Denzel Curry- Nostalgic 64 ALBUM REVIEW

I definitely didn't have this album on my radar for 2013, and a few weeks ago I didn't even know who this guy was. I found out he had a connection with the Raider Klan, which is pretty cool, as SpaceGhostPurrp is an artist i am definitely a fan of. Nonetheless, I went into this with an open mind and had absolutely no idea what to expect. Did this album deserve all the buzz i saw it getting? Let's get into it.

ZONE 3- Denzel Curry came off on this track to me and a pretty talented rapper. The lyrics are here, the flows are here, and he has charisma as well as good delivery on this song. This track was complete with a pretty simple beat, which developed a little as the song went on. The only thing i did not love at all was the hook...7.5/10

PARENTS- This beat is very appealing. It is kind of quirky and just sounds interesting overall. I enjoyed the hook and Curry is just a pretty fun guy to listen to here. His flow is very on point in this song and i have nothing to complain about. Just a very good track. 8/10

DARK & VIOLENT- This dark beat sounds a lot like something I would hear SGP spit over, but Curry sounded really good over it, with some really good lyrics. The hook is just grimy and cold, and I really loved the verse by JK the Rapper here. A short skit followed by beat change up takes this track to the next level. Nell and Denzel Curry do their things with more cool lyricism over the new beat. A very cool track, with a cool topic and some super solid verses. 9/10

THREATZ- Another interesting beat here, as the hook comes in and sounds very catchy and is still stuck in my head. At this point in the album, Curry has proved himself and he sounds nasty spitting on this song. Yung Simme and Robb Banks deliver good verses, but fail to catch up with Curry overall. This track was another banger. 8.5/10

MYSTICAL VIRUS 3- This beat was really dark and actually came off insane with the crying girl sounds mixed in. Curry spits effortlessly over this instrumental and then pitch shifts his voice to the deep version, something many rappers do these days. Here it sounds very eerie and fits nicely. The hook hits hard and is just very calm, but with a scary edge to it. Then Lil Ugly Mane comes in, and his unique voice goes perfectly over the beat. I thought his verse was just dope. Then Mike G from Odd Future stops by, and he finishes it off nicely with a slower flow compared to Curry and Lil Ugly Mane. Sick track overall. 9.5/10

WIDESCREEN- Some happier, boom-bap production here, and Curry raps nicely over it with a nice flow. The highlight of this song is definitely the hook. It just sounds very cool to me, but overall this song is a little underwhelming compared to what had come earlier in the album. 8/10

N64- A chilling beat comes in an Curry starts going hard over it. Using a bit of a different flow than before, he also delivers some hard lyrics here. A sample of a newscast from the Trayvon Martin protest makes this song a lot more passionate. This track was awesome overall, and just felt epic. 8.5/10

LIKE ME- An upbeat, piano instrumental starts this track and Curry flows over it perfectly. This hook complimented the verses and sounded so smooth. This whole song just felt so clean and polished. The vibe was awesome and this hook was one of the best on the album. 9/10

TALK THAT SHIT- Curry switches it up again and sounds very aggressive here. It comes off  bit trap rap infulenced, but it sounds pretty good either way. One thing cool I noticed was Curry uses the same flow as Drake in Versace. Curry spits some nice lyrics here and it hits really hard. 9/10

BENZ- This was really the only one track where I was not  very impressed with much of anything. it was still pretty solid, but did not leave the impact the others did. The hook was not as cool as others, and Curry didn't put as much into his verse. I still enjoyed the vibe of it. 7.5/10

DENNY CASCADE- A super laid-back song, this just sounds awesome. The hook is super catchy and sounds perfect over this beat. This a great track that is just super chill. Curry goes with a little slower flow here, but it sounds great as he continues to switch up his style effortlessly. This guy can just rhyme. 9/10

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DENZEL CURRY PT 2- Another laid-back song to finish it off, Curry has a super laid back tone to his voice, but raps incredibly fast at one point here. He then goes into a flow that is just flawless. The beat is awesome and just sounds silky and beautiful. This track was great, the hook was nice and I can't complain about anything. 9.5/10

NOSTALGIC 64 WRAP UP
+Awesome variety across the board, with dark, upbeat, laid-back songs
+Curry has literally everything you look for in a great MC
+Super sleek production, nothing feels rushed
+Some awesome guest verses
+Amazing blend of so many different types of hip hop

Best: Dark and Violent, Mystical Virus 3, Day In the Life Of Denzel Curry pt. 2

Worst: Widescreen

Denzel Curry- Nostalgic 64
8.8/10

Kanye West- Yeezus ALBUM REVIEW

I don't even need to say anything about this guy. Kanye West has done so much in hip hop in the past decade it is impossible to go into detail about any of it. Kanye has brought something different on each of his albums and is viewed as an incredibly creative and risk-taking artist. After his 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, received critical acclaim, his next 2013 album was incredibly anticipated. Did Kanye come through yet again on Yeezus? Let's get into it.

ON SIGHT- This beat is very, very different. It doesn't sound like hip hop. From the second this song started, you knew Kanye was going in a TOTALLY different direction here. The beat is hard-hitting, electronic, and wild, but it works. Kanye starts rapping and it sounds pretty good. As he keeps flowing, one thing becomes obvious: these lyrics are really brash and hard to listen to. This is just not the Kanye I know, resorting to such trashy lyrics. Overall, I wasn't to into this. It was a little odd and just didn't feel right. 6.5/10

BLACK SKKKN HKKKD- Another experimental beat here, but i like it a lot more, as some rock influence brings sick, head-banging sounds. The drums hit hard and it is just super-aggresive. Kanye sounds awesome rapping here. His lyrics go back to being on point here. I loved this song. It was just nasty and Kanye sounded great. 9.5/10

I AM A GOD- After the last track, this just sounded soft and lame. The beat was just kind of lazy and I was not into it, especially with the synth riff later in the song. Kanye did not sound too inspired and he was just a little too egotistical for me to like it. He just sounded obnoxious here. I was not really feeling too much here. 6/10

NEW SLAVES- A super-minimalistic beat starts this off, with Kanye spitting some passionate lyrics on racism and sounding really good. After the beat drops Kanye comes back in on the hook, then just gets to the spitting. He raps with ease here, dropping some awesome quotables and shouting them with anger near the end. it sounds awesome. The slow part at the end is an odd change of pace, but I actually loved it. 9/10

HOLD MY LIQUOR- I was not too into this beat, it was weirdly quiet. Justin Vernon sounded really good singing on this song, but then Chief Keef comes in, which did not sound great, to say the least. Kanye did not sounds too energized on his verses either, even though he had some nice lines. This song just never really went anywhere for me. 7/10

I'M IN IT-  This beat hits very hard. Kanye had some more trashy lyrics and even a Lil Wayne-level punchline here, but this track was just too cool. The Jamaican vocal was awesome, and this beat drop sounded sick. Kanye then finishes it with a pretty good verse. 8.5/10

BLOOD ON THE LEAVES- Kanye returns to the auto-tune here, but it works on this song. The sample is very cool, but Kanye's lyrics weren't too strong. The beat drop was just epic, where the song just got awesome. Kanye sounds really passionate singing this, and the whole experiment comes together well on this track. It does get obnoxious near the end, and this song ends up dragging on a little too long. 8/10

GUILT TRIP (FEAT. KID CUDI)- More auto-tune here, and i was not feeling it. The sample was so sick, though. Kanye sounds pretty good here, but I didn't like Kid Cudi. This track did not do too much for me. Also, more lame Kanye lyrics. 7/10

SEND IT UP (FEAT. KING L)- This beat is so awesome. I was really feeling it, especially when King L hopped in. His super-understated voice came off great here, and the hook is catchy as well. I was not feeling Kanye as much, but overall, the beat alone makes this a standout. 9/10

BOUND 2- This track was a huge change from the 9 songs that preceded it, and it instantly sounded like some old-school Kanye West. Kanye actually puts together some good lyricism on this and it all ends up sounding really good. A proper way to finish this off, definitely. 8.5/10

YEEZUS WRAP UP
+super creative and different production
+some very cool samples
+Kanye is still evolving making different music with each album
+King L's verse is just so dope
-Kanye's lyrics are terrible, for the most part
-Some songs sounded messy and rushed

Best: Black Skkkn Hkkkd, New Slaves, Send It Up

Worst: I Am a God

Kanye West- Yeezus
8.3/10

A$AP Ferg-Trap Lord ALBUM REVIEW

Trap music...something I have not really been a fan of for the most part. I must say, artists like Gucci Mane, Chief Keef, and Waka Flocka just don't do it for me. This isn't because they're bad rappers (which they are, but that's not the point.) but because something about their music just seems trashy. It is hard to explain, but it feels too dirty that is just doesn't sound good. When I heard ASAP Ferg was releasing this album with this particular title, I was not very excited because of my history with trap music. Did Trap Lord change everything? Let's get into it.

LET IT GO- When this hook came in, instant turn up. It was just ridiculously catchy. When something is this catchy, lyrics simply do not matter to me. ASAP Ferg also has a very odd rapping style with an over-the-top delivery and voice, but i love it. He sounds very comfortable rapping like this. This track had my head bopping all the way through and it was just dope. 8.5/10

SHABBA (FEAT. ASAP ROCKY)- A very cool trap beat started this off, and Ferg's flow was very oddball again, complete with crazy lines that almost made no sense. The hook on this song was just another turn up hook. The insane catchiness just takes this track to the next level. Unfortunately, I was very let down by ASAP Rocky, who is one my favorite rappers right now. He just didn't sound too comfortable. This track just got worse as it went on. 7.5/10

LORD (FEAT BONE THUGZ N HARMONY)- On this track, Ferg and the Bone Thugz go in on a, eerie, sick beat. Ferg, obviously gets totally destroyed by these guys, so he is pretty much an afterthought here. Bizzy Bone went aboslutely HAM here. I loved his verse. All of the Bone Thugz brought rapid fire flows and killed it in their own right, but Bizzy. DAMN. 9/10

HOOD POPE- Ferg introduces his "singing" on this song, and I was kinda feeling it. This track was pretty smooth, and I don't have too many complaints here. Ferg's singing voice did get a little annoying by the end and I'm glad he did not use it too much on the album. 7.5/10

FERGIVICIOUS- I was not feeling this beat at all. It felt out of place on an incredibly high-energy album. Ferg's verse was just average here for me. The best part of this song was definitely the hook, which was nice and catchy. 6.5/10

4:02- What a stupid song this was. A pointless skit starts this off, which takes off far too much time. The song was barely even a song, and it did not sound very good to me at all. I don't like this "song" at all and Ferg would have benefitied by leaving it off. 3/10

DUMP DUMP- An incredibly brash and ridiculous track, but it works. I really liked this beat, along with the flow Ferg goes with. This song had my head bopping the whole time once again. The hook was just hilarious and I enjoyed it. 7.5/10

WORK REMIX- A sick posse cut here. I loved this beat. it was definitely a turn up beat and Ferg starts it off great with his first two lines on this track. French Montana was just horrible, but i liked Trinidad James here surprisingly. Schoolboy Q definitely has the best verse, with a great flow and some great lines. ASAP Rocky finishes it off nicely with his unique flow. 9/10

DIDN'T WANNA DO THAT- I was instantly drawn to this beat. It had a sick, funky groove to it. This track was flawless until the stupid skit that took over the song. I was pretty mad about this because Ferg sounded crazy as ever over the nice beat, and this track was going great. Ferg's singing after the skit was awesome too. Great song, stupid skit. 8/10

MURDA SOMETHING (FEAT. WAKA FLOCKA FLAME)- This track was just high-energy, trap awesomeness. Waka's verse was pretty solid, with a nice faster flow. The hook with the opera vocal just hit hard, and the beat drop with Ferg's voice was just as epic. Ferg's verses here are solid, with some memorable funny lines here. Waka's final verse was pretty sick too. Nothing to complain about. Dope trap rap done right. 9.5/10

MAKE A SCENE- This track starts pretty eerie and spacious, like something on LongLiveA$AP. Ferg's verses here were some of my favorites on the album. This hook was pretty catchy and the female vocal added a more refined vibe. This track was very cool and i loved it. 8.5/10

FUCK OUT MY FACE- This was one of the only tracks where I was not too into the hook. It just didn't appeal to me the way the ignorant hook on Dump Dump did. B-Real's verse was just awesome, though. His voice is just so memorable and unique. Ferg's verse was solid as usual, but he gets killed here by Aston Matthews and Onyx who bring some sick flows and lyricism. This song had some seriously dope verses. 8.5/10

COCAINE CASTLE- Ferg's singing was not as good here as it was on Hood Pope, and i wasn't into the beginning of this song. It did get better as it went along. I love the overall vibe on this song, it was a terrific closer as it embodied the album's whole sound. The song itself just did not connect with me as much as a lot of others on this. 7/10

TRAP LORD WRAP-UP
+trap rap, refined in an artsy way
+Ferg doesn't sound like anyone else, so unique
+Ferg is hilarious and does not take himself too seriously
+Some incredibly catchy hooks
+Production you would not usually see on trap rap
+Some very solid guest verses
-Some lackluster singing from Ferg
-Pointless skits that literally ruin some songs

Best: Work Remix, Let It Go, Murda Something

Worst: 4:02

A$AP Ferg- Trap Lord
8.0/10

Earl Sweatshirt-Doris ALBUM REVIEW

 This album. I have been waiting for this for nearly a good two years. Earl Sweatshirt is definitely one of the most mysterious rappers around. A member of Odd Future, Earl made a buzz in early 2010 with his debut mixtape titled "EARL". He was only 16 when he released this, which makes it that much more shocking that Earl is talking about topics such as rape, murder, and misogyny. After this, Earl was suddenly shipped to a boarding school by his mother until early 2012. Coming back with O.F. way bigger and more popular than before, people were instantly eager for new material. Now its August 2013, and Earl's new body of work, Doris, is finally here. Let's get into it.

 PRE (FEAT. SK LA FLARE)- In a very odd (and possibly a troll move by Earl) this album is not even started with an Earl Sweatshirt verse. A totally unknown rapper called SK La Flare starts this off with a very average verse that i wasn't really feeling. His flow was pretty good, but he had no energy and it felt very generic. Earl comes in with a sick verse, dropping quotables everywhere and a solid flow. This head-bopping beat was pretty cool, and set the mood for the rest of the album. I hate to say it, but LaFlare kind of ruined this song to me. Bad way to start the album...7/10

 BURGUNDY- Now this is what i wanted. This is introspective Earl at his finest. Dropping personal lines everywhere, Earl is brutally honest on this one. Vince Staples only adds to the feeling saying things im pretty sure all O.F. fans were thinking for a while. The Neptunes supply a beat that is just EPIC. The horns, drums, and synths sound great and Earl goes HAM over it in the 2nd verse. 9.5/10 

20 WAVE CAPS (FEAT. DOMO GENESIS)- This track just feels like classic Odd Future. Domo continues his string of solid guest verses with some fun, braggadocious rhymes. Earl follows up with a nice verse with some nice quotables. This is a good, fun track. I don't really get tired of listening to it. The upbeat instrumental only adds to the aesthetic. Very solid. 8.5/10

 SUNDAY (FEAT. FRANK OCEAN)- This is definitely a change of pace. Earl drops a lovey track with Odd Future R&B star Frank Ocean. Overall, I think this track goes over a little weird. It just didn't fit for me. I like the passion in Earl's verse and the beat change up in the middle, but it all feels out of place. I also was not really feeling Frank's verse too much. Nonetheless, a decent song. 7/10

 HIVE (FEAT. CASEY VEGGIES & VINCE STAPLES)- Wow. What a banger. I have nothing to complain about. This song is so dark everywhere, from Earl's voice to the minimalistic beat, everything sound eerie and I love it. Vince Staples steals the show. A sick verse all around, with lots of great lines and a flawless flow. This track is just awesome. 10/10

 CHUM- Another personal track, but I do not love it as much as Burgundy. This one just felt a little bland. I was not feeling the beat too much, it got a little repetitive, even though the initial piano riff sounded good. Earl got real personal and i did like that, but something about this track was just off. I cant exactly explain it, but this one doesn't really connect with me. Props for the beat at the end though. 6.5/10

 SASQUATCH (FEAT. TYLER, THE CREATOR)- EARLWOLF!!! I was very excited for this track given these two's reputation of KILLING track together, and it seriously came through for me. Tyler starts it off with a nice flow and one memorable line after another. Even though this Tyler-produced beat sounds like a throwaway from WOLF, i cant complain about it. Then, Earl drops a seriously dope verse, with such sick lyricism and a nasty flow. Great track. 9/10

 CENTURION (FEAT. VINCE STAPLES)- While not as sick as his verse on Hive, Vince Staples comes through yet again with a good verse. A sudden beat change-up leads into some Earl verses. Earl is his usual self here, but the hook felt a little lazy. Still, I liked the vibe on this track, as it felt high-energy during the verses. 7.5/10

 UNCLE AL- This beat is crazy, but that doesn't surprise me after seeing that it was made my The Alchemist. He impresses me here. His rapping was on point again, but WHY is this track 53 seconds? This would most likely have been my favorite track of the album if it was just a little longer 8.5/10

 GUILD (FEAT. MAC MILLER)- This unlikely collaboration actually doesn't go over too bad. Mac Miller's verse lacks excitement, but his flow was on point. This was one of the only tracks where I was not really feeling Earl's verse, though. Overall, this track felt a little too slow and long. Still decent, though. 7.5/10

 MOLASSES (FEAT. RZA)- Some surprisingly upbeat, happy production starts this track off. Earl has some nice verses, as usual. This track is totally thrown off by the hook. First, it is a stupid hook to begin with. Second, you have the RZA and youre gonna let him do just that?? He is horribly underused here. 6.5/10

 WHOA (FEAT. TYLER, THE CREATOR)- This track was pretty good. A very cool beat sets up Earl for some solid verses with plenty of cool lines, and Tyler sounds great on the hook. This just does not feel as epic as a lot of other tracks on Doris. 7.5/10

 HOARSE- Longtime O.F. fans BadBadNotGood produce this track, and it has a heavy western feel to it. I can't really say anything bad about this track, but I also can't really say anything good about it too, besides Earl changing the tone of his voice up a little. 7/10

 KNIGHT (FEAT DOMO GENESIS)- This was an awesome way to end the album. This beat could be my favorite of the bunch, it sounds so peaceful, but its not too happy. Domo puts together another good verse, getting personal about his father. Earl goes into the same topic and ends the song (and album) in an epic way with that final line. One awesome thing to note here is both of the rappers voices getting lower as their verses go on. This track was super dope and a great closer. 8.5/10

DORIS WRAP-UP
+Earl is a super complex lyricist for his age
+Earl can use many different flows and is great at riding beats
+The production has a distinct, dark sound for the most part and it sounds great
+Most of the features came through nicely
-Album gets a little worse near the end
-Awful way to start the album with the first song
-Badly underused the RZA

Best- Hive, Sasquatch, 20 Wave Caps

Worst- Molasses

Earl Sweatshirt- Doris
9.0/10