Category: Reviews

  • The Roots – How I Got Over | Album Review

    For the past two decades, the hip-hop ensemble known as The Roots has produced a sundry, quintessential sound for the music masses. They’re regarded in many circles as the best Hip Hop band in the history of Hip Hop music and their 11th album overall [9th studio album], How I Got Over may be their…

  • Rick Ross – Teflon Don | Album Review

    Whilst many titles in Hip Hop continue to be disputed (King of N.Y., King of the South) the crown of “Boss” remains on the head of one Rick Ross. Since his arrival via the Port of Miami in 2006 Ross has reached the lofty heights akin to one of cinema’s notorious figures, Tony Montana. With…

  • Professor Green – Alive ‘Till I’m Dead | Album Review

    The new guns of Hip Hop may believe that producing a solo mixtape will immediately lead to instant success. Maybe so – but believe it or not, there was a time when a rapper had to earn their stripes by battling on the underground circuit – just like Professor Green. Creating a buzz thanks to…

  • Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma | Album Review

    Flying Lotus raised the height of his electro-sonic game when he released in May this year his second full-length album Cosmogramma on Warp records, an unusual album through-in and through-out its content, style and visual form (with artwork by Leigh J. McCloseky, look up Codex Tor!). Cosmogramma is constructed by 17 pieces, from 17 seconds…

  • Ghetts – The Calm Before The Storm | Mixtape Review

    As urban/black pop music dominates the charts, many of the underground heroes of Grime also want a piece of this success. Emcees are trading in their Air Maxes, bars and scowls for boat shoes, sing-along choruses and smiles in the hope of reaching the wider audience. Whilst respect should be given to those daring to…

  • Giggs – Let ‘Em Ave It | Album Review

    Hip Hop in America has no qualms about pushing/pimping Gangsta Rap to its mainstream – in the UK, however, it’s a different matter. Various government organisations and politicians have been vocal and proactive in their attempts to censor gratuitous music from flooding the charts – which makes for a very interesting scenario as the UK’s…

  • Mart’Nália at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London | Live Review

    My summer so far has had a distinctly Iberian flavour with artists from the former Spanish and Portuguese Colonies delightfully colouring my musical landscape.  Thanks to the Barbican Centre’s Blaze and the Festival Brazil hosted by the Southbank centre this Aestival Latin exposure looks set to continue for the months to come. Keeping in step…

  • Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty | Album Review

    After a two year journey, Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton delivers the heavily anticipated Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son Of Chico Dusty and singlehandedly reminds audiences why Outkast is heralded as one of Hip Hop’s greatest groups to ever do it. While Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son Of Chico Dusty is Big Boi’s ‘official’ debut album,…

  • Curren$y – Pilot Talk | Album Review

    After the controversial split of the heavyweight Roc-A-Fella label, Hip Hop supremo Damon Dash is back – returning to the Hip Hop arena with big ambitions and a hungry young roster on BluRoc Records. The first artist to wave the flag for the new brand is New Orleans spitter Curren$y. A XXL Freshman for ’09,…

  • Gilles Peterson x Roberto Fonseca’s Havana Cultura @BarbicanCentre, London | Live Review

    One of the few DJs on mainstream UK radio whose name is synonymous with unmitigated credibility, Gilles Peterson has deservedly earned his reputation as a tastemaker of some serious mettle. Having brought to wider attention hidden musical gems from Brazil and Africa, two years ago Peterson set his sights on Cuba having been invited to…