Buckwild — Presents... EP

In 2010, hip-hop producer Anthony "Buckwild" Best releases an EP composed by nine tracks, the vinyl is distributed by No Sleep Recordings. The performers are Celph Titled, Sadat X, Grand Puba, AG, OC, Diamond D, Rise, Kool G Rap, Nas, Da Bush Babees, Tha Alkaholiks, Rampage and Grand Daddy I.U.

Conway the Machine — The Missing Bricks EP

Conway's latest extended play is released in autumn 2021 exclusively on vinyl by the Dutch label de Rap Winkel Records, which is making a name for itself among independent labels on the underground hip-hop circuit. Finally, after months the tape arrives on the internet: six songs enclosed in just over twenty minutes, in which the rapper delivers bars with energy on alternately trap (with influences from the drill scene) and boom bap beats, together with guests such as Bun B, Trae the Truth, Nique, 2 Chainz and Elijah Hooks. The musical choices are provided by Cardiak, Rick Hyde, Trizzy Williams, Beat Butcha and Murda Beats. It's a good project made up of solid melodic productions and great performers, it documents the MC's ability to effectively siege different types of rhythms, and is more oriented towards trap productions, so it may disappoint boom bap die-hard stans. 7/10.

KRS-One — King of the Ol' Skool

This 2008 mixtape is by far the worst release in Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everybody's discography. I assume it was something promotional in view of one of his LPs released in the same year or maybe it's a casual release. Musically inaccessible, with a disastrous choice of rhythms, lyrically irrelevant, this mixtape is a mess from start to finish, it sounds just like it never should have seen the light of day. Parker proclaims himself the king of the old school, and as much as questionable this claim may be or even just what old school actually is and whether this performer is really part of it, this release doesn't prove it, on the contrary, it makes you believe this is your half-crazy friend spitting some freestyle in your building, that everyone make fun of for some reason. One of the worst tapes of the decade, skip it. Rating: 1/10.

Conway the Machine — God Don't Make Mistakes

After releasing several mixtapes and EPs, in spring 2017, Conway the Machine signs with Eminem's Shady Records along with his brother Westside Gunn. He begins work on his debut album, originally scheduled to be completed in 2018 and later modified several times until it's rebuilt after the events the artist faces in 2019. The following year, "From King to a GOD" was published and enthusiastically received by critics. While not released by Shady, this indie effort becomes his debut, and a few weeks after its release, both Westside Gunn and the Griselda group end their deal with the Mathers label.

Royce da 5'9" — Death Is Certain

The failure of his debut album convinces Columbia not to invest in him. Royce da 5'9" returns independent and is still one of the most talented young MCs to come out of Detroit after Eminem, yesterday friend, today enemy after a feud with the D12 which ends on the street and leads to prison Royce on one side and Proof on the other, tomorrow friend again. Tomorrow will come much later.

Total Devastation — Total Devastation

Look at the cover, what will this album be about? Total Devastation, is a hip-hop trio from Bay Area, San Fran, consisting of Bernie "Rasta Redeye" Castro, Anthony "Soopa Dupa" Platt and DJ Tuf Cut Tim the Fat Beat Maker, respectively born in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Mexico. I've never heard of them. Probably, neither do you. Almost an hour of listening divided into fourteen cuts, including intro and a remix.

KRS-One — I M A M C R U 1 2

Solo album number twenty-four for KRS-One, veteran hip-hop artist from New York. The project could continue the trend started with the honest mixtape "Street Light" and "Between da Protests", its best release in the last decade, but in essence this isn't good.

C.I.A. — C.I.A. (Criminals in the Army): 7th Infantry Regiment (2nd Report)

I don't think I can put into words what exactly happened here. Twenty days after the "1st Report", the "2nd Report" comes out. The tracks are the same as in the other volume, same texts, same guests, same number of printed copies, 100. Only one thing changes, the producer is no longer Lord Beatjitzu, it's Shaka Amazulu the 7th. The rhythms are completely different, the magic is over. The record is still archivable as a boom bap product, but Shaka's production is lifeless and the rapping of the two artists appears without energy, the music sounds poor and mediocre in a way that, as I mentioned at the beginning, is almost inexplicable. While the tape released three weeks earlier is fresh, this one is old and outdated.

Conway — Greetings Earthlings [mixtape]

Six days before releasing the long-awaited studio album with Shady Records, Conway the Machine releases a promotional mixtape. This project takes us back to the modern origins of the mixtape in hip-hop, when 50 Cent gave a twist to the mixtape circuit and a new meaning to the term itself, and Lil Wayne also made part of his fortune with the same formula, publishing some of his works most appreciated by fans: La Maquina raps freestyle on some rhythms of other artists. Furthermore, he includes some songs that hadn't found a place previously, such as "Language" (aka "Sign Language") and "Fredo Shit" (aka "Fredo Joint", originally featured in "Danger Room Instrumentals 2"), both from 2020, produced by Daringer and Greymatter respectively.

Kanye West — The College Dropout

After the college dropout, he began to devote himself to the production of hip-hop music, starting with local artists and specializing in accelerating vocal samples from rnb and soul songs. In the late nineties, he's credited with early mainstream rap records and in the next few years he starts churning out hits for some of the music industry's greatest performers: he gets praise for his work behind the keyboards on "The Blueprint" (2001), one of Jay-Z's best albums, often reputed to be one of the greatest of the decade. All these successes are made with rhythms that this guy considers waste, because he has been keeping the best ones for himself for years. He then decides to go to the forefront and take his piece of the pie from the industry.

Lifer's Group — Lifer's Group EP

Having ended up in prison in Rahway, New Jersey, after being involved with the Lifers Group Juvenile Awareness Program to prevent young people from pursuing a life of crime, Maxwell Melvins had the idea of ​​creating a rap album by prison inmates, using music as a means of getting their message across to young people, while also raising funds to keep the program alive.

Slaughterhouse — Slaughterhouse EP

There's a hogtied pig in the center of the cover of the second effort of the hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse, on a white background, the names of the performers on the four sides and the name of the group in white on a red background. As in the debut album, the title isn't there. There really isn't. So, the record is called Slaughterhouse, again. Until now, this name is a track of joe budden (2008), the name of the group (2009), the group's first album (2009) and the group's first EP (2011). Fantasy continues to be a word that fails to enter the vocabulary of these four boys. The group wants to sign with Eminem's Shady Records, at a certain point it doesn't seem to be able to do it anymore, then it's done. But the album still comes out on E1. Not bad. However, it's not the same as releasing with Eminem's label, I guess.

New Kingdom — Heavy Load

Jason Furlow, Sebastian Laws and Scott Harding form New Kingdom, hip-hop group from Queens. Gee Street puts them under contract and this trio records the album between London and New York. New Kingdom offer an alternative and experimental hip-hop album, thirteen cuts, about 45 minutes in length. The production, in which Lumberjacks also participate, is at times interesting, alternative and psychedelic, but for the most part it's simple boom bap, while the lyricism of the two performers (Furlow and Laws) is positive, even if their interpretation leaves a lot to be desired.

Funkdoobiest — Which Doobie U B?

Debut album by Funkdoobiest, an LA group formed by Ralph "DJ Ralph M" Medrano, Jason "Son Doobie" Vasquez and Tyrone "Tomahawk Funk" Pacheco. The group is affiliated with B-Real, DJ Muggs (both Cypress Hill) and Everlast (House of Pain), taking a cue from these two groups.

Inspectah Deck — Cynthia's Son [mixtape]

Four years after his last solo project, and a year after Czarface's acclaim, Jason Hunter releases a mixtape dedicated to his mother. Inspectah Deck is responsible for the music half of the time, the other part is provided by Phantom of the Beats, MoSS, Chin Beats, Blastah Beatz, Chedda Bang, Bronze Nazareth, Crummie Beats and DJ Homicide. The guest section is dry, with Ida Divine, Babiegurl and Chedda Bang taking part.

Us3 — Hand on the Torch

Debut album by Us3, a group founded in London in 1992, consisting of New York rappers Kobie Powell and Rahsaan, British-Jamaican rapper Tukka Yoot, composer Geoff Wilkinson and keyboardist Mel Simpson.

Guru — Jazzmatazz: Streetsoul

In the third volume of the Guru's Jazzmatazz series, the album features music more oriented to rnb and soul than the previous chapters. Jazz diminishes its reach, even with respect to the last album, released five years earlier, and live instrumentation plays a minor role, often supplanted by traditional hip-hop production with that added instrument here and there. Guru is credited as producer of the entire second part of the album (except a cut by Neptunes), while in the first half hour the music is created by Erykah Badu, DJ Scratch, Neptunes, Roots, Jay Dee and DJ Premier, who is also present in a song from the second half, credited together with the author as Gang Starr. Guests are Kelis, Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes, Erykah Badu, Angie Stone, Donell Jones, Macy Gray, Bilal, The Roots, Amel Larrieux, Craig David, Big Shug, Les Nubians, Junior Reid and Prodigal Son.

C.I.A. — C.I.A. (Criminals in the Army): 7th Infantry Regiment (1st Report)

Bruce Lee is the central figure in the cover of the second disc published by C.I.A. aka Criminals in the Army, the fresh offshoot duo of Killarmy formed by the emcees Kinetic 9 & Shogun Assason. Despite the huge influence the actor has had on the Wu-Tang Clan world, this is probably the first time the image of him has appeared on a Wu-Tang project. The production is entirely created by Lord Beatjitzu, guests are 9th Prince of Killarmy, Warcloud and School of the Gifted (Napoleon, Rubbabandz, Shaka Amazulu the 7th & Solomon Childs). 

Assalti Frontali — Terra di nessuno

Assalti Frontali is a group son of the Onda Rossa Posse collective, from the outskirts of Rome, Italy. Born in 1990, it's one of the first collectives in the country and releases one of the first Italian hip-hop EPs, "Batti il tuo tempo". This is followed by the single "Baghdad 1.9.9.1.", released under the name «Uniti contro la guerra», then the collective dissolves and two groups are born: Assalti Frontali, led by the leader Militant A, and the AK47, led by the leader Castro X. The collective of Militant A, in 1992, released one of the first Italian hip-hop LP, and it's a critical success: the group is composed of Militant A, Castro X, NCOT, 00199, Cheeky P, Forze Grafiche, Pennex, PRRP San Sante and Brutopop, the latter being the producer.

Dom Pachino — Torture Chamber EP

Released under the title "Mr. Tera Presents... Torture Chamber" under the moniker Mr. Tera, the Killarmy rapper brings out this EP of six self-produced short songs featuring a couple of appearances by Bugsy da God, rapper from Newark, New Jersey, a regular presence in the records of Dom Pachino. The tape overall isn't good, it doesn't sound like essential listening, even if it doesn't have particularly bad tracks. Worst of all is probably Bugsy's autotune hook on the last track. Not recommended.

Inspectah Deck — The Resident Patient 2 [mixtape]

This is a mixtape for which you really have to delve into the darkest corners of the internet. It sure exists somewhere on the deep web, but on the surface, you might struggle to find it. Sequel to "The Resident Patient", it's not thought of as a follow-up to that studio album: this is a promotional mixtape released in the summer of 2008, in anticipation of the release of a subsequent self-titled studio album scheduled for the following fall. Unlike this mixtape, that LP never sees the light of day. This effort, after seeing the light of the sun for a few moments, is forever locked away in a dark basement, in a sort of Platonic allegory of the Cave in reverse.