iiiDrops by Joey Purp

Over the past few years, the SAVEMONEY collective has been one of, if not the, most exciting things to come out of the diverse, ever thriving Chicago hip-hop scene. Spearheaded by the rise of emcees Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa, the lesser known members of the group have also quietly managed to put together a pretty solid body of work. Now, it's member Joey Purp's turn to step up to the plate, and on iiiDrops he proves that it is him who is next to step into the limelight.


From the bright organ keys and horns on the opening track Morning Sex, into the Pharell-esque dance beat of Girls, Joey Purp stretches his sound far beyond what's popular in Chicago right now. While you might go into this thing expecting the rattling hi-hats, blaring 808s, and bumping bass, you're instead presented with the same kind of varied, flamboyant production you might find on a project from the likes of Vic or Chance. Speaking of those two, they both pop up on the track listing, Chance on the aforementioned track Girls, and Vic on the album's victory lap Winners Circle, a track that's elevated by a wonderful piano melody and shining synthesizers. Fellow Chicagoans Mick Jenkins, Saba, and theMind also lend a helping hand on the project, with all three delivering solid contributions when given the chance.


It is, however, Joey Purp who truly shines on this 11 track collection, as the 20-something year old artist comes through sounding like a true veteran of his craft, swinging his pen like a dagger of sorts as he delivers lyrics that don't aim to impress, but instead aim to provoke feeling and resonate with the listener, something that is accomplished on nearly every track. His swaggering confidence is evident, while also digging into his tough upbringing with lines like "I sold crack/I'd be damned if I can't sell a rap" on the closing track Escape.

Cornerstore, the sixth track on the mixtape is the real showcase here though, as the jazzy, street rap instrumental features a prominent use of horns and is one of the finer beats that producer Thelonious Martin has given us up to this point in his young career. Purp is joined by Saba and theMind, and the three work together to paint a picture of their childhood in Chicago, a city which has constantly been identified as one of the most violent and dangerous places in the US. On this track however, Joey isn't looking to give a PSA on the dangers of his hometown, and instead is simply presenting you with an idea of where he came from, and how it's impacted him to this day. The song presents perhaps the strongest lyrical display on the album, and is highlighted with the lines like "and white kids deal with problems that we never knew to bother/arguing with they dads, we pray we ever knew our fathers" a line which allows Purp to again put an emphasis on his upbringing while also touching on rather personal and emotional topics without coming off as soft.

Going into iiiDrops, I was quite far from being a fan of Joey Purp, but I can't deny his abilities after giving this release multiple listens. From his brash delivery to his rugged voice, the young emcee exudes Chicago, while having the charisma and lyrical strength to separate himself from the rest of the crowded pack looking to find their sound in the streets of city. 

3.5/5

Check out the track Cornerstore below:

You can stream iiiDrops in full over on Joey Purp's soundcloud page here.

Hella Personal Film Festival by Open Mike Eagle & Paul White

I find that the best way to describe Open Mike Eagle's approach to hip-hop as the type of rap that is enjoyed by men who wear scarves in the summertime and rap fans who also enjoy anime and Discovery channel documentaries. The Chicagoan emcee's blend of dry humour and intellectual lyricism with stories that present the irony of every day life never fail to provide both a laugh and some thoughtful discussion. Just last year with the release of his EP A Special Episode Of, Mike released one of the better rap projects of 2015 while only giving us about 20 minutes worth of material.

This time he's back with a lengthier project, and he's joined by producer Paul White, who is perhaps most know for his work with the always eccentric hip-hop artist Danny Brown. With Mike Eagle tackling topics such as technology, death, racial stereotyping and more, he still manages to stay as fresh and quirky as ever, and over the upbeat, childlike production of Paul White, the duo deliver an excitingly enjoyable hip-hop project.

It's hard to point a finger at exactly what makes this album work so well. Is it the varying production that swings between moments of being soulful and nostalgic to channeling inspiration from indie rock and 8bit video games, or is it the lyrics themselves that are among the most polished we've gotten from Mike thus far in his ten plus year career? Regardless, both contribute to the ever changing scape of Hella Personal Film Festival, and result in some fascinating moments. The track Check to Check for example, see's Mike explore the world of technology and our dependence on it. He states he's living "check to check" as he always finds himself in between checking some form of media. He constantly rides the line of lyrics that contain just as much humour as they do truth, and even at his silliest on cuts like Smiling where he claims to be avoided like a ghost fart because of his race, there still seem's to be a fair bit of sincerity in the lyrics. It's this mix of social inspection with Mike's tendency to poke fun at himself that grabs the listeners attention, and regardless of the instrumental backing him, remains the highlight of the project.

As the album progresses, the duo's consistency becomes highlighted as they deliver track after track that tells a story of it's own, both lyrically and instrumentally, and contributes to the overall theme of the album. That is, until the lackluster track Protectors of the Heat, which finds a tribal inspired instrumental with primarily loud percussion. It is also perhaps the only moment on the project where Mike seems to rely a little too heavily on a catchy chorus instead of delivering exciting, off the wall verses. Typically he presents just a simple couplet for the hook on these songs, and with their relatively short lengths (only Protectors of the Heat surpasses four minutes in length) it seems to fit quite well. Nonetheless, it doesn't take long for the two to get back on track and finish the album just as strong as they kicked it off. On Dive Bar Support Group we find Mike discussing both machoism and gentrification, while also dipping into themes such as alcoholism. It's a rather ambitious lyrical piece that showcases just what the emcee is capable of, and the sadness from the vocals seep into the poppy instrumental that backs him, making for one of the best tracks on the whole project. We see just how easily Mike can transition from deep topics to self satire on Drunk Dreaming, where he discusses just that, being drunk. The track is silly, fun, and lighthearted, an approach that these two seem to handle incredibly well on multiple occasions on this record.

When listening to this album it feels as if Paul White and Open Mike Eagle were a collaboration that needed to happen, despite it being a full-length album that I never expected us to get. The way the lyrics flow through the warm and fun production is a welcomed addition to Mike's always impressive approach, and helps make this a stand-out in both artists discography. To some it could seem a bit gimmicky, and that's fine. It isn't a project that everyone will get, nor will all rap fans enjoy, but to those of you who fall into the categories mentioned above, this is definitely a project worth checking out.

Rating: 3.5/5

Check out the track Check to Check below:

You can stream and download Hella Personal Film Festival over at Open Mike Eagle's BandCamp page here.

3001: A Laced Odyssey by Flatbush Zombies

With what is easily one of my favourite album covers of the year thus far, the hip-hop trio Flatbush Zombies gave perhaps the most accurate look into the style of music they create. It's colourful, it's cartoony, and unlike the usual wavy, drugged out cloud rap you're used to hearing, while still containing many of the same elements. All three members, Zombie Juice, Meechy Darko, and Erick "Arc" Elliott bring their own unique style to every track the Zombies have recorded. Juice's spastic flow and high pitched vocals contrasts Meech's dark and dreary approach perfectly, and when met with Erick's phenomenal production it has resulted in two fantastic mixtapes with D.R.U.G.S in 2012 and BetterOffDead in 2013.

With all the hype and excitement surround Flatbush Zombies sound, as well as their participation in the "Beast Coast" movement alongside rap collective Pro Era and hip-hop duo The Underachievers, the release of their debut studio album has been something I've been anticipating for quite some time. Now, two years since their last release, the Clockwork Indigo EP which they released as a collaborative effort with The Underachievers, the long awaited full-length album 3001: A Laced Odyssey see's the light of day.

The confines of drug rap are pretty snug to begin with, in my opinion. While the Flatbush Zombies have always taken quite a bit of artistic freedom with their sound, lyrically they have never strayed too far from topics such as drugs, money, and spirituality. While I went into this project hoping to hear the group branch out a bit from the genre and try to tackle some more mature and creative subjects, the lyrical content instead stayed true to what the members have always done. It wasn't too big of a disappointment however, as Meech and Juice both delivered some of their best verses yet, and accompanied them with rather unique flows on tracks like the opening cut The Odyssey. It's a great choice to kick off the project, as it sets the tone without giving away too much of what's to come. The strong start continues with the third track R.I.P.C.D, which is the Zombies ode to the death of the CD as a media format.  As always however, the lyrics tend to venture off topic and range from religion, to the state of rap music, and to drugs as well.

The album begins to really slow down for me about half way through, as there are a couple of throwaway moments that feel rather out of place in the context of the record. The two and a half minute cut Fly Away features a simple, straight forward piano beat and has Meechy Darko taking a soulful vocal approach throughout. It doesn't add much other than feeling like an unnecessary interlude, much like the actual interlude Smoke Break does as well. Perhaps Juice and Erick felt that if Meech got a chance to sing, they should as well, and I'm assuming that's how this track was born. It's their ode to marijuana, and is easily the corniest track on the record. It's one of the few outright skippable tracks that Flatbush has produced so far in their career, and the odd use of feedback on the vocals doesn't help to boost the track whatsoever.

Fortunately the two weak moments are rather short, and are broken up with two decent cuts. Ascension, the better of the two tracks that separate the interludes, features some flamboyant production and an incredibly in your face hook that features Meech claiming his goal is to be better than God. Trade-Off, the latter of the two is still an enjoyable cut, and the ambient influence found in the background during the first few moments of the beat is a rather impressive inclusion from Erick Elliott. Through the chorus the beat takes on a  much harder edge, but fails to really connect as the production seems to be a little too thin and uninspired. That, accompanied with the laughable hook of "it's the work hard play hard, I just got a blow job" holds this track back from being all that memorable.

The record finishes off strong with cuts like New Phone, Who Dis? and This Is It which lead into the epic 13 minute closing track Your Favorite Rap Song which for the first six or so minutes definitely is my favourite cut from the album. The old school New York street influenced production is accompanied with the best pure rapping that the trio deliver on the project, and definitely brings the album to a solid finish. However, the biggest, and perhaps only problem I have with the song is the decision to include 5 minutes worth of fans praising the trio at the tail end of the track. It's something I only bothered listening to in complete perhaps once or twice, and while there were some funny moments, and I'm sure provided a cool moment for those featured, it just doesn't add anything to the project, except for making an overly long project even longer.

I've given this album a couple weeks now to change my thoughts, and unfortunately it hasn't been for the better. We get a couple stellar cuts, and a few others that are worth multiple listens, but ultimately 3001: A Laced Odyssey is bogged down by some of the least interesting moments I've heard the trio deliver. I could easily pick out four or five tracks that, without their inclusion would make the album much more enjoyable, but because of how much was forced into an album that got stale rather quickly, it just doesn't resonate with me the same way that the Zombies did on their two earlier mixtapes.

Rating: 3/5

Listen to the track The Odyssey below:

Imperial by Denzel Curry

Florida based hip-hop emcee Denzel Curry has been a breath of fresh air in the rap scene ever since the release of his debut studio project Nostalgic 64 in 2013. On that project, we saw the artist blend aggressive, in your face trap inspired verses over some very spacey, dark, and surprisingly intricate production. His blend of cloud raps and gang related bars contributed to what was one of my favourite hip-hop projects of that year, and put him on the map as one of the better up and coming talents on the scene.

He followed up his debut album with the double EP 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms just last year. While this project was still quite enjoyable and showed off Denzel's growth, it was perhaps a bit too ambitious, as he spent the first half crafting some of his best trap inspired songs yet, but on the more laid back and drugged out second half, he delivered some of his most lackluster material to this point. It was made clear on that record that he's at his best when he's bringing loads of energy and raw, violent lyricism into the recording. So, with that being said, going into his newest project Imperial, I was hoping to see Curry take an approach more similar to that of Nostalgic 64.

While there are traces of older material on this new release here, it more so stands on it's own. We see a return to the southern hip-hop we've come to enjoy from Denzel, and he's certainly relying more on the trap influence than he is on the cloud raps. Nevertheless, he also looks to find his own style in terms of production, as we get rather wonky, spacey, trap influenced beats that are unlike anything you would find on his other releases. We also see a much more ambitious approach in terms of the guest features, as rather than bringing along past collaborators such as JK. The Rapper, Mike Dece, or Lil Ugly Mane, the former Raider Klan member instead enlists the help of some of the more popular hip-hop artists around, in the form of Rick Ross and Joey Bada$$. Not only is that an ambitious choice that is sure to bring Curry a bit more exposure, but it is also a risk that pays off extensively as both rappers deliver very solid verses without stealing the show. Knotty Head, the track that features Rick Ross is one of the moments of production that caught me off guard initially, thanks to the unorthodox sound of the synths and the transition into an old school 90's hip-hop beat during the last 20 or so seconds.

Lyrically we're seeing much of the same Curry we've come to know, as he discusses gang violence, drugs, racial issues, and things of the sort. It's not the meaning behind the emcee's lyrics that has made his music stand out however, and instead it's been the catchiness of his hooks and his always impressive flow. While his fantastic flow does carry over into this project, I feel personally that this record hosts some of his least flashy hooks that he's recorded. They aren't necessarily poorly written, but often times they feel a little too simplified and watered down when compared to past tracks like Parents, Threatz, or Zone 3, all of which were stand out takes on Nostalgic 64. There are quite a few decent hooks here nonetheless, Story No Title contains a fairly strong chorus, as does Pure Enough, a track that besides the hook, doesn't offer as much as most of the other tracks on the record.

This Life is a track worth noting as well, as it see's Denzel detailing a love interest as well as talking about his friends and the state of the world. He takes a much less aggressive approach for this track, but still manages to impress with lyricism that's a touch less over the top and anger driven. The real standout on this project though is easily ULT, the lead cut that opens the project with a bang and serves as a basis for Curry to showcase his vocal gift as quickly as possible. It's not the best production found on the album, but it's easily the most similar to his former body of work and definitely still stands out after multiple listens. That last track I want to point out is Zenith, which features Pro Era artist Joey Bada$$ and contains an instrumental that you'd be more apt to hear on a Joey project than one from Denzel Curry. Nonetheless, both rappers capitalize on the fantastic beat by delivering some great lyrics, which helps to bring some real life to the final few tracks of the project. While Knotty Head  with Rick Ross was a solid track, and the laid back old school vibe of the closing cut If Tomorrow's Not Here stands out as well, it's Zenith that gives us the best track with a feature on the record. The meshing of Curry's southern influenced style and the New York origins of Joey Bada$$ makes for a fantastic collaboration, and something I'm hoping to see the two rappers do more of in the future.

There's quite a bit to take away from this project, and any fan of hip-hop music should enjoy it quite a bit. It certainly has shades of the same rapper who gave us Nostalgic 64 and 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms, but it also see's new risks and a lot of aspects we've never seen from Denzel in the past. If anything, Imperial shows he's continuing to reinvent himself and mature as an artist, and no longer needs to rely on flashy, loud, bass driven production, and can instead carry a track on his own. It's not quite on par with his commercial debut, but it leaves a better impression than his last release for sure.

Rating: 3.5/5

Listen to the track ULT below:

You can download Imperial here for free.

Disguise the Limit by Nyck Caution

If you couldn't tell by the wordplay in his stage name, Nyck Caution (get it? NYC, like New York City) is a New York based emcee who has gained a fair bit of exposure in the past few years thanks to his work as part of the hip-hop ensemble Pro Era, a group that also houses the likes of Joey Bada$$, Kirk Knight, and CJ Fly among many others. Despite the plethora of gifted artists who belong to the collective, Nyck has always managed to stand out thanks to his slick flow and unique voice that always brought a nice change of pace whenever he would appear alongside his label mates on a track. With that being said however, much like many other of the emcees that occupy the Pro Era roster, he has been relatively quiet over the past few years, and it has really been Joey Bada$$ who has brought the group their popularity. That's not to say others haven't been releasing projects, as Kirk Knight's Late Knight Special was released just last October, and CJ Fly has a project of his own under his belt with Thee Way Eye See It. For Nyck however, he hasn't taken on a full project of his own since Pro Era's come up, and with his release Disguise the Limit, he's looking not only to make a statement, but also to remind those who had long forgotten about his impressive performances on other emcees projects' that he's still around.

If you're already tired of hearing me discuss Pro Era, then chances are this project won't be for you. Not only is it filled with guest verses and production credits from friends of Nyck's, but lyrically the record is cluttered with references to his peers as well. Most of these prove unnecessary and serve no purpose other than to remind those not familiar with Nyck that he is a member of the collective. While that's a rather minor issue, it unfortunately isn't the only problem I found with the lyrics on this thing.

One of Nyck's strongest suits when it came to his guest features in the past, were as I mentioned, his flow and his lyrics. However, when you get fourteen tracks that present almost the exact same formula of songwriting and subject matter, there isn't much room for surprises or anything impressive, as we've heard it all so many times before. Many tracks simply deal with his past or how skilled of a rapper he is, aside from the emotional Out of Reach that deals with the death of the late Capital Steez, who was also a member of Pro Era before his passing in 2012.

The beat selection throughout feels fairly mediocre in terms of what I've come to expect from a Pro Era project, which is rather surprising especially considering the production is handled by the likes of Kirk Knight and Chuck Strangers who both lend instrumentals to the record. For the most part, it feels as if there's an uncertainty of what style the project is going for, as we get the more traditional gritty New York street style beats at certain points, but also get a fair share of cloud rap instrumentals and at other times production that is rather alternative and unexpected. The Kirk Knight produced cut Wordsmith see's Nyck spitting over a dirty, distorted guitar instrumental, something that certainly stood out, but also could have been cleaned up a little bit as the guitar did sound rather rough around the edges and does distract from what's being said on the song. The track Church also see's a rather adventurous risk as the instrumental progresses from your traditional hip-hop beat into a electronic dubstep breakdown.

There's not much to discuss in terms of individual tracks or the lyricism, as everything on the project is competent, which may be the biggest problem I have with it. Everything feels the same, and while there were a few tracks that differ instrumentally, Nyck himself stays the same with his approach throughout. I still think he has a ton of skill, but his songwriting remains very raw and until he is able to prove he's more than just a rapper who can drop a nice feature on someone else's track, he will continue to fade to the back of Pro Era's line up.

Rating: 2.5/5

Check out Nyck Caution's track Church below:

untitled unmastered by Kendrick Lamar

From the groovy opening bass line and spoken word vocals to the concluding chants of "pimp, pimp!" Kendrick Lamar manages to make untitled unmastered one of the most cohesive hip-hop compilation albums released in quite some time. The eight songs featured, many of which have been performed on live television recently during the Grammy's as well as on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, were recorded at different times over the last three years. It becomes very obvious the influence that Kendrick's last project To Pimp A Butterfly had on the recording, as there are moments of very similar instrumental progression and spoken word passages that K.Dot experimented with on the album. That's not to mention the use of many direct references not only to the album's title, but also to tracks like Mortal Men and King Kunta.

The surprise release of this project not only serves as an unexpected gift for all fans of the Compton born emcee, but it also proves his versatility and consistency. These tracks aren't driven by the same overlying theme that surrounded the recordings on TPAB, and yet they still work as both songs that could easily be hits, and deal with some very interesting and important subject matter.

The album's opening track, which can't be called anything but that, since the tracks are all untitled, is an ambitious effort that finds Kendrick discussing the future of the world over a deep bass line and haunting piano play. Eventually we get to an interaction between the emcee and God himself, who asks "what have you done for me?" The track is reminiscent of TPAB's How Much a Dollar Cost in it's introspective discussion of faith, and Kendrick's apparent fear of not being accepted into heaven. Not only does it start the project off on the right foot, but it's one of the most memorable moments throughout the album as well.

The second track on the album see's a beat more similar to something you would have found on TDE label mate Jay Rock's recent album 90059, and yet with the few moments of freejazz influence, you're reminded exactly who it is you're listening to. The lyrics on the cut see Kendrick exploring his fame, and how his own life has changed while the life in the hood remains all consistent. It's also the first time on the project we hear the chants of "pimp pimp," something that becomes a reoccurrence as the album moves on. 

The following track is one of the most impressive lyrically, and was debuted quite some time back live on the Colbert Report. Kendrick discusses encounters with members of many different races, and the advice they give him on how to live his life, yet when he arrives at the white man, all he wants is a piece of the emcee. The song is clearly being used as a metaphor for record labels and the music industry, and as far as the songwriting goes, it's one of my favorite moments on the project.

After a short interlude, we get the fifth cut on the album which see's an appearance from Anna Wise, an artist who many will recognize from her contributions on TPAB. The dynamics on this song are quite impressive, as we see Kendrick aggressively handle the laid back jazz lounge instrumental, while Wise delivers a much more beautiful and traditonal hook to the song. The duo are also joined by rappers Punch and Jay Rock later on in the track, and both drop solid verses to bring the cut to it's conclusion. Up next is the sixth track, which instrumentally reminds me a lot of the For Sale interlude from TPAB, but quickly expands to much more thanks in part to a feature by R&B/soul artist Cee-Lo Green. The song digs deep into the concepts of human flaws, as well as embracing unique traits with lines like "look at my flaws, look at my flaws, look at my imperfections and all. Look at how you think my mystique is a round of applause." This track in particular is an example of Kendrick's ability to step away from the misogynistic stereotypes that surround the hip-hop music and culture, and instead make something that can be seen as positive.

The album takes quite a turn stylistically for the seventh track, as the eight and a half minute long cut begins with much more of a "banger" beat than we've heard thus far, which is somewhat ironic considering producer/rapper Swizz Beats claimed it was his five year old son Egypt who actually provided the production on this one. Nonetheless, it isn't long before the instrumental transitions into something much broader, as the eight minute track fails to ever get repetitive, and in fact is more like three separate songs placed into one album slot. The final third of the track provides one of my favorite moments from the project, as we get a very lo-fi, direct cut from the studio audio from Kendrick. You can hear background noise, speaking, and chairs squeaking among other things, but it feels so organic and natural that it's almost as if you're in the studio as well, which is just another example of K.Dot incorporating elements of other genres into his own style.

That brings us to the closing track, which some may know as Blue Faces, which was debuted just a month or so back on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show. The song sees the rapper delve into the mind of a love interest to ask her why it is she's so sad. The funky, fast-paced instrumental might have served better as an opener than as the closing track, but it's still yet another solid moment and brings the album to a rather quick conclusion.

It's hard for me to assign a rating to a compilation project, but it feels like much more than just a collection of untitled and unmastered tracks. It isn't anything like Kendrick's earlier releases, and all of his previous releases have been unlike anything he's released prior to those. While the core of the album is clearly influenced by his last release, it's a much more streamlined and to the point approach that still manages to be both unique and inventive. There are some moments better than others, and it does feel rather raw at times, but ultimately it's yet another fantastic release from the Compton native that will keep fans foaming at the mouth for his next release.

Rating: 4/5

Listen to Kendrick Lamar perform Untitled 2 (Untitled 8 on the album) live below:

Jerome Raheem Fortune by Rome Fortune

My first experience with Rome Fortune's music came with the release of his 2014 EP Small VVorld, a project that didn't blow me away, but did make a solid impression nonetheless. On the project, it was made immediately clear that the Atlanta, Georgia based emcee had an ear for intriguing instrumentals and was able to match them up with the perfect flow seemingly with ease. So, going into his debut full-length album, Jerome Raheem Fortune, I was hoping to see him capitalize on the same spacey, wavy, intricate production style that made his older material stand out. Fortunately, the album delivered, as this is perhaps the most diverse project I've heard from Rome thus far into his career, as he comes through with various flows, and couples them with some fantastic production.

When the opening track All The Way began, I was forced to check my iTunes library because I could have sworn I had accidentally put on a song by a synth-pop act like Carly Rae Jepsen or Chvrches. Not only does the beat feel far off from what you would expect on a hip-hop project, but Rome Fortune's singing voice comes through in a way that sounds like he could be making radio-ready pop music. It's not one of the best tracks on the project, but it certainly sets up the listener for what's to come up next, and overall is still an enjoyable cut.

That same pop oriented singing comes into play multiple times on the album, and it almost always works for the best. Some of the records finest moments, the song Love for example, see's Rome alternating between his deeply pitched natural singing voice and a much higher autotune approach delivered over top of a dance influenced club beat. Of course, the use of upbeat danceable tracks doesn't stop there, the appropriately titled Dance is another cut that see's Fortune handling a lot of singing duties, and while lyrically it might not be the most impressive, it's the production, catchiness, and his flow that help drive the track just like with the rest of the album. 

It's not all poppy dance rap on the record however, as many tracks exude a certain alternative trap flavor, a la Chicago rapper Lucki Eck$. The song Blicka Blicka features a sparse, spacey instrumental with Fortune spitting some trap inspired bars without digging so deep into the drill or trap scene that you feel like you're listening to a project of those genres. The following cut, Heavy as Fathers see's a similar approach, and opens with the line "sniffed a bunch of cocaine last night,"  which gives you an idea of the "turn-up anthem" that the track really is. There's no promise of broad, introspective lyrics that will make you think on this album, but Rome is still constantly is able to bring more to the table than your run of the mill turn-up party rapper on cuts like these. 

There are a few deeper moments lyrically throughout Jerome Raheem Fortune as well, like on the cut What Can You Do where Rome spends the track reflecting on his childhood, his relationship with his father, and his struggles with drug addiction. While it doesn't always feel as if he's reaching as far back as he can, the sung of chorus of "what can you do about it? not a god damn thing" shows his fairly lighthearted perspective on the matter, and before too long we're back to the more upbeat, fun, entertaining tracks.

Still I Fight On, one of the most ambitious tracks in the listing as far as length goes, clocks in at over six minutes, and while the instrumental begins sounding like perhaps the most traditional the production on this project gets, it quickly progresses into one of the finer alternative trap beats found in the listing. The tinny claps met with the shiny synths and dirty bass all slide into the background as Rome takes front and centre with his rhymes which while ultimately aren't anything spectacular, remain entertaining and prove once again that he's able to hold his own.

The album wraps up with a couple more interesting tracks, as both Paid Back Loans and the closing cut Find My Way are memorable moments from the project. The guitar based instrumental on Paid Back Loans is a small but solid change from the earlier instrumentals, and the warm, tropical production on Find My Way is a strong way to wrap the project up and leave on a high note.

The combination of perhaps the best production I've heard on a hip-hop project so far this year, a plethora of fantastic hooks, and a strong enough flow and lyricism to help Rome Fortune stand on his own makes Jerome Raheem Fortune a fantastic debut full-length for the Georgia native, and proves that he may just be a hip-hop star in the making.

Rating: 4/5

Listen to Rome Fortune's track Blicka Blicka below:

This Unruly Mess I've Made by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

It can easily be said that Macklemore has taken over as the face of pop rap over the last few years. Loved by the mainstream audience, but despised by many self proclaimed hip-hop heads, he's been put into a tough position because of his success. As an underground Seattle rapper, he released his fair share of projects, including his sole full-length album as a solo artist The Language of My World back in 2005. However, it wasn't until he met producer Ryan Lewis and the two decided to team-up that his career began to take off.

As a duo, the two independently released two EP's before their debut album The Heist hit stores in 2012. Packed full of decent production and fairly average pop rap rhymes, it was the subject matter of tracks like Same Love, and the catchiness and comedic punchlines of hits like Thrift Shop that helped the duo rise to the top of the charts. Of course it wasn't all smooth sailing for the duo however, as they received a fair bit of backlash from the rap community, especially when they were awarded the Grammy for rap album of the year in 2013 over Kendrick Lamar and his monumental release Good Kid MAAD City. The duo refused to let the lukewarm reception get to them though, and tracks like the new album This Unruly Mess's lead single Downtown made it clear they weren't prepared to back away from the pop sound anytime soon. That eventually became an afterthought however, as last month with the release of the album's second single White Privilege II, Macklemore took on a very important topic, and despite early criticism from your's truly, I've grown to enjoy the track quite a bit and respect it not only for it's relevancy, but also for what Macklemore offers lyrically.

Even with one solid single, I still went into this album expecting to be disappointed by sugary pop hooks and cringe worthy attempts at musical comedy. Nonetheless, I felt the need to give it the time of day, and astonishingly, I ended up being quite impressed.

The album kicks things off with one of the best lyrical displays Macklemore has offered thus far in his career, as Light Tunnels see's the Seattle emcee detail his experience at the Grammy awards and his thoughts during his upset win for rap album of the year. We also get a peak into the mind of the rapper, as he mentions how insecure and uncomfortable the award made him, as well as how much he began to doubt his skill after the criticism he received. Lines like "I don't like who I am in this environment, I forgot what this art's for" help reinforce what he explains throughout many of the albums deeper moments, which is that he cares about hip-hop and can offer more than just being "another white radio rapper." The song's chorus, sung by Mike Slap is the same generic pop hook I've come to expect from Macklemore, but it isn't enough to stop me from enjoying this track, as the introspective bars have me actually caring about what the emcee is saying, something that very rarely happened on his last album.

Other deep cuts like the aforementioned White Privilege II which serves as the closer, and Kevin a track that features Leon Bridges and details the overdose of one of Macklemore's childhood friend's, show us a much more honest, down to earth conscious hip-hop side of the duo that I didn't expect to find on this record. In the past, with songs like Same Love, I've felt like Macklemore was simply using current world issues for his own gain, and while I'm not necessarily convinced that wasn't the case in the past, I don't feel that way with these cuts on Unruly Mess, because there's a touch of sincerity, and it feels like there's something to prove with each line delivered.

It's not all positives on the album though, and that same cheesy mainstream pop culture artist who we've come to know appears multiple times on the album. Downtown is an obvious example of that style, but we get tracks like Brad Pitt's Cousin, Dance Off, and Let's Eat as well which see rather lackluster punch lines and weak attempts to brag. I struggle to take Macklemore serious when he takes a braggadocios lyrical approach, and the overly radio friendly production doesn't do much to elevate the tracks either. There are however, a handful of cuts that sit somewhere between those that are self reflective and the others that are drenched in pop influence. Buckshot, a cut that features New York hip-hop veteran KRS-One and iconic producer DJ Premier centres around Macklemore's experience with graffiti art, something that any one familiar with KRS-One will know he also is well versed in. It's a very enjoyable track, and sits on the fun side without relying on too clean of a chorus or too much pop influence. The indie-rock flavored instrumental on St. Ides is another one of the album's highlights, as the lyrics reflect on Macklemore's history of alcohol abuse. The twangy guitar featured on the track helps make it one of the better beats throughout the project as well.

I've breezed over White Privilege II a few times already throughout this review, but I feel like it's important to address the track a bit further. The song of course discusses the black lives matter movement and the ongoing struggle between black youth and police officers in the United States. Macklemore mentions the silence he and many other white artists have resorted to while the incidents continue to occur, and he also reflects on the hip-hop culture and those who consider him to have "stolen the sound" for his own gain. I have already said I was dismissive of the song at first listen, but since I've come to respect the emcee more, not for making a track on something important, but as serving as the connection between what's occurring and a mainstream audience. No, you shouldn't feel sympathy for Macklemore when hearing this track, but it's purpose is instead to inspire those who have set in silence and have remained uninvolved with protests and demonstrations to stand-up and be heard. Regardless of your opinions on the matter, it's a track that warrants a listen for the power behind the message alone, and the lyrical display from a man who prior to this track was nothing more than a boring pop rapper, at least in my opinion.

The best moments on This Unruly Mess I've Made are easily the best that the duo have offered since they began teaming up, and I'm very impressed with what they've done throughout the LP. Unfortunately, there are still a handful of tracks that feel phoned in, as if the sole reason they were included was to appeal to a more a mainstream audience, and that hurts the album quite a bit. Nevertheless, my opinion on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis has been altered quite a bit, and I now see a lot more potential in their sound. If they can trim out some of the more uninspired moments in the future, Macklemore will have plenty more award shows to write about.

Rating: 3.5/5

You can listen to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' White Privilege II below:

The Life of Pablo by Kanye West

It seems as if The Life of Pablo, Kanye West's 7th full length LP had a release that was based more so around the spectacle itself than it was actually around the music being created. From the way that the man known as Yeezy decided to handle the release, premiering it at Madison Square Garden alongside his latest fashion venture Yeezy Season 3 (which you watch in full over at TIDAL here) to the multiple name changes of an album that began as So Help Me God, which then became SWISH, and stopping at Waves before finally ending up with the title The Life of Pablo. It seemed to be a lot of ego stroking, and left expectations varied among those waiting for the album's release.

While West has had a history of successful releases, with his debut full-length effort The College Dropout winning him one of his many Grammy Awards and giving him his first hit single with Jesus Walks, it wasn't until 2010's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that Kanye truly came into his own as an artist. The album was an introspective and dark look in at the life of a man who had transcended being a rap artist and had now become an infamous pop culture star thanks to his outspoken ways, and in particular his run in with Taylor Swift at the 2009 Video Music Awards. He continued to impress critics and fans alike after the release of MBDTF with his following album Yeezus, a record that saw the GOOD Music founder experiment with elements of abrasiveness and noise rap for the first time. It was yet another standout release, and managed to convert many former unimpressed listeners into bonafide fans. 

On his new release The Life of Pablo, we're getting what feels like a reflection on his career as well as a combination of all the sounds he's incorporated in the past. Tracks like Father Stretch my Hands and Highlights are both reminiscent of his early material, the Graduation record in particular, and the I Love Kanye interlude takes a similar formula to the skits found on his aforementioned full-length debut The College Dropout. That interlude is one of the most interesting moments on the album due to the way that Kanye embrace his reputation as a self-centred egotistical man much like he did on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, while also poking fun of it in humorous fashion. Unfortunately, aside from that single track we don't hear much more of that same introspective side of the rapper throughout the LP. We do however get a few cuts similar to those found on the album Yeezus, as both Feedback and FML bring out that same abrasive and a touch more experimental side of Kanye we've seen before, making them enjoyable cuts worth hearing.

While there were many artists recruited to collaborate on the album,(Kid Cudi, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Post Malone, and The Weeknd to name a few) it's the guest verse of rap superstar Kendrick Lamar that really steals the show as far as the star studded features go. His appearance on No More Parties in L.A, which was released as a snippet earlier on, is one of the best moments you'll find on the album. K.Dot has constantly proven himself as one of if not the premier emcee in the game, and he does so here yet again on another artists record. 

That does however lead into the biggest problem with the project, as many of the best tracks found in the listing were already released as singles. Not only have you already heard the core of the album by listening to the tracks that have already been released, but you've also heard the best moments. When Kanye originally tweeted out the track listing, the album contained just a mere 9 tracks, and some of the singles which had already been released had been left off. No More Parties for example, was originally not going to be on the album, yet ended up being one of the best tracks, making it appear as if the singles were just thrown on either from fear or nervousness. The final single released from the album, 30 Hours, ended up being one of the least impressive moments found on The Life of Pablo, as the song clocks in at five and half minutes, yet feels as long as the name would imply it to be. Like quite a few other cuts scattered throughout, it doesn't bring anything new to the album, and the beat is nothing more than generic and boring filler. Kanye killed a lot of the momentum found on the original album by making the decision to add so many tracks at the last minute, as quite a few of them fail to stand out on their own, and hardly justify the delayed release. 

Most of what's found on the album feels very familiar, as if it's already been heard quite a bit before. Even the most controversial moment on the album, the line from the track Famous where Kanye states that not only might he still have sex with Taylor Swift, but that he in fact made her famous, it feels as if he's living in the past of something that was relevant over 7 years ago. All of the emcee/producer's former releases are enjoyable for their own reasons, but when placed into one single project, it feels more like a convoluted mess than anything new.

At the end of the day, The Life of Pablo is not Kanye's best release, and when compared to his last two albums, it seems like a step backwards. Is it a bad release? Not by any means. But when considering the roll that the Chicago native has been on over his last few albums, and the hype that was surrounding one of the biggest rap releases of the year, it can't help but leave a bit of a sour taste in your mouth.

Favorite Tracks: Feedback, I Love Kanye, Real Friends, No More Parties in L.A

Least Favorite Tracks: Highlights, 30 Hours

Rating: 3/5

If you've heard the album, what did you think of it? Go ahead and let me know your thoughts down below, if you disagree tell me why I'm wrong or just call me mean names.

Who the Fuck is Chris Spencer? by Vic Spencer & Chris Crack

Underground Chicago based rappers Chris Crack and Vic Spencer have both been putting together some very solid projects within the underground hip-hop scene for quite sometime now. They are frequent collaborators, and on Who the Fuck is Chris Spencer? they deliver their first full-length album has a collective. While Vic Spencer is perhaps best known as the guy who exchanged diss tracks with fellow up and coming Chicago emcee Mick Jenkins late last year, he, as well as Crack, are both also known as on the rise hip-hop artists who are looking to use this release as a stepping stone to the next level of popularity.

The album is presented as a concept project, an introduction to Chris Spencer, as the project's title implies, and while you do learn that he's a wise cracking, beyond confident man who has no problem speaking highly of himself, that's about as far as the duo manage to take it. Their lyricsm isn't bad, and there are a plethora of clever lines that still cause me to chuckle after multiple listens. The best example of the quick-witted song-writing comes on the cut Ice Cubes when Vic Spencer spits the line "y'all get an A+ for sucking balls." It's simple, straight forward lines like this that the two specialize with, and when it's combined with the 90's inspired production of the album, it works quite well.

The downside, however, is that the production isn't always all that impressive. Instrumentals like the vocal sample driven beat of Zebra Ave or the strange synth based production found on The New Information aren't able to be redeemed by the rapping, because the two rely on their ability to ride the beat so heavily that when using an unimpressive instrumental, they end up failing to deliver. With that being said, there are also tracks where the samples are extremely well done and the beats help propel Spencer and Crack to a much higher level then they'd otherwise be on. Spencer has proven himself as talented behind the boards, and assuming he handled those duties on this project as well, he certainly came through with some of the best production I've heard from him on the album's better cuts.

As I mentioned, the two were clearly influenced by 90's hip-hop as the jazz based sampling and laid back flows are the driving force throughout. No Biggie is an exception of that rule, as the trap flavoured song features some hard-hitting bass and an aggressive flow from the two Chicago natives. At no point do they look to bring anything new or unique to the table, and that is perhaps just a byproduct of drawing as much inspiration as they do from the past.

Any fan of either of the two gifted emcees' should take the time to check this one out, and those not acquainted will find this to be an easy way of being introduced. Who truly is Chris Spencer? He's not anyone exciting or innovative, but when he's firing on all cylinders, he makes some truly enjoyable hip-hop tracks.

Favorite Tracks: Cue Ball, No Biggie, Drunken Monkee

Least Favorite Tracks: Zebra Ave, The New Information

Rating: 3.5/5

Listen to the duo's track Cue Ball below:

I'm Up by Young Thug

Recently I reviewed the newest Future album EVOL (a review which you can read right here) and during that review, I mentioned the subtle subtweets and disses exchanged between Future and fellow Atlanta based rapper Young Thug over the last year or so, thanks to the two rappers embracing the state of 21st century hip-hop where all "rap beef" takes place on Twitter. Regardless of the words exchanged between the two, the true showdown came this past Friday as both artists released their own respective projects. While Future's EVOL was an average trap project that gave us the same Future we've been seeing for his last few releases, I was hoping Young Thug would seize the opportunity to capitalize on his seemingly always growing momentum, and finally prove himself as a rapper.

Originally, it was Slime Season 3 that was planned to be released this month. Instead, however, Young Thug, claiming inspiration from Kanye West and all the name changes his upcoming release (now titled Waves, incase you weren't sure) went through. Under the name I'm Up, Thug has released his 10th project since the beginning of 2014, and yet still, Thug fails to prove that he's deserving of his popularity.

The promising opener F Cancer, is a tribute to rapper Boosie Badazz, who had announced his diagnosis of cancer back in November of last year. The bass driven, upbeat production coupled with Thug's flow and simplistic lyrics and a feature from Quavo (of Migos fame) actually helps build an enjoyable, catchy cut that Thug has proven he is capable of doing in the past. Unfortunately it is one of the few songs on the album that actually manages to do enough to standout. For My People and Special are two other moments on the project where Thug is able to make a slight statement, thanks to the spacey trap production and intriguing features. Aside from that however, I'm Up is a collection of generic, boring, subpar trap songs. Thug's exuberant personality is no where to be found on the project, and much like I mentioned in my review of Future's EVOL, Thug is becoming another artist who is putting out far too much material and rather than impressing like he did when he first blew up, he's slowly assuring his fate as just another musical fad rather than a truly enjoyable act.

Each time I listen to I'm Up, I can't help but struggle to pay attention once I'm four or five cuts in. There's nothing impressive or enjoyable being shown aside from the few decent cuts I mentioned previously. If it comes down to Future or Thug, I'm listening to EVOL over I'm Up any day of the week, and that's not necessarily a compliment to either artist, but more so just proof that both are beginning to overstay their welcome thanks to the far too frequent releases.

Favorite Tracks: F Cancer, For My People, Special

Least Favorite Tracks: King TROUP, Hercules

Rating: 2/5

Below you can watch the F Cancer music video, which is co-directed by Thug himself, and also features the rapper/now director(?) being dressed head-to-toe in a set of pink scrubs.

Khalifa by Wiz Khalifa

As hard as it might be to remember, there once was a time when Wiz Khalifa was an up and coming hip-hop artist putting out some very interesting stoner rap. His laid back flows, wavy beat selection, and clever yet simplistic wordplay helped allow him to put out some great mixtapes such as Prince of the City, Burn After Reading, and Kush & Orange Juice. As his popularity grew however, the apparent amount of thought and effort that went into his songwriting began to diminish, and after the release of his third full-length album Rolling Papers, it was clear he was heading in a new direction stylistically.  Now, with plenty more popularity and a couple big name awards under his belt, Wiz has delivered Khalifa, his sixth full-length release. Former fans of the Pittsburgh born emcee will probably go into this album hoping for a return to the rapper's former ways, unfortunately, they will end up sorrily disappointed.

Not only is Khalifa the worst album Wiz has put out this far in his career, it's also one of the worst rap album's I've heard in a very long time. The album, summed up as quickly as possible, is 13 tracks with absolutely zero effort, featuring generic production, an overuse of overdubbed vocals and echo effects, boring lyricism, and the Taylor Gang leader attempting to say "I smoke weed" as many times as he possibly can on an album before driving the listener insane. Lines like "my chain shit on your car, my rolex fucked your bitch" on Celebrate, or "gettin' all this paper, got me shittin' in public" two tracks later on City View are beyond cringe worthy. Not even the instrumentals, done mostly by fairly talented producers like frequent Khalifa collaborators Big Jerm, SAP, and Sledgren can help save any tracks on this LP, as most beats feel generic and boring, not even seeming good enough to be filler on an older project of his.

The album is 52 minutes yet feels like a lifetime, with guest features throughout adding nothing more than perhaps an appearance on the chorus or a lacklustre short verse. The only decent features comes on the one tolerable cut on the record, as No Permission features fellow Taylor Gang records label mate Chevy Woods. The instrumental, which is easily the most reminiscent of Wiz's past material on the album, is fairly average, and he appears to at least be attempting to put in an effort lyrically on this track. The biggest issue with the album for me, if it isn't clear yet, is that it's obvious Wiz isn't trying, coming through as a shell of himself even on his other commercial releases. While projects like Rolling Papers and O.N.I.F.C weren't great by any stretch, they at least felt like radio-bait, whereas Khalifa doesn't even seem to be enjoyable enough for the radio. It's not catchy, unique, creative, or anything else that could possibly be seen as a positive quality.

On Zoney, one of the later tracks in the listings, Wiz even brings his son Sebastian onto the album as perhaps some attempt to create a cute moment, but that's the last thing needed on a rap album. The only thing it serves to do is help the listener forget the lyrics earlier on the track, which are among the worst found in the listing. It did garner a smile from me though, because it became evident at this point how heavy Wiz was reaching, just looking to fill-up time and tracks as needed.

I'll be completely honest and admit that I'm not much of a fan of commercial radio rap. With that being said, the pop-rap elements aren't even what makes this album so unbearably bad. There's nothing appealing to be found anywhere near this album aside from maybe one or two tracks that are just a little bit above the horrendous standards the rest of the album sets. I'm not going to ramble on about just how poor this project is, or how far Wiz Khalifa, a once at least somewhat talented emcee has fallen off. Instead, I'll just leave by recommending you stay as far away from this album, or any song found on it for that matter, as possible.

Favorite Tracks: If I have to choose, No Permission is at least better than the other songs found on this trash heap.

I'm not even going to attach a video from the album below, instead listen to Never Been, a track from back when Wiz made enjoyable stoner rap.

Least Favorite Tracks: BTS, Celebrate, Elevated, City View, Call Waiting, Zoney

Rating: 1/5

Yes that's right, one, as in the same number of songs that I can actually ever potentially see myself considering coming back to on this album.

Have you listened to the album yet? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments section down below!

Hotel Paranoia by Jazz Cartier

When Jazz Cartier claims "everybody in the States compares me to Drake, cause not many in the city can carry the weight" on the song Talk of the Town, he delivers an interesting perspective of what's to come on the follow-up to his debut album Marauding in Paradise that was released back in April of last year. Not only does Jazz share Drake's hometown of Toronto, Ontario, but he also shares a similar sound to that of the OVO member, as just like Drizzy is known for his ability to to craft fantastic party anthems over a plethora of beats, Jazz once again proves he's capable of the same on Hotel Paranoia. 

Coming in at 16 tracks, Hotel Paranoia is quite an ambitious effort from the Canadian emcee, but if one things for sure, Cartier never shies away from taking risks. Whether it be through his boastful lyrics or his seemingly ever-changing beat selection, which while often trap flavoured, seems to also incorporate influences from many other genres as well. Even with the diversity though, 16 trap songs is a lot to digest, but could the up and coming hip-hop artist step-up and deliver yet again?

The aforementioned opening track Talk of the Town is exactly the way a project should open, Jazz is bold, he's energetic, and ultimately he introduces his listeners of what's to come. That is, until the outro of the song begins, and a skit between himself and an apparent worker from the "hotel paranoia" plays out. I didn't go into this mixtape expecting a concept project, but when one presents a skit of the sorts, and even finishes it with Jazz asking the employee if she can inform him when his friend arrives, as well as asking where the elevator is. The concept seemingly disappears after that track however, and the only true reoccurrence is when the albums sole guest appearance, coming from River Tiber, appears later on in track listing. Once again though, the cut has no clear connection to anything else in the project, so the skit is a somewhat questionable inclusion on the album.

The album almost appears to be divided into halves, as the first ten or so tracks are the expected hard hitting trap beats with Jazz dropping one liners and braggadocios statements. It changes up with After The Club however, as the subject matter becomes the relationship between the Toronto native and a love interest. The change in pace is reversed however, as Tales, the fifteenth track in the listing brings back the style found in the first ten cuts. The track pacing is interesting, but in some ways makes the project feel convoluted.

The project's closer, Save Me From Myself, is one of the most eccentric cuts I've heard from Jazz, as he delivers his first verse in a raw, almost demented vocal style. It's easily one of the most intriguing cuts found on the album, alongside How We Do It, a track that samples the Montell Jordan song by the same name. Not only is the use of the sample fairly interesting in it's own right, the song is the trap anthem you can expect to hear when you tune in to a Jazz Cartier project.

The album definitely flips back and forth, with a share of generic trap cuts that don't add much to the overall experience, but also quite a few enjoyable cuts that display lyrical skill as well as a strong ability to craft catchy hooks. If the goal with this release was to separate himself from Drake, I do believe Jazz succeeded, with that being said, the comparison isn't a bad thing and the more distancing he does, the more he'll need to add diversity and individuality to his sound.

Favorite Tracks: Talk of the Town, Red Alert, How We Do It, Save Me From Myself

Least Favorite Tracks: Illuminati Love Song

Rating: 3.5/5

Northern Lights by Allan Kingdom

Allan Kingdom is best known by many for his work alongside Paul McCartney and Theophilus London on Kanye West's huge 2015 single All Day. Not to downplay Allan Kingdom's involvement with that track, but outside of that feature he has managed to put together some very solid work of his own, and his 2014 mixtape Future Memoirs really helped put the Canadian emcee on the map. Perhaps Kingdom's best skill, which became very clear on the previously mentioned Future Memoirs, was in his hooks and choruses which not only found themselves stuck in your head, but oftentimes thanks to his intriguing beat selection also had you bobbing your head and grooving along. Because of that ability to create catchy tracks, I've been anticipating his followup for quite some time. Fortunately, his latest release Northern Lights, did not disappoint.

As soon as the album kicks off with the opening track, The Ride, Allan Kingdom shows that not only is he continuing to craft the same catchy hip-hop tracks we've heard from him previously, but he's now fine-tuned his skills even more. One of the changes from his last release to this, is the beat selection, which suits his style even more so than on his previous release. Another thing worth mentioning with the album's production is how much of it comes from Kingdom himself, and most of his self-produced tracks are amongst my favourites on the album.

While the second track, The Forest (Intro) doesn't add much to the album, aside from that the young rapper seems to do a great job of making the most of almost all the tracks in the listing, as he packs each one with a great flow, some solid lyrics, and a hook to chant along with. The only cuts that really stuck out to me as two that I did not enjoy, was I Feel Ya, which to me is in some ways reminiscent to previous work done from the man who invited Allan Kingdom onto All Day, Kanye West, and while it does have the same texture and feeling you'd find on Kanye's 808's and Heartbreak, it fails to have the same effectiveness, and ultimately sticks out as being a questionable inclusion in the track listing. The other track is Interruption, which often borders on being annoying for me personally. However, aside from that track, the project is very tight, and every other song is enjoyable. It stays similar enough to flow and feel cohesive, but different enough that even after multiple listens, the album still continues to be fun. Allan Kingdom definitely kicked off his 2016 the right way.

Favorite Tracks: The Ride, Hypocrite, Northen Lights, Go Fish

Least Favorite Tracks: I Feel Ya

I decided to change up the previous rating system, cause who really uses letters to grade anymore anyway?

Rating: 3.5/5

7 Releases From 2015 You Need To Hear If You Haven't Already

First and foremost, let me just say that the chances of you having heard at least one or two albums on this list are very high. Rather than focusing on plucking 7 artists from complete obscurity and dropping them onto your radar, I figured it'd be better to take a mix of popular and underground artists from some varying genres, because chances are there will be at least one or two that you aren't familiar with, and that you might truly enjoy. With that being said, in no particular order, 7 albums from 2015 you need to hear.

1) Blood by Lianne La Havas

UK born singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas stormed onto the scene this year with her second full length release Blood, an album that saw her blend soul and R&B among a few other influences in what made for a great showcase of her talent. Not only does she have a fantastic voice, but her ability for writing catchy lyrics cannot be overlooked, and she's also a very gifted multi-instrumentalist. If you're looking for something new and refreshing, yet still catchy and upbeat, Blood is sure to lift you up have you singing and dancing in no time. 

2) Get to Heaven by Everything Everything

Everything Everything's contribution to the music scene in 2015 was a very welcomed one, as the band delivered some of the best indie pop-rock I've heard in quite some time. Not only was it's release a very pleasant surprise to me, but it also ended up being one of my favorite album's of the year as well. Lead singer Jonathan Higgs' vocals may take a little bit of getting used to, but once you hear a few songs from the band, and see just what his vocal range is capable of alongside their ability to craft catchy pop tunes, you'll be blown away.

3) Meow The Jewels by Run The Jewels

Ever since the group's formation and debut album back in 2013, Run The Jewels, the hip-hop duo of Killer Mike and El-P has been one of, if not the most entertaining and enjoyable rap ensemble in all of hip-hop. So it's only fair that the two combine their oftentimes aggressive and overly violent rap style with the soothing sounds of cats, right? Well, whether you answered yes or no to that, they did it. Thanks to a fan-funded kickstarter campaign, Killer Mike, El-P, a few lucky cats, and a large number of gifted producers got together and created perhaps the weirdest rap album ever made when they remixed RTJ2 with the inclusion of cat sounds.

4) Hyperview by Title Fight

Title Fight's transition from run of the mill Hardcore-punk act to shoe-gaze inspired indie rock band made for one of, in my opinion, the most pleasantly surprising releases of 2015. While the album received fairly decent reviews, it didn't quite achieve the popularity that I personally felt it deserved. The music on the album ranges from noisy and emotional, to quiet, sparse, and depressing, and really just hits the right note when you feel like listening to an album that feels like it belongs in an low-budget indie drama soundtrack (and I mean that in a good way.) The album has a wonderful flow to it, and once you press play on the first track, you'll have a hard time turning it off until it's finished.

5) Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit by Courtney Barnett

Courtney Barnett took on 2015 with momentum on her side, as her debut album Sometimes I Sit received quite a bit of exposure thanks to websites like Pitchfork and the Rolling Stone promoting the release. The reason such high profile music sites went out of their way to showcase the Australian born singer-songwriter is because put simply, she's on her way to becoming one of the best indie rock musicians out there. On her debut album she introduces us into her own signature style, a style that sees her combine very catchy indie rock style guitar riffs, with weird, quirky, story telling that see's her range from rambling about her societal views, to her delivering repetitive and catchy choruses. Her speak/sing style of delivery is something seen quite a bit more in the folk and country scene, but she works it very well into her sound, and it's definitely something worth checking out.  

6) Today, I Wrote Nothing by Billy Woods

Billy Woods approach to hip-hop is quite unlike anything that's popular within the genre now. He doesn't use club anthem instrumentals, he doesn't rely on the popularity of the trap scene, and he doesn't try to be relatable. Instead, Billy Woods uses his immaculate vocabulary, and snail speed slow delivery to make for what was one of the most intriguing rap releases of the whole year. The songs are short and to the point, the instrumentals are some of the most diverse and fleshed out of any rap project I've heard recently, and the track-list comes in at 24 cuts. How Billy Woods managed to take on a project of that length without seeming repetitive either lyrically or instrumentally is far beyond me, but for a day where he wrote nothing, he sure did write a lot (not funny, I know.) 

7) O∆ by London O'Connor

Your first question, I'm sure, is what kind of album name is that? Well, the album name seems to describe London O'Connor perfectly, because both he and the album are quite frankly, just different. The young musician assembled a project this year that is an ode to growing up and missing your childhood, or maybe just never growing up at all. I reviewed the album in full previously, and my thoughts still remain the same. While London dabbles in many different genres, it seems very clear that he is creating his own sound, and his own style to accompany it.

GO:OD AM by Mac Miller

Mac Miller is a rapper/producer from Pittsburgh, PA. He broke out back in 2010 with the release of his mixtape KIDS, and ever since has been one of the most popular rappers on the scene. His ever changing sound has led to some excellent projects, and some projects that aren't quite as great. Nonetheless, the 23 year old as compiled a very versatile discography. 

Mac's second full-length album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off was released back in 2013, and while it was seen by many as a sign of maturity in his sound, I personally did not enjoy it as much as I had enjoyed his earlier work. He followed that up, however, with what is probably my favorite project in his discography Faces, a more laid back and unique, at times even comedic approach to rapping by the emcee. On his newest album, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would we get a continuation of the style seen on Faces, or would he continue to alter his sound on every project he releases, like he has done in the past?

On GO:OD AM we get a sound that hovers somewhere between his last two previously mentioned projects Watching Movies and Faces. While Mac certainly takes a similar approach to rapping that we see on Watching Movies, the instrumentals are much more reminiscent of those you'd find on his last project. I can't say that his lyrical approach on Watching Movies was bad, but I did personally find it much less entertaining than how he handled Faces, so coming into this album that was an immediate disappointment.

Perhaps my biggest problem with this album, and rap music in general at the moment, is the ridiculous 17 tracks and 70+ minute run time of the album. I know what you're thinking, why am I mad that Mac Miller provided more tracks to listen to, isn't that a good thing? It is, to an extent. But something that's happening time and time again in hip-hop, is that artists are adding additional tracks to the listing just for the sake of using tracks. Much like I mentioned on A$AP Rocky's latest project, so many of these tracks are throwaways that, if left out of the listing, would have probably led to a more positive listening experience. I think it goes without saying that the inclusion of two or three "bad" tracks, is going to really hurt someone's perception of an album. 

As far as what Mac did well, is his experimentation production wise on this project. He continues to get away from producing his own tracks under his Larry Fisherman allias, as all the production is done by other producers on GO:OD AM. We do get some very unique instrumentals on the project, like the one found on Time Flies, a track that also features cult legend rapper Lil B. Another instrumental worth mentioning is Jump, a very electronic based track that sounds much more like something you'd find on a house album than a hip-hop album. With that being said, Mac does a great job of making the most out of the track. ROS can also be added into the discussion of more interesting instrumentals, as it kicks off with Miller singing over a piano ballad before transitioning into a very sparse and laid back beat, where he even does his own backing vocals. 

The features are another thing of note, as throughout the album only 5 of the tracks contain guest features. Half of which are singing contributions (done by The Weeknd and Little Dragon), meaning Mac Miller takes on the majority of the 70 minute project all by himself. The guest verses we do see come from Chicago based trap artist Chief Keef, who delivers a very typical trap verse on the track Cut The Check, which is a below average cut. Lil B's appearance on Times Flies sees him simply talking in the background of the track, nothing more. The one guest verse worth noting, is that of Ab-Soul, who appears on Two Matches, a sequal of sorts to the track Matches by the two rappers that appeared back on Watching Movies. While Matches ended up being one of my favorites on it's respective project, Two Matches is also one of my favorites on this album. We see Soul deliver a fantastic verse as per usual, and Mac Miller keeps up quite well, seeming a little bit more focused than he does throughout the rest of the project. 

If Mac had have made the decision to leave a few of the subpar tracks out of the listing, cuts like Clubhouse, In The Bag, and Cut The Check, then I believe it would have made for a much more focused and well put together finished project. Instead, we get a project that's way too long, drags in parts, and at times seems as if it was just thrown together. That's not to take away from how many good songs there are on the album, because there are plenty, but unfortunately I can't only judge it from the good ones. 

Rating: B-

Favorite Tracks: Brand Name, Two Matches, Perfect Circle, The Festival

Least Favorite Tracks: Clubhouse, In The Bag, God Speed (the second half of Perfect Circle,) Cut The Check