What defines a classic record? For a lot of people, it varies. Some people think it comes down to strictly the music and that it needs to be exceptional to be called a classic but in today’s increasingly short attention span and lifespan of an album’s relevancy, it’s hard to really call anything a classic. … Continue reading Best of 2018: Potential Classic Rap Albums
To put it plainly, 2018 was a lot. Parts of my self and sanity were tested because life came around so fast and I didn’t know how to cope in healthy ways. I finished my last semester of undergrad and graduated, got into the best relationship of my life, moved to a new city, and … Continue reading Best of 2018: Tyler’s Top 10 Albums
There is a thirst for Asian voices to be heard in popular media.
Movies are narrative visuals that provide a message or story to not only entertain audiences but convey feelings that can’t just be word vomited. A biopic is a film that conveys this underlying message, but also gives the audience this full bodied figure in a moment of their life. On NØIR, Smino paints his self-portrait … Continue reading Smino – NØIR
Do you remember those nights? C’mon now….you know what I’m talking about, right? Those nights. Alright, let me get you right. You already pregamed with the homies and y’all riding round town, heading to the function. Everybody on one and once you get to the spot, the place already kinda crowded. You get your cup … Continue reading Vince Staples – FM!
“Let’s get back to this boom-bap shit.” One of the opening lines by frequent album narrator and voice actor, Steven Blum, gives us exactly what we're supposed to expect from Logic’s fourth studio album, YSIV. The Baltimore rapper takes a break from creating sci-fi story he’s been expanding the past few albums to get back to … Continue reading Logic – YSIV
*Lighter flick* Welcome to Tha Carter V, ladies and gents. Lil Wayne was a pivotal figure in my childhood and that was without me even being his biggest fan. In 2008, Tha Carter III was released to critical acclaim and massive commercial success. At the time, I was 12 years old and just now really … Continue reading Lil Wayne – Tha Carter V
Smooth. That is the first word that comes to mind when I put on Masego’s debut album, Lady Lady. What else would you expect when the Virginia native describes his sound as “TrapHouseJazz”? It's equal parts relaxing, groovy, and catchy. A pairing that I’m surprised no one came up with sooner, because this project proves … Continue reading Masego – Lady Lady
Love letters have always been used to give their recipient a confirmation or affirmation of love after the sender has been absent or faraway. They are sometimes used to save fading relationships. Salvaging what they can through their words before it’s gone forever. Finding what they had lost. 6LACK (pronounced Black) is trying his best … Continue reading 6LACK – East Atlanta Love Letter
Do you forgive and forget or banish them to cancelation hell?
There’s a question of unwanted visibility and with said visibility, how you choose to use it for yourself and how others might use it against you. Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange, explores these questions in relation to everything under the sun on his fourth studio album, Negro Swan. And I must say, he does so … Continue reading Blood Orange – Negro Swan
So Eminem is back...but what’s new? Seriously, what is new? Now before I get angry and go on a rant about this album, let me get this one thing out. This new record is better than Revival, but Em’s tenth studio album (if you count Infinite), Kamikaze, is the all the pent up rage and … Continue reading Eminem – Kamikaze
Here’s the thing, we really don’t care about our female veterans. And no, I don’t mean our actual women who have served in any type of public force, even though veterans overall are treated like shit and we need to work on that. But no, I’m talking about the women in hip-hop who have paved … Continue reading We Don’t Care Enough About Hip-Hop’s Female Vets
Everyone has their own pace in finding who they are. It’s especially true when someone is finding that out in their art. Some hit the ground running with how they want to sound and go with their art. Others require time to figure out who they want to sound like, while simultaneously sounding like themselves. … Continue reading Ariana Grande – Sweetener
What happens when the crown is threatened? There are many options but Nicki Minaj took one of the worst possible approaches to the problem. She panicked. After putting out her best album, The Pinkprint, she has come back with her worst record thus far. Nicki has always been painted as this artist to be hated … Continue reading Nicki Minaj – Queen
Whose favorite rapper is older than 40? Please raise your hand. Alright, if you did, then odds are that you yourself are an elder statesmen in this rap game. Now this isn’t a diss or attack on you for being older. Trust me. Most people want to be able to get where you’re at. But … Continue reading Hot Take: Rap is a Young Man’s Game
Houston, we have lift-off! I repeat! We have lift-off! The listener has landed on Travis Scott’s third studio album Astroworld. By now, Travis has been known to write and produce hits for all the stars. Eventually, after working with his musical influencer, Kanye West, he became an in-house producer for G.O.O.D. Music. Creating his lane as … Continue reading Travis Scott – Astroworld
“I just need a way out of my head”. When hearing words like this, one can’t help but wonder if the subject of their listening desire is in trouble or not. It’s internalized and not asked immediately because it is being gauged by you, the listener. But after that moment is over, your second question … Continue reading Mac Miller – Swimming
What is growth? Like what actually is it? Is it simple as change or is it something more? The internet defines growth as a "process of developing or maturing physically, mentally, or spiritually". In terms of art, we always ask if an artist is growing in some shape, form, or fashion. Almost as a marker … Continue reading Hot Take: Do We Really Like Growth?
The 6 God has come down from his high Toronto tower after being pushed in the dark by villain Pusha T. Like Batman after getting his back broken, the hometown hero had to retreat to lick his wounds and come back to the light to face the enemy that was Twitter timelines and his own … Continue reading Drake – Scorpion
When this time of year rolls around, there’s always the argument for the “song of the summer”. The song that controls radio waves and playlists for the short, scorching three months of excessive traveling, beaches, barbeques, drugs and sex, until we get to our regularly scheduled lives and the leaves start changing color. But with … Continue reading The Internet – Hive Mind
Better late than never, right? Never late might’ve been better in this case. That’s been the general consensus when it came to most of the projects in Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music releases. Who knew we were getting the real hidden gem of the projects at the very end? The project that had the most musical range … Continue reading Teyana Taylor – K.T.S.E.
Riffs & Rhymes 