Danny Brown- Old ALBUM REVIEW

I'm serious when I say Danny Brown is my favorite rapper right now. It took me a while to get into him, as I initially found him annoying and not worth my time. This all changed when I decided to check out his critically acclaimed 2011 album, XXX. I was so impressed with it and I really can't complain about one song on the album. It was nearly flawless. After this, I just started liking all his guest verses and he quickly became one of my favorites. His technical rapping ability is insane and he kills pretty much any feature he has. Now, we finally have the follow-up to XXX, with a new studio album titled Old. Did Danny come through once again two years after XXX?

The album starts off in a dynamic way with the intro, Side A. There was nothing wrong with this song, as Danny spit with precision and the hook was catchy as hell. The instrumental was pretty grimy and upbeat at the same time, making a great beat. The song was also perfect length, as it would have just gotten boring if it was any longer. The second song, The Return, sees Danny once again rapping in a lower, more normal voice, like on Side A. Whereas it worked in that song, I didn't like it as much on this song, Danny's low voice just didn't sound right on this beat, using a pretty slow flow. Freddie Gibbs was so much more fitting on it, as he destroyed Danny on this song, in my opinion. His verse pretty much saved the song and made it a standout. Freddie Gibbs definitely had the best guest verse on the album and he sounded fantastic on the hook. The next song, 25 Bucks, goes for a more atmospheric style, as the band Purity Ring was all over this song. Megan James sounded great singing on this song, and Danny really spit nicely over the beat. This song actually had a "mainstream hit" sound to it, as i could definitely see this being played on the radio. It sounds great and this type of song is where Danny Brown really shines. The next two songs are both pretty short, but still are good songs. Wonderbread had an awesome beat and catchy-ass hook, as Danny sounded like his usual crazy self. I actually wish this song was longer. Gremlins also had an interesting beat, but there was something about it I didn't really like. Danny flowed nicely here, but this song really had nothing great in it. It is still enjoyable, though. Next was Dope Fiend Rental with Schoolboy Q. This song is exactly what you would expect from these two MCs. Brash, raunchy, entertaining lyrics over a terrific beat. Danny's verse was good, but Q absolutely killed it with his appearance. He sounded full of energy and flowed relentlessly here. This song was definitely a highlight for me.

At this point in the album, Danny goes into a string of some more slower, sadder, more personal tracks. The first of these is the song Torture, which I loved. This song just felt honest, emotional, and real. The beat was grimy and fit the theme of the song so well. My favorite part, though, was the hook. It was awesome and the beat just stood out in such a fantastic way. This song was flawless. The next one, Lonely, was just okay. I didn't love it. The beat was nice and sounded really good, but Danny didn't impress me too much here, even though his lyricism was on point. I think I just don't like Danny on beats like this, cause nothing about this song really impressed me. I really did like the song Clean Up which came right after. It just sounds like a better version of Lonely, in my opinion. Once I really sat down and listened to Danny's lyrics on this song, you really get a sense of what this guy has been through in his career. This song was great and probably Danny's most introspective moment of the album. The album then switched up, as the energy came right back on the next song, Red 2 Go. This was just a classic Danny track, as he sounded energetic and had some hilarious lyrics. I loved the hook here, and the whole song was just fun and catchy.

The second half of the album started with Side B (Dope Song). This song was every bit as awesome as Side A, and I also think it was better. This song was very funny and very good at the same time. The beat changes in this song were awesome, as Danny always rode them right and the hook was catchy as hell. This song was pretty experimental, and it resulted in pure awesomeness. I loved this song. The next one was titled Dubstep, and this song was pretty good. The beat was definitely funky and Danny rapped pretty well here, as well as using some clever wordplay on the hook. This song had some nice energy to it and had a cool vibe overall.

The next handful of songs on Old were high energy, party tracks that featured Danny just having as much as fun as possible, and you can definitely feel it. This is perhaps most evident on the song Dip. This track was just a high-energy drug trip, an environment where Danny feels very comfortable. Catchy hook, fun verses, great beat, nothing to complain about. The next two songs on Old were possibly the weakest, in my opinion. Smokin and Drinkin just felt a little overdone, and Danny came off a little annoying in this song, but I did like the beat. Break-It was not much better, as it was just a typical Danny track that wasn't memorable enough to be as good as the other party songs. This song really featured nothing that made me think it shoudnt have been left off the album. Things do get better with the song Handstand, though. This could be the craziest, most unusual beat on the album. Danny is so crazy on this song it becomes hilarious, and the hook is awesome, especially with the beat drop. Way Up Here was pretty forgettable as it features one of the least interesting beats on the album and one of Ab-Soul's worst verses I've ever heard from him. This song was not very impressive to me, and felt like filler. Kush Coma, on the other hand, was a great song. The vibe was awesome and this was probably the best hook on the album. Insanely catchy with a very unique vocal here. Danny and ASAP Rocky's verses are perfect for the vibe of the song. I have no complaints, as I think this song is fantastic. Another amazing song closes out this album, Float On. This song goes back to the laid-back, relaxed vibe that a few songs earlier on the album had. Danny sounded great here, showing he can really rap in any style he wants and it will work. The female vocal on the hook was just so smooth and this song closed out the album in a great way.

OLD WRAP UP
+Danny is a very fun rapper to listen to, and he has many different styles and flows
+Some very unique instrumentals, most sounded really good
+Really good variety, songs flowed well
+Catchy ass hooks on every song that had one
+Great features from Freddie Gibbs, ASAP Rocky, and Schoolboy Q
+The whole album is just such a crazy, fun listening experience
-Too many songs
-Some filler songs that could have been left out

Best: Torture, Side B, Float On

Worst: Way Up Here

Danny Brown- Old
8.6/10

Tyler, the Creator- Wolf ALBUM REVIEW

In my honest opinion, I think Tyler, the Creator is one of the most creative hip-hop artists to come out in a while. Tyler can tell stories, be funny, and be emotional through his music. He is very honest and I feel is personality is just so different from a lot of rappers. He is also a great producer, yet he doesn't make mind-blowing, layered, beats. He relies on more simple sounds but he has a way of making them sound very good at the same time. Tyler's first two albums, Bastard and Goblin, both really impressed me. I think the whole way the albums flowed was so creative and Tyler can just make damn good music. It took nearly two years for this new album to drop, so will it live up to the ridiculous expectations I have for it?

WOLF- This track opens up with a terrific piano instrumental mixed in with soulful singing that sounds beautiful. Tyler comes in with his typical attitude to start off the album. It then transitions into Tyler meeting with Dr. TC, a character from his first two albums. Tyler plays a character named Wolf who is being introduced to another character named Sam, who instantly is very mean and aggressive to Wolf. 9/10

JAMBA (FEAT. HODGY BEATS) - This beat is definitely unlike any other beat I've heard this another, with huge claps and weird farty synths. Tyler flows flawlessly over this. He also delivers some great punchlines on this song. Hodgy Beats drops a great verse here, rapping fast and rhyming with some real skill. I have no complaints, this song was so sick. 9.5/10

COWBOY- Tyler's lyrics get really introspective on this song, which is a huge change from the song before it. He raps over a pretty slow, laid-back beat that I liked. Once the piano comes in, it sounds great. This song gets a little boring, though. In the end, Wolf notices a very pretty girl and asks Sam who it is. Sam responds by saying its his girlfriend, Salem, and advising Wolf to "stay the fuck away from her". 8/10

AWKWARD- This song is yet another change of pace with Tyler writing a relaxing love song. I love how he adds a creepy vibe to the song with the pitch-shifted deep voice. The beat is perfect and sets the vibe nicely. The hook was so catchy and and my head-bopping all the way through. This song was pretty much perfect once Frank Ocean sang at the end. In my opinion, I think this song was Wolf reminiscing on a past love after seeing Salem. I might be wrong, but I truly think that's what this track was. 10/10

DOMO 23- another totally different style for Tyler here, as he comes with a high-energy, trap style beat. Tyler sounds awesome rapping here, with a pretty nice flow. Tyler also lyrically covers his career and his fans with brutal honesty. This track was very cool, and it was good to know Tyler can make songs like this. 8/10

ANSWER- A very relaxing and sentimental sounding beat starts this one off. This track was purely topical as Tyler goes over something he has gone over many times before: his dad. This time, instead of only hating on him like he does on songs like Bastard, he sadly admits that if his dad called him, he would answer. You can definitely tell the emotion on this song, as Tyler is conflicted about his feelings for his father. The singing on this track sounded great and this was a fantastic song. 9.5/10

SLATER- I have to admit, this is not one of my favorite beats on the album. It sounds somewhat lazy and there is not much going on, in a bad way. Tyler's lyrical content was not great here either. Frank Ocean completely saves this song and makes it an awesome listen. He absolutely kills it, singing beautifully. 8/10

48- Another topical track here, as Tyler decides to delve into drugs. He does this in a really creative way, taking the persona of a drug dealer. As the song goes on, Tyler starts to realize the very negative affect his product has on people, as the drugs are sometimes even killing them. This is just such a cool song to listen to, as Frank sounds great once again on the hook. 8.5/10

COLOSSUS- Lyrically, Tyler talks about his fans here. He does this in a way very similar to Eminem's song Stan. He raps from the point of view of an obsessed fan who idolizes Tyler in every way. Near the end of the song, Tyler impressively raps a conversation, going from his own point of view to the one of the fan. Everything said in this song is sadly true, showing Tyler definitely knows what his fans are like. This song was entertaining, as it is full of great lyricism. 8.5/10

PARTYISNTOVER/CAMPFIRE/BIMMER- Tyler decides to combine three short songs into a seven minute medley here. The first song, Partyisntover, comes with a dramatic, detailed instrumental that sounds great. Tyler uses some basic lyricism here, but this song is definitely a show off of Tyler's improved production skills. Campfire also has a very unique beat, but this one has some better lyricism, and just sounds very cool, as Tyler can always put a really odd vibe into a song. The children's voices and singing voice at the end sound really interesting on this song, and it works. Bimmer is definitely the best song of the three. The upbeat production sounds fantastic here. Tyler uses some pretty corny lyrics, but I love his flow over this beat. Once Frank Ocean comes into this song, as well as the epic piano, the track becomes just amazing. Bimmer was pretty much perfect and I wish it was a full song honestly. Overall, these three songs featured amazing production and they just got better with each song. 9.5/10

At the end of the whole song, the album story continues with Sam talking to a friend. The friend tells him he saw Sam's girlfriend, Salem, hanging out with Wolf down by the lake, as expected, Sam is very angry and pretty much wants to beat up Wolf.

IFHY (FEAT. PHARRELL)- This production starts off very eerie but just gets more epic as the song goes along. The drums bang hard and the synths are just so odd, making the song incredibly unique. Tyler's lyrics on this song sound so passionate as he details the conflicting feelings of a relationship that are making him insane. I  personally think this song is actually from Sam's point of view, as he details how much he loved Salem and how angry he is at her now after hearing she as hanging with Wolf. Tyler sounds crazy on this song and the whole vibe is amazingly unique. Tyler's idol, Pharrell, stops by to provide some fantastic singing. His part is so relaxing and the song becomes incredible at that point. This song was simply stellar and I still get chills when I listen to it. At the end of this song, Wolf and Salem are indeed hanging out at the lake and talking about Sam. Salem says he ran away because "some shit happened back home". 10/10

PIGS- In this song, Tyler goes into the Sam character's life back home, just like what Salem was talking about at the end of IFHY. Tyler raps here from the point of view of Sam in high school. Sam was just a troubled kid who couldn't get anything right and pretty much hated everyone. This leads to Sam shooting up his school. Tyler puts this into the song brilliantly, with screams, ambulance noises, and gunshots in the background during the third verse. Tyler shows Sam as a guy with some crazy, conflicted emotions in the third verse. This song comes off insanely creepy, messed-up, insane, but most of all, genius. 9.5/10

PARKING LOT (FEAT. CASEY VEGGIES & MIKE G)- A very jazzy instrumental starts this song off. I was not really feeling Tyler's rapping as much on this song. His flow sounded a little off to me, but he did have some good lines here. Casey Veggies' hook was very catchy and works really well on this song. Mike G has the next verse, and he totally kills it. His smooth voice matches the song perfectly and his flow was just so on point. Unfortunately, this song felt a little empty after the string of amazing songs before this. At the end of the song, the friend who was earlier warning Sam about Wolf and Salem hanging out, tells Wolf that Sam is after him and that Sam wants to kill him. Wolf simply says "not if I get to him first". 8.5/10

RUSTY- I was very excited for this one as Odd Future's three heaviest hitters, Domo Genesis, Tyler, and Earl get together for a song. A chilling beat covers this song which honestly sounds like some golden era Wu Tang production. It was just made for rapping. Domo starts this off with the best verse I have ever heard Domo spit, by far. He sounds hungry, aggressive, and tough as hell here. He somehow raps effortlessly at the same time, rhyming with crazy skill. Tyler then spits HIS best verse ever, in my opinion. His lyrics were incredible here, getting introspective and looking back on where he came from. His verse was full of amazing lines and brutal honesty. Tyler's verse was pretty much the rapping highlight of the entire album for me. Earl finishes this one off with the usual Earl verse, with crazy wordplay and nice flow. Tyler ties the story into Earl's verse by yelling from the point of view of Sam at Earl. He even ends Earl's verse with a gunshot, killing him. Sam was so mad about Wolf hanging out with Salem that he shot and killer Wolf's friend Earl for revenge. This song was easily the highlight of the album and possibly the best song I've heard all year. 10/10

TRASHWANG- Tyler provides another awesome change of pace with a sick trap beat, but of course, the beat has the Tyler vibe to it. He brings on the non-rappers from Odd Future to spit some hilarious verses. Nakel Smith's verse was just awesome, and Left Brain's hook was ridiculously catchy and well done. Jasper, Taco, and Tyler spit some usual, joke verses, which were funny nonetheless. The crown jewel of the song, though, was Lucas's verse, which was legendary to say the least. I also loved the way the beat progressed near the end of the track. This song was hilarious the whole way through and i was really entertained by it. 8.5/10

TREEHOME95- This song literally could not have been more different from Trashwang. This song was a super peaceful, relaxing jazz song featuring piano playing and production from Tyler and singing from Coco O. She sounded really good on this, and the production was just fantastic, as it was layered and showed Tyler can make more than just hip-hop. The hook was good and Erykah Badu sings really well on this song. This song, Tyler shows just how much musical talent he really has. 9/10

TAMALE- This was probably the weirdest beat on the album, but it actually sounds sick on this song. Tyler's flow was absolutely crazy here, and he sounded like a really good rapper on this track. The hook was also awesome, and the whole track brought some great energy. I loved the oddball vibe of this song, and it was definitely unique. At the end of the song, Wolf, now messed up mentally after Sam has killed Earl, gets caught jacking off and gets taken to Dr. TC. 9.5/10

LONE- Tyler brings a very relaxed beat here, but it honestly sounds a little samey at this point. It is still fantastic, but there were some beats very similar to it on the album. Tyler is all honesty on this song, as he lets out his problems to Dr. TC from the point of view of Wolf. He actually gets into the death of his grandmother in great detail on this song. This song was definitely an appropriate end to the song, as he was very personal and introspective, just like the rest of the album. At the end of the song, Dr. TC pretty much wraps up the album as Wolf ends the album on a cliffhanger talking about Sam. 9/10

WOLF WRAP UP
+Ridiculously creative story told through the songs
+Tyler gets really introspective and personal with lyrics
+Tyler stepped his flow up quite a bit on the album
+Production was absolutely stellar
+Every song had a different vibe and topic
+Great features

Best: Awkward, IFHY, Rusty

Worst: None

Tyler, the Creator- Wolf
9.7/10

Drake- Nothing Was the Same ALBUM REVIEW

Drake is simply the most popular artist in all of hip hop. Whether you like it or not, you know this is true. For all types of reasons, this guy's name is always being mentioned. He did not even release anything in all of 2012 yet he stayed quite relevant. With that being said, I have always been a fan of Drake. I really enjoyed his last album, Take Care. The main reason I liked it was probably its variety. Drake pretty much did everything there, taking from lots of different types of hip hop, and elements of R&B. Now, Drake is finally back nearly two full years later with Nothing Was the Same. What will Drake do on this new album?

The first song on this album, titled Tuscan Leather, really hyped be up and it had me believing this would be album of the year. This song was simply stellar. I loved the initial beat and Drake was really lyrical, spitting with charisma and emotion. The song seriously got good once the beat switched up into this hard-hitting, head-bopping beat that sounded awesome. Drake's verses were full of quotables throughout the song. While this song was a bit too long, it is still one of the best songs Drake has made to date. I even somewhat liked the second track, Furthest Thing. It is by no means as good as the first song, but it is tolerable and I enjoyed the hook here. The third track is Started From the Bottom and I don't really have to say anything. This song has dominated 2013 and for good reason. It is catchy as hell, has a great beat, and Drake sounds hungry and determined here.

After a pretty solid first three songs, this went downhill really fast. Wu-Tang Forever had a very odd title, but it did sample a Wu-Tang song. This just was just kind of bland. Everything sounds fine, from the beat to Drake's rapping, but he doesn't do anything new. This is the story for the next few songs. While they are decent songs, I have heard Drake do all this already, making them boring. Own It was just okay, as I am not that big of a fan of Drake as a singer, and the song never went anywhere. Worst Behavior had a really good beat, but I didn't love Drake on this song. He was trying to be more aggressive here, which I don't think he is very good at doing. The song sounded pretty good overall, though. From Time was next, and this just went on too long, in my opinion. I enjoyed Jhene Aiko's beautiful voice on the hook, but the piano beat wasn't anything new. This song had a cool story and concept, but it just sounded boring.

Hold On, We're Going Home provided a nice change of pace for me. Not that it was anything different, but something about it was just so much more catchy than the others. It was more upbeat and Drake sounded a lot better singing. The beat here was also fantastic. Drake did a great job picking the singles for Nothing Was the Same with this song and Started from the Bottom. Connect was the next song
here, and I thought this song was far too long. I think at this point, . Drake is a bit too emotional for me. He always raps about the same thing and it all sounds the same. I just want some variety like on Take Care, but I'm not getting any variety from Drake here. On the next song, The Language, Drake raps pretty nicely, but I wasn't feeling the hook that much, and he is rapping about the same stuff. 305 To my City sounded exactly like the others, and Too Much brought something a little different, but I still can't get into this for whatever reason. The closer is a two-parter with Pound Cake and Paris Morton 2. Pound Cake was definitely the best beat on the entire album. It sounded fantastic and very smooth. Drake and Jay-Z rapped beautifully over it, and this song sounded very well made overall. On the other hand, Paris Morton 2 was just boring, and a fitting closer for an album that was this repetitive.

NOTHING WAS THE SAME WRAP UP
+Some pretty good atmospheric production
+When Drake raps, he sounds good
+some good stories and lyricism
-no variety
-was really boring overall
-many songs were too long
-could have used some features
-not nearly as good as Take Care

Best: Tuscan Leather, Hold On We're Going Home, Pound Cake

Worst: 305 To My City

Drake- Nothing Was the Same
6.9/10

Ace Hood- Trials and Tribulations ALBUM REVIEW

Personally, I find Ace Hood as one of today's more tolerable mainstream rappers . He is just one of those tough, hard-nosed southern rappers who have skills perfectly fit for trap-style beats. I have never actually sat through a whole album by this guy, though. On the other hand, I usually really like Ace Hood when he has a feature verse. Will Ace Hood's finally impress me now with his fourth studio album?

After opening with a surprisingly soulful and religious intro skit, Ace starts the album with the title track. A pretty nice trap beat starts this one off, and it goes so hard. Ace shows a lot of personality here with some pretty impressive lyricism. Another hard-knocking beat is on the next song, Another Statistic. This song has a more laid-back vibe, and Ace raps with a less energetic delivery. This one is pretty generic overall, even though Ace showed some more good lyrics. I definitely wish there were two verses here instead of three, because it just gets boring. Meek Mill shows up on the next track, Another Rollie. I think this beat was pretty good, as it brings some energy and is just catchy. Ace has a pretty bad two verses here though. I was not feeling them as much as his verses on the first two songs. The hook is awful, too. Meek Mill then comes with a solid verse, but I overall didn't like this too much. We Outchea is the next song, and the hook is undeniably catchy as hell. The instrumental is really upbeat, and I wasn't feeling it, but Ace does rides it well. Wayne's verse is pretty bad overall, but his flow is pretty solid. This song was pretty much a catchy radio hit and nothing else.

The next few tracks on this were pretty much a total mixed bag. We them N****s  was very bland, and I didn't like it much at all, even with the pretty good production. The next two tracks feature some pretty big name R&B singers, with the first being The Come Up. This track was great pretty much just because of Anthony Hamilton, he kills it whenever he shows up on the song, and the beat was pretty epic. The next song was called Rider and this one was pretty stupid. Chris Brown is just obnoxious and lame on the hook, which is a shame because I enjoyed Ace's verses and the beat. Ace Hood gets pretty "inspirational" on the next two songs with them being titled Hope and Pray for Me. Hope was pretty good and it had a relaxed beat with some nice piano in there, and the hook was good. I was not really feeling the hook on Pray for Me, and the verses really weren't anything better than some earlier verses on the album. The beat was also generic, and not too interesting.

The next song is the insanely popular single, Bugatti, which is just such a banger. I love this song and its relentless energy so much. You also won't find a hook this awesome anywhere on the album. Rick Ross delivers a good verse as well. This song is awesome overall and the highlight of this project. I wasn't feeling the next track, How I'm Raised, that much. The beat sounded like several other beats on the album and the auto-tune on this track was awful. Ace's regular voice just sounds so much better. My Bible was the next one, and this was probably my favorite beat on the whole album with some soulful samples mixed in nicely. Ace's lyricism was really on point and his flow was pretty impressive. I was feeling everything about this track. The next song, Mama, had a similar vibe to it. This was a topical song about his mother and it just sounded really passionate and emotional. I have come to the conclusion Ace Hood sounds the best over these type of beats rather than trap beats. He sounds great on this, as he flowed well and delivered some great lyrics. This closer was too long, but it definitely was a highlight anyway.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS WRAP UP
+Ace Hood is actually a really good rapper overall
+His lyricism was on point for a lot of the songs
+Fantastic last two songs
+Variety
-Too many stupid trap beats that sounded the same
-Some lame guest verses

Best: Bugatti, My Bible, Mama

Worst: How I'm Raised

Ace Hood- Trials and Tribulations
7.5/10

Action Bronson- SAAB Stories MIXTAPE REVIEW

I would definitely call Action Bronson one of my favorite rappers. The guy is entertaining, hilarious, and a great MC. He has been making noise in the underground for a while now, getting guest features on numerous albums and releasing projects with producers Party Supplies, The Alchemist, and Statik Selektah.. He keeps up this trend with SAAB Stories, a new mixtape completely produced by Harry Fraud. I have yet to really be disappointed with anything Bronson has done so far, so will his newest mixtape change that?

72 Virgins is the first track, and I love it. This beat is layered and the guitars sound amazing. Bronson comes with his usual great verses, and Big Body Bes does a pretty funny interlude. Great track to start this off. Triple Backflip, the second track, has a beautiful beat. It is nice, relaxed, and definitely smooth. Bronson sounds great on this, flowing really well here. Action Bronson continues to be a hilarious lyricist on his songs. The next one, No Time comes in with this heavy boom-bap beat. It hits hard and my head started bopping immediately. The hook is so catchy and Bronson delivers more nice verses here. This song is fun and I love Bronson on these types of beats.

The Rockers is the next song here, and this is yet another nice beat from Harry Fraud. Bronson's flow is really solid here and I enjoyed his verse. This song actually features Wiz Khalifa and I didn't mind him at all. Wiz has a really good verse and rides the beat nicely. The next track, Strictly 4 My Jeeps, is just such a banger. The beat hits so hard and just sounds sick. Bronson kills the hook and I liked his short verses. The next track, Alligator, had possibly my favorite beat on the tape so far. Bronson once again provides a great hook, which he has done a great job doing on this tape. Before the third verse, Harry Fraud changes the beat completely to a much slower, more atmospheric one. This was not nearly as good as the one before, but it keeps the song interesting. The closer, Seven Series Triplets, featured a beat just made to spit over which develops nicely throughout the verses. Bronson delivers a very good verse to start this off. Prodigy then comes in and his voice sounds really good over the beat, but I don't really like his flow. His voice, though, is enough for the verse to be good. Raekwon, as always, sounds great. his raspy voice sounds awesome and his flow was very solid. He probably had my favorite verse on the song and ends the tape perfectly.

SAAB STORIES WRAP UP
+Bronson brings fun personality as always
+His lyrics are hilarious, but he can be deep
+Great feature verses
+Amazing beats, can't complain about one

Best: The Rockers, Strictly 4 My Jeeps, Seven Series Triplets

Worst: No Time

Action Bronson- SAAB Stories
8.6/10

Chance the Rapper- Acid Rap MIXTAPE REVIEW

I decided to review this for a pretty obvious reason: it completely blew up the internet. Every year, there seems to be a random mixtape or two that people really enjoy and it gives the artist a whole lot of unexpected popularity. In 2012 it was Joey Bada$$ with 1999 and the year before it was ASAP Rocky, two artist who I am now huge fans of. Will Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper have the same affect on me as it seemed to have on millions on people online?

The first song is actually called Good Ass Intro. I have to say, that it a pretty accurate title. I loved this song, everything about it. The soulful samples were worked it so well and the beat was just catchy and fun. When Chance started rapping, I was taken by surprise by this guy's voice. It is extremely unique and at first came off annoying, but now I find myself loving it. His flow was pretty on point in this song and he was throwing out a lot of memorable lines. This song was spectacular. The next song, Pusha Man was a lot more laid-back, but just as catchy. It had another fun beat and Chance is just enjoyable to listen to when he raps. I also loved the hook. The track then totally breaks into silence, then later a completely different song. This one was very atmospheric and calm. Chance was also a lot less energetic with his rapping. This 2nd part just felt boring overall, though. Cocoa Butter Kisses was the third song, and I loved this one as well. The hook was insanely catchy and got stuck in my head easily. I enjoyed Chance's verse, as he continued is unique, oddball flow he has been using. I also loved Twista's verse on this track. This song was great. Juice was another fun song, but for whatever reason I wasn't enjoying it as much. I did really like the hook, though. It was just goofy and enjoyable.

Things got a lot calmer with the next few songs on Acid Rap. Lost was more of a love song, which actually didn't go over too bad. I really loved the beat, as it perfectly matched the vibe of the verses.
Everybody's Something had a pretty strong instrumental with some nice drums, but the overall feeling was still relaxed. I liked Chance's first verse on this song a lot. The hook on this one was also super catchy and fun. This was a really good track that i ended up really liking. The interlude of the album was another slow jam, which I did like until Chance started singing, which just sounded forced and awkward. Skipping around a little, Acid Rain was really laid-back, but ended up just being boring to me.  Chain Smoker was a lot better, with a solid hook and a pretty good beat. I still can't totally get behind this guy as a rapper, though. His voice and delivery is just so out there and weird, which is sometimes good and sometimes bad. The closer to this album was also disapointing, as it was too long and didn't really go anywhere.

Near the middle of the album was a pretty random trio of songs with some pretty popular underground rappers. Favorite Song with Childish Gambino was really good, as it was super upbeat and catchy with a great hook and good verses by Chance and Gambino. NaNa was also decent, coming with a fun beat which felt relaxed at the same time. The verses and hook just came off too silly, though. I did enjoy Action Bronson's verse a lot, as he probably had the best guest verse on the tape. Smoke Again was pretty mediocre, as it was a surprisingly bad instrumental that I wasn't into at all. Even Ab-Soul wasn't enough to save this song, unfortunately.

ACID RAP WRAP UP
+The whole thing had a very cool vibe
+Some pretty good beats
+Chance has a whole lot of personality on the mic
+Very fun, catchy and gets stuck in my head
-Some experimental parts just don't really work
-Started a lot better than it finished

Best: Good Ass Intro, Cocoa Butter Kisses, Everybody's Something

Worst: Acid Rain

Chance the Rapper- Acid Rap
8.2/10

Prodigy- Albert Einstein ALBUM REVIEW

Today, I decided to review another Alchemist project. The underground hip hop producer has done several albums recently with some pretty great artists, resulting in some great collaborations. This time, he's working with hip-hop veteran Prodigy for a full length album titled Albert Einstein. Most known for his work in the 90's with Mobb Deep, he has been pretty quiet recently. Will Prodigy's career be revamped from a project with The Alchemist?

The first song, LMDKV, was pretty dope. The beat featured some high-pitched piano keys and Prodigy sounds really sick, flowing precisely here. I had no complaints with this, it was just dope. The second track, Give Em Hell, was just incredible, and I was really impressed with it. The beat was so dope and smooth as hell, and Prodigy was showing some serious skill on the mic. The hook was also pretty good. Once again, no complaints. The next instrumental on the song Stay Dope, was a lot slower compared to the first two. It came off a little boring at first, but was actually very layered and interesting. I didn't like Prodigy as much on this one, though. At this point in the project, The Alchemist is definitely outshining him. Curb Ya Dog was the next one, and the beat on this track was so detailed. There were so many things going on, but Alchemist put it all together in such a dope way. Prodigy's flow was really nice on this as well.  I enjoyed this song overall.

The first feature track was Death Sentence with Roc Marciano. Another ridiculous beat here, as Alchemist supplied a beat perfect for Prodigy's style. Prodigy sounded great on this, and the hook was really good. Roc Marciano had a really sick verse here, as his lyricism was on point and he rode the beat a little nicer than Prodigy. This song was so sick overall. Skipping around to more feature tracks, Y.N.T. was a pretty good song as well. The beat was so smooth and sounded really polished. Domo Genesis of Odd Future comes in with a nice, introspective verse. His flow was pretty solid as well, as he has gone over Alchemist production many times before. Prodigy had another good verse, but I wasn't feeling his flow as much. This song was good, but it just felt like something was missing, and I have no idea what it is. R.I.P was a collaboration with some classic 90's rappers, Havoc and Raekwon. Alchemist suppiled a golden era beat, but with a modern twist on it. I liked it a lot. Havoc had an okay verse, and I was a little disappointed with him. It was not terrible, though. Raekwon was pretty good here, and I think he had the best verse. The One featuring Action Bronson had another awesome beat, which I think took all the spotlight on the track, as it was one of my favorites on the album. Bronson came in and probably had the best guest verse on the album. He just sounds fantastic over this production.

Getting into more solo tracks, Bear Meat had some very interesting production, and Prodigy's flow was a little better than usual. Also, the hook was an improvement over other hooks on the album I was really feeling the whole vibe of this one, and it was pretty good. Dough Pildin was yet another ridiculous beat, which Prodigy sounded pretty solid on. Not much else to say about this one, though. It was a little boring. Same story with the next one, Confessions. An awesome beat, decent Prodigy verses, but nothing else. I think at this point, Prodigy is starting to sound repetitive to me. Bible Paper was a nice change of pace, with Alchemist spitting his own verse, which actually didn't go over to badly. The beat on this one was also spectacular. Unfortunately, I have not much else to say with the last few tracks, as they all had dope beats, but Prodigy didn't change up much of anything. This album definitely didn't finish strong, in my opinion.

ALBERT EINSTEIN WRAP UP
+Every single beat was fantastic, some of the best production of the year
+Pretty good features
+Prodigy's voice and delivery sounded fine
-Didn't finish well with some boring tracks
-Prodigy didn't really change anything up with his rapping style
-Not the best lyrics

Best: Death Sentence, Give Em Hell, The One

Worst: Breeze

Prodigy- Albert Einstein
7.7/10