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Reviews
It’s something of a tragedy that
The Clipse are still, generally, largely remembered for their 2002 hit "Grindin’". Whether it's to do with their never ending label sagas or the unapologetic drug-fueled raps which limit their daytime radio spins,
Pusha T and
Malice are far from the many one-hit wonders which have graced (or disgraced) the Hip Hop world. Reigning supreme on the mixtape circuit, releasing two heralded albums with
The Neptunes producing a majority of their work, can their third offering finally bring them back into the cipher of rap’s leaders?
Keri Hilson doesn’t particularly care what you think, especially if you think she’s wrong. The 28-year-old is a regular (and not always unwitting) magnet for controversy but claims to be nonplussed by the chirping of her naysayers. “I don’t feel backlash”, she tells SoulCulture bluntly, “I rarely feel it”.
Given that in the past two years, Hilson has been attacked for her choice of collaborators, accused of cynically sexing-up her image, and disparaged for taking perceived indirect shots at her female peers, it’s lucky she deals so level-headedly with the running commentary.
‘Transition: The process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.'
For some, however, its definition ‘in music terms’ may be seen as the pursuit of success, put ahead of keeping one’s musical integrity. Whatever meaning one chooses to believe, it’s without question a term which defines the current position of Brit emcee, Chipmunk.
From the young tearaway MC to the poster child for the tabloid-christened ‘Brap Pack’, the development of the artist as well as divide between the supporters and the doubters continues to grow with each new release. But Chippy’s ascension up the list of power players in the scene has landed the North London dynamo in positions of grandeur which, as he hopes, will result in much greater works to solidify his position and shut the ‘haters’ up as well. So it’s album number two which looks set to confirm Chipmunk's transition - the question that remains is just what his transcendence has resulted in?
Keri Hilson bans all males access for the follow up to her debut album, yet I managed to have a listen to what she has to offer. Keri Hilson is an interesting case within the R&B scene. She was a writer before she was an artist, and when she came out on features and with her own album, I found her promising and have followed her career since. Much has been made about her change in image, which was the talk of the town after the release of her video for ‘The Way You Love Me.’
This album was unfortunately underwhelming. 
The hybrid rapper/singer genre has really been around for some time now but in more recent months, Hip Hop’s golden boy Drake took the format and ran it to success [or to the ground if you’re sick of it now]. The latest jack of all trades to join the race is