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1 1. Has-Lo In Case I Don't Make It

A dark and haunting album. Has-Lo captures life's struggles, but does it so in a manner that is still straight up dusty and dirty hip hop. The beats sounds like they were made in a grimey basement while Has conjures up vivid images with his lyrics. A couple slow spots, but songs like "Kinetic Energy", "Build Jewlez" and "Storm Clouds", cause this effort to shine.



6/10/19 Update/Revisit



One of the best lost jewels of the decade is "In Case I Don't Make It". I've bumped this album probably as much as any album the past 20 years. It's aged gracefully over time, and even though my life doesn't relate to the music as much as it did back in 2011, it's still an album that remains personal to me on many levels and for many reasons. It's truly one of the best albums of this decade, not to mention even this century.



Rating: 4.5



Favorite Tracks:

Uetro

Build Jewelz

Everything Is

Fiber Optics

Kinetic Energy

Limit

Untitled #1

Sub-Ether

Storm Clouds

Subliminal Oppression

In Case I Don't Make It

A dark and haunting album. Has-Lo captures life's struggles, but does it so in a manner that is still straight up dusty and dirty hip hop. The beats sounds like they were made in a grimey basement while Has conjures up vivid images with his lyrics. A couple slow spots, but songs like "Kinetic Energy", "Build Jewlez" and "Storm Clouds", cause this effort to shine.



6/10/19 Update/Revisit



One of the best lost jewels of the decade is "In Case I Don't Make It". I've bumped this album probably as much as any album the past 20 years. It's aged gracefully over time, and even though my life doesn't relate to the music as much as it did back in 2011, it's still an album that remains personal to me on many levels and for many reasons. It's truly one of the best albums of this decade, not to mention even this century.



Rating: 4.5



Favorite Tracks:

Uetro

Build Jewelz

Everything Is

Fiber Optics

Kinetic Energy

Limit

Untitled #1

Sub-Ether

Storm Clouds

Subliminal Oppression

In Case I Don't Make It

2 2. The Roots undun

I'm not even sure how I should feel about The Roots latest endevour, undun. On one hand, the sung hooks are boring and flat on the majority of the songs, the beats are ho-hum, and it just feels like Black Thought is handcuffed to the style that The Roots are employing on the last couple of projects. On other hand, if you look past wanting a hip hop album in the true sense and just appreciate the music, undun is done beautifully. The concept is creative and well done. Basically, the album can not be judged as pieces but as a whole. The first listen, I didn't like it. The second listen I was amazed after I understood what it was they were shooting for. Since then, it's been a teetering back and forth affair. This has about a month to find a spot on this list and it can either rise or fall...



Update/Revisit (6/11/19)

The past eight years since The Roots' "undun" was released, I've been amazed at the beauty and complexity of this album. Even a few weeks/months after I wrote about this on the original list, this album grew on me quickly. It's still better for it to be judged as a whole piece, but there are some pieces associated with this. I do think stuff like this holds Black Thought back as an emcee (listen to his EP's from 2018), but while isn't getting all lyrical miracle on us, he is still a solid cog in why this album is so damn good. This is one of the last albums I sat down and listened to daily for months on end, it was nice to revisit this.



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Tracks:

Sleep

Make My

One Time

Kool On

The OtherSide

Stomp

Lighthouse

TIp the Scale

I'm not even sure how I should feel about The Roots latest endevour, undun. On one hand, the sung hooks are boring and flat on the majority of the songs, the beats are ho-hum, and it just feels like Black Thought is handcuffed to the style that The Roots are employing on the last couple of projects. On other hand, if you look past wanting a hip hop album in the true sense and just appreciate the music, undun is done beautifully. The concept is creative and well done. Basically, the album can not be judged as pieces but as a whole. The first listen, I didn't like it. The second listen I was amazed after I understood what it was they were shooting for. Since then, it's been a teetering back and forth affair. This has about a month to find a spot on this list and it can either rise or fall...



Update/Revisit (6/11/19)

The past eight years since The Roots' "undun" was released, I've been amazed at the beauty and complexity of this album. Even a few weeks/months after I wrote about this on the original list, this album grew on me quickly. It's still better for it to be judged as a whole piece, but there are some pieces associated with this. I do think stuff like this holds Black Thought back as an emcee (listen to his EP's from 2018), but while isn't getting all lyrical miracle on us, he is still a solid cog in why this album is so damn good. This is one of the last albums I sat down and listened to daily for months on end, it was nice to revisit this.



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Tracks:

Sleep

Make My

One Time

Kool On

The OtherSide

Stomp

Lighthouse

TIp the Scale

3 3. CunninLynguists Oneirology

Cunninlynguists are about as consistent as they come. "Oneirology" is what you come to expect of a CL album; powerful deliveries from Deacon and Natti (with some subtle support on the mic from Kno once again) and beautiful, intricate production from Kno. What is somewhat different is the the occasional over production at times on this album. This is definitely a mood album, meaning you will have to be in a certain mood to truly get the full enjoyment out of it. Like the past couple CL albums, this will likely grow on me through out the year and it has. "Oneirology" is just straight up beautiful music.



6/26/19 Update/Revisit

"Oneirology" still ranks as the second best CL album in my book, and just maybe their most consistent. Coming back to it after not really listening to it as a whole in a while, I almost got a sense that it was too consistent. Really, all I'm doing is nitpicking, as the album is top notch and the production might just be Kno's career highlight. The mood conveyed in the music is something rarely felt in a hip hop album, one of the few albums in a genre that usually uses male braggadocio, sex, and violence (which I'm good with). Yes, "Oneirology" is still a highlight of the decade.



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Tracks:

Predormitum (Prologue)

Darkness (Dream On)

Phantasmata

Hard as They Come (Act I)

Murder (Act II)

My Habit (I Haven't Changed)

Get Ignorant

Shattered Dreams

Enemies With Benefits

Looking Back

Cunninlynguists are about as consistent as they come. "Oneirology" is what you come to expect of a CL album; powerful deliveries from Deacon and Natti (with some subtle support on the mic from Kno once again) and beautiful, intricate production from Kno. What is somewhat different is the the occasional over production at times on this album. This is definitely a mood album, meaning you will have to be in a certain mood to truly get the full enjoyment out of it. Like the past couple CL albums, this will likely grow on me through out the year and it has. "Oneirology" is just straight up beautiful music.



6/26/19 Update/Revisit

"Oneirology" still ranks as the second best CL album in my book, and just maybe their most consistent. Coming back to it after not really listening to it as a whole in a while, I almost got a sense that it was too consistent. Really, all I'm doing is nitpicking, as the album is top notch and the production might just be Kno's career highlight. The mood conveyed in the music is something rarely felt in a hip hop album, one of the few albums in a genre that usually uses male braggadocio, sex, and violence (which I'm good with). Yes, "Oneirology" is still a highlight of the decade.



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Tracks:

Predormitum (Prologue)

Darkness (Dream On)

Phantasmata

Hard as They Come (Act I)

Murder (Act II)

My Habit (I Haven't Changed)

Get Ignorant

Shattered Dreams

Enemies With Benefits

Looking Back

4 4. IMAKEMADBEATS IMAKEMADBEATS

Sometimes albums take a bit to grow on me, but when they do, I just crave listening to them. IMAKEMADBEATS' debut solo project took off for me after a week or so listening to it. IMMB doesn't have that signature producer sound, but in some ways that's the beauty of this project. It's diverse, yet not too scattered. Some of the beats are straight up amazing and I really don't have a song on here that I don't like. The emcees, especially Midaz the Beast bring their A-game to the mic, making this a great album.



6/17/19 Revisit

Going back to one of my favorite albums of the decade, IMAKEMADBEATS solo debut is mad slept on, and it might not be for everyone, and it might just be that album that was there for me at the right time. Listening to it for the first time in awhile, at first I was kind of wondering what I saw in the project, but within three songs, I found myself nodding my head to beats that I loved and remembering some prime lines from a variety of emcees. I used to run five miles a day and this album was often my soundtrack for my daily runs, so I got very into this album. The feeling, the attitude (even some anger) made my adrenaline flow during those runs and it did the same thing this time. I'm aware I'm in the minority of championing this album, but it still does it for me



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Tracks:

The Same

What It's Gonna Be

365

Heard of Me

Revenge NYCE

Corporate N Gommorah

I Bet

Spazz

Are You Ready

IMAKDEMADBEATS

Heard of Me (Dirty Socks Remix)

Science Eq

Return With a Mask On

Sometimes albums take a bit to grow on me, but when they do, I just crave listening to them. IMAKEMADBEATS' debut solo project took off for me after a week or so listening to it. IMMB doesn't have that signature producer sound, but in some ways that's the beauty of this project. It's diverse, yet not too scattered. Some of the beats are straight up amazing and I really don't have a song on here that I don't like. The emcees, especially Midaz the Beast bring their A-game to the mic, making this a great album.



6/17/19 Revisit

Going back to one of my favorite albums of the decade, IMAKEMADBEATS solo debut is mad slept on, and it might not be for everyone, and it might just be that album that was there for me at the right time. Listening to it for the first time in awhile, at first I was kind of wondering what I saw in the project, but within three songs, I found myself nodding my head to beats that I loved and remembering some prime lines from a variety of emcees. I used to run five miles a day and this album was often my soundtrack for my daily runs, so I got very into this album. The feeling, the attitude (even some anger) made my adrenaline flow during those runs and it did the same thing this time. I'm aware I'm in the minority of championing this album, but it still does it for me



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Tracks:

The Same

What It's Gonna Be

365

Heard of Me

Revenge NYCE

Corporate N Gommorah

I Bet

Spazz

Are You Ready

IMAKDEMADBEATS

Heard of Me (Dirty Socks Remix)

Science Eq

Return With a Mask On

5 5. Elzhi

Will Sessions Elzhi With Will Sessions Elmatic

It's official, Elzhi is my new favorite Detroit emcee. Detroit is still killing it and Elzhi should be the king of D-town. I'm not usually fond of remakes in hip hop, but I'll be damned if El didn't make a project that is worthy of being in the same league as it's original, Illmatic. Elzhi just takes the tracks and turns them into his own, with a very creative and very original twist. I'm not saying this is better than Illmatic, but it's every bit as enjoyable as the original, especially in this day and age.



7/9/19

Elzhi is still one of the best emcees to come out of Detroit. He did Nas' "Illmatic" justice with this "mixtape" of sorts, and it could have been a real disaster, covering one of the greatest albums of all times. It holds up, and I probably have any more appreciation for what El does vocally and what Will Sessions does with the beats. They walked a fine line and they conquered the task with flying colors.



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Songs:

Detroit State of Mind

Memory Lane

The World Is Yours

Represent

Life's a Bitch

One Love

It's official, Elzhi is my new favorite Detroit emcee. Detroit is still killing it and Elzhi should be the king of D-town. I'm not usually fond of remakes in hip hop, but I'll be damned if El didn't make a project that is worthy of being in the same league as it's original, Illmatic. Elzhi just takes the tracks and turns them into his own, with a very creative and very original twist. I'm not saying this is better than Illmatic, but it's every bit as enjoyable as the original, especially in this day and age.



7/9/19

Elzhi is still one of the best emcees to come out of Detroit. He did Nas' "Illmatic" justice with this "mixtape" of sorts, and it could have been a real disaster, covering one of the greatest albums of all times. It holds up, and I probably have any more appreciation for what El does vocally and what Will Sessions does with the beats. They walked a fine line and they conquered the task with flying colors.



Rating: 4.25



Favorite Songs:

Detroit State of Mind

Memory Lane

The World Is Yours

Represent

Life's a Bitch

One Love

6 6. Evidence Cats & Dogs

Evidence does it again. My big problem with Dilated Peoples was there wasn't much variation on the group's sound. They were good, but it all sounded the same after awhile. That's not an issue on Ev's second solo venture as he brings a bunch of dope beats and just does his thing over them. It's a very relistenable album for me.



Revisit 11/8/19

Is it me, or does Evidence make better albums as a solo artist than he does as apart of Dilated Peoples? I like Dilated, don't get me wrong, it's just that Ev makes his solo albums sound much more varied than the earlier Dilated albums. On "Cats & Dogs", Ev also gets a healthy dose of Alchemist beats, which is a good thing as Ev and Alc work well together. While "Cats & Dogs" may be lacking that really strong stand out track (see; "Mr Slow Flow", "Jim Dean") that his first and third album contained, but instead there is a strong cache of "really good" tracks, stuff that I can listen to over and over. While the production is varied, it's still stuff you expect to hear on a Evidence album. A strong album all around.



Rating: 4.0



Favorite Tracks:

The Liner Notes

Strangers

The Red Carpet

It Wasn't Me

I Don't Need Love

You

Late for the Sky

Where You Come From?

To Be Continued...

Falling Down

The Epilogue

Evidence does it again. My big problem with Dilated Peoples was there wasn't much variation on the group's sound. They were good, but it all sounded the same after awhile. That's not an issue on Ev's second solo venture as he brings a bunch of dope beats and just does his thing over them. It's a very relistenable album for me.



Revisit 11/8/19

Is it me, or does Evidence make better albums as a solo artist than he does as apart of Dilated Peoples? I like Dilated, don't get me wrong, it's just that Ev makes his solo albums sound much more varied than the earlier Dilated albums. On "Cats & Dogs", Ev also gets a healthy dose of Alchemist beats, which is a good thing as Ev and Alc work well together. While "Cats & Dogs" may be lacking that really strong stand out track (see; "Mr Slow Flow", "Jim Dean") that his first and third album contained, but instead there is a strong cache of "really good" tracks, stuff that I can listen to over and over. While the production is varied, it's still stuff you expect to hear on a Evidence album. A strong album all around.



Rating: 4.0



Favorite Tracks:

The Liner Notes

Strangers

The Red Carpet

It Wasn't Me

I Don't Need Love

You

Late for the Sky

Where You Come From?

To Be Continued...

Falling Down

The Epilogue

7 7. J-Live S.P.T.A. (Said Person of That Ability)

Note: Only rating the album, not the EP "bonus tracks".



J-Live is something of an underground legend and for good reason. His triple threat persona (DJ, Producer and Emcee) is earned on "S.P.T.A" and he does all three with perciseness, even though his production credits on the album are limited to four tracks. Basically, while I've always liked J-Live, I wasn't expecting just how dope this album would be. The beats are all on point, even the one or two "slow jams." The producer line up brings the heat, with some very melodic to boom bap feel happening on the beats. Lyrically, J-Live had me going back and wondering if he really said that. All in all, this is a very cohesive album that had me going back and listening three straight times, it's just that good.



Revisit 7/9/19



Going back to "S.P.T.A.", I was kind of looking forward to it, while I really liked the album back in 2011, I can't recall listening to it since then. That says something in it's self, but sometimes things get lost in the shuffle, and it seems like I remember getting to this album back toward the end of 2011, when things get forgotten quickly in the rush to listen to stuff before the year ends. The album is still pretty good, but it felt like there was a fall off in quality after about track seven. When I say fall off, when you fall off from great tracks, to simply just good tracks, it's not that bad. The album just starts off so strongly, that it was going to be hard keeping up that pace for a full 13 tracks.



Rating: 4.0



Favorite Tracks:

From Scratch

The Authentic

Watch Sun Watch

How I Feel Pt. 3

The Me and You

No Time To Waste

Great Expectations

Home Or Away (Remix)

Note: Only rating the album, not the EP "bonus tracks".



J-Live is something of an underground legend and for good reason. His triple threat persona (DJ, Producer and Emcee) is earned on "S.P.T.A" and he does all three with perciseness, even though his production credits on the album are limited to four tracks. Basically, while I've always liked J-Live, I wasn't expecting just how dope this album would be. The beats are all on point, even the one or two "slow jams." The producer line up brings the heat, with some very melodic to boom bap feel happening on the beats. Lyrically, J-Live had me going back and wondering if he really said that. All in all, this is a very cohesive album that had me going back and listening three straight times, it's just that good.



Revisit 7/9/19



Going back to "S.P.T.A.", I was kind of looking forward to it, while I really liked the album back in 2011, I can't recall listening to it since then. That says something in it's self, but sometimes things get lost in the shuffle, and it seems like I remember getting to this album back toward the end of 2011, when things get forgotten quickly in the rush to listen to stuff before the year ends. The album is still pretty good, but it felt like there was a fall off in quality after about track seven. When I say fall off, when you fall off from great tracks, to simply just good tracks, it's not that bad. The album just starts off so strongly, that it was going to be hard keeping up that pace for a full 13 tracks.



Rating: 4.0



Favorite Tracks:

From Scratch

The Authentic

Watch Sun Watch

How I Feel Pt. 3

The Me and You

No Time To Waste

Great Expectations

Home Or Away (Remix)

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8 8. Hassaan Mackey & Apollo Brown Daily Bread

I don't remember liking Hassaan Mackey on the Rawkus 50 promo project four years ago. Acutally I don't remember much about that album at all to be fair. What great beats will do for you, such as found "Daily Bread" project with Apollo Brown, is make people reember you. Of course being backed by one of the top 5 producers currently throwing it down helps as well. Again, Apollo crafts an album that is full of melodic and hard beats that just sound lovely in the headphones. Hasaan Mackey is actually very good on the mic as he tackles a diverse list of subjects and does it well.



Revisit (7/12/19)



Apollo Brown is a hard guy to judge when going back to his past work. Let me start by saying, I LIKE Apollo Brown, and I really liked him in the early stages of his career. But somewhere around 2012-13, his sound started getting stale and repetitive. "Daily Bread" came out before that started happening, but it's still a sound that I've heard a million times out of Apollo. Yet, I still quite like "Daily Bread". Someone else mentioned that it sounds like The Left "Gas Mask" leftovers, and it does, which is cool cause I loved that album (despite the mediocre rapping) and still do to this day. Hassaan Mackey is a forgettable emcee, obviously because I kind of forgot about this album, but he still does enough not to distract from the vibe. I still keep this album ranked high, maybe not a classic, but for a year that was so-so, this stands out enough to get some shine.



Rating: 4.0



Favorite Tracks:

Volume

Something

Dollar Bill Hill

Weak Don't Do

Mackey's Lament

Higher

The Note

I don't remember liking Hassaan Mackey on the Rawkus 50 promo project four years ago. Acutally I don't remember much about that album at all to be fair. What great beats will do for you, such as found "Daily Bread" project with Apollo Brown, is make people reember you. Of course being backed by one of the top 5 producers currently throwing it down helps as well. Again, Apollo crafts an album that is full of melodic and hard beats that just sound lovely in the headphones. Hasaan Mackey is actually very good on the mic as he tackles a diverse list of subjects and does it well.



Revisit (7/12/19)



Apollo Brown is a hard guy to judge when going back to his past work. Let me start by saying, I LIKE Apollo Brown, and I really liked him in the early stages of his career. But somewhere around 2012-13, his sound started getting stale and repetitive. "Daily Bread" came out before that started happening, but it's still a sound that I've heard a million times out of Apollo. Yet, I still quite like "Daily Bread". Someone else mentioned that it sounds like The Left "Gas Mask" leftovers, and it does, which is cool cause I loved that album (despite the mediocre rapping) and still do to this day. Hassaan Mackey is a forgettable emcee, obviously because I kind of forgot about this album, but he still does enough not to distract from the vibe. I still keep this album ranked high, maybe not a classic, but for a year that was so-so, this stands out enough to get some shine.



Rating: 4.0



Favorite Tracks:

Volume

Something

Dollar Bill Hill

Weak Don't Do

Mackey's Lament

Higher

The Note

9 9. The Doppelgangaz Lone Sharks

"Lone Sharks" is some straight up throw back boom bap NYC type shit. If you still like your beats with that dusty, scratchy flava, then the Doppelgangaz are definitely for you. For me, it's nice to hear quality boom bap again, although it can get a little stale after too many listens. Still one of the better releases of the year though.



(Revisit 8/2/19)

Back in 2011, "Lone Sharks" was the first exposure I had to The Doppelgangaz music, so at the time I didn't know the Doppel formula and what it would become. They definitely follow a sound that is found on almost ever project they do. Over time, they have perfected that sound quite a bit. But with "Lone Sharks", they were still perfecting their craft. The album did produce possibly their greatest song to date in "Doppel Gospel". It's an album that is inconsistent, but if you like their sound, you should like this album.



Rating: 3.75



Favorite Tracks:

Nexium

Get 'Em

Doppel Gospel

Dumpster Driving

Like What Like Me

Lush

At Night

Suppository

"Lone Sharks" is some straight up throw back boom bap NYC type shit. If you still like your beats with that dusty, scratchy flava, then the Doppelgangaz are definitely for you. For me, it's nice to hear quality boom bap again, although it can get a little stale after too many listens. Still one of the better releases of the year though.



(Revisit 8/2/19)

Back in 2011, "Lone Sharks" was the first exposure I had to The Doppelgangaz music, so at the time I didn't know the Doppel formula and what it would become. They definitely follow a sound that is found on almost ever project they do. Over time, they have perfected that sound quite a bit. But with "Lone Sharks", they were still perfecting their craft. The album did produce possibly their greatest song to date in "Doppel Gospel". It's an album that is inconsistent, but if you like their sound, you should like this album.



Rating: 3.75



Favorite Tracks:

Nexium

Get 'Em

Doppel Gospel

Dumpster Driving

Like What Like Me

Lush

At Night

Suppository

10 10. Grip Grand & DJ MF Shalem Rewinder

Grip Grand's highly slept on "Brokelore" was my second favorite hip hop album of 2008, so this album was something I was looking forward to. I must say, Grip didn't disappoint. The main difference between "Brokelore" and "Rewinder" is DJ MF Shalem handles the production chores on this one, while Grip did most (if not all) of the production on the 2008 joint. Grip is a straight up purist in his delivery and topics and Shalem's production backs that right up. Don't get it twisted though, it's old school that still sounds fresh. It's definitely music for the 70's/80's b-boy's that came up through the golden age.



11/12/19 Revisit

I hadn't heard this in quite awhile as 2011 is one of those years that got lost in the shuffle of the decade for various reasons. Going back to it now, it sounds more dated than it did in 2011. Not that it's a horrible thing, but it's an album that you will need to be in a certain mood to listen to. If you want the modern sound, then "Rewinder" will not satisfy your thirst. They do the throw back style nicely though, and with groups making a career off this type of thing (PUTS, The Good People), there is obviously an audience for this type of hip hop (which I'm apart of). It's an old school sounding album that is done well.



Rating: 3.75



1. Rewinder - 4.0

2. Y'all Fail 3.5

3. I Go Numb 3.0

4. Flat Top Rules 3.5

5. Suckers 4.0

6. Rap Shit 3.5

7. Break It 4.0

8. Red Alert 3.5

9 Pause

10. Go Outside 4.0

11. Aye Aye Aye 4.0

12. Game Changer 3.5

13. Listen Up 4.0

Grip Grand's highly slept on "Brokelore" was my second favorite hip hop album of 2008, so this album was something I was looking forward to. I must say, Grip didn't disappoint. The main difference between "Brokelore" and "Rewinder" is DJ MF Shalem handles the production chores on this one, while Grip did most (if not all) of the production on the 2008 joint. Grip is a straight up purist in his delivery and topics and Shalem's production backs that right up. Don't get it twisted though, it's old school that still sounds fresh. It's definitely music for the 70's/80's b-boy's that came up through the golden age.



11/12/19 Revisit

I hadn't heard this in quite awhile as 2011 is one of those years that got lost in the shuffle of the decade for various reasons. Going back to it now, it sounds more dated than it did in 2011. Not that it's a horrible thing, but it's an album that you will need to be in a certain mood to listen to. If you want the modern sound, then "Rewinder" will not satisfy your thirst. They do the throw back style nicely though, and with groups making a career off this type of thing (PUTS, The Good People), there is obviously an audience for this type of hip hop (which I'm apart of). It's an old school sounding album that is done well.



Rating: 3.75



1. Rewinder - 4.0

2. Y'all Fail 3.5

3. I Go Numb 3.0

4. Flat Top Rules 3.5

5. Suckers 4.0

6. Rap Shit 3.5

7. Break It 4.0

8. Red Alert 3.5

9 Pause

10. Go Outside 4.0

11. Aye Aye Aye 4.0

12. Game Changer 3.5

13. Listen Up 4.0

11 11. Atmosphere The Family Sign

While I'm still getting my bearings on Atmosphere's latest opus, my initial reaction is somewhat of disappointment. I'm usually a big fan of Slug and Ant's music, but so far I'm having a hard time connecting with the music found on "The Family Sign". I think it's more the beats/music that is lacking for me. Ant went from being a master with the samples, but it seems like he has been handcuffed the last couple studio albums. I've enjoyed the EPs and bootleg albums more so far than I have with this album. Things could change the more familiar I get with the album.



Revisit 10/15/19

Some eight years after this album dropped, it's still one of my least favorite Atmosphere albums. I think Ant and Slug were experimenting with their sound, so we get lots of steel guitars and live instrumentation. Some of it works, some of it doesn't. It causes some issue with what Slug is trying to say, he sounds tired and uninspired, a criticism that I've seen used before with Atmosphere's music from this decade. The whole mood of the album just doesn't seem to change much, and I'm not sure if that's something that I'm just hung up on or what. It's fairly somber most of the way through and while the beats change, they still "feel" the same. And I like most of the songs, but it's just not an album I like to sit and listen to from front to back. The subject matter is diverse and interesting, still somewhat "emo-ish" compared to traditional hip hop, but that's why Atmosphere is liked. All in all, it's a fairly decent album, just something I need to be in the mood for.



Rating: 3.75



Favorite Tracks:

My Key

Became

She's Enough

Millennium Dodo

Who I'll Never Be

Ain't Nobody

Your Name Here

While I'm still getting my bearings on Atmosphere's latest opus, my initial reaction is somewhat of disappointment. I'm usually a big fan of Slug and Ant's music, but so far I'm having a hard time connecting with the music found on "The Family Sign". I think it's more the beats/music that is lacking for me. Ant went from being a master with the samples, but it seems like he has been handcuffed the last couple studio albums. I've enjoyed the EPs and bootleg albums more so far than I have with this album. Things could change the more familiar I get with the album.



Revisit 10/15/19

Some eight years after this album dropped, it's still one of my least favorite Atmosphere albums. I think Ant and Slug were experimenting with their sound, so we get lots of steel guitars and live instrumentation. Some of it works, some of it doesn't. It causes some issue with what Slug is trying to say, he sounds tired and uninspired, a criticism that I've seen used before with Atmosphere's music from this decade. The whole mood of the album just doesn't seem to change much, and I'm not sure if that's something that I'm just hung up on or what. It's fairly somber most of the way through and while the beats change, they still "feel" the same. And I like most of the songs, but it's just not an album I like to sit and listen to from front to back. The subject matter is diverse and interesting, still somewhat "emo-ish" compared to traditional hip hop, but that's why Atmosphere is liked. All in all, it's a fairly decent album, just something I need to be in the mood for.



Rating: 3.75



Favorite Tracks:

My Key

Became

She's Enough

Millennium Dodo

Who I'll Never Be

Ain't Nobody

Your Name Here

12 12. Qwazaar & Batsauce Bat Meets Blaine

After a release of an excellent EP, which those tracks were left off of this project, Qwazaar and Batsauce release a full fledged project. Following the path of the successful EP, the album brings the unique and dominating voice of Qwazaar and combines it with Bat's familiar yet creative loops. This album has grown on me in the past couple weeks to become one of my favorite projects of the year. The pair have a great chemistry together.



8/15/19 (Revisit)

I haven't really listened to "Bat Meets Blaine" since it came out in '11. I've a huge fan of Batsauce on the beats, was then and still am now. The beats on this album are top notch and enjoyable, some good stuff, even if not overly "Traditional". I remember this being a hard project for me to get into initially and honestly, the only reason that I gave it the chance that I did was because of Batsauce's involvement and beats. Once it clicked though, I loved it. Going back to it some seven plus years later, I still heard the same things that I enjoyed, but I think Qwazaar is just difficult for me to take in large doses. He's talented, but something makes him a chore to listen to for me. That said, there is still enough on here to make this a very good album.



Rating: 3.75



Favorite Tracks:

I Know

What Love

Chop Em Down

Never Weaker

I'm Gone

Til It's Done

After a release of an excellent EP, which those tracks were left off of this project, Qwazaar and Batsauce release a full fledged project. Following the path of the successful EP, the album brings the unique and dominating voice of Qwazaar and combines it with Bat's familiar yet creative loops. This album has grown on me in the past couple weeks to become one of my favorite projects of the year. The pair have a great chemistry together.



8/15/19 (Revisit)

I haven't really listened to "Bat Meets Blaine" since it came out in '11. I've a huge fan of Batsauce on the beats, was then and still am now. The beats on this album are top notch and enjoyable, some good stuff, even if not overly "Traditional". I remember this being a hard project for me to get into initially and honestly, the only reason that I gave it the chance that I did was because of Batsauce's involvement and beats. Once it clicked though, I loved it. Going back to it some seven plus years later, I still heard the same things that I enjoyed, but I think Qwazaar is just difficult for me to take in large doses. He's talented, but something makes him a chore to listen to for me. That said, there is still enough on here to make this a very good album.



Rating: 3.75



Favorite Tracks:

I Know

What Love

Chop Em Down

Never Weaker

I'm Gone

Til It's Done

13 13. Roc Marciano

Gangrene

The Alchemist

Oh No Roc Marciano The Alchemist + Oh No (Gangrene) Greneberg

Mixing together three great artists for one EP has disaster written all over it. After all, how often do "super" groups ever really work? Well, no fear hear as one of my current NYC emcees team up with Alchemist, who has a proven track record that spans many years is the hip hop field and Oh No, who do I dare say is just as good as his older brother, Madlib? That said, while the Marcberg from Roc was one of the best albums of that year, Gangrene's album was a disappointment, albeit still good. Putting these three together though, damn, watch out. I don't know all the ins and outs of who did what and how each track is correlated to one another, but Roc's tracks are just as good as anything found on his Marcberg album and Gangrene do a good job at delivering what I thought the album would have sounded like in the first place. Great project from these guys.



Rating: 3.5



Favorite Tracks

Momma Told Me

Jet Luggage

Paper Cuts

Mixing together three great artists for one EP has disaster written all over it. After all, how often do "super" groups ever really work? Well, no fear hear as one of my current NYC emcees team up with Alchemist, who has a proven track record that spans many years is the hip hop field and Oh No, who do I dare say is just as good as his older brother, Madlib? That said, while the Marcberg from Roc was one of the best albums of that year, Gangrene's album was a disappointment, albeit still good. Putting these three together though, damn, watch out. I don't know all the ins and outs of who did what and how each track is correlated to one another, but Roc's tracks are just as good as anything found on his Marcberg album and Gangrene do a good job at delivering what I thought the album would have sounded like in the first place. Great project from these guys.



Rating: 3.5



Favorite Tracks

Momma Told Me

Jet Luggage

Paper Cuts

14 14. Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

The Beasties were one of the groups that attracted me to hip hop in the first place way back in 86. I tend to pay attention to any release they drop. "To The Five Boroughs" was the first Beasties album that I can honestly say did nothing for me. "Hot Sauce Committee" on the other hand is starting to grown on me after an initial slow start. It's got an old school flavor (which I guess to some people might sound "innovative") but with some added twists that make it a Beasties track. All in all I can see this album growing on me.



Revisit 10/15/19

This last Beastie Boys album never did connect with me for whatever reason. I don't dislike, but besides a few tracks, none of it is overly memorable. Since it's the Beasties, I feel like I should love this album, but I don't. It's got an old school/lo-fi feel and sound to it. The Beasties will never be revered for their lyrical prowess. They do what they do best, and that's have fun with it. "House Sauce Committee Part Two" isn't bad, it's fun and unique but something I don't return to much.



Rating: 3.5



Favorite Tracks:

Make Some Noise

Too Many Rappers

Say It

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win

Crazy Ass Shit

The Beasties were one of the groups that attracted me to hip hop in the first place way back in 86. I tend to pay attention to any release they drop. "To The Five Boroughs" was the first Beasties album that I can honestly say did nothing for me. "Hot Sauce Committee" on the other hand is starting to grown on me after an initial slow start. It's got an old school flavor (which I guess to some people might sound "innovative") but with some added twists that make it a Beasties track. All in all I can see this album growing on me.



Revisit 10/15/19

This last Beastie Boys album never did connect with me for whatever reason. I don't dislike, but besides a few tracks, none of it is overly memorable. Since it's the Beasties, I feel like I should love this album, but I don't. It's got an old school/lo-fi feel and sound to it. The Beasties will never be revered for their lyrical prowess. They do what they do best, and that's have fun with it. "House Sauce Committee Part Two" isn't bad, it's fun and unique but something I don't return to much.



Rating: 3.5



Favorite Tracks:

Make Some Noise

Too Many Rappers

Say It

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win

Crazy Ass Shit

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15 15. DJ JS-1 Ground Original 3: No One Cares

These producer albums, such as DJ JS-1's "Ground Original 3: No One Cares", are fun listens, but are usually nothing more than the equivalent of a high carb, low nutrition snack. Meaning, it looks good, and it might be a decent listen, but there are really no long term benefits. On GO3, the guest list is long and distinguished, with the who's who of emcees around the beginning of the decade. Usually on these type of projects, the emcees dial in their performances, not wanting to use special verses, but that said, while no one stands out above the pack, there are some entertaining performances turned in. The OC track in particular stands out, as he is one that has had some of his best tracks on projects such as GO3. Tonedeff is another emcee that seems to have done a track that could have been on his own album. The production ranges from your generic run of the mill boom bap to a few surprisingly fresh beats here and there. Most of the production is just average, carried by the plethora of emcees, but it doesn't distract much from the overall package. Too many tracks (22 in all) and to real flow to be found as far as a complete package are what hampers this attempt. It's got several good songs, but with 22 tracks, who would hope for that at least. It's your typical producer album, it highlights who JS knows and what he is capable of behind the boards, but in the ends it's fairly forgettable.



Rating: 3.5



Favorite Tracks:

Reppin' NY

Compositionz

Doin' This

Hung Over

Life?Word

Puttin' Words Together

Murder the DJ

Last To Know

These producer albums, such as DJ JS-1's "Ground Original 3: No One Cares", are fun listens, but are usually nothing more than the equivalent of a high carb, low nutrition snack. Meaning, it looks good, and it might be a decent listen, but there are really no long term benefits. On GO3, the guest list is long and distinguished, with the who's who of emcees around the beginning of the decade. Usually on these type of projects, the emcees dial in their performances, not wanting to use special verses, but that said, while no one stands out above the pack, there are some entertaining performances turned in. The OC track in particular stands out, as he is one that has had some of his best tracks on projects such as GO3. Tonedeff is another emcee that seems to have done a track that could have been on his own album. The production ranges from your generic run of the mill boom bap to a few surprisingly fresh beats here and there. Most of the production is just average, carried by the plethora of emcees, but it doesn't distract much from the overall package. Too many tracks (22 in all) and to real flow to be found as far as a complete package are what hampers this attempt. It's got several good songs, but with 22 tracks, who would hope for that at least. It's your typical producer album, it highlights who JS knows and what he is capable of behind the boards, but in the ends it's fairly forgettable.



Rating: 3.5



Favorite Tracks:

Reppin' NY

Compositionz

Doin' This

Hung Over

Life?Word

Puttin' Words Together

Murder the DJ

Last To Know

16 16. Zilla Rocca Nights & Weekends

Zilla Rocca has improved in leaps and bounds over the last couple years, both behind the mic and behind the boards. On "Nights & Weekends", Zilla brings a wide variety of sounds and topics to the forefront as he starts to really come into his own.



Revisit 111/8/19



I've always liked Zilla Rocca and will listen to anything he drops. During the beginning of the decade, Zilla released a lot of music. Looking back at it, I think it was a necessity as he was trying to find his sound, his lane. So on "Nights & Weekends", there is a lot of different sounds which leads to a project that isn't all that focused, neither in rapping or production. There is some good stuff and some "whatever" type stuff. This isn't his best effort from that time period, but it's a nice stepping stone to what he would become in the later half of the decade.



Rating: 3.25



Favorite Tracks:

Full Spectrum

Something Good

New Year's Eve 2003 (That Dream)

Zilla Rocca has improved in leaps and bounds over the last couple years, both behind the mic and behind the boards. On "Nights & Weekends", Zilla brings a wide variety of sounds and topics to the forefront as he starts to really come into his own.



Revisit 111/8/19



I've always liked Zilla Rocca and will listen to anything he drops. During the beginning of the decade, Zilla released a lot of music. Looking back at it, I think it was a necessity as he was trying to find his sound, his lane. So on "Nights & Weekends", there is a lot of different sounds which leads to a project that isn't all that focused, neither in rapping or production. There is some good stuff and some "whatever" type stuff. This isn't his best effort from that time period, but it's a nice stepping stone to what he would become in the later half of the decade.



Rating: 3.25



Favorite Tracks:

Full Spectrum

Something Good

New Year's Eve 2003 (That Dream)

17 17. Rapper Big Pooh Dirty Pretty Things

The former Little Brother is the last of the three to recently drop solo projects and like his former bandmate's projects, this one is inconsistent as well. The difference with Pooh's "Dirty Pretty Things" is that when he nails the formula, he's got the best joints of the three, tracks like "Are You Ready", "They Say" and the great "5.13.11" (a Friday the 13th as well) are just as good as anything that was found on Phonte's or 9th's albums. But Pooh also has some tracks that are just...yuck. Too much damn sappy R&B hooks make me want to yamn. So when it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's pretty bad. More good than bad though.



Revisit

Wow, Pooh kind of hit rock bottom with "Dirty Pretty Things". When I originally did this list back in 2011, I wasn't impressed with the album, but still had it around 75 for that year. Not sure how I could've done that. This album is bogged down with lukewarm beats are rather horrible R&B hooks, and Pooh isn't an interesting enough emcee to make up for those weaknesses. It's a weak effort, during a time that Pooh was struggling to find himself as an artist.



Rating: 2.5



Favorite Tracks:

Are You Ready

5.13.11

The former Little Brother is the last of the three to recently drop solo projects and like his former bandmate's projects, this one is inconsistent as well. The difference with Pooh's "Dirty Pretty Things" is that when he nails the formula, he's got the best joints of the three, tracks like "Are You Ready", "They Say" and the great "5.13.11" (a Friday the 13th as well) are just as good as anything that was found on Phonte's or 9th's albums. But Pooh also has some tracks that are just...yuck. Too much damn sappy R&B hooks make me want to yamn. So when it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's pretty bad. More good than bad though.



Revisit

Wow, Pooh kind of hit rock bottom with "Dirty Pretty Things". When I originally did this list back in 2011, I wasn't impressed with the album, but still had it around 75 for that year. Not sure how I could've done that. This album is bogged down with lukewarm beats are rather horrible R&B hooks, and Pooh isn't an interesting enough emcee to make up for those weaknesses. It's a weak effort, during a time that Pooh was struggling to find himself as an artist.



Rating: 2.5



Favorite Tracks:

Are You Ready

5.13.11

18 18. NEED TO REVISIT THESE ALBUMS BUT THEY ARE IN ORDER AS OF 2011

19 19. Rashad & Confidence The Element of Surprise

Surprising is a good word to describe the album, "Element of Surprise," from Rashad & Confidence. Hence, it lives up to it's name, or something like that. This is just straight up golden-age goodness. If you want some new fandangled crap that seems to be all the rage currently in hip hop, this isn't it. If you want just beats, rhymes, from one producer and from one emcee with sounds that remind you of "the good ole days", then this is for you. I get some people don't want it to be '94 all over again, but for those of us who still appreciate hip hop with no crap attached to it, this album is great. The beats are straight up dope (to keep it with those times) and Rashad, who was someone I wasn't impressed with prior to this outing, does a great job of staying focused and dropping tight rhymes. It's hard to pull one song from this and say it's the best, it's an album that is most definitely enjoyed as a whole. Happy to have found this so late in the year.

Surprising is a good word to describe the album, "Element of Surprise," from Rashad & Confidence. Hence, it lives up to it's name, or something like that. This is just straight up golden-age goodness. If you want some new fandangled crap that seems to be all the rage currently in hip hop, this isn't it. If you want just beats, rhymes, from one producer and from one emcee with sounds that remind you of "the good ole days", then this is for you. I get some people don't want it to be '94 all over again, but for those of us who still appreciate hip hop with no crap attached to it, this album is great. The beats are straight up dope (to keep it with those times) and Rashad, who was someone I wasn't impressed with prior to this outing, does a great job of staying focused and dropping tight rhymes. It's hard to pull one song from this and say it's the best, it's an album that is most definitely enjoyed as a whole. Happy to have found this so late in the year.

20 20. Dirty Hank Does This Look Normal?

I have an affection for ignorant, alcohol influenced lyrics, which Dirty Hank is a pro at delivering. He sounds like he records his song at three in the morning after a night of drinking at the local dive bar. Think of the Beastie Boys circa 1986 mixed in with a little Ol Dirty Bastard craziness and you have an idea what Hank is about. Coupled the zaniness with some dope beats by Falside, Mad Plaid and others and you have yourself some hip hop that will make you reach for another Natty Light.

I have an affection for ignorant, alcohol influenced lyrics, which Dirty Hank is a pro at delivering. He sounds like he records his song at three in the morning after a night of drinking at the local dive bar. Think of the Beastie Boys circa 1986 mixed in with a little Ol Dirty Bastard craziness and you have an idea what Hank is about. Coupled the zaniness with some dope beats by Falside, Mad Plaid and others and you have yourself some hip hop that will make you reach for another Natty Light.

21 21. Celph Titled & Buckwild Nineteen Ninety More

More of an EP, with seven songs and their instrumentals, this follow up/companion release to last year's dope "Nineteen Ninety Now", does it complete justice. "Nineteen Ninety More", is just as dope (although shorter) than it's predecessor and could have easily replaced songs from last year's release and the album would have just as good or even better. Full of Buckwild beats from the 90's, this keeps the head noddin' and even spawns a few goosebumps. Celph Titled has improved in leaps and bounds over the years and he spits with the same passion and desire as last year's release. Real hip hop isn't dead...

More of an EP, with seven songs and their instrumentals, this follow up/companion release to last year's dope "Nineteen Ninety Now", does it complete justice. "Nineteen Ninety More", is just as dope (although shorter) than it's predecessor and could have easily replaced songs from last year's release and the album would have just as good or even better. Full of Buckwild beats from the 90's, this keeps the head noddin' and even spawns a few goosebumps. Celph Titled has improved in leaps and bounds over the years and he spits with the same passion and desire as last year's release. Real hip hop isn't dead...

22 22. Sinitus Tempo Abstrakt Mindz Thinc Ulike

The best of the batch so far from Sinitus Tempo. His first "official" album contains enough jazzy beats to make this album a listen from front to back without the need of the fast forward button (skip ahead for those born before 1980). A great purchase.

The best of the batch so far from Sinitus Tempo. His first "official" album contains enough jazzy beats to make this album a listen from front to back without the need of the fast forward button (skip ahead for those born before 1980). A great purchase.

23 23. Qwazaar & Batsauce Style Be the King

Being familiar and a long time fan of Batsauce (of Smile Rays and Lady Daisey fame), I immediately check anything that Bat is behind beat wise. That was the main reason for checking out the colab with Qwazaar, who I never really paid much attention to in the past. The result is one of straight up dope music and a new found appreciation for Qwazaar on the mic. As far as beats, Bat is on a new level with some new sounds that I haven't found heard out of his mpc before. Looking forward to the full project.

Being familiar and a long time fan of Batsauce (of Smile Rays and Lady Daisey fame), I immediately check anything that Bat is behind beat wise. That was the main reason for checking out the colab with Qwazaar, who I never really paid much attention to in the past. The result is one of straight up dope music and a new found appreciation for Qwazaar on the mic. As far as beats, Bat is on a new level with some new sounds that I haven't found heard out of his mpc before. Looking forward to the full project.

24 24. Clams Casino Instrumentals

I'm not sure where the hell this guy, Clams Casino, came from, but daaaayum. It took me to November of this year to get around to listening to his "Instrumentals" release, simply because he was tied to names like Lil' B and other artists I have no desire to listen to. That was my mistake. These "beats", for the lack of a better word, are pretty damn amazing. Deep and dark musical pieces make this work like a beautiful piece of work than a collection of beats that he's used for other people in the past that. These tracks stand on their own, I can't imagine some no talent ass clown rapping over these.

I'm not sure where the hell this guy, Clams Casino, came from, but daaaayum. It took me to November of this year to get around to listening to his "Instrumentals" release, simply because he was tied to names like Lil' B and other artists I have no desire to listen to. That was my mistake. These "beats", for the lack of a better word, are pretty damn amazing. Deep and dark musical pieces make this work like a beautiful piece of work than a collection of beats that he's used for other people in the past that. These tracks stand on their own, I can't imagine some no talent ass clown rapping over these.

25 25. uMaNg & Kick Back The First Impression LP

The first release from uMaNg, “The First Impression” is a little bit more raw than 2014’s “The Black Rose Certificate”, but in some ways that’s almost better. This really does remind me of some of those unreleased archival releases coming from Chop Herring on other labels that are being sold ungodly amounts of money. I’d believe you if you told me this was some unreleased shit from ’94 from a Queens group or something. If you are going to do something like throwback hip hop, you might as well do it right, and uMaNg does it. I think I like the beats by Kick Back better as well. The first half is better than the second half, but that’s just trying to find something wrong with the album. It’s a dope listen.