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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: Ski Beatz, “24 Hour Karate School”
Ski Beatz, 24 Hour Karate School DD172 Ski Beatz’ 24 Hour Karate School arrives months after his triumphant production for Curren$y’s acclaimed Pilot Talk. But even the NY veteran famed for his work on Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt can’t overcome a … Continue reading
Review: Shlohmo, “Shlohmoshun Deluxe”
Shlohmo, Shlomoshun Deluxe Friends Of Friends Henry “Shlohmo” Laufer is one of the more promising new jacks of the L.A. electronic explosion. Although he hasn’t developed a unique signature yet — which seems key to surviving as a producer, or … Continue reading
Review: Daedelus, “Righteous Fists Of Harmony”
Daedelus, Righteous Fists of Harmony Brainfeeder According to its press materials, Daedelus’ mini-album Righteous Fists of Harmony attempts to “bridge the demise of the magic-inspired martial arts fighters of the Boxer Rebellion to the post modern malady of technology and … Continue reading
Review: Jneiro Jarel, “Android Love Mayhem”
Jneiro Jarel, Android Love Mayhem Alpha Pup Records Jneiro Jarel, who has recently garnered attention for his remix work with TV on the Radio and Maximum Balloon, only recently moved to Los Angeles, but his expansive approach to beat production … Continue reading
Review: Take, “Only Mountain”
Take, Only Mountain Alpha Pup Thomas “Take†Wilson is frequently mistaken as a rookie, but his career actually dates back to the early 2000s and encompasses several under-appreciated works, including 2007’s Earthtones & Concrete. He has developed a highly distinct … Continue reading
Review: The Glitch Mob, “Drink The Sea”
The Glitch Mob, Drink the Sea Glass Air Records Since the middle of the 2000s, The Glitch Mob have taken bass music to the extreme, banging out synthesized jams that bounce like a hip-hop version of Giorgio Moroder. Drink the … Continue reading
Review: Baths, “Cerulean”
Baths, Cerulean Anticon Will “Baths” Wiesenfeld’s debut album leaps from style to style, from Four Tet-inspired folktronica (“Aminals”) to Autechre’s early experiments in ghostly arpeggios (“?”). It contains allusions to L.A. such as Daedelus and Flying Lotus, and the sound … Continue reading
Review: Exile, “Radio: AM/FM”
Exile, Radio: AM/FM Plug Research On his 2009 album, Radio, Exile (producer for Fashawn and Blu, among others) tried to replicate a radio listening session, even interspersing frequency noise and snippets of pop hits amidst loping instrumentals. Radio: AM/FM is … Continue reading
Review: MF Doom, “Expektoration Live”
MF Doom, Expektoration Live Gold Dust Media Expektoration Live captures a MF Doom concert at B.B. King’s in New York. Judging from the track list, which draws heavily from Operation Doomsday, his Madvillain project and MM…Food, the gig took place … Continue reading
Review: Atmosphere, “To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy”
Atmosphere, To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy Rhymesayers Entertainment Slug may never get recognized as one of hip-hop’s greatest storytellers, but he deserves to be. The Minneapolis rapper excels at the confessional, rhyming first-person narratives so vivid … Continue reading
Rap’s new generation
When I posted my article on the so-called “Blog Rap’s Second Wave” yesterday, I realized I haven’t posted other entries from my Rap Is Not Pop column for Rhapsody. Actually, I didn’t re-post this one because I wasn’t happy with … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged B.o.B, blog stars, Drake, hipster rappers, mainstream rap, popapocalypse, rap is not pop, Rhapsody
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Blog rap’s second wave
This essay on the latest crop of street rappers was posted August 10 on Rhapsody.com’s Music Stuff Place blog. I wrote it for my Rap Is Not Pop column. I freely admit that I don’t specialize in breaking new artists. … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Big K.R.I.T., blog stars, Freddie Gibbs, Lil B, rap is not pop, Rhapsody, Shabazz Palaces, Wiz Khalifa, Yelawolf
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Street Sweeper Social Club, “The Ghetto Blaster EP”
Street Sweeper Social Club, The Ghetto Blaster EP SSSC/ILG Tom Morello writes some of the best intros in modern hard rock, and Boots Riley from the Coup is an ace satirist. And when both click on The Ghetto Blaster EP, … Continue reading
Marco Polo, “The Stupendous Adventures Of Marco Polo”
Marco Polo, The Stupendous Adventures Of Marco Polo Duck Down Records It seems counterintuitive for rising producer Marco Polo to turn The Stupendous Adventures of Marco Polo into a platform for dozens of MCs. But Marco Polo isn’t an instrumental … Continue reading
A Brief History of Rap and Bullshit: Drake
This essay on Drake was posted on Rhapsody.com’s Music Stuff Place blog on June 15. It analyzes Thank Me Later‘s mix of hip-hop and R&B. Obviously there’s a lot more to be said about Drake’s rap and vocal performance, the … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged auto-tunin', Drake, it's all Diddy's fault, mainstream rap, R&B vs. soul, rap and bullshit, rap is not pop, Rhapsody, urban radio, Young Money
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Lies, Relatives and Revolutions: Nas, Talib Kweli and Sage Francis
This essay was posted on Rhapsody.com’s Music Stuff Place blog on May 25. I wrote it for my Rap Is Not Pop column. ————————————- Rap Is Not Pop: Lies, Relatives And Revolutions Do rappers even rap anymore? When B.o.B’s The … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Damian Marley, Hi-Tek, lyrics to go, Nas, rap is not pop, Reflection Eternal, Rhapsody, Sage Francis, Talib Kweli, true school
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Ninjasonik, “Art School Girlsâ€
Ninjasonik, Art School Girls Green Owl/Chief Records This full-length from a trio of Brooklyn smart-asses is a puzzling conceit of hipster in-jokes. Ninjasonik is undoubtedly the Art School Girls in the title, flipping through cool indie styles like a wardrobe … Continue reading
Masta Killa, “Live”
Masta Killa, Live Gold Dust Media Masta Killa has quietly carved out a fine solo career independent of his Wu-Tang Clan brothers, issuing modest gems like 2004’s No Said Date. On Live, the New York rapper “keeps it classical like … Continue reading
Inspectah Deck, “Manifesto”
Inspectah Deck, Manifesto Traffic Entertainment Inspectah Deck has dropped many classic verses and hooks for his Wu-Tang team, from “C.R.E.A.M.†to “Hollow Bones.†But unlike Ghostface Killah and Method Man, he never evolved into a compelling solo artist. Inspectah Deck’s … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Short Cuts
Tagged Inspectah Deck, Rhapsody, Traffic Entertainment
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Marco Polo & Ruste Juxx, “The eXXecution”
Marco Polo & Ruste Juxx, The eXXecution Duck Down Records Canadian producer Marco Polo knows how to cajole strong performances out of recalcitrant thug rappers. For Ruste Juxx, the star of The eXXecution, he lays down a template of grimy … Continue reading