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- VH1 Soul is dead, long live Centric posted on March 29, 2010
- The ten most popular indie-rap artists… posted on January 11, 2011
- Digable Planets fracture, cancel tour posted on March 22, 2009
- Superlists!: Top Ten Femcees posted on March 24, 2009
- The Plug One Q&A: Flying Lotus posted on June 10, 2008
- Review: Atmosphere, “To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy” posted on September 9, 2010
- R.I.P. Paper Thin Walls posted on August 29, 2008
- Zion-I tour dates posted on February 25, 2009
- Vibe’s demise posted on July 1, 2009
- Why Plug One survives posted on March 17, 2010
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Tag Archives: Rhapsody
Review: Murs & 9th Wonder, “Fornever”
Murs & 9th Wonder, Fornever SMC Recordings Murs and 9th Wonder’s third album together (not counting the Internet-only My Sweet Lord) has a distinctly L.A. vibe, with guest spots from Sick Jacken, Kurupt and Suga Free. The beats are slightly … Continue reading
Review: GonjaSufi, “A Sufi and a Killer”
GonjaSufi, A Sufi and a Killer Warp A Sufi and a Killer opens with “Rebirth,†an extended loop of a Native American ceremony, with totem drums pounding as voices cry to its rhythm. GonjaSufi dreams of being a “Sheep†and … Continue reading
Review: Kidz in the Hall, “Land of Make Believe”
Kidz in the Hall, Land of Make Believe Duck Down Records After two charming, playful albums and a minor indie hit (“Drivin’ Down the Blockâ€), new rap gen stars Kidz in the Hall sound world-weary. Their cynicism weighs heavily on … Continue reading
Review: Strong Arm Steady, “In Search Of Stoney Jackson”
Strong Arm Steady, In Search of Stoney Jackson Stones Throw Madlib has promised to release at least twelve albums in 2010, along with several Yesterdays New Quintet adventures and collaborations such as this production gig for Los Angeles hard knock … Continue reading
Review: K-os, “Yes!”
K-os, Yes! Last Gang Records Canadian rap star K-os remains a cult figure in the States, but standout singles such as 2004’s “Love Song†have had an impact, influencing artists like K’naan and Drake (who is taking K-os on his … Continue reading
Review: Redman, “Redman Presents…Reggie”
Redman, Redman Presents…Reggie Def Jam “Some rappers say they had it/ I feel I’m getting started,†argues Redman on his seventh album, Reggie. To prove his point, the Brick City veteran abandons the distinctive funk beats of his earlier classics … Continue reading
Review: T.I., “No Mercy”
T.I., No Mercy Atlantic No Mercy, much of which was recorded after T.I. earned yet another prison stint for probation violations, finds our ATL hero angrily defiant. He calls himself a “convict with a conscience†on the militaristic “Salute,†and … Continue reading
Review: Curren$y, “Pilot Talk II”
Curren$y, Pilot Talk DD172 For anyone who thrilled to Curren$y’s excellent major label debut, Pilot Talk II, released a mere five months after Pilot Talk, offers more of the same. This sequel may sound overly familiar since the New Orleans … Continue reading
Review: Yelawolf, “Trunk Muzik 0-60”
Yelawolf, Trunk Muzik 0-60 Ghet-O-Vision/DGC/Interscope Yelawolf’s Trunk Muzik 0-60 may only be an expanded version of his popular Internet mixtape Trunk Muzik, but it’s a vastly improved one. The Alabama rapper has added a handful of new tracks – including … Continue reading
Kid Cudi, Eminem and the Perils of Addiction
Rap Is Not Pop: Kid Cudi, Eminem and the Perils of Addiction This post is inspired by a commenter on my recent piece about Eminem and his album Recovery. “Somebody’s finally on the radio talking about NOT doing drugs. That’s … Continue reading
Review: Cee-Lo Green, “The Lady Killer”
Cee-Lo Green, The Lady Killer Elektra Cee-Lo Green mostly lives up to his billing as The Lady Killer. He imagines himself as a James Bond of love on the kitschy intro, but has none of that character’s world-weary cynicism. This … Continue reading
The Foreign Exchange and the Soul Revival
Rap Is Not Pop: The Foreign Exchange and the Soul Revival Earlier this year, the Foreign Exchange earned a Grammy nomination for “Daykeeper,†a dreamy ballad filled with soft percussion and cooed phrasings of “She Loves Me.†Cited for Best … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Aloe Blacc, Foreign Exchange, hip hop is dead, indie-soul, Little Brother, Mayer Hawthorne, rap is not pop, Rhapsody
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Review: N*E*R*D, “Nothing”
N*E*R*D, Nothing Star Trak/Interscope N*E*R*D’s hipster cred dissipated after its widely hailed In Search of N*E*R*D However, Pharrell, Chad Hugo and Shay are still capable of delightfully quirky adventures. On Nothing, they offer a poetic abstraction modeled after the Doors … Continue reading
Review: Lil Wayne, “I Am Not a Human Being”
Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown Lil Wayne has spent much of 2010 in prison for gun possession. But life goes on as usual in the fantasy world of mainstream hip-hop. And despite its … Continue reading
Review: Trademark Da Skydiver, “Super Villain Issue #2”
Trademark Da Skydiver, Super Villain Issue #2 iHipHop Distribution Trademark Da Skydiver’s Super Villain Issue #2 is his second official album, but it’s essentially a glorified mixtape with braggadocio freestyles and nominal hooks. Luckily, Trademark’s JETS International, a crew of … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Short Cuts
Tagged iHipHop Distribution, Rhapsody, Trademark Da Skydiver
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Review: Die Antwoord, “$O$”
Die Antwoord, $O$ Cherrytree/Interscope Die Antwoord’s much-hyped $O$ debut is bound to disappoint casual listeners turned off by the jackhammer rave beats of “Wat Kyk Jy?†and Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$ser’s quirky Afrikaans slang. But a closer listen to this … Continue reading
Review: Chiddy Bang, “The Preview”
Chiddy Bang, The Preview Virgin Records Chiddy Bang broke out the blog rap ghetto with “Opposite of Adults,†an ace reimagining of MGMT’s “Kids.†Rapper Chiddy and producer Xaphoon Jones attempt similar magic on The Preview, from flipping Passion Pit’s … Continue reading
The wonderful world of Gucci Mane
Rap Is Not Pop: The Wonderful World Of Gucci Mane Several years ago, I interviewed Radric “Gucci Mane†Davis at the office of his former label, Atlanta indie upstart Big Cat Records. He had just finished a six-month bid for … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Dirty South, gangsta rap, Gucci Mane, mainstream rap, rap is not pop, Rhapsody
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Review: Skyzoo & Illmind, “Live From The Tape Deck”
Skyzoo & Illmind, Live From The Tape Deck Duck Down Live from the Tape Deck, a collaboration between rapper Skyzoo and producer Illmind, is not only a throwback to classical values, but also a metaphor for “doing the right thing,†… Continue reading
Why Eminem still matters
This post represents a shift from how I programmed Plug One in the past. Before, I wouldn’t imagine adding a piece about a mainstream artist. But times have changed. Plug One isn’t designed to represent everything I write, but it … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged Eminem, mainstream rap, popapocalypse, rap is not pop, Rhapsody, when dinosaurs walked the earth
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