is a funky guitar chord, I’m not sure how to describe it but it’s very 70’s. Canadian Kardinal has a good first verse, but his second is much better. (Great)

3) Just Do It ft. Pharoahe Monch

Love this beat, a halting funkified…beat. Again it’s hard do describe, but it has bells and an echoey xylophone(?) chorus. Pharoahe’s verses are, as usual, illness. (Excellent)

4) Give it To Ya ft. Little Brother

The beat is nice, laid-back and soulful as usual but unique in itself. This chorus has someone singing, and Little Brother’s verses are basically fire. (Excellent)

5) It’s the Postaboy ft. Postaboy

This beat is more energetic, chaotic. Postaboy dominates the track, and he’s aight, but his voice gets pretty annoying. (Decent)

6) It’s a Love Thing ft. CL Smooth, Denosh

Pete and CL reunite on this track. It’s a 70’s-style love cut, the beat has horns and that echoey xylophone sound in the background, with a really bumpin base. Smooth’s lyrics are..smooth, and Denosh sings smoothly on the cut as well. The whole cut really has that perfect flavor they were looking for. (Excellent)

7) One MC One DJ ft. Skillz

The beat is again more energetic, this one has samples of James Brown screamin in the background. Skillz’ verses are pretty nice. (Great)

8) Beef ft. Krumbsnatcha

Very laid-back beat, a complex snare with harplike strums and bells in the background, but Krumbsnatcha’s verses are nothin special, except for the last one. At least he rides the beat well…the chorus can get annoying, though. (Good)

9) No Tears ft. Leela James

This cut is about hard times. The beat is nice, base bumpin, more harplike strums that fit Leela James’ soulful, Macy Gray-soundish crooning. Gives a great, laid-back feeling. (Great)

10) Headrush ft. RZA, GZA

YES! A song with Wu-Tang Clan’s head honchos. The beat sounds almost like RZA and Rock collabed on it, like Pete tried to produce a song for a Wu group album. RZA leads off with a pretty nice verse, but GZA’s is better, str8 illy. (Great)

11) Fly Till I Die ft. Talib Kweli, C L Smooth

The beat is smooth, that Kweli-fitting type of ethereal shit that backs his voice great, however it’s a bit stiff after a while. Talib’s verses are some realness, managing in his way to bring conscious rap into the mix of sickness and smoothness. C L Smooth is smooth on the hook, but unfortunately that’s all he does. (Great)

12) Warzone ft. Dead Prez

Dead Prez on a party cut? At first this was a wtf track, but listen and you see what’s being said. Over a great vintage dance beat, Dead Prez rebukes the industry’s major artists going soft on club songs; the style of the song just doesn’t appeal to me, DP is still a bit too commercial for my tastes here and every line ends with “in da club”… (Good)

13) Da Villa ft. Slum Village

The beat is nice, a fade-in horn over soft piano chords and a laid back snare. Slum Village largely comes nice, especially the second & 4th verses. The hook is nothing special, but it really doesn’t matter. (Great)

14) Niggaz Know ft. J-Dilla

This beat seems almost like a PR interpretation of a Dr Dre track, maybe Watcher (pt 1)..actually it’s very similar. It’s not bad, it’s not great. Dilla’s verse isn’t that nice, but his flow is really good. Pete actually raps on this one, maybe his verse was ghosted by J, maybe not. It’s in that moderate area. (Decent)

15) Appreciate ft. C L Smooth

C L returns on this last cut, rapping verses this time. His shit is smooth as usual, sounds a bit like LL on the cut. His flow is good and smooth, lyrics are aight. The beat is a nostalgic type of strummin guitar, I think it’s sampled. (Good)

My Rating: 4.2/5

All in all, Soul Survivor II is a solid followup and largely a really *****in good album. It has few failing points, and even fewer are Pete’s fault. But PR managed to bring out most of hip-hop’s most popular ‘underground’ MC’s from all over the country and out of the country, plus reunite with Smooth a few times, and he pretty much makes it work, showin versatility by crafting beats to match each MC’s/singer’s style.

My Recommendation: If you’re tired of the same old shit, and jus want somethin new, pick this one up; it’s def worth the $$.