Koss & A.G. — Natural High EP

Long EP by New York rapper AG produced by Belgium-born Koss, which provides an amazing soundscape: light jazzy boom bap, often soulful, skeletal, tight, sometimes bouncy, always purely underground, New York, dope. If it were an instrumental album it'd come close to 4.5/5, it'd be among the must-listen to jazz rap records presenting tributes to Nas, deep jazzy cornets looped in the background ("Live It Up") and smooth jazz with growing strings ("Get It Baby"). Sadat X kills the opening cut, and DJ Doom provides a good remix for the final song. To lengthen the record, AG adds two different versions of the "worst" song, not a great choice: putting together beat and rapping the result is already sufficient, here he decides to divide them into two separate songs and the result isn't good enough.

Ray West & Kool Keith — A Couple of Slices

Collaborative project between Ray West and Kool Keith. Behind the keys, the New York producer is flanked by Phil Moffa and Menocal, while at the mic the Ultramagnetic MC's leader is joined by Cormega, 3rd Eye and Dying Breed.

Money Boss Players — Ghetto Chronicle Daily EP

Debut tape from the Money Boss Players, Bronx hip-hop group consisting of Sean "Lord Tariq" Hamilton, Eddie "Eddie Cheeba" Falson, Mark "Minnesota" Richardson and Tracy "Tray Bag" Smith. The instrumentals of the title track and of "What-U Saying" extend this EP to an illmaticly length, without which it would be seven cuts and about half an hour of listening. Overall, it's a pretty solid and honest tape, the Minnesota production is good: jazzy and funky boom bap, slow, hard and pounding, sometimes vibrant drum machine, and skillful use of jazzy, dark and soulful female samples in order to support the braggadocio bars and battle rap provide by the performers with a slow and flowing style. Released for a minor label, Section 8 Records, the vinyl sells few copies: it's an enjoyable hardcore EP, recommended for East Coast fans.

Kausion — South Central Los Skanless

In 1995, South Los Angeles trio Kausion signed with Ice Cube's Lench Mob Records and released their only studio album. The production is created by Ice Cube, Kausion, Bud'da, D'Maq, Lay Law, and Eric Murray. K-Dee is the only accredited guest on the record, B-Real is featured on the last track, while Ice Cube does the intro and has a line in the chorus of the opening cut. The tape consists of 17 tracks, 5 skits and about 50 minutes total: the production is simple, bouncy, funky, West Coast, it is mainly based on the use of samples by George Clinton. The lyrics cover topics directly related or bordering on gangsta, performed with an energetic, decent rapping style. The album starts excessively strong with "What You Wanna Do?", then immediately drops in quality and doesn't revolutionize, from any angle you want to watch. Distributed by Navarre, the CD reached the top 40 in the rap chart, later the group disbanded. 6/10.

Al-D — Home of the Free

Debut album by Albert "Al-D" Davis, rapper from Houston, Texas, brother of DJ Screw and one of the first members of Screwed Up Click. The record is entirely produced by DJ Screw and Ronald Chandler, co-produced by Roger Baptiste, remixed by DJ Screw, mixed by DJ Screw and Mark Kidney. In addition, it features the participation of Ronnie Spencer, DJ Screw and young Houston rapper Lil Mel. The production is based on g-funk synths, dry downtempo drums and light samples, the rhythms are very slow, slowed down, almost ballad, on which the rapper spits thug bars and political extracts with little energy, little personality and a slow style, lazy. The tape is made up of a few pieces, a dozen, but they're all exaggeratedly long, none under four and a half minutes. After eight tracks, four DJ Screw remixes follow that lengthen the listening by about twenty minutes. Not essential, the first songs flow smoothly, then the tape becomes heavier and becomes more cumbersome as the minutes pass. 6/10.

Ray West & A.G. — Always Protect the King

Ray West and AG meet again in 2020, five years after "The Nickel EP". AG tries to release a Griselda record: twenty minutes length, jazzy midtempo rhythms and slow delivery. The tape features The Ghetto Dwellas rappers and Lord Tariq, and is released under Red Apples 45.

The Dayton Family — What's on My Mind?

Debut album by the Dayton Family group, a trio from Flint, Michigan, whose name derives from Dayton Avenue, at the time famous for being the main street of crime in the city. The group consists of three rappers, Raheen "Shoestring" Peterson, Ira "Bootleg" Dorsey, and Matt "Backstabba" Hinkle. The production is done entirely by Steve Pitts.

Ray West & Zilla Rocca — Rowhouse Whispers EP

Collaborative EP between Philadelphia rapper Zilla Rocca & New York producer Ray West, consisting of seven short cuts, including intro and a remix, for a total of about a quarter of an hour of listening. The tape is released under their respective labels Three Dollar Pistol Music and Red Apples 45. Entirely produced by Ray West, it boasts the guests Alaska and Curly Castro, member of the group Wrecking Crew and of the duo Grift Company along with Zilla Rocca.

Tone-Lōc — Cool Hand Loc

If I had that bomb-flop emoticon, it would be easier. I have no idea how it adds up here, wait, wait, here we are: 💣

Ray West & AG — NYLUV

About six years after the conclusion of the Luv NY project, a New York hip-hop super-group with some of the best MCs on the underground circuit, including Roc Marciano, Kurious, Lord Tariq, Kool Keith and DITC members AG & OC, Ray West, also a member of the group Luv NY, publishes another effort with AG.

Ray West & Giallo Point — Walter PPK

Possibly, it was supposed to be the first collaborative project of the duo Walter PPK composed by New York producer Ray West and UK producer Giallo Point. The tape is supported by their respective labels Red Apples 45 and Crate Divizion. It's composed by eight instrumental tracks in which a production by Ray West and one by Giallo Point alternate in the tracklist.

Benny the Butcher — Pyrex Picasso EP

EP that Benny the Butcher recorded in a single day in Los Angeles, in April 2019, entirely produced by Chop La Rok & Rare Scrilla, of the Guns-n-Butter group. The tape consists of seven tracks for about twenty minutes. Elcamino, Conway the Machine and Rick Hyde are the guests, with two appearances each.

G-Slimm — Fours Deuces & Trays

Unique album by Kenneth "G-Slimm" Jackson, a young rapper from New Orleans, part of the local trio Black Menace along with Threat and J-Dawg.

The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die

The whole project is the union of technical skills of Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace and the commercial skills of Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, whose two visions of music are present respectively in the form of street and radio songs.

The only son of Jamaican immigrants, Wallace was born and raised in Brooklyn, and pursued the bright lights of fast life since adolescence, doing freestyle on the street and in local groups, and deciding to dedicate himself full time to drug dealing. Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, after completing his studies, in 1990 he entered as an intern at Uptown Records and within a few years he was one of the executives, placing several singles of Mary J. Blige and Jodeci at the top of the rnb charts and remixing all he can.

After being released from prison in 1991, through his friend Damien "D-Roc" Butler, Wallace meets DJ Hitman 50 Grand with whom he records some amateur demo tapes while he raps over some instrumentals. This DJ brings one of the demos to Mister Cee, former producer of Big Daddy Kane, who in turn promotes it to Matteo "Matty C" Capoluongo. Matty C is the creator of "Unsigned Hype" and puts Biggie in "The Source" column of March 1992, bringing the demo to the attention of Puff Daddy, who's looking for artists for his label.

Conway the Machine — Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 3 EP

Recorded in two days, released in April 2019, the third episode of the "Everybody Is Food" series is a enough enjoyable extended play. Maybe not totally successful, because a certain level of quality is expected from Conway. In this effort there are no falls, except for a half slip with the entrance of Berner's verse, which is mediocre negligible. And there are no Daringer beats (!), but K-Sluggah and JR Swiftz don't make him regret their successful musical choices. Also good DJ Skizz with the final piece.

E-40 — In a Major Way

E-40's second studio album. The production is handled by Mike Mosley, Sam Bostic, Kevin Gardner, Studio Ton, Eugenius, Redwine, Funk Daddy and Samuel Stevens. Guests are B-Legit, Suga T, Mac Shon, 2Pac, Mac Mall, Spice 1, Leviti, Celly Cel and Lil E, son of E-40.

Mia X — Good Girl Gone Bad

Debut studio album by Mia Young, rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana, known under the moniker Mia X. In 1993, she released an EP and the following year, she's the first girl to sign for Master P's No Limit, joining the TRU group. Production of the record is performed by Mobey Dick aka Mo B Dick, Al Eaton, K-Lou, Tre-8, KLC and Master P. Guests are Master P, TRU, Conscious Daughters, Suga T and Tre-8.

Ray West — Gamma Ray 404

First album of 2020 for Ray West, which puts down a record of just half an hour. This digital release is opened by "The Horizon", skit, elegant piano, skeletal and syncopated drum machine, light in background, extravagant sounds in the midst of this jazzy production.

Benny the Butcher — A Friend of Ours EP

Oh, what do we have here? Funeral, from left to right: Paulie Gualtieri, Silvio Dante, Tony Soprano, Chris Moltisanti, "Big Pussy".

Tone-Lōc — Lōc-Ed After Dark

LP pioneer in many ways. Although the rapper is a native of Compton, he detaches himself from the gangsta [rap] in vogue at the time and delivers a great pop success. A few months after its release, the album was first on the Billboard 200, first record from a black hip-hop artist to top the chart: until then, only "Licensed to Ill" by Beastie Boys was able to reach that peak among the hip hop records, two years earlier. Paradoxically, the album will not go beyond the third position on the hip hop chart, clearly it couldn't touch that. It also gets double platinum, and perhaps only three/four hip hop artists had this certification from the RIAA.

Gangsta Dre — Gang Banging Poetry

Debut album by Sacramento-based, Oakland-born rapper, Andre "Gangsta Dre" Crump. The production is performed almost entirely by Marvin Scott, Gangsta Dre does the beat of "Jackin Mission", Bootsy & Roger Troutman co-produce "Mandatory Murder". Marvin Scott, Brian Porter, J-Roc are in charge of the keyboards. Guests are Mr. K-Geeta, Kyky Brown, K-Luv, Lil Pig, Low "G", Mike Mayfield, Mitchel, P-Dubb, Ronie and San Francisco rapper Melly-Mel (many had this moniker in the Bay). The rhythms are simple, a dry and poor downtempo drum mediocrely supports the mobb samples and gentle strings chosen by Marvin Scott, which adds casual, cheap synths that sound distant from the beat, they are almost aesthetic and don't particularly ruin the tracks.

Ray West — Live From The Bird's Nest...

In 2012 Ray West releases this instrumental album under his label Red Apples 45. The effort is opened by a skit on a light jazzy rhythm, and anticipates "Crazy 'Bout Ya", a light and circular jazzy beat with a looped soul sample tight in background. Skit that opens the third cut, beautiful regular, simple, essential jazzy production, with a splendid soulful female sample looped tight in the background.

D-Flow & Ray West — Three Sides to Every Coin EP

After releasing a project with Party Arty ("Pianos in the Projects"), the Bronx producer Ray West collaborates with the other half of The Ghetto Dwellas D-Flow publishing a new EP composed by six tracks. Entirely produced by Ray West, is mixed by Dave Dar and released under Red Apples 45.

AG & Ray West — The Nickel EP

EP of AG produced by Ray West. It's not too different from his previous extended play. Ray West creates light, skeletal, sometimes soulful jazzy rhythms, a couple based on snapping ("Die Another Day", "Common Man"). Guests facilitate the fluidity of the record. As in "Natural High" also this effort would be better only with the instrumental edition, AG instead decides to deposit some bars here and there: on rhythms like "Red Apples", founded on bare bongos, he doesn't work very well. Better in "Alfa Romeo" (magnificent light, accessible, essential, tight boom bap jazzy) and especially on "Red Apple Kings": spectacular production of Ray West, one of his best in this tape, where Andre the Giant exchanges verses with Roc Marciano after left breathe the amazing beat smooth jazzy, soulful, with soul sample looped in the background. Best cut of the tape for detachment. Mixed by Dave Dar, released by Red Apples 45, the extended play is distributed by Fat Beats.

Ray West & Party Arty — Pianos in the Projects EP

Tape twin of the homonymous dropped few months before by AG, present here as a guest. Difficult to find, maybe there's still something on bandcamp, but probably the two tapes are united in a single forty-minute "Pianos in the Projects" produced by Ray West, so you must have to separate the tracks of AG from those of Party Arty. The Ghetto Dwellas rapper throws down some bars with his disturbing and rough flow that makes an interesting contrast to the lightness and the beautiful technical cleanliness of Ray West's beats, such as in the first cut, "Red Keys, Black Piano", in my opinion the best here, consisting of a cold and syncopated, light and skeletal drum machine and a splendid elegant piano that opens the tape. AG is also guest of the tape credited as Andre the Giant in "Up on the Ave" over a rhythm crafted by Menocal.

Ray West & A.G. — Pianos in the Projects EP

Short EP hidden in the AG discography edited together with the Bronx producer Ray West. The work consists of four jazzy tracks. The first is "Scratching My Name", an amazing smooth jazzy boom bap, wonderful, on which the DITC artist AG delivers fit, calmly, fluently. Fine choice thanks to a good job by Ray West, The Giant is impeccable. "PianoPella" is the second song of this EP, is of a lower caliber despite a good jazzy rhythm, the rapper continues to deliver soft even in the next song, "Soul Seduction", aided by a tense but light jazzy beat. Closes "Moog Tribute" a tense, rhythmic jazzy instrumental, work of Shawn G. The effort is released by Ray West's label Red Apples 45.

Ghetto Philharmonic — Hip-hop Be-bop

Debut album for the Ghetto Philarmonic, a jazz rap trio formed by Joseph "G-Clef" Cavaseno, Brian "B-Natural" Sledge and Chris "DJ Spinbad" Sullivan. G-Clef deals with alto sax, B-Natural plays trumpet and flugelhorn, both making contributions to rapping, with G-Clef in the role of main rapper. DJ Spinbad is credited with the record scratches. Also collaborate Rafael "The Flux" Tavarez on a couple of rhythms and B. "DJ Slynke" Douglas with scratches on "Buss this". Guests include Black Spic ("Gassmaster", "Black 2 the Flux") and Quayshaun ("Gassmaster"), while Weldon Irvine plays keyboards in "Caucasoid".

Jazzy Jay — Cold Chillin' in the Studio Live

John "Jazzy Jay" Byas was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. At young age, his family moved to New York City, in the seventies he approaches hip-hop, becoming an early member of Afrika Bambaataa's Universal Zulu Nation, and a protégé of Bambaataa himself along with his older cousin, Frederick "Kool DJ Red Alert" Crute.

Mastamind — Lickkuidrano EP

Debut EP by Detroit rapper Gary "Mastamind" Reed, known for being one of the members of Natas, along with Esham and TNT. Esham is the producer of the tape and guest on "Bitcheshate", along with Dice.