Crimeapple — Mátalos con más éxitos

Eighth album for New Jersey's MC Crimeapple, on his third project in 2020, released on the last day of the year. The album, made up of eight short songs, is a sort of exercise of style for the rapper after releasing two great projects in 2020: also due to the release date, the whole project goes unnoticed.

Pounds — Die Enormous

In small steps, the Rochester rapper Pounds continues to carve out his space in the new Empire State scene.

38 Spesh — Interstate 38

Project number fourteen released in 2020 for 38 Spesh: the album consists of eleven longer tracks than usual, 33 total minutes, several guests including Che Noir, Ransom, Benny, Elcamino and Klass Murda and in production there are the rhythms of Streetrunner, Buckwild, Tricky Trippz, Heatmakerz and Rome on the Beat, in addition to his own.

Milano Constantine & Body Bag Ben — Write It in Blood

For several years now, Rudy Morgan has been keeping the DITC name warm by publishing material under the name Milano Constantine.

KRS-One — Between the Protests

27 years after his solo debut, Lawrence Parker continues to release music. It's been 25 years since the last studio album labeled Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everybody, that can be called classic. If the expectation of one of his records cannot be the same as in the mid-nineties, at least the welcome should be celebrated: instead, it's not so.

Eminem — Infinite

«Visualizin' the realism of life in actuality, fuck who's the baddest, a person's status depends on salary.» With these two lines, Anthony Cruz opened "Life's a Bitch", one of Illmatic's pearls, and now he has used them again for the title track of his debut studio album, "Doe or Die", released in 1995. At the time, AZ is one the best rapper and one of the most influential, everyone wants to imitate him, with his slow, velvety, clear and unstoppable flow. Among the many kids who have listened to his platinum debut, there's Marshall Mathers, who lives and works in the suburbs of Detroit. He was part of the local group New Jacks under the name of MC Double M, and with the moniker M&M he was part of Soul Intent, a group composed together with other kids with whom he released two unsuccessful EPs in the early years ninety. One of his songs on the latest EP, "One-Handed Juggler", gets enough radio airplay to attract the attention of brothers Mark and Jeff Bass, with whom he signs a deal for their label FBT Productions in 1992.

Public Enemy — Fear of a Black Planet

After the release of "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back", Spike Lee approaches the group by proposing a song for his 1989 film "Do the Right Thing", focusing on racial tension in a neighborhood of Brooklyn: Public Enemy give him "Fight the Power", which therefore doesn't have a real theme, however ends up being an immortal hymn and the definitive signature song of the group, performed devastatingly by Chuck D.

Flee Lord & Havoc — In the Name of Prodigy

Flee Lord completes his journey by releasing album number twelve in twelve months of 2020. Entirely produced by Havoc, it features Flipmode Squad, Griselda, Wu-Tang Clan, Trust and Mobb Deep. The Far Rockaway rapper maintains his street lyricism, thug, drug, gangsta and braggadocio bars.

Cookin' Soul — Ready for Xmas (BIGGIE Remixes)

Xmas tape tribute to Biggie. Cookin Soul opens this tape with a xmas skit on light beat, then Biggie starts on a rhythmic boom bap with soul samples in the background. Another skit, then boom bap jazzy with female soul sample in the background on the hook, fit rhythm with the choice of the song. Rhythm which is based on a nice sample of Al Green.

MC Ren — Shock of the Hour

MC Ren comes from the success of his 1992 EP, which is a promotional effort for his debut album, "Life Sentence". In the course of recording the disk, the former NWA approaches the Nation of Islam and converts to Islam, discarding the entire album and starting to record new songs for a new record, "Shock of the Hour", a quote from a speech by Louis Farrakhan.

Planet Asia & The Musalini — Pharaoh Chain

Collaborative tape between Fresno rapper Planet Asia and New York rapper The Musalini. Production is entrusted to Vanderslice, DirtyDiggs, Clyptom SkinnyWhiteBeats, Frado180, Lou Minoti, Calico and iamT2. Guests are Blass 89, Littles, G4 Jag, Rasheed Chappell and Emilio Craig, they do a good job. The two main performers have a similar rapping style of execution and a common preference in the choice of rhythms, which is why this collaborative tape between the two Coasts sounds more natural than usual. Made by many beatmakers, overall the rhythms sound cohesive, simple, pleasant, boast an overall laid-back mood and light smooth jazz samples: they're good and solid, often drumless, but not memorable, that of iamT2 for "All White" comes close to being so, holding only on a good distant bassline and an elegant and dark piano loop, but it's not yet for some reason. The cover is one of the best of the hip-hop year. Ten cuts, half an hour of music, tape recommended for jazz rap fans. 6.7/10.

Cookin Soul — DOOM Xmas [remixes]

Cookin Soul opens with a dope jazzy soulful cut, perfect for the slow and smooth delivery of MF DOOM in "Naughty or Nutz", with lively brilliant drum machine and violins in background. Space to the sample in background, chill, relaxing vibes.

Lil Wayne — No Ceilings 3: B Side [mixtape]

At the end of the year, Lil Wayne comes up with another project, mixtape, another episode of the "No Ceilings" series, a sort of b-side of the tape released just under a month earlier.

Statik Selektah — The Pre-Game EP

Anticipating his third studio album, it's a taster of his third LP, which will be released the following year. Oh, look. The cover already tells us everything, it's fantastic. Then, on the left, right in front of us, we have Statik Selektah, The Man, Patrick Baril himself, 1982 from Lawrence, Essex County, Massachusetts.

Boldy James & Real Bad Man — Real Bad Boldy

Boldy James confirms himself as MC of the year 2020 with his fourth release of the season. After The Alchemist ("The Price of Tea in China"), Sterling Toles ("Manger on McNichols") and Jay Versace ("The Versace Tape"), the artist collaborates with producer Real Bad Man. Guests are Meyhem Lauren, Stove God Cooks, Eto, Mooch & Rigz. The Empire State is there and it makes itself felt, in particular, you can no longer talk about drugs these days without mentioning Rochester, one of the hottest and fittest hip-hop scenes of the moment.

Masta Killa — Loyalty is Royalty

Masta Killa's fourth studio album, which has one of the thinnest discographies among Wu-Tang Clan members. And more consistent, even solid, in silence, he never made a flop album and he never made sensational mistakes. He offers a sixteen-track tape, published by Nature Sounds, produced by PF Cuttin, 9th Wonder, Dame Grease, RZA, True Master, DJ Baby Snakes, Blocade, Chainsaw, Cruz, Illmind, and the Master Killer himself. In the rapping side, the Wu-Tang is represented by the bars of Cappadonna, Method Man, RZA, Inspectah Deck and GZA, while the external guests are Redman, Sean Price, Prodigy and KXNG Crooked, in addition to the unknown Young Dudas, AB, Boy Backs, Moe Roc, Chanel Sosa, Stacks and Nick Guns.

Black Knights of the North Star — Northstar on the Blackest Night

More than twenty years after their debut in the rap game, California hip-hop supergroup Black Knights of the North Star releases their debut album. In 1997, the group became the first on the West Coast to sign a contract with Wu-Tang Records and in 1998 was the main protagonist of the Wu-Tang Killa Beez' "The Swarm", as the only act to have two solo spots. In the following years, the collective split into two groups: Black Knights, consisting of Quintarus "Crisis" Bennett, Dewayne "Rugged Monk" Rose and Anthony "Holocaust / Warcloud" Brown (until 2007, also including Deshawn "Doc Doom!" Cunningham), and North Star, a duo formed by Andre "Christbearer" Johnson and Reginald "Meko the Pharaoh" Grier. Under the leadership of RZA and with the arrival of new collective member Shaka Amazulu the 7th, Black Knights of the North Star reunites and works on a full album: the production is mainly made by Skarekrow (of Da Monstar Mob, Holocaust group), while Devious, Rise, 4:44 Trumpets, Emmit, RZA, and Shaka Amazulu offer a rhythm. The guests of the album are RZA, Kurupt, Killarmy, Cappadonna and Ghostface Killah, both cataloged as "Wu-Tang Clan".

Dueling Experts — DE2: Sand the Floor

I don't recommend listening to it. Almost a year after the first tape, the Dueling Experts are back with a second product, which looks like it's simply a victory lap. Fifteen tracks, half an hour of listening. Recognize Ali and Verbal Kent keep swapping bars really believing it, Lord Beatjitzu's rhythms don't sound as good as in January. In fact, they come from different periods, to make the debut album Verbal Kent held a Billyjitzu set for a few years waiting to understand how and when to use it, while this second record has more recent rhythms. There's nothing really wrong with these fifteen or the hardcore rap of the two emcees, the music is just there with no replay value or anything noteworthy. 6/10.

38 Spesh — 1995 [mixtape]

It's the sequel of "1994" (2019), mixtape produced by 38 Spesh. The Rochester artist drops his thirteen record in the 2020, not the last one, confirming himself as one of the most prolific guys of the year. The cover should be studied: it pays homage to several key artists who emerged in 1995, ODB and his ID card — the aureole and the smile are two wonderful details — Raekwon and Ghostface Killah in the center, GZA in the dark on the right with his liquid sword; tributes to Onyx in the lower left and to Smif-N-Wessun in the lower right, The Source's 5 mics under the Mobb Deep and alongside the two Wu-Tang, the magazine initially assigned half a mic less to both albums. You might get lost in the details, the "five" of "I Got 5 on It" is drawn with joints, for instance. This tape maintains the formula of the previous one: Spesh takes out 9 classic instrumentals and spits bars on them in freestyle for one minute, two at the most, making a 16-minute tape that boasts only one guest of honor, Che Noir.

Masta Killa — Selling My Soul

Masta Killa's third solo album, Wu-Tang Clan rapper who releases this effort six years after his sophomore. The production is handled by half a dozen different beatmakers, including Allah Mathematics, Inspectah Deck and 9th Wonder, as well as Masta Killa. Kurupt is the only guest of the edition, while Ol' Dirty Bastard is credited as guest in "Dirty Soul".

Heem — Long Story Short

Heem emerges into the underground rap scene during 2020, as rapper on Benny the Butcher's Black Soprano Family, debuting with a solo album at the end of the year: the whole project is rooted in Buffalo, with DJ Green Lantern and DJ Shay serving as producers, Benny the Butcher, Rick Hyde and Amber Simone as guests on the record, along with Detroit MC Boldy James, the revelation of the year.

Cookin Soul — Ready for Xmas (Lofi Edit)

This is a revised and corrected edition of "Ready for Xmas (BIGGIE Remixes)", Biggie Smalls' remix tape, which Cookin Soul had released eight years earlier: features seven of the ten cuts inserted in the original tape, on a Christmas production, while Biggie Smalls drops some of his best stanzas.

Killah Priest & Jordan River Banks — The Third Eye in Technicolor

Killah Priest closes what is surely one of the best comeback years ever for a hip-hop artist, releasing his third work of the season, the second with Dutch producer Jordan River Banks after the neglected mixtape "Journey to the Planet of the Gods", a pearl immersed in the darkness of the abyss of the underground. Lyrically, Killah Priest centers the themes around religion, philosophy, science with his abstract style, what he knows how to do well, practically. Dropping bars with a slow and regular style, he still excels on a very good experimental production (amazing in "Beautiful"): the drum is there, it's lean, good, often downtempo, never intrusive. In one of the best moments of the project, Angelina Moore offers a sublime performance on one of the top beats chosen by Jordan River Banks. Killah Priest's work is compact and solid, 53 minutes divided into 15 songs, and although it comes months after the previous album's release, it feels like an exquisite starter for "Rocket to Nebula". 8/10.

Snoop Dogg — Malice n Wonderland

Snoop Dogg has faltered in the past as a top mainstream rap artist, with the first album released by Priority struggling to sell in 2002, knocking the Long Beach MC off the Billboard 200 top ten for the first time in his career. Even with the groups Eastsidaz and 213 he did better, from this point of view. At the end of 2009, he goes back to releasing something with Priority: perhaps, this is the moment when he falls as a mainstream rapper.

Cappadonna — Slang Prostitution

Two years after the previous album, Cappadonna releases his fifth studio album, the first since he officially became a member of the Wu-Tang Clan: the fact coincides with the release of the album "8 Diagrams", at the end of 2007. The rapper becomes the tenth member of the Clan and, to thank all, he brings out what is undoubtedly one of his two worst studio albums in his career. This is perhaps the worst, but in his previous effort, "The Cappatalize Project", the boy has worked hard enough to choose completely unlistenable rhythms, to combine them with his rap and that of his friends.

Planet Asia Medallions — Bodhidharma

Yet another release of Planet Asia, produced entirely by DirtyDiggs and Izznyce, and published with the moniker Planet Asia Medallions. Supreme Cerebral and Tristate are the only guests. The rap is good, the beats are safe, DirtyDiggs usually doesn't get it wrong and here he doesn't: the loops are melodic, jazz, relaxed, soul, ethereal, the drum is simple, the tape has several variations, drumless beats and dance-oriented musical carpets, all productions on which Planet Asia proves to be able to rap incredibly well. Consisting of 14 tracks and 34 minutes, it's another quality tape made by one of the most ignored talents on the West Coast. 7/10.

Curren$y — Welcome to Jet Life Recordings

A week after his last release, Currensy returns to drop a record, and it's a solo tape that celebrates his Jet Life Recordings, placing several New Orleans rappers such as TY, G Style, Black Cobain, Alla Fleury and Fendi P: the latter released a tape with Currensy in 2020 spring, the others I have never heard of before.

DJ Muggs — Winter

Studio album number 18 for DJ Muggs, seventh solo. The producer, famous member of Cypress Hill and founder of Soul Assassins, creates all the beats of the edition and collaborates with several rappers emerging from the underground circuit, including Rome Streetz, Eto, Crimeapple, al.divino, RLX, veterans Meyhem Lauren and Boldy James, and a guy I don't really know how but managed to be considered a column in both the mainstream and the underground, Cappadonna.

Conway the Machine — From King to a GOD

Third album of 2020 for Buffalo rapper Conway the Machine, following collaborative records with The Alchemist ("LuLu") and Big Ghost Ltd ("No One Mourns the Wicked"). Production is provided by Daringer, Beat Butcha, Hit-Boy, The Alchemist, Murda Beatz, Erick Sermon, Khrysis and DJ Premier. The guests of the album are Griselda rappers Benny the Butcher, Westside Gunn, and Armani Ceaser, as well as Dej Loaf, Method Man, Lloyd Banks, Flee Lord, Freddie Gibbs and El Camino.

Freddie Gibbs & Statik Selektah — Lord Giveth, Lord Taketh Away EP

After the critical acclaim of "Str8 Killa", it should have started a label war similar to that for AZ in 1995, instead, Fredrick "Freddie Gibbs" Tipton signs with Young Jeezy's Corporate Thugz. The rapper decides to immediately publish an extended play, turning to Statik Selektah: the tape is entirely made in a single day, seven short cuts emerge (plus two bonus tracks, which I will not discuss) for about twenty minutes in total.

PiRo — Great Adventures of Piro...

Second studio album released by PiRo, Masta Killa's son. The production is made by Shaka Amazulu the 7th of School of the Gifted. Guests on the album include Popa Wu, Young Dirty Bastard, Intell, School of the Gifted, Kinetic, Shaka Amazulu and Masta Killa.

Statik Selektah — 100 Proof: The Hangover

Fourth album in four years for the producer Statik Selektah, on his third solo effort. It should be the album that definitely launches him among the most popular underground producers in the industry, on the third attempt: braggadocio lyrics, hardcore and battle rap, on East Coast boom bap rhythms.

Dueling Experts — Dueling Experts

The bandcamp of the group, which publishes through Mello Music, one of the labels that have become a reference for the underground hip-hop circuit in recent years, just below the tracklist it places a long sort of laudatory review on what you just listen to, so, in case you are satisfied with the music proposed by this duo, I would have nothing to add to that text.

Curren$y & Harry Fraud — Bonus Footage EP

Bonus disc, which completes an interesting triptych of albums by this duo in 2020, with "The Outrunners" and "The Director's Cut". It consists of five tracks for a total of a quarter of an hour of listening: two original cuts ("Everyday", "Light Switch") and three remixes, two from "Outrunners" ("Riviera Beach", "Seven Seas"), and one from "Director's Cut" ("1 Luv"). Conway, Boldy James, Gunplay and Cordae are the guests of the tape.

Elcamino x 38 Spesh — Sacred Psalms

Third studio album for the Buffalo rapper Elcamino in 2020, ninth studio album for the Rochester rapper/producer 38 Spesh in the same year: second collaboration between the two artists, after "Martyrs Prayer", released in early 2020.

Flee Lord — No More Humble Fashion

Lord Lord continues his unstoppable run and reaches his eleven project this season.

Lil Wayne — No Ceilings 3: Side A [mixtape]

After his latest studio album and some collection of Spotify playlist-style songs in the form of an EP, Lil Wayne is also offering a tape in 2020. Third episode of the "No Ceiling" series, inaugurated in 2009.

Statik Selektah — The Balancing Act

Ninth album producer for Statik Selektah, released by Nas' Mass Appeal. On the rhythms chosen by the boy from Massachusetts, there are Black Thought, Nas, Joey Badass, Conway, Killer Mike, Dave East, Method Man, Jadakiss, Styles P, Termanology, Benny the Butcher, Rome Streetz, Haile Supreme, Evidence, Blue, Lil Fame, Smoke DZA, Rim da Villin, Sean Price, Bun B and Havoc, among others.

Kinetic 9 x Shogun Assason x Sticky Ricardo — The Truth Is Even Darker

It matters little whether this effort precedes or succeeds to C.I.A., it should be noted that this is another collaborative project between rappers Kinetic 9 & Shogun, both part of Killarmy, who make an EP with producer Sticky Ricardo. The two MCs are also protagonists of the two-headed dragon C.I.A., a direct branch of the Wu group. This tape consists of seven tracks, one skit, solid rapping, effective production, there's only one questionable rhythm and the rest are quite correct. Maybe it doesn't hold the same strength and cohesion as Criminals in the Army, yet it still sounds competently.

B.EN.N.Y. — Benny Best Ever [mixtape]

Almost the same name of one of his other mixtapes, "B.E.N.N.Y. (Best Ever 'N New York)", a sort of compilation that collects several tracks from the "American D Boy" series, this effort unites some of the rapper's longtime collaborators, including Johnal, Hottest, Rick Hyde, Westside Gunn, Jimmy Conway and DJ Shay.

Shogun Assason — Target Practice 3

Third chapter of the Shogun Assason trilogy that credits Killarmy as Presenter, whatever this lemma means. Fifth effort by Jamal Alexander since 2018, when Black Stone of Mecca Records started releasing material by the rapper serially, here named Hue Glockmen for the last tape of the trilogy.

Cappadonna — Show Me the Money

"Show Me the Money", let us realize, homies, even the album itself hid for months before coming out: from the day of its release until yesterday, I just didn't understand how where when who and why someone could have listened to it, I don't think it was possible. Suddenly, probably three weeks ago, at the beginning of November 2020, it was released on spotify. It's the album number twelve for Cappadonna, «the Wu-Tang Clan member easier to insult and denigrate by fans». The main news that comes to us from this thirty-minute, nine-cut overall product, is the fact that the beats aren't as bad as they might seem and they're all pretty decent. Not good, not enough to allow producers to be credited: the beatmakers enjoy mixing trap and jazzy boom bap randomly, sometimes even on the same track, adding decent, poor and soulful samples, a slow drum continues to beat in all the record and the rapper allows himself to perform with a slow and effortless style, even coming out with sung hooks. Not at his career best, but not at his worst either: the guests help him drag himself towards the end of this tape, between reggae-sque fillers and a semblance of ballad, I guess, just before the only surprisingly good rhythm, in the final song "Out Of My Mind", with a male soul sample too tight. Overall, there's a little bit of everything here: only bars are missing, and then it would be a complete album.

Shogun Assason — Target Practice 2

Second tape of a trilogy presented by Killarmy and made by one of the members of the historic New York hip-hop group, Shogun Assason aka Bastard Swordsman. Rapping, mixing and production are handled exclusively by Shogun. It's similar to the previous project, continuously interspersed with skits that occupy half the disc, and it has only two tracks in a row. The performer's choice of boom bap is watered down and his rap is not as good as it used to be, far from his top years with the Wu group. As for the previous one, the cover is excellent, but it's not an essential listening for the followers of the Shaolin doctrine.

Shogun Assason — Target Practice

First tape of a trilogy made by Jamal "Shogun Assason" Alexander aka Mr. Pistol in this project presented by Killarmy. The rapper is also the sole producer, while the guests are Dom Pachino & Kinetic 9 of Killarmy, Shaka Amazulu the 7th, Demon, Shorty Killa, Airwave Justo, Ho2Fa aka H-Hustle, Kells aka Marque and Yung Ki. The proposed music does not stand out in the current panorama and is clearly below average, with the rapping of the Killarmy emcee which is not completely convincing in these twenty-five minutes. The first flavorful piece with Dom Pachino and Kinetic 9 is honest, none of the following songs feel they can be close to it.

Shogun Assason — Tha Grind: Bad Brakes = Friction

The cover catapults us into a combative atmosphere of this mixtape with a commercial appeal created by rapper Shogun Assason and branded Royalsunn, a label close to Killarmy, a group of which the emcee is a member. Guests are Born Jus, Midaz, Tha Trickaz, Shabazz the Disciple of Sunz of Man, Frukwan & Poetic, credited as Gravediggaz. The rhythms are created by 4th Disciple, True Master, Falling Down, Alchemist, Tha Trickaz, DJ Swift and Shogun, who produces half mixtape. A competent boom bap production and the help of some guests allow the first quarter of an hour to flow easily, then the tape cracks on more commercial choices around the middle, starting with "KV Baby". This track has a difficult and bad rhythm, the only one made by Alchemist on the tape, and precedes two other disappointing tracks. The second half is acceptable, without having extraordinary moments, and keeping the best production in "Whos Eyes Can See", directly from 4th Disciple, which also produces "47 Secondz". To sum it up, it's not a recommended listen for Killa Beez fans.

Capone-n-Noreaga — The Reunion

Released from prison, Capone records the duo's second studio album with Noreaga. Behind the keyboards several soldiers are enlisted to the cause of the duo: L.E.S., The Alchemist, DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Havoc, Dame Grease, EZ Elpee, Rush, Kyze, Nokio, Kenya, Jewellz, Tony Aviles, Mike Fortunato, Omar Glover, SPK and Chris Liggio. Guests are Foxy Brown, Nas, Mobb Deep, Musaliny & Maze, Carl Thomas, Complexions, Algado & Shoballotti, Goldfingaz and Troy Outlaw. Now that Capone is out of jail, the two no longer need the third unofficial member, Tragedy Khadafi, which curiously isn't present even a single time in these 20 songs of 70 minutes, despite being the main host and the clear driving force of their previous work, and that much of the success and quality of that CD was due to his talent.

French Montana — CB5 [mixtape]

Six years after the last edition, French Montana returns to propose its mixtape series "Coke Boys", which has reached chapter number five. The production is made by 26 people, including French Montana himself and Harry Fraud, who makes 4 beats. Guests are Jim Jones, Lil Durk, Pop Smoke, Jack Harlow, Chinx, Rafi Malice, Max B, YoungBoy NBA, Benny the Butcher, Zak, ASAP Rocky, LGP Qua, Lil Mosey and Currensy.

Yo Gotti — Untrapped

Tenth album for Mario Mims, the ninth under the name of Yo Gotti. The veteran trapper builds one of his best works ever: the album is mostly braggadocio, with some sexual and political excerpts, but his lyrics are more mature than usual. In addition, it's helped by a good production, mainly done by Ben Billions, Streetrunner and Tarik Azzouz.

Wu-Tang Clan — Masta Killa Presents: The Next Chamber

While U-God and Cappadonna are wondering if they are still members of the group, Masta Killa solidifies his position with a compilation. It's not your generic collection of average tracks, here you are on a real Wu-Tang Clan tape, Masta Killa knows how to do it. Production mainly by Mathematics, from the slums of Shaolin, bars of The RZA, The GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon the Chef, U-God, Ghostface Killah and the Masta Killa, plus affiliates Prodigal Sunn, Killah Priest (both Sunz of Man), Timbo King (Royal Fam), Buddah Bless, and external guests Icarus, RA the Rugged Man and Pete Rock.

Statik Selektah & Termanology — 1982: The EP

First EP released by 1982, duo composed by Statik Selektah & Termanology, both from Lawrence, Massachusetts. And both born in 1982, the year from which the duo and the EP itself take their name, a prelude to their debut collaborative studio album.