DJ Krush — Strictly Turntablized

Second studio album for Hideaki Ishii aka DJ Krush, released about eight months after its debut. The fact that he was linked to the Japanese mafia in his youth is the only possible explanation for not being sunk by critics, because this effort isn't good. The dude tries to make a tape of experimental instrumental hip-hop rhythms, but his attempt is mediocre: in these 38 minutes of listening divided into 11 songs, Krush never changes his sound, keeping loops of 4 or 5 minutes which all become exhausting after a few seconds.

67 Mob — Raising the Bar

In 2009, four white-collar kids, whose monikers on discogs are Lips, CHZ, Sal Black and Grecaman, raise the bar by releasing a 20-track CD that goes completely unnoticed in the scene under the group name 67 Mob.

Boogie Monsters — Riders of the Storm: The Underwater Album

Debut album for the Boogie Monsters, hip-hop group from Ettrick, Virginia, composed of New York rappers Mondo McCann and Sean "Vex Da Vortex" Pollard (born in Fairbanks, Alaska), and by the brothers Sean "Myntric" and Ivor "Yodared" Myers, of Jamaican descent. The group produces a track and the rest of the record is musically entrusted to Derek "D!" Jackson, aided by a couple of live instrumentalists: Clinton Sands on bass, Darren Lighty and Scott Storch on keyboards, and Mike Tyler on guitar and bass.

Kanye West — The Life of Pablo

Soon after the great critical acclaim of his new album "Yeezus", a pleasant response from part of his audience and a tour that was a success, Kanye West plans to release a direct sequel to that album the following year with production from Q-Tip and Rick Rubin and should be called first "Yeezus II" then "So Help Me God" (the original title of the last album was "Thank God for Drugs", just to remember). This sequel album will never come, also because some of the best singles are released independently of the album and also see the participation of Paul McCartney, among others, obtaining a warm reception also from the public and becoming hits. In any case, West plans a new solo album whose title keeps changing, from "SWISH" switch to "Waves" then to "The Life of Pablo", less than a week before release. The title creates controversy.

Tha Broadus Boyz — Royal Fam

This mixtape is an interesting attempt by Calvin Cordozar Broadus to bring his teenage sons Cordell (1997) and Cordé (1994) aka Dirty D and Sparky Danky into rap. There's every type of rhythm in these eleven songs, the boys go wild, without being able to carry the project to the end. The father aka Snoop Lionny Lion has still the moniker of the Rastafari period and here he briefly returns to rap, flowing pretty well for some time. Obviously, I prefer melodic productions: in the third song, John Cameron's elegant sample is whipped by a drum that has just been kicked off its favorite strip club in Tampa. Instead, the Carpenters continue to run smoothly even in the track of this tape, thanks to an accessible and comprehensive drum. If you are curious, listen to "My 2 Boyz" and look no further. 2/10.

Kanye West — Yeezus

Kanye West returns to release a solo project three years after the last time, after a collaborative record with Jay-Z and a compilation with members of his own label GOOD Music. West is inspired by minimalist design and architecture to conceive this musical album, as well as the house music of the eighties linked to Chicago and Alejandro Jodorowsky's film "The Holy Mountain" (1973). The original title of the disc is "Thank God for Drugs", then West decides on a blasphemous title that offends at least a couple of religions. West stays in Paris to start recording and enlists trusted collaborator No ID and his new friend DJ Khaled, a guarantor of quality music, for the sessions taking place in his hotel room in a hotel in the French capital. It's West's last CD released with Roc-A-Fella and one of the last ever for the label, which it shut down a few months later.

ShrapKnel — Cobalt EP

NY duo ShrapKnel, made up of Curly Castro and PremRock, debuts in the rap game with an EP of eight short cuts and a listening time of 26 minutes.

Buddha Monk — Unreleased Chambers

In the wake of numerous albums and the end of the "Zu-Chronicles" series, in 2008 Buddha Monk released a collection whose title might lead you to think that it's all unreleased tracks, but this isn't the case. With the notable exception of the first track, the album is entirely produced by Buddha Monk and boasts a large number of guests, from the groups Wu-Tang Clan, Sunz of Man, Brooklyn Zu, Da Manchuz and CCF Division, among others.

KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz — Harbor City Season One

Second album in six months for the duo formed by KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz, both former members of the hip-hop group Slaughterhouse, an experience around which they founded the LP released last spring. The two expert emcees return with an extremely loaded and swollen product, just under 70 minutes divided into 24 tracks. The first half hour is fine, there are pleasant rhythms and hardcore rapping from the two, then after "Vibrate Higher" featuring AZ, the record no longer feels essential and soon becomes bland and ineffective, encroaching on pop rap. Honorable mention for "Pawnshop Jewelry", masterpiece sample, tight rapping from Crooked & Ortiz w/ the hook from MRK SX. It has a structure that is more suited to a mainstream release that M could promote if not distribute through his label rather than resemble a mixtape or a record released on the indie circuit. In any case, it's a completely off-target, but it's not wrong to keep trying, because probably somewhere there's a niche of loyal Slaughterhouse die-hards who still want to hear good hardcore projects. 4/10.

AAVV — Cruel Summer

After releasing the album of the decade and a collaboration with his friend Jay-Z, Kanye West reminds us that he actually has his own label, on which he hasn't released any solo LPs to date. Established in 2004, the GOOD Music label has released four John Legend albums to date (one in collaboration with The Roots), three Common albums, two Kid Cudi albums, one Consequence album, one Mr. Hudson album, one Big Sean album, and one WZRD album, plus one Pusha T EP, one Malik Yusef mixtape, and one mixtape by Tony Williams. As of the release of this compilation album, the label boasts around ten artists on their roster, excluding producers. In autumn 2012, after several delays, the album is released by Good Music and Def Jam.

Pop da Brown Hornet — The Undaground Emperor

Forgotten record of one of the many Wu affiliates. In 1998, the group Gladiator Posse Wu aka GP Wu released an LP with MCA, major distribution through Universal. Two years later, this boy manages to make his solo debut with the same label, still distributed by Universal. Being on a major label is always an event for a Killa Bee, and he certainly is. Grew up in Stapleton, Staten Island cousin of Ghostface Killah, Robert "Pop da Brown Hornet" Briggs is an early Wu-Tang Clan affiliate, directly honored by RZA in "Clan in da Front" in 1993.

Buddha Monk — The Dark Knight

Many years after releasing his last effort and concluding his "Zu-Chronicles" series, Brooklyn Zu leader Buddha Monk is back with a new album. Behind the keyboards are Buddha Monk himself, Sorcer, Cno Evil, Kap, Menace Obez, 3Fifths, Crazy 88s, French Connection, Skitzo Flow, Preach, Shoe Beats, Yanti, Alan of Green Kingdom, G-Clef da Mad Komposa, Yazzin aka Killa Porter and Crise. The guests are Robbie Khan, Drunken Dragon, K-Blunt, Layza Life, Menace Obez, Six Sense, Crise, Frukwan, Darkim Be Allah, Judah Priest, Sadat X, Black Jesus, Dust Storm, Manchuz, Skitzo Flow, Black Venom, Mustafa Adyl, 12 O'Clock, Murdoc, Popa Chief, Silk Ski, G-Notes and Malik Kahaar Ali.

Buddha Monk — Zu-Chronicles Vol. 6: King Monk

Brooklyn Zu rapper Buddha Monk arrives at the sixth chapter of his "Zu-Chronicles" series. The album is entirely produced by the author himself, the last two beats are designed by Cno Evil.

Slaughterhouse — House Rules [mixtape]

Second mixtape released by rap supergroup Slaughterhouse, formed by the MCs Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Royce da 5'9", with the addition of blogger joe budden. The album is ignored by the specialist critics who had cheered the group up to two years earlier, and is released by Shady Records as a starter for the group's third studio album, "Glass House", which is never published. Released on DatPiff, it soon became one of the most downloaded projects on the platform. Deservedly, this time.

Buddha Monk & Popa Wu — Zu-Chronicles Vol. 5: Back Then

Buddha Monk and Popa Wu join forces for the fifth installment of Zu-Chronicles, rapper Buddha Monk's prolific series of albums. Brooklyn Zu leader is the main rapper of this edition as well as being the only credited producer of the whole project. The guests are Da Manchuz (Buddha Monk, Born U Majesty, Professor King Bean, Babyface Fensta, Spiritual Assassin, Drunken Dragon and Redz), Prodigal Sunn of Sunz of Man, Daddy Rose and Baracus (aka Allah Sun) of Black Rose Cartel, C.C.F Division (that is Popa Wu sons Shacronz & Freemurder, and their cousin Terra Tory), Suga Bang Bang, Allah Real, Q-Plex, Bash, Sleep Murda, Mozart of Tai Chi Mastas, I-Born, Black Venom, Ty-Jigs, Pyzone, Nesto, Polladon, Crave, Main Event, Che Logan, Preacher Man, Bash and Fast Life.

Da Manchuz — Manchuz Dynasty (Zu-Chronicles Vol. 4)

The fourth installment of the Zu-Chronicles album series created by Brooklyn Zu rapper Buddha Monk coincides with the debut for Da Manchuz, hip-hop group from Brooklyn, New York, close to Brooklyn Zu. Da Manchuz is composed by Babyface Fensta, Drunken Dragon, G-Note$ aka Spiritual Assassin, War, Born U Majesty, Lee-Major aka Redz aka Delta One and Chilli Black aka Manly Musa. Former members Espionage and Professor King Bean have passed away. Ol' Dirty Bastard and Buddha Monk are credited as part of the group sometimes.

Buddha Monk — Zu-Chronicles Vol. 3: Unleash the Fury

Buddha Monk is the main protagonist in the third volume of its "Zu-Chronicles" series, both on mic and behind the keyboards. The guests are Da Manchuz (Drunken Dragon, Redz, Born U Majesty, Babyface Fensta), guys close to the Brooklyn Zu Fam like Dungeon Masta, 5 Foot Hyper Sniper (of Zu Ninjaz, as producer) and 60 Second Assassin (of Sunz of Man), as well as friends Freemurda of CCF Division, Dunn Verbal, Layza Life, Major Deegan, Mozart of Tai Chi Mastas, Courvoisier, Juice and Drastic. The production is very cheap, the drum is scarce, there are no memorable loops. Music kills almost every track right away, and it's not just for mixing problems. It doesn't sound right. "Miscommunication" could be an interesting posse by Manchuz, but the beat is all bungled and the boys' rapping style doesn't help create a remotely pleasant melody. The situation repeats itself more or less everywhere. There's not much to investigate in the lyric drawer, there are battles and thug verses. Interesting is "Killa a Man", which is a one-verse narration back and forth, in spoken word, between Buddha Monk and Mozart, rapper of Tai Chi Mastas and one of the few guys to be present in the first three chapters of the series together with Dungeon Masta. Unfortunately the boys aren't inspired and the track is deprived of its potential. "Let the Games Begin" sounds better than the other tracks, thanks to a slightly more careful production than usual, even if not yet good, and a hardcore rapping performed by 60 Second Assassin, Corvoisier, Freemurda and Buddha Monk. Negligible release by Chambermusik and Duck-Lo Records.

Dom Pachino & Bugsy da God — The Teradome Project

In 2018, Dom Pachino decides to put together these songs made with Bugsy da God discarded from the recording sessions of previous disks and packs them into a whole new project destined for a very select few. The tape isn't even credited under the name Teraban, with which the duo was known in the mid-2010s: out of ten tracks, only a couple, the first and the last, are credited to the duo, the other eight are solos by Bugsy and Dom Pachino, sequenced alternately, meaning there are never two pieces in a row from the same emcee, which gives a bit of variety to the tape. Bugsy da God is the main producer and most of the rhythms are for his tracks (5/6; the other is for a solo by Dom Pachino), the remaining production is split between Lord Beatjitzu with two rhythms, Dash Shamash and Trippy Trippz with one beat each. The same Bugsy is the protagonist of "The Death" where, favored by a pleasant soundscape, he runs smoothly in one of the strong points of the release. The tape contains an abundant half hour of music with the two Teraban artists that aren't in shape in these discarded songs, whose listening is negligible, in my humble opinion.

Buddha Monk — Zu Chronicles Vol. 2: Like Father, Like Son

The second installment of Buddha Monk's record series "Zu-Chronicles" is a showcase for many friends who aren't part of his Brooklyn Zu and Da Manchuz groups or gravitating to the Brooklyn Zu Fam collective. Buddha Monk is among the most notable performers and is the main producer, leaving some rhythm for G-Clef, Grime, Marcus Logan, Popa Chief and Silkski. Spiritual Assassin is the only one to represent Da Manchuz, Brooklyn Zu boys are almost all there without getting much playing time (Silkski, Ol' Dirty Bastard, 12 O'Clock, Merdoc, Shortyshit Stain), there are a few more affiliates like Prodigal Sunn of Sunz of Man, Popa Chief of Zu Ninjaz, Dungeon Masta of Brooklyn Zu Fam and Allah Real, among a flood of nameless guys: Juice, Grime, Preacher Man, Menace, Ruggs McGusto, Dee, Lost Secret (G-Clef group co-composed with Archangel Metatron), New York singer Jakineko, LeBang, Mello, PG, Streets, Crave, Mr. Harvey Wall Banger, Che Logan, Popi, Main Event, Floorless, Politic, Anesthesia, Mozart of Tai Chi Mastas, Casine Kelly and Shake-A-Vel.

The record is an almost eighty minute battle, and many themes of thug, materialism and bragging, with a few variations, for example Juice will always place a few bars or verses dedicated to girls. There's little, "What If God Was a Girl" is only apparently conscious, in reality it's a battle rap in which G-Clef and Metatron exchange a couple of verses and whose title comes from a random line in the song. On the next track, "Ghetto Man", P Sunn is clearly superior to the others, the first part of the cut made together with Buddha Monk is almost gold, while the second part is Merdoc and Shitstain. Then there's emptiness. The music is never too bad in its economic nature, the lyrics are really amateur level and in summary there's nothing to look for. Avoid it.

Buddha Monk — Zu-Chronicles, Vol. 1: Throwbacks

In 2005 Buddha Monk doesn't stop and showcases his talents in this collection of tracks from friends between Brooklyn Zu and Da Manchuz. The production is entrusted to the rapper himself for most of the tracks and the album is distributed by Chambermusik and Duck-Lo. Behind the mic are Buddha Monk, Kendra, Da Manchuz (Lee-Major aka Delta, Drunken Dragon, G-Note$, Babyface Fensta, Chilli Black), Brooklyn Zu (12 O'Clock, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Shorty Shit Stain), CCF Division (ShaCronz, Free Murda, Terra Tory), Tai Chi Mastas (Vex, Mozart & Optimiss), Dungeon Masta of Brooklyn Zu Fam / United Kingdom, 5 Foot Hyper Sniper of Zu Ninjaz, Naki, Black Venom, Shyheim and I-Born.

Buddha Monk — Prophecy Reloaded

One of many tapes released by Buddha Monk in 2005, distributed through Chambermusik and his Duck-Lo Records. "Reloaded", referenced to "Matrix" sequel (2003), can be archived as his second CD and arrives many years after his debut, after his name has gone cold and in a period in which the Wu-Tang Clan is in crisis and there's talk of disbanding the supergroup. It's originally eleven songs to which six more are added (one instrumental) that are left over from the recordings of "The Prophecy". The tape features personal songs ("Missing You") and dedicated to girls ("Chill with You", "Butterflies"), and is mainly focused on thug and street themes in which the author ventures into battle rap with friends of Da Manchuz, present almost everywhere. Almost entirely produced by Lord Buddha Monk, the music disappoints in its economy and simplicity, it's a generic set with the negative peak of "Nigga Wut... LA-LA". The bonus tracks pick up a project that sank after about ten minutes, though nothing comes close to the cleanness of "We Roll in Brooklyn," the opening cut in which Buddha Monk delivers some thug rap with a good flow over a tense and circular production by Lord Finesse. Not recommended.