Flee Lord — Alter Ego Fleeigo Delgado

Flee Lord, Flee Lord again. Fifth effort in 2020 for the New York MC, he's dropping so many projects that it's becoming difficult to keep up with him. From what I understand, he would like to do twelve projects just for this year, what? Until now, only "Hand Me My Flowers" has held up quite worthily in comparison with "Pray for the Evil", his first effort of the year and his best. The others seemed effortless and this project is no exception: there are the same boom bap jazzy rhythms of his previous mini-albums and the same thug bars, rare variations and the attention drops too soon after the featuring of Elcamino, who dominates the simple rhythm of "Livin' Lavish". G4 Jag is more R&B on "Lord Family", the rest of the tracks do everything not to stand out, they are generic songs. When the beats get darker, the rapper finds the best results, as in "Hoopty" ​​with a single looped piano key, and in "It Ain't Gone Last", thanks to a guessed sample.

Defari — Truth Serum

Defari, formerly Likwit, has been in the game since 1999 debuting with "Focused Daily", but by the middle of the following decade he had stopped, also following the crisis of the rap game. After a decade of absence from the scene, since some years ago he has returned to release material, pretty satisfactory material. Taking advantage of today's trend of the extended EP, Defari can throw bragga and casual bars for about twenty minutes filling several short cuts.

Young Gunz — Back to Business [mixtape]

From the darkness of Gotham City Philadelphia emerges a dimly gray lighthouse displaying a symbol that, if it weren't that of a generic mid-2000s East Coast pop rap group forgotten by all, it could also be that of a new religious sect. Yes, Young Gunz are back, stronger than ever, better than ever. They're back, with a crisp red band, under their original name, "Chris & Neef", and back to business on this mixtape hosted by Don Cannon. The tape features 14/15 songs, few guests, no skits and just under three quarters of an hour of listening time, almost as if it were an album.

Cappadonna — Black Is Beautiful

This is the divisive beauty of Cappadonna, stage name of Darryl Hill, native of Staten Island, original member, then close affiliate, finally definitive member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Cappadonna albums are a bit like coffee at Starbucks, by now you know it's rubbish and you won't want to go back to them, but they have that almost irresistible charm of their own.

Struggle Mike — Da Wall

This is one of the first records by Struggle Mike, artist from Buffalo, New York. Struggle Mike curates the project, which is produced by other artists, most notably Four Limbs. Among the guests stand out the names of the rappers of the Black Soprano Family group Benny the Butcher, Rick Hyde, Loveboat Luciano, Heem, as well as Che Noir, BodyBagBen, Madhattan, Eto, Fred the Godson, Hus Kingpin and RJ Payne.

Young Gunz — Brothers From Another

After a short hiatus, Young Gunz duo formed by Young Chris and Neef Buck release their second album, which coincides with Jay-Z's "new" Roc-A-Fella Records' second record after the label split and the Brooklyn rapper became head of Def Jam. The first album of the "new label" is "534" by Memphis Bleek, who is also a guest on this CD along with John Legend, Kanye West, Pooda Brown, 112 and Daz Dillinger. As evidently as sensational, there are no other guests coming from their State Property group, because the act disbanded and some artists decided to follow Dame Dash with his new label leaving Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella. As in the previous record, the production is almost entirely entrusted to Chad Hamilton, the other rhythms are provided by Kanye West, Bangladesh, Boola and Swizz Beatz.

3rd Bass — Derelicts of Dialect

Sophomore and last record of the 3rd Bass, not up to the excellent debut. Pete Nice and MC Serch still retain a good lyricism and some good fun bars delivered with a light and easy rapping style, but their effort is too long, there are too many skits and some unnecessary fillers, even if the project is deeply flowing. The production is simple and sparse, jazzy and full of samples, but qualitatively it's irregular and despite his three tracks, Prince Paul doesn't stand out. The album is pretty decent, but there isn't a song that stands out, except for the vibrant dissing against Vanilla Ice "Pop Goes the Wiesel", an attack on pop rap that becomes a pop rap banger with radio replay. 7/10.

Young Gunz — Tough Luv

Chris "Young Chris" Ries and Hanif "Neef Buck" Muhammad have been friends since childhood, growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 2001, through his track "Takeover", Jay-Z announces them as "Chris & Neef", the duo signs with Roc-A-Fella, is part of the soundtrack of the film "State Property" (2002), enters the group of the same name and, while starting to record material for his own CD, performs on several albums on the label, including Beanie Sigel's "The Reason", Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 2", Freeway's "Philadelphia Freeway", Memphis Bleek's "M.A.D.E." and albums by the State Property group. After the worldwide success of the Young Gunz hit "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" featured on State Property's second LP, Roc-A-Fella is persuaded to release the duo's first album. The disc is recorded between Philadelphia and New York, almost entirely produced by Chad Hamilton along with Bink, Boola, Just Blaze, Scott Storch, EZ Elpee, Digga and Ruggedness. The guests include fellow State Property members Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Omillio Sparks aka Sparks, Roc-A-Fella artists Jay-Z, Rell and Dipset rappers Juelz Santana & Camron, Denim and Chingy. There's a good number of samples and the disc rarely makes use of live instrumentation, practically absent after the introductory track.

Meyhem Lauren — Glass 2.0

Brooklyn producer Harry Fraud and Queens rapper Meyhem Lauren get together to release a 25-minute sequel to their 2018 collaborative album. The production of Fraud is relaxed, jazzy boom baps with midtempo drums and some good samples, while Lauren's delivery is syncopated, slow and regular, sometimes flowing on pretty bland rhythms that he cannot adequately exploit. Not the best beats of the year by the beatmaker, while the MC spits out some street-thug, food, braggadocio bars with decent style, nonetheless, the project flows smoothly and quickly, thanks also to many honest midtempo drums: there are certainly some strong points in the second part, when the sound improves and the rapper's voice sounds better too.

Rating: 6.6/10.

Mack 10 — Mack 10

Debut studio album by Dedrick "Mack 10" Rolison (Westside Connection), rapper from Inglewood, California. Production is done by Ice Cube, 88 X Unit, Crazy Toones, Dr. Jam, Mack 10 and Madness 4 Real. The guests are K-Dee and the rappers of the Westside Connection Ice Cube and WC. Ice Cube protégé / affiliate, Mack 10 pulls out a 14-track (3 skits), 48-minute album where he plays generic gangsta bars on a solid funky production.

Curren$y & Fuse — Spring Clean

Third LP of the year for Currensy, at the fifth effort of the season. In production, this time is Eduardo Earle aka Fuse (808 Mafia). Half an hour, ten joints, a few guests, Fuse's rhythms are a little colder and coarser than Currensy's previous work.

Chris Rivers — Self Inflicted Bubble Boy

Third studio album for Chris Rivers, rapper from the Bronx. I don't really know where to start here.

The Genius — Words from the Genius

Gary Grice made his rap game debut in 1991 under the name "The Genius", releasing his debut album for Marley Marl's Cold Chillin' Records, now in ruins and with which he signed the year before.

DJ Khaled — We Global

Khaled on his third effort. Bring in Ace, Kanye, Akon, Nas, Missy, Busta, Game, Bun and another whole host of guests that I sincerely think I have never listened to and that I would not even touch with a clown pole of ten meters. Yes, yes, of course I see the tracklist too, okay, there is also Rick Ross, Fat Joe... T-Pain sure, T-Pain... for him the autotune is like the artificial respirator for the elderly ninety-nine year old, without that he can't live and... something right in his career he'll have done it, or not? I haven't checked it.

Big Ghost Ltd. & Widowmaker — An Open Tomb... An Empty Casket

Collaborative instrumental album released by the producers Big Ghost Ltd and Widowmaker, for a total of 27 tracks and forty minutes which guarantees an honest replay value. The first part of the album is entirely performed by the producer affiliated to Griselda (16), the second one to the Portland beatmaker (11).

RMR — Drug Dealing Is a Lost Art

Debut tape by RMR, singer of whom we have little information: born in Atlanta in 1996, emerges thanks to his first song "Rascal", a single very well promoted and released in a period in which "went viral" had lost his original meaning, but was making strides to win it back.

Cilvaringz — I

When the Wu-Tang Clan arrives in Amsterdam for the promotional tour of the new album "Wu-Tang Forever", and during the concert a space for local talent is announced, Tarik "Cilvaringz" Azzougarh, a young boy of Moroccan origin born in Dordrecht and raised in Tilburg, Netherlands, he stands there, somehow gets on stage and spits bars in freestyle for two minutes in front of everyone, impressing Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man and RZA, who would like to sign him. However, it's the same ODB that causes the sudden security intervention that brings everyone off the stage, including the young Tarik, who's no longer able to contact RZA. With nothing to lose, the boy starts traveling from home to New York to chase Bobby Digital, sends letters, sends tapes, delivers demos personally to RZA's mother and sister, and on the fifth flight in two years between late 1997 and 1999, Tarik decides to camp in front of the Razor Sharp studios in New York. When he meets Bobby Steels' sister again in front of the studios, he convinces her to contact RZA and shortly thereafter the young man signs with Wu-Tang Records, becoming the first non-American affiliate of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Hammer — Too Legit to Quit

«Too legit to quit? Andy told it was timeless, stupid nineties.» (Cougar Town)

When Hammer enters with his erratic speech on the dance pop rhythm of "This Is the Way We Roll", well, at that point you know it'll be a full-laughing album. It's exhausting and unbearably long, over seventy absurd minutes of pure total trash balsamic with a bit of hip house and dance pop touches.

DJ Khaled — We the Best

WE THE BEST MUSEEEE. 2007. Khaled returns. Khaled is back for his sophomore after the horrible debut and brings thirty guests, yes, for ten tracks. Rick Ross, T.I., Akon, Birdman, Fat Joe, Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Dre of Cool & Dre, T-Pain, Trick Daddy, Plies, Pooh Bear, The Game, Jadakiss, Bun B, Paul Wall, Trina, Flo Rida, Brisco, C-Ride, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Ja Rule. The solo track of Beanie Sigel is good, the rest of the LP almost all suck, only Weezy looks decent here (but he's still in the wake of his best career period), clearly MVP of this album.

Raheem — The Vigilante

Little to note from this debut album by Oscar "Raheem" Ceres, rapper from Houston, Texas. He's one of the original member of the group Geto Boys (Ghetto Boys in the first days) along with The Sire Jukebox and Sir Rap-A-Lot, then he left the group to pursue a solo career. He takes the worst from the first new school by copying from all sides and merging it together in a confused and incomprehensible pasture. The production created by Karl Stephenson and Rap-A-Lot Records founder James Smith alternate between rhythmic, simplistic, funky rhythms with pop vibes and some reggae fillers that sounds lame: above this very confused musical choice, the rapper offers a series of random bars to compose conscious and misogynist cuts, always mediocre. Supported by Rap-A-Lot and A&M Records, it's also marketed in Canada and Europe, but without particular profit, not to mention that the choice to place a red cap on the cover seems to have caused him more than one problem. Steer clear.

Devan Childs x Elcamino — MoonBap EP

Entirely produced by Anthony Alola, it's a short EP between rapper Elcamino and Devan Childs, emerging straight out the suburb. Unfortunately, the effort is short and lacking in some uncertainty: Devan Childs is better on trap rhythms — he still has to work a lot on his breathing control and seems to prefer sung hooks; here, however, there are flashes of good potential — while Elcamino expresses himself better on jazzy rhythms, light and melodic that enhance his calm and smoothness delivery. The problem is in the middle: these rhythms combine trap elements with jazzy noir ones, ending up not being able to fully support both on the same track. To note the sick performance of Lucky Seven, another rapper from Buffalo who rips the tight jazzy-trap production of "My Crown" with a pretty solid and dope flow and is a name that should be noted because it could explode in the immediate future. 6/10.

Paul Wall & Lil Keke — Slab Talk

Collaborative tape between two veteran Houston rappers, Paul Wall & Lil' Keke. The tape is surprisingly acceptable, there's honest melodic trap production, a few boom baps, a rare slip around the middle, and many tracks above the average that Paul Wall has accustomed the listener to, often aided by Lil' Keke. The project, composed by ten choices and half an hour of listening, releases many pieces that boast relaxed vibes, with guests enrich songs rather than detracting quality: probably the first with Slim Thug is the best, even if approached by "Left Right", and the last three tracks. 6/10.

DJ Khaled — Listennn... The Album

Debut for DJ Khaled. It'll be the skeleton of his future albums. Most of the production is credited to other producers. It's not a valid excuse for the album to suck so much, but it's right not to discredit those who do not deserve it. On a triumphalist rhythm, DJ Khaled announces his numerous and fabulous guests.

Milano Constantine — Winston Wolf EP

Second EP and first project of the year for Milano Constantine, rapper from New York affiliated with DITC.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince — He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper

The enormous success of the duo's debut album attracted the attention of Jive Records, who signed the group, and Russell Simmons, who took the boys on tour alongside major acts on the Def Jam roster, such as Public Enemy and Run-DMC.

Flatbush Zombies — Now, More Than Ever EP

EP released by Flatbush Zombies, hip-hop group from Flatbush, Brooklyn. The product consists of twenty minutes divided into six tracks, one guest, Sophie Faith.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince — Rock the House

In 1985, Jeff "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes met Will "The Fresh Prince" Smith at a house party, and Smith became the new DJ's hype man, as the original hadn't shown up to the party. After becoming friends, the two decided to make music together, and Smith recruited Ready Rock C to be the group's beatboxer. The following year, the boys released their debut single, "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble", on local label Word Records. Smith was still in school when the song became a hit, making him known for both his light-hearted storytelling and his profanity-free battle lyrics.

El Camino — Lot and Abraham EP

Second effort of the year for Elcamino, who wants to quickly register his name in the game. Produced entirely by DJ Shay, it starts with a skit on a light and tight jazzy rhythm, then on a similar rhythm pounces on the title track with a good delivery around the cornets. "Two-Tone Joint" has a light, essential, simple, tight jazzy rhythm, with bad soul sample looped in the background, good inspired delivery by Elcamino. The fourth choice is the best of the EP: exceptional production, light and tight jazzy rhythm, piano dope, female soulful sample looped in the background, creating an ethereal mood on which Elcamino can express himself between slow and flowing delivery and a spoken hook. "Break Bread" follows, another excellent track on which the rapper's delivery is slow and smoothness, excellent, in a clean song, smooth thanks to a simple and essential jazzy rhythm. The quality drops slightly in the finale, "Strolling Down Rodeo" has a tight, light, essential jazzy rhythm with female soul samples looped in the background on which Elcamino delivers inspired. Instead, the next one features a simple and minimal drum machine, tight, deep jazzy rhythm, good rapper delivery. It closes "Can't Be Saved": splendid essential, skeletal jazzy rhythm, with guitar licks looped in the background, functional and passable hook, fast, good slow and syncopated delivery of Elcamino, supported by the rhythm. 7.5/10.

Logic — Bobby Tarantino II [mixtape]

Second chapter of the "Bobby Tarantino" mixtape series created by rapper Logic, at his sixth mixtape. The production is made up of 6ix, Logic, AG, a guy who decided that his moniker was a social security number (this sentence is shorter than that name anyway), DJ Khalil, Frank Dukes, Illmind, Kevin Randolph, Marshmello, Nico Chiara, Oz, Tariq Beats, Tee-Watt and Vontae Thomas. The guests are all high profile and respond to the names of Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Marshmello.