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Consistency is key, and as far as the rap game goes there are a handful of individuals who deliver time after time after time. While an unlikely source of such consistency, mainly due to his endless array of sidetracking lyrical and street beefs - there have been a few embarrassing secrets dug up too - Jayceon Taylor, aka
Game, seems to be a rhymer that the hustlers ride with, the girls scream for, and his peers unquestionably admire. Much of his music has proved timeless, if slightly repetitive occasionally, and his level of sales has maintained a respectable level during a declining climate that sees the Compton representative’s total sales sit close to the ten million mark.
With new album
Jesus Piece marking his fifth major label release, Game has put together a conceptually stellar project that features near perfect production and cinematic tales of a road less travelled, unless of course you perceive yourself as a gangster. After switching album titles at least three times [two of them being
Soundtrack To Chaos and
F.I.V.E. (Fear Is Victory’s Evolution)] the decision to run with
Jesus Piece was more to do with the conceptual split screen that glorifies street life whilst worshipping faith in a higher being than anything else.
The hierarchy within a crew is not often formerly advertised, especially within hip-hop, but based upon viewer and listener assumptions, bosses, underbosses, and capos are identified. Some are recognised based upon their musical impact - NWA had Eazy E (boss), Dr. Dre (underboss), Ice Cube (capo); some are identified upon their street stature - G-Unit had 50 Cent (boss), Tony Yayo (underboss), Lloyd Banks (capo); while others are a mixture of the two. 
Sterling Simms is for grown folks; adults only. The Philadelphia born R&B singer's latest mixtape, Mary & Molly, is the soundtrack to the fast lane. Offering up a startling, wide-eyed peek into the steamy and sometimes scary world of fame, Mary & Molly feels like a sex-crazed haze, a raunchy emotional stupor fueled by the drugs this music is an ode to. 
The Warner Music stable Maybach Music Group may very well be the next great powerhouse in Hip Hop to be acknowledged alongside the likes of Roc-A-Fella, Bad Boy and Death Row. The reason for this isn't the magnitude of hype/output that its leader Rick Ross possesses, its the crew's supporting cast who potentially will bring more than a few numbers to the table when history recalls MMG's glories.
Arguably one of the breakout star of 2011, Meek Mill jumped at the chance to establish himself as a mainstay in Hip Hop, delivering verbal beatdowns as a featured artist and on his own impressive Dreamchasers mixtape, as the 23-year-old Philly young gunner delivers a sequel with more abrasive, young-wild-and-free narrations. 
Far more often than not, it's the packaging and marketing of an artist that inevitably determines how well received they are by the public. For every braggadocious rapper flooding the airwaves with chart hits, there are equally as many talented individuals who Hip Hop seemingly doesn't care for. This arguably was the case for the now Maybach Music affiliated Wale. From being the Nike boasting, good girl loving free spirit to flirting with critical acclaim due to clever anecdotes and engaging material, Washington, DC's almost favourite son has divided Hip Hoppers opinions over his merits. But under new employers, a somewhat new image and a new album, Mr Folarin gets another chance to define himself to those still looking to place him in either the Hot or Not categories of emcees.
With Rick Ross sealing his position as ‘Bawse’ in 2010, it was abundantly clear that the next power move for him was to acquire some extra musical muscle to hold onto his place. Step to the stage the Maybach Music Group, a venture made up of proven lyricists, hungry Freshmen and a sultry vocalist, in addition to the behemoth vocals of the Teflon Don.
Composed of Wale, Meek Mill, Pill and Teedra Moses amongst others, Rozay has called upon a mix of experience and youth to tighten the firm grip of the musical corner which he currently dominates. With Roc Nation, G.O.O.D Music and other Hip Hop ‘families’ taking necessary steps to ensure their output is king, can Rick Ross’ entourage maintain the lofty standards which were set last year by their Mafioso figurehead?