Kool G Rap — 4,5,6

In 1995, Nathaniel "Kool G Rap" Wilson released his debut solo album. For production, the emcee enlisted Dr. Butcher, Buckwild, Naughty Shorts and T-Ray. Guests included MF Grimm, B-1, Sean Brown and Nas.

O.C. — Jewelz

The second effort published by Omar Credle is a good, coherent, solid LP, with some great moments, even though he seems to have lost energy.

Westside Gunn — Hitler Wears Hermes 6 [mixtape]

Sixth episode of the "Hitler Wears Hermes" series by Buffalo artist Westside Gunn. The music is provided by Sadhugold, Daringer, The Alchemist, Marco Polo, JR Swiftz, Free Mind, Evidence and DJ Muggs. The guests are Keisha Plum, Benny the Butcher, AA Rashid, Flee Lord, Nick Grant and Lil Eto.

The Ballers — A Day Late and a Dollar Short

Ballers is a hip-hop group from Orlando, Florida, composed of Diante "Iggi-Boo" Singleton, Pat "Nitti" Carrs, Samuel "Son of Sam" Ayers and Toneye "Rome" Brown. In 1997 they release their only career project, fourteen cuts, no guests, nearly an hour of listening, generic gangsta rap lyrics, not too extraordinary rapping, but regular and honest, and excellent production, superior to almost any other mainstream and underground hip-hop record of the year: the beatmakers (Michael Weng, Martin Curtis, Andrew Johnson and Jolly Stompers; the latter two worked in the early nineties on some miami bass albums) choose brilliant samples, solid bass, light drums and creating a deeply smooth soundscape, wonderful, in which the rapping of these unknown guys is simply functional to the music, almost as a side dish.

L.L. Cool J — Mama Said Knock You Out

On the eve of his fourth studio album, he arrives from "Walking With a Panther" and has been in a slow decline for years, his credibility is heavily clouded due to pop rap, while his career is destined to a rapid vertical collapse sinking as one of many failed crossover artists, his latest LP is thought to be his definitive swan song and his latest record in career. Instead, he brings out what is his best album ever: it's a crazy and spectacular comeback album, very hard and pure, he seems to have finally returned after stale years, but he hasn't returned, he hasn't returned, he has always been here, hidden somewhere in between those fucking rap ballads, according to him:

"Don't Call It a Comeback, I've Been Here for Years"

The Firm — The Album

In the mid-nineties, a dream hip-hop supergroup was born and what on paper is considered one of the best ever, The Firm: Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown and Nature, with Dr. Dre as producer.

Ghostface Killah — Hidden Darts: Special Edition

In 2007, Ghostface Killah releases a compilation composed by unreleased tracks and rarities of his discography. The rhythms are credited to The RZA, Ayatollah, J Dilla, Kid Capri, J-Love, Fess, Self, Grind Music, Steely & Clevie, D-Prosper, K-Def, Mike City and DJ Premier. All the Wu-Tang Clan is present as guest along with Theodore Unit (Shawn Wigs, Cappadonna and Trife da God), Streetlife, Slick Rick and Keyshia Cole.

Ghostface Killah — More Fish

Nine months after releasing his previous album, Ghostface Killah releases his sixth solo studio album, which takes its title from his March effort. Production is by Anthony Acid, J-Love, Ghostface Killah, Fantom of the Beat, MF DOOM, Madlib, Hi-Tek, Mark Ronson, Lewis Parker, Ronald Frost, Koolade, K. Slack and Xtreme. The guests include Theodore Unit members Trife da God, Cappadonna, Sun God, Solomon Childs and Shawn Wigs, Killa Sin of Killarmy, Redman, Mr. Maygreen, Sheek Louch of The LOX, Kanye West, Ne-Yo, Amy Winehouse, Eamon and the Willie Cottrell Band.

Ghostface Killah — Fishscale

In 2006, Ghostface Killah released his fifth solo studio album, returning to his original moniker after releasing his previous album as "Ghostface". In between the two albums, the Staten Island emcee released his group Theodore Unit's album "718" (2004) and the collaborative project with Trife da God "Put It on the Line" (2005), also collaborating with MF DOOM for a project that ultimately never saw the light of day.

The guests include the entire Wu-Tang Clan, affiliates Trife, Cappadonna, Shawn Wigs & Sun God of Theodore Unit, as well as Ne-Yo and Megan Rochell. Ice Cube and Kanye West appear on the bonus tracks along with a posthumous contribution from The Notorious B.I.G. Production is by MF DOOM, Pete Rock, J Dilla, Just Blaze, Lewis Parker, MoSS, Crack Val, Xtreme, Studio Steve, Ghostface Killah, Sean C & LV, Cool & Dre and Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Jadakiss — Top 5 Dead or Alive

«Comeback album by one of the best rappers ever». It's what should have been Jadakiss's fourth solo LP: conceived in 2010, it comes six years after his last effort. Here, Yonkers' MC proclaims himself «Top 5 Dead or Alive», fueling you know, those charts that you can find in the comments under every single hip-hop song on youtube. As reviewer Grant Jones for RapReviews explained well, it's hard to seriously consider Jayson "Jadakiss" Phillips for this kind of charts, as he has released three solo albums so far, two with LOX, four with Ruff Ryders and four with the D-Block, without having records considered «classics».

Conway — G.O.A.T. [mixtape]

On March 2017, Griselda Records signs a deal with Eminem's Shady Records. This is the first official release with Shady Records for the Buffalo artist, is the third EP by Conway the Machine in the season 2017. The project is composed by nine tracks produced by Daringer, one rhythm is reserved to The Alchemist. The guests are Raekwon (of Wu-Tang Clan), Prodigy (of Mobb Deep), Royce 5'9" (of Slaughterhouse), Styles P (of The LOX), Lloyd Banks (of G-Unit) and Benny (of Griselda).

Kinetic 9 aka Beretta 9 — Kinetic Radio Vol. 2 [mixtape]

In the last days of 2019, Kinetic 9 aka Beretta 9 of Killarmy gives a Christmas gift and releases the sequel to his first mixtape via Black Stone of Mecca. There are 20 tracks for 66 minutes of hip-hop, it's a Wu party with several exponents of the best groups linked to the original Shaolin group: RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Shogun of Killarmy, Hell Razah & Killah Priest of Sunz of Man, Buddha Monk of Brooklyn Zu, Black Knights, CCF Division, Suga Bang Bang, plus Midaz, Co-Defendants, Ya Ya, 8th Wundah, Evil and Science of Life.

Sunz of Man — Saviorz Day

In 2002, Sunz of Man released their second official studio album, their fourth including the bootlegs "Nothing New Under The Sun", which was originally supposed to be released in 1996, and "The First Testament" (1999).

Joe Loops aka O. Chandler produced the entire effort, Linx is the second main beatmaker. RZA, Method Man and Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang Clan are featured on three skits. The guests include 12 O'Clock of Brooklyn Zu with whom Prodigal Sunn forms the duo Two on da Road, and is sometimes credited as such on the tracks, Ancient Coins, Madam D, Omar Conry, Smooth, MC Eiht, Makeba Mooncycle (Prodigal Sunn's sister) and La the Darkman, another Wu-Tang affiliate.

Killah Priest is now permanently out of the group. Like in a low-level horror movie with very little imagination, now there are three of them. These guys sign with D3 in 1999, D3 is the heir to Suge Knight's Death Row Records and the label is in disarray, it sucks. The guys record the album and is a huge flop. Zero production. Zero distribution, bad deal. Zero Wu-Tang.

Smoke DZA x Pete Rock — Don't Smoke Rock

Collaborative album between Harlem rapper Smoke DZA and Mount Vernon producer Pete Rock. Along with the main emcee, there are Dave East, Rick Ross, Royce da 5'9", Cam'ron, NymLo, BJ the Chicago Kid, Jadakiss, Styles P, Wale, Big KRIT, Dom Kennedy, theMIND and Mac Miller.

Lord Superb — Perb Made It Possibile [mixtape]

After six years in prison, Jamel Cummings aka Lord Superb releases his first mixtape and a couple of years later he also releases this effort, his second mixtape. Production credits aren't present, on the other hand there are numerous guests to support Perb in these sixteen tracks plus some bonuses, including Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan, Lord Jamar of Brand Nubian and Stack Bundles, which he mentored.

Tim Dog — Penicillin on Wax

Timothy "Tim Dog" Blair, Bronx, New York, 1967. You have to go back to this guy when you want to answer the question: "This f*ck*** feud between the Coasts, which took away two of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time, where did it start from?" Well, that's all. It all started when this 23-year-old Blair hasn't yet emerged in his neighborhood rap scene: he wants to get into the game, but the labels pretend that he poses, he gets dressed, and that he raps with the NWA style.

Paris — Guerrilla Funk

Third studio album in five years for the San Francisco-born rapper Paris. The Conscious Daughters, who also provide the background on several tracks, and Mystic are the only guests on the album, while Paris himself is the creator of the whole production.

Willie Dee — Controversy

William "Willie Dee" Dennis was born and raised in Houston, Texas. During adolescence he made his way as an amateur boxer and instead of becoming a professional he chose to become a rapper. During the nineties he returned to boxing occasionally: a curious episode occurred during a charity box show between rappers in 1992 in which Willie D went head to head with Melle Mel and knocks him out by accident, winning the match by TKO in the first round. Shortly after turning 18, Dennis also attempted a career as a robber, ending up in prison for six months for aggravated robbery.

Benny x Cuns — Tommy DeVito's Breakfast EP

Second short EP by Benny the Butcher. The Griselda rapper teams up with Italian-born producer Cuns and titles this effort under the name Tommy DeVito.

Willie D — Play Witcha Mama

After leaving the Geto Boys, William Dennis also leaves Rap-A-Lot and releases his third independent studio album. Here the guy has fun and jokes the listener from the very first moments, spitting bars on anything with a more relaxed style than his previous efforts and happily cheap g-funk production.

Big Pun — Yeeeah Baby

In 1998, Big Pun debuts with a platinum album welcomed with critical acclaim. Then, he's guest in the albums of Showbiz & AG, Onyx, Delinquent Habits, Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz, Fat Joe, Noreaga, Mack 10, Pete Rock, Kid Capri, DJ Clue?, Krayzie Bone, Ruff Ryders, Naughty by Nature, Jennifer Lopez, Heavy D, everyone wants him. Is the main emcee of Terror Squad first LP, released in 1999: produced by the group himself, DITC and The Hitmen, the tape gains positive reviews by professional critics, but sales are below expectations. In 2000 his second album is scheduled to be released, however, Big Pun died at the age of 28.

Westside Gunn — Flygod Is Good... All the Time EP

Little jewel, among the most refined pearls in the discography of one of the greatest exponents of the return of the gangsta, and of the much-renegade mafioso. It's one of his best EPs, among the most solid: less than 15 minutes, Griselda lyrics, simple dark jazzy rhythms, tight and grimy rapping, most tracks have a unique verse. The production is made by Mr. Green, while the project is solo like [almost] none of his projects has ever been.

Champ MC — Ghetto Flava

Only studio album for Kimberley "Champ MC" Johnson, a rapper from the Bronx who will later be part of the hip-hop group Deadly Venoms, Wu-affiliate. Being a NYC girl this should be a natural East Coast disk, however, it's decided for a division of the record into two parts: the first named "East Side" of 9 cuts, produced by NY beatmaker Tony Dofat, the second named "West Side" of 8 tracks, produced by Oakland beatmakers E-A-Ski and CMT. 2 skits on each side, Yo-Yo and Michael Speaks in the guest role.

Ed O.G & Da Bulldogs — Life of a Kid in the Ghetto

Solid debut album for Ed OG directly from Boston, although it has a sound typically close to NY. The rapper brings several topics with a rather simple lyricism, he releases some socio-conscious cuts, but he devotes himself more to light-hearted and sexual songs ("Feel Like a Nut", "She Said It Was Great", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy"): personally, I find him better when he deals with other topics, he doesn't give up on some commercial fillers with R&B vibes ("Gotta Have Money", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy"), and hip house tracks ("Bug-A-Boo").

Conway & DJ Green Lantern — More Steroids [mixtape]

After "Reject on Steroids", one of the best mixtapes of the year, in autumn the Buffalo, New York State rapper Conway the Machine released this tape with DJ Green Lantern. Daringer is the main producer of the CD, the other beatmakers are The Alchemist, Green Lantern, Statik Selektah and Boodeini. The credited guests are Benny and Elcamino.

O.G. Style — I Know How to Play 'Em!

In 1991, Eric "MC Prince Ezzy-E" Woods and DJ Boss released their only album as OG Style, produced by Rap-A-Lot Records, which was probably not a major at the time, but was the most important label for the rappers of the south.

Tony D — Droppin' Funky Verses

Anthony "Tony D" Depula is a rapper and producer from Trenton, New Jersey. After working on production realizing underground disks in New Jersey, in the late eighties Depula signs first with Tommy Boy parent label Body Rock publishing the single "It's My Day", then with Sure Shot Records and releases his debut instrumental LP in 1989. Around 1990, Tony D deals with 4th & Broadway — it means that Island is behind this release — and drops a new CD with the moniker Harvee Wallbangar.

Conway — Reject on Steroids [mixtape]

In the late 2017 is released this mixtape of Conway. DJ Green Lantern is the host of the tape, entirely produced by Daringer. Benny and Royce da 5'9" are the guests.

Above the Law — Black Mafia Life

In the early nineties, some producers have the merit of inventing g-funk, the sound that will condition the musicality of West Coast hip-hop records in the following years. With their 1990 debut, Above the Law are probably the first group to have imported this kind of sound into an official studio album, released by Eazy-E's Ruthless in which there's still Dr. Dre working on the second NWA album after also contributing to the production of the debut of Above the Law.

Rap Mafia — Criminal Mode

Released at the end of the year 1990, precisely on November 13th, this is the only effort by an underground gangsta group from the Detroit scene that highlights its criminal nature: Eric Vance and Paris Lane decide to call themselves "Rap Mafia" and name the album "Criminal Mode".

Lou X — Rap presaglia [demo]

This demo made by the independent rapper from Abruzzo, is one of the first hip-hop documents recorded in Italy and is the most neglected work by Lou X, unfairly.

Paris — Sleeping with the Enemy

Paris's second studio album was initially to be released the day before the 1992 presidential election, however Time Warner decides not to release the material, delaying the release of the disc. Paris manages to release the album through his label Scarface Records.

Erick Sermon — Double or Nothing

Second studio album for Erick Sermon, rapper and producer from New York. He almost exclusively produces the LP, leaving two rhythms each to Redman and Rockwilder, one beat to KP, who co-produces another track and three co-productions to Sugarless. Keith Murray is the major guest of the edition with four appearances, followed by Redman and Jazze Pha with two, Crystal Gamble, Roz, Rockwilder, Passion, Aaron Hall and Sugarless with one.

PMD — Business is Business

Parrish Smith releases his second solo LP after breaking up with Erick Sermon, two years after his debut. The "s" of the title are all replaced with the dollar symbol, after all Parrish Making Dollars is the meaning behind the acronym of his moniker. Smith's Hit Squad supports the project. Behind the keyboards appear 8-Off (aka Agallah), Charlie Marotta (EPMD engineer), Solid Scheme, Fabian Hamilton and DJ Scratch. The guests are Das EFX, M.O.P. and Nocturnal. Parrish's lyric game doesn't take great steps forward, but the problems that bury the disc are in the production and above all in the execution of the emcee.

Sir Veterano — The Gathering

Californian producer Sir Veterano assembles this thirteen-track tape, bringing you some of the West Coast's most respectable performers, welcoming them with some generic and bland rhythms, sometimes even experimental which unfortunately don't work in these forty minutes. Fashawn handles an honest beat in “All Hail the King”, one of the high numbers of this strong dozen. Veterans MC Eiht, Planet Asia and Mitchy Slick carry “Reputable” over solid production. The other guys aren't making an effort and, due to the often poor rhythm, they don't stand out in this tape. Among others also Ras Kass, Bishop Lamont, Murs, Phat Kat, Guilty Simpson, Casual and MED. Overall, the tape is too weak to make its way into the sea of releases produced this year, 5/10.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony — Creepin on ah Come Up EP

Shortly after releasing their first studio album under the name B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e, the group tries to contact record executives in order to secure a deal. Among others, there's also Eazy-E: the group travels to Los Angeles to find him, returning home after several months, because the rapper is expected to arrive in concert in their hometown, Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Willie D — I'm Goin' Out Lika Soldier

William "Willie D" Dennis leaves the Geto Boys and releases his sophomore for Rap-A-Lot Records with production provided by the label's beatmakers. The Houston, Texas rapper maintains a raw rapping style and gangsta arguments that result in sexism, misogyny and homophobia.

Big Mike — Somethin' Serious

Michael "Big Mike" Barnett's debut, called to replace Willie D in the Geto Boys from 1992 to 1995, is one of the hidden gems in southern rap and in the vast Rap-A-Lot catalog. Production is mainly performed by the Convicts rapper himself and NO Joe, along with other producers of the record company, such as Mike Dean, John Bido, Pee Wee, Simon Cullins and Michael "Mike B" Banks, as well as UGK's Pimp C. The guests of the edition are 3-2 of Convicts, Scarface of Geto Boys, Tre'Mendous, Pimp C & UGK.

Benny — 17 Bullets EP

First extended play by Benny the Butcher, rapper from Buffalo, New York. Production is created by al.divino, Louie Davison, Trickytrippz, Bobby Made the Beat and Swick Rubin. Skyzoo is the only guest of the EP.

Above the Law — Vocally Pimpin' EP

The extended play is entirely produced by Cold 187um, co-produced by Above the Law, with instrumentals played by Stan "The Guitar" Man (bass, guitar) and B-Laid Back Edwards (keyboards). Kokane is the unique guest of the effort in "4 the Funk of It". The tape is composed by a first part made of new material by the group, and by a second part made of edited versions of their previously released material or remixes.

Above the Law — Livin' Like Hustlers

In 1989 is formed Above the Law, hip-hop group from Pomona, California. The group included Gregory "Cold 187um" Hutchinson, Kevin "KMG the Illustrator" Gulley, Anthony "DJ Total K-Oss" Stewart and the brothers Arthur Lee "Go Mack" Goodman III and Larry "Lay Law" Goodman.

Paris — The Devil Made Me Do It

Oscar "Paris" Jackson Jr. at the time was a twenty-year-old with an above-average culture, a charismatic leader who wanted to fight the oppression of blacks in America with boundless political anger and the intent to want to unleash a revolution. In 1989, the San Francisco artist founded his own independent label, Scarface Records, and releases his debut single "Scarface Groove". In 1990, Paris publishes his first LP, self-produced, with no guest.

Kwest Tha Madd Lad — This Is My First Album

The boy grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, NY, and made a name for himself in the New York battle rap scene in the early 1990s. In this period, Kwest Tha Madd Lad was noticed in a national battle rap by Dan Charnas, a talent scout for Profile Records. After leaving Profile, Charnas moved to Rick Rubin's American Recordings, where he became the head of the hip-hop division and decided to bring Kwest with him, calling him around 1993 to make the album and signing the rapper to the label. Charnas became the executive producer of his album and between late 1993 and early 1994, the boy began recording his debut album, convincing record executives after performing an early version of "Lubrication".

Erick Sermon — No Pressure

After the breakup of the EPMD duo, Erick Sermon Makes Dollars Without Parrish. His production is jazzy-funky, lo-fi and energetic, and there are guests able to enhance the tracks, such as Keith Murray at the debut, Ice Cube and Redman, however, Parrish Smith's absence is felt: Sermon's pen isn't strong enough to be able to hold up an album for nearly an hour, and the record soon becomes monotonous and dull. The boy focuses everything on battle rap and braggadocio, giving some songs for women and party tracks that work little and badly, and he's often helped by external performers. He still does well behind keyboards, making an accessible and solid production.

PMD — Shade Business

Parrish Smith makes his solo debut with an almost completely self-produced album, after EPMD disbanded following Smith's swift endeavor from dudes who revealed they were sent to his home by Erick Sermon. It's the beginning of a five-year long feud that ends in 1997, when the duo reunites for a new album: in the meantime, they both release a couple of solo discs.

10Bass T — Do You Know the Way?

Around 1994, this trio is preparing to release its debut album, "Of Human Balance and Steamed Rice", however, after the release of an EP in the same year, the album is not released. A few years later, the guys release another EP and their debut album, which becomes the main work of the group 10Bass T formed by rapper Slim Daddy Milo, Brooklyn DJ, producer and rapper Carlos Mena and Bay Area DJ and producer Selector G.

Al Kapone — Street Knowledge: Chapters 1-12

Alphonso Bailey wasn't eighteen years old when he made his debut in the rap game with the demo "Lyrical Driveby" under the name of Ska-Face Al Kapone, or two references to the criminal of the twenties-forties, Scarface was the nickname of the Chicago boss and the film is a remake of a 1930s movie about Al Capone. Bailey, from Memphis, Tennessee, decides to eliminate the reference to the De Palma film (and to the Ghetto Boys rapper) and keeps Al Kapone as his moniker, releasing his first solo album in the same year.

Sister Souljah — 360 Degrees of Power

Hip-hop debut for Lisa Williamson, straight from the Bronx, New York. The entire project, made up of thirteen tracks, borders on the hip-hop genre and is approached with a more spoken delivery than rapping, every single word is weighted and heavy, echoing on a fairly simple, minimal, funky tight soundscape, skinny, sometimes light, sometimes hardcore, made almost entirely by the Street Element production team (formed by Chris Champions, The Epitome of Scratch and Eric Sadler, of The Bomb Squad).

Kid Sensation — The Power of Rhyme

Steven "Kid Sensation" Spence from Tacoma, Washington State, releases his second effort two years after his bad debut rightly ignored by critics and audiences. This record isn't necessarily worse than the first one, but I can't tell you it's better. Like the previous one, it's a mediocre tape, made by an amateur who wants to have fun, I think, copying style and music from the other West Coast artists he usually listens to.

Gangsta Pat — All About Comin' Up

Second effort for Gangsta Pat, one of the first rappers to emerge nationally from the hip-hop scene of Memphis, Tennessee. Atlantic unloads him after the disappointing debut and the rapper produces his second job under Wrap Records. The production of the disc is entirely entrusted to Leroy McMath, founder of Power Records, another label that helps in distributing the disc. Gangsta rap album quite simple, his rapping is decent, the production is decent and there are no lyrics of particular significance or relevance, the boy agrees, unfortunately, he fills the entire album with commercial fillers that would be acceptable in 1984, but not in 1992.