Boogie Boys — Survival of the Freshest

With poetic generosity, most of the reviewers here have awarded a minimum of two stars. Severe, but fair judgment. These eight tracks are rather weak, with simple funky pop dance rhythms – even too much simple, up to the annoyance – and a bland rapping delivery, without considering the messy and pop hooks, sometimes R&B, always banal. "Run It" is a pretty annoying electro attempt in its softness. They try them all without success: from hardcore delivery, to jazzy bridges, more funky rhythms, skinny rhythms, dance pop bridges, even the ballad ("Share My World"), honeyed song completely out of place. 4/10.

O.C. — A New Dawn: 2nd Phase

Album paired with "Same Moon Same Sun", even known as "1st Phase". Both efforts are released under D.I.T.C. Studios and Slice-of-Spice Records in limited editions. Throughout the course of this album, OC seems not to be inspired, a solo album where it remains isolated in his anonymous flow. He usually pulls out at least one banger from his album, he did it for pretty much his entire career, but here he struggles.

O.C. — Same Moon Same Sun

Twelve years after the last, "Smoke & Mirrors", OC's back again with his sixth solo effort. Between these two albums, sits the demiclassic "Trophies". Here he trying to combines different types of styles and arguments, without success. The production's provided by DITC related Motif Alumni for most of the record, he contributes to bring a NY sound here: jazzy, soulful, even skeletal boom bap, with some changes to alternative rhythms where often OC delivers honestly and calmly, sometimes easy-going ("Sound Off"), uninspired ("New Day") or dully ("Sam"), weakly average.

"In the Paint" standouts with its anthological, ethereal production, soulful vibes, nice cut.

Rating: 6.3/10.

Apathy & O.C.— Perestroika

Joint album between Apathy (The Demigodz/Army of the Pharaohs) & OC (D.I.T.C.), the two MCs have talent but few cohesion. OC & Apathy put out some remarkable tracks like "Tomorrow Is Gone" — good dark jazzy production, Slaine delivers well, Kappa Gamma too — "Stompkillcrushmode", where Celph Titled asphalt the excellent dystopian boom bap realized by Apathy, and songs that recalls URSS in a explicit way ("Gorbachev", has a great dark beat) or in a subliminal way ("The Broadcast", excellent boom bap overwhelming, cheerful, light-hearted). The LP by nature doesn't lead to comparisons between the two MCs but it's rare to see OC that delivers better than others, even here he seems out of condition, tired: on the beautiful boom bap of "No More Soft Shit", he's at his best, dropping a smooth flow; rare case in which he clearly exceeds Apathy. Production's based on dark jazzy, underground beats with some good bridges, amazing accessible, Apathy surpassed himself in "Winter Winds" — an excellent attempt to anthological beat well exploited by OC and Marvalyss — and in the title track, another awesome rhythm, but overall offers a consistent and solid work. 7/10.

Redman — Whut? Thee Album

In 1990, Erick Sermon meets Reginald Noble, a 20-year-old boy who has been thrown out of house by his mother since few years and who's working in a club as a DJ of the Lords of the Underground: Noble is taken under the protective wing of Sermon, which takes him on tour with EPMD, where Noble also has the opportunity to perform with them in freestyle. The boy surprises the duo, which takes him to their studio albums "Business as Usual" (1990) and "Business Never Personal" (1992), where he performs under the name of Redman. In the midst of this period, Noble signed with Def Jam and began producing his debut album, sometimes aided in production by Sermon.

AAVV / 38 Spesh — 1994

38 Spesh makes an interesting mixtape, gathering around twenty underground rappers and providing them with some of the best rhythms of '94, updated by the Rochester producer.

Suprême NTM — Authentik

Debut album for the Suprême NTM group, made up of Joey Starr and Kool Shen, a duo who left the suburbs of Seine-Saint-Denis, France. On top of a simple, skeletal, jazzy-funky, frenetic and vibrant production, provided by Frank Loyer, aka DJ Concepteur Détonateur "S", the MC duo spits hardcore bars with a flowing and powerful style, building lyrics of remarkable quality: lyrically, the group deals with important social issues, interspersed with lighter cuts, facing politics and conscious without hesitation. Their lyrics are hard and raw, interpreted with a gritty, energetic and ultra-fast rapping, giving life to a fresh, solid and coherent product: the group's inspiration to the major American acts of the time is evident (Public Enemy in particular, but also NWA and BDP), which makes it one of the most important albums released on the European continent in the early nineties.

Highlights: "Authentik", "L'argent pourrit les gens", "Paix", "Soul soul".

Rating: 7.8/10.

Whodini — Escape

After the release of the debut album, Whodini should face a world tour, but stop after three months in Europe, accompanied for part of the tour by UTFO and Kangol Kid, before returning home. For the second disc, the boys are looking for new producers, Jive can't find them, and Jalil Hutchins decides to rely on his friend Larry Smith, whom he has just met in New York.

Fat Joe — Jealous One's Envy

Two years after its debut, Fat Joe eliminates "Da Gangsta" from his moniker and releases his second LP, the acronym of the title is "Joe". Domingo is the main producer, flanked by L.E.S., Joe Fatal, DJ Premier and Diamond D. The guests are KRS-One, Raekwon, Keith Nut, Doo Wop, Armageddon and Big Pun, the latter three making their debut in the rap game.

Freeway — Freedom of Speech [mixtape]

In fall 2012, Freeway chooses to release this promotional mixtape ahead of his next album "Diamond in the Ruff". This effort is hosted by Don Cannon in collaboration with streetwear clothing line Rocksmith Tokyo and fashion retailer and culture outlet KarmaLoop. Production is provided by Cardiak, Jake One, B. Jones, 183rd, AK47, JRB, Mike Jerz, Toure, Sap, CertiFYD, Jeffro, Mr. Green and Thelonious Martin. Guests are Jakk Frost, Malik B of The Roots, Diamond, Tana da Beast, Free, Sean McGee, Mama Jones, M Class and Young Chris of State Property.

Whodini — Whodini

The hip-hop group Whodini was born in 1982 in Brooklyn, New York. It consists of rappers Jalil Hutchins (brother of Doctor Ice of UTFO) and John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, along with DJ Drew "Grandmaster Dee" Carter. The trio became famous for being among the first acts to combine hip-hop and R&B, almost creating their own genre, which would later evolve into the "new jack swing".

Ghetto Boys — Making Trouble

Among the first attempts of rap from Texas, the disc marks the debut of the Ghetto Boys, a group composed of Prince Johnny C, Jukebox Slim, Bushwick Bill & DJ Ready Red. In 1988, Run-DMC style is accepted only if done well after four seasons of photocopies on photocopies.

Cappadonna — The Pillage 2

Ninth studio album for Cappadonna (Wu-Tang Clan), comes a year and a half after his previous album. The entire production is made by Raw Talent Productions, while three rhythms are signed by Felony Music, a beatmaker affiliated with Ras Kass.

Elcamino x Oh Jay — Where's My Pyrex? EP

The 2019 of El Camino doesn't stop and leads him to drop his fourth effort in a year, this time the production is entrusted to the Dutchman Oh Jay. The beatmaker offers a type of rhythm that's minimal and jazzy with some soulful vibes and finds the smooth and punctual delivery of Elcamino, always fit.

Freeway — The Intermission [mixtape]

Pretty good for a tape. State Property does partially well on top of a stringy, tense, very dark and essential boom bap jazzy that lights a tight, excellent and aggressive delivery of Free. Meek Mill, Yo Gotti, Freddie Gibbs, Trae the Truth, and Wale also do well, but Freeway works best when he's alone.

Lords of the Underground — Here Come the Lords

Debut album for the Lords of the Underground, hip-hop group from Newark, New Jersey, originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, composed by Al'Terik "Mr. Funke" Wardrick, Dupré "DoItAll" Kelly and Bruce "DJ Lord Jazz "Colston.

MC Solaar — Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

Pioneering and historically important album for French hip hop, it's the first to obtain a critical response both at home both internationally, and contains the first commercial success of French rap, the single "Bouge de là".

Cappadonna — The Struggle

In 2000, RZA decides to integrate the faithful affiliate Cappadonna into the Wu-Tang Clan, after having collaborated on the last Clan album "Wu-Tang Forever" and practically all the other solo records: in a few years he will be an official member. With the release of "The W" at the end of the same year, the "featuring Cappadonna" disappears from the tracklist and the boy is as if he were one of the other nine official members. All perfect. Fantastic. A sudden problem arises: Darryl Hill, under whose moniker Cappadonna is hiding, asks for the royalties for his contribution on the album "The W", wanting to obtain a compensation equal to that of all the other members, and RZA, rightly, disagrees, also because his contribution is two out of thirteen tracks, for which he has already been paid. A rift arrives: in his sophomore jinx, Cap arrives on the cover without any Wu-Tang logo — he didn't have it on his debut and won't place one until his 2013 double album — and RZA gives him just one beat from his affiliate True Master, the rest of the production comes from external guys. His record is one of the biggest flops of the year, predictably.

Poor Righteous Teachers — Holy Intellect

The group was founded in 1989 in Trenton, New Jersey, composed by the main rapper Timothy "Wise Intelligent" Grimes, the producer Kerry "Culture Freedom" Williams that provides also vocals and the DJ and producer Scott "Father Shaheed" Phillips. After releasing the single "Time to Say Peace" in 1989 under North Side Records, the group deals with Profile.

Inspectah Deck — Uncontrolled Substance

In 1993, the set of beats for this album is completed. It's one of the firsts for the Wu solo releases along with Method Man's. Then, in the mid-nineties, two heavy floods hit the basement of RZA, causing it to lose about 500 beats, some also made by 4th Disciple and True Master: in the first, hundreds of floppy disks containing the rhythms are flooded, in the second, most of the equipment is destroyed. While Method Man, Raekwon, GZA and Ghostface Killah manage to recreate their albums between 1994 and 1996, Jason "Inspectah Deck" Hunter loses all his material. In 1995, he signs with Loud Records, his debut is scheduled to come out in the same year along with that of most of the other guys, then, it's postponed to 1997, after "Forever", but it never arrives. Loud also lost BMG's support in distribution during this period.

Ice Cube — Death Certificate

1991. Ice Cube is still the most dangerous MC alive in the world. His second album is hard, pure, violent and unstoppable: a million pre-orders arrive and the album is practically platinum even before being released, then certified by the RIAA the following December, two months after its release.

Freeway — The Beat Made Me Do It [mixtape]

In late 2009, Philadelphia rapper Freeway releases this promotional mixtape for his collaborative album with Jake One. The tape is entirely produced by Jake One, with some beats left to Phoe Notes and Sap Beats, and is mixed by Don Cannon. Jakk Frost and Beanie Sigel are the only guests. The project is released by Rhymesayers and the rapper's fledgling label, Free Money Records.

Fat Joe — Represent

Debut studio album by Bronx rapper Joseph Cartagena aka Fat Joe da Gangsta, a bully raised in the Bronx between dealing and crime, destined for an inglorious end, and saved by hip-hop. A member of the D.I.T.C. collective, the boy is blessed with a production made mainly by the group's beatmakers, such as Diamond D, Lord Finesse and Showbiz. DJ Rock Raider, The Beatnuts and Chilly Dee also contribute to the rhythms.

A.G. — Get Dirty Radio

Seven seasons after the first disk, AG returns with a studio album. DJ Design is the main producers, flanked behind the keys by Madlib, Jake One, Tommy Tee, Cochise, Oh No, Lord Finesse, J Dilla and Show. The guests are Party Arty, Aloe Blacc and Lil' Roze. After the lukewarm response to his debut album nearly a decade earlier, AG chose to completely change his production style, leaving DITC and relying on beats from some of the scene's most reliable producers, also deciding to forgo contributions from outside rappers, signing with San Francisco, California hip-hop label Look Records.