Joell Ortiz — The Brick: Bodega Chronicles

In 2007, Joell Ortiz signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath, which allowed him to debut with an independent street album, released by Koch Records. Production is handled by Showbiz, Alchemist and many unknown names, such as MoSS, JPaz, DJ EMZ, Ax the Bull, Hecks, Frank Dukes, Jonyfraze, Prince, Machavelli, VIC, P-Money, and Street Radio. The bonus tracks are produced by Mel-Man, DJ Silk and Dr. Dre. Guests are Cashmere, Maino, Solomon, Big Daddy Kane, Big Noyd, Immortal Technique, Ras Kass, Styles P, Akon, Sha Stimuli, Grafh, Gab Gotcha, Lord Black and La Brujha.

Ortiz was born and raised in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents, becoming passionate about hip-hop. In his twenties, he's one of the best in New York to still not have a contract, in 2004 he's on The Source's "Unsigned Hype". He finds a contract and manages to release his first album, which serves as a preview of his first LP. The rapper boasts an excellent technique and a good flow, spits hardcore and makes some socio-conscious and political extracts among the many bravado legacies, however, he's not adequately supported by the production. The overall soundscape present in this hour is patchy, generic and gray, the rhythms these guys choose are almost all C series. The first good beat of the album arrives after twenty minutes, and is that of "Hip Hop", Ortiz's anthem. Hecks makes a timeless, sensational and immortal production, his beat is underground, dark and jazzy, purely New York, beautiful. The rapper delivers at his best ever, deeply inspired, on one of the best tracks of the year.

Nobody reaches that level, some guests help carry the project forward, and behind the keyboards, even Alchemist and Showbiz disappoint. The beats lift their heads again in the finale, with the third choice of Frank Dukes, in the song that closes the record, the last chapter of the "125" series: powerful jazzy boom bap with chipmunk soul sample, confident hardcore delivery of the MC. The three bonus cuts add little, Dre's choice is no better than the others. The album shows the guy can rap and has potential, critics greet the project with mixed reviews, audiences approve it and the record ends up in the top 25 of the rap chart. In the following years, Ortiz leaves Aftermath and his next LP doesn't arrive, then he joins the Slaughterhouse and relaunches his career. 6/10.