Grade: A-

The stellar fourth solo album from hip-hop super-producer 9th Wonder features an impressive display of both production and rap skills. Guest spots from Erykah Badu, Khrysis, Talib Kweli, Kendrick Lamar, Murs, Phonte, Raekwon, and Warren G round out the collection.
Full-time producer, part-time professor of a course entitled ‘Hip Hop in Context’, 9th [...]

Grade: A-
Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley first joined forces for one of the most impressive alternative albums of 2001, the uber-inventive In Search Of… Since then, the trio has come full circle. After 2004’s more traditional Fly Or Die proved to be little more than solid (both critically and commercially), the band is [...]

GRADE: B+
As the “pop” world reaches out its arms to Cee Lo Green and Danger Mouse, they instinctively pull back. If St. Elsewhere was their Frankenstein’s monster, then The Odd Couple is it’s terrifying killing spree.
St. Elsewhere was an album of twisted paranoia and doom disguised in the Trojan horse of an experimental party album. [...]

GRADE: A–
The phrase “concept album” has always left an uneasy feeling in the stomachs of Hip Hoppers. Since the late 80’s, rappers have tried (and almost always failed) to create truly interesting albums that follow closely on one theme. Then, in late 2007, Lupe Fiasco’s mentor Jay-Z did the unthinkable. Jigga released one [...]

GRADE: A
After a string of ambitious (but ultimately underwhelming) albums, Wyclef Jean impresses with the sequel to his solo debut, 1997’s The Carnival: Featuring the Refugee All-Stars.Carnival II, like the classic LP which it borrows its name from, is inventive, fresh, experimental and pretty damn genious.
Since Clef’s debut, he has crafted gems for everyone [...]

GRADE: A–
Terius “The Dream” Nash has proven himself to be a more than competent songwriter by penning number one hits for Rhianna, Madonna, J. Holiday and Britney Spears. Like fellow songwriter Ne-Yo, Nash has decided to parley his industry status into a singing career with the release of his solo debut LoveHate.
It should come [...]