Something a little more uplifting from Blak Prophetz on this new banging CD. 'Action Speaks' features Anai and is a positive funk based joint, while the title track 'The Second Coming' is a nice posse cut with a more mystical vibe. Produced by Sureshot comes up trumps everytime and with some heavy special guests like Grafiq / Ced Gee from Ultramagnatic MC's spit fire on 'The Illest', a track that should put heads straight. Tony Tone from The Cold Crush Brothers steps up too for the proceedings and all in all it's a great solid album. Like something a bit more challenging then this is for you.

 

Reviewing music like this needs care! From the first track you feel like you are involved in something really special. ‘The Game Goes On’ which features Z-Ro kicks off the album excellently with superb smooth production, deep sung hooks and some real deep lyrics about the pain and the struggle. Next up is ‘You Want Some’ which has an infectious bassline and hook. Pointblank, DBX and Ice Lord come up next with ‘Cum Dranka’ before B1 joins K-Rino for the dirty ‘Shellz In My Shotgun’. Loving the double-tempo ‘Lay Down’ which sounds like UK Grime done properly! Other highlights on this long-player include AC Chill’s ‘You Don’t Wanna’ and the superb posse cut ‘The Round Table’ which features most of the SPC. We love this music that these boys make, and in 2005 with so much watered down shit its good to know there are people out there keeping it real. SPC we salute you… (Again!).   

 

As one of the most respected duo's from the South, 8Ball and MJG have been making a lot of noise for some years now and are considered to be living legends, hence the title to their latest long-player. 'Straight Cadillac Pimpin' featuring Shannon Jones is one of the album's first highlights before getting into street anthems like 'We Do It', 'The Streets featuring Bun B from UGK's' and 'Memphis City Blues'. On the whole the album is tight. Not too sure whether the P Diddy, Lloyd and 112 collobo's are needed but then I guess this makes their record more accessible which can't be a bad thing. Get this and anything on Suave House. You can't go wrong.

 

Double disk action from London’s number one Hip-Hop label. This is a celebration of 40 (yes, forty!) releases on Lowlife. So this is like a past, present and future CD. Jehst, Supa T, Lewis Parker, Briantax, Rodney P, Verb T, Harry Love, Farma G, Mystro, Asaviour, Kashmere and Skinnyman all make appearances and the bonus CD comes with a hefty mix by Kam (the geezer who worked for Bongo’s before it went bump). Part Two of the mix is dropping in a special edition of HHC that comes soon. This album is a must buy for UK rap fans for those that are super on it you may have some of the tracks already. We think ya need to buy it regardless because as a compilation it works so well. Congrats to Joe and all the Lowlife crew for their constant energy and grind. They where putting out records when most people where just thinking about being part of the scene! Big Up. 

 

Trae is f**king sik. He's got some heavy music out on the streets right now. He's part of the Guerrilla Maab and Assholes By Nature (ABN), alongside his cousin Z-Ro and the up and coming S.L.A.B. This CD is a double disk set, the first disk plays the mixtape at regular speed and the second disk is a slowed down S.L.A.B mix. The title track 'Drama' features the excellent Southern male vocal of Billy Cook who is doing a lot of damage at the moment. From the intro to the last track every song or freestyle is tight. Pick this up and I swear you will be hooked on everything Trae and G Maab put out. Houston Hip-Hop just keeps getting better and better and with artists like Trae doing their thing it's kind of easy to see why. Go get this now.

 

This is a good compilation to get hold of if ya like your New York Hip-Hop with a bit of a snap. It's got some classy joints on here man; feeling Cormega with Mobb Deep on 'Killaz Them Part 2', female rapper Lexus impresses with 'Rap Avenue' and Kool G Rap's collobo' with Jedi Mind Tricks called 'Animal Rap' is a monster tune too. Custom Made reps hard throughout the CD though and he really does shine on various joints. Inspectah Deck and B-Love also shine but on the whole it's just a good compilation with style and finesse. Try and cop this.

 

For those that don't know about Dougie D now is a good place to start! Dougie is part of the Guerrilla Maab and is the brother of the infamous Z-Ro who recently blazed the world with his excellent 'Let The Truth Be Told' album on Rap-A-Lot Records. This CD is seventeen tracks deep, twelve of them being slabbed and five are at normal regular speed. If ya never heard music slabbed before it's kinda like chopped 'n' screwed without the chopping. SLAB actually stands for Slow Loud And Banging for those who ain't up on Houston's latest vibe! This album has some f**king heavy tracks on there like 'Ghetto Life', 'U Can Say' and 'Texas Boy'. This crew have a lot of CD's out on the underground and there are simply best described as Crack! Once you take a hit from these cats you'll be addicted for life.

 

The Altered Ego label continues to impress with this mixtape album from Big Steele. Hailing from Long Beach, Mr. Steele comes hefty with twenty-one tracks of pure bangers. Featuring Biggie and 2 Pac this album is obviously gonna cause a lot of attention. What we like about this UK release is the way the label have hooked up a UK collobo’ with their UK artist Swiss (from So Solid) which is a definite standout track on this album. Big Syke comes heavy on ‘Movin On’ and watch out for rap vet RBX who joins Polarbear for a banging hip-hop moment. Peep for this album its well worth your attention.

 

The college dropout is back with a brand new album full of solid Hip-Hop gems for the masses. Tipped as 'Hip-Hop's last savoir', Kayne is the original Don with a string of awesome production credits to his name and now two excellent Rap albums. Listening to this album you really do understand the hype that surrounds this talented musician, songwriter and performer. 'Touch The Sky' and the massive 'Gold Digger' kick the album off well, but it's 'Drive Slow' that is the first real slice of genius on this album. Featuring Paul Wall & GLC this track executes jazz horns with a simple percussive beat. The quality songs then keep coming thick and fast… 'My Way Home' features Common, the excellent 'Bring Me Down' which features Brandy, Jay Z pops up on the remix of 'Diamonds' and Nas pops up on 'We Major'. It's his Kayne's humble approach that keeps his fan base growing and growing. We like Kayne because he is real to himself. Big album, big artist. Can't for wait for his third album next year!

Little Brother
‘The Minstrel Show’
(ABB Records/Atlantic Records)
www.littlebrothermusicinc.com

 

Two big things about this album that I am feeling. One its pure authentic Hip-Hop music done well and the other that is Atlantic are prepared to take a chance on something that isn’t Gangsta. Hip-Hop needs balance and there is a lot room in this scene for quality whether it’s Sway (UK), Mistah Fab (West Coast), Talib (New York) or Z-Ro (Houston), you can’t bet emcee’s that speak realness with rhymes that are thought-provoking and deal with real-life issues. With Little Brother you’re safe, you’re in good hands. Yes, 9th Wonder is one of the world’s best beat makers and yes he does smash it as does Phonte and Rapper Big pooh. Standout tracks include the soulful ‘Not Enough’, ‘Watch Me’ and the last track ‘We Got Now’ which features Chaunden. This is the shizznit if you like that authentic vibe because Little Brother does this particular style of underground rap the best. Big.

 

Hardcore sex rap. Not everyone’s cup of tea but a definite winner winner with all the staff at Rago Magazine! Necro has in all fairness smashed it before with a string of solid albums including the classic ‘I Need Drugs’ and more recently the superb ‘Street Villains Volume 2’ where he teamed up with brother Ill Bill for a solid CD release. Here we get such anthems ‘Suckadelic’, ‘She’s Got A Great ass’ and ‘Fuck Virgins’ which all hit the spot. Humorous and dark but above all very entertaining. Big up Necro… it’s like everything Eminem wanted to be when he was first starting out. This is the real so make you support whenever you can and buy from the website above or www.rapandsoulmailorder.com.

 

What we like about Jim Jones is the work ethic. He grinds. In fact Jim Jones has gone from CEO to artist and done it well. He has juice. He has style and above all he has a new album that is that straight up Harlem fire that we all love and adore. 'Harlem – Diary Of A Summer' is a sixteen track aural excursion in the world of Dipset's biggest character. Killer tracks include 'G's Up' which features Max B on a piano led groove produced by the legendary Pete Rock, the club-shaking 'J.IM.M.Y', the powerful 'What Is This?', 'Ride With Me' which features a hefty verse by Juelz Santana and the excellent anthemic 'Harlem' shows us that Jim Jones can hold big rhythms easily on his own with this being is biggest tune yet we thinks. Jim Jones has notched himself up the 'mainstream MC ladder' with a superb follow up to last year's 'On My Way To Church' debut. Respect is due, Jim you have smashed it.

 

 

Sixteen tracks deep this album by Tah Phrum Duh Bush comes as a refreshingly different listen as it doesn’t immediately fit in with anything that seems to be happen in and around 2005. Now this means Tah is on some real future shit or that it’s not actually that good. We tend to think that this rapper is more experimental and is infact being totally original! This album includes the head-nodding ‘Phlatbush’ and ‘Energitis’ where Cee-Rock ‘The Fury’ makes an appearance. We do feel this album would have benefited from some varied production but there’s no doubt this guy has skillz and can hold his own on the mic.

 

This Mc is sick. Period. He is up there with the best of them. A unique style and a real sharp delivery it is no wonder he is on one of the genre’s longest running and most successful record label’s… Def Jam. We have been in yune4d into Jeezy from the early Boyz N Da Hood productions and early solo bangers on the mixtape circuit, but his recent contributions have been upped a scale with the birth of a debut solo album that is purely original and excellently put together. Tipped as ‘your favourite rapper’s favourite rapper’ shows his flows and skillz on this album with a ‘no fillers’ policy running throughout. Checkout the legendary Bun B on ‘Trap Or Die’ and the flow on ‘Go Crazy’ which has a Southern Rap meets Roc-a-Fella type sound. The summer anthem ‘Get Ya Mind Right’ (a true Tricksta favourite!!!) is included too. This album is not just another crunk album or Atlanta release this is just good quality rap album. PLEASE, PLEASE don’t sleep on Jeezy, because we are feeling this emcee in a big way! Go buy this now.

 

Soulja Clique has been crowned the Kings of Bristol for some time now and after the excellent Baggamics Volume One they return for another amazing instalment of their superb compilation. The majority of the production comes courtesy of Super Producer Trz. It features all the heavy hitters of the UK scene including Kelz, CLG, Klashnekoff, K.ners, 10Shott, LATE, Oshin, Paragon and the legendary Scorzayzee as well as some other unsung heroes. Favourite tracks definitely include the story telling classic 'Karma' By Kelz, the anthem 'From Bris To Wolftown' by 10Shott & LATE and the biggest UK hip-hop tune so far this year 'Hectic Remix' by K.ners & Klashnekoff. All I can say is 'Purchase this Compilation As soon as you can'. Simply Astounding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

This here is one of the hardest and the realist albums from Michigan I've heard in a long time. Straight Outta Inksta, Michigan Identical are two twins that can pack a lyrical punch. On this album they take you through the struggle and they express it so real you could image seeing it yourself. All im saying is I wouldn't be surprised if these cats where big in the future because these cats are straight fire.  Favourite tracks definitely include 'N Da Streets', the ghetto anthem 'Sleepless Nites' and without a doubt the heaviest track on the album, the emotional smash 'On Da Luv'. Overall this is one of the hardest albums I've heard this year, I really can't see these cats staying unsigned for long.

 

 

 

Finally it has arrived!!!!! The producer behind the platinum selling Scribe has finally dropped his album. And trust those who have been waiting for this to the drop the wait was well worth it. Not only is P-Money the most talented producer from New Zealand but he proves on this album he has respect from artists all over the world. This album features all the big names in the game including Capone, Roc Raida, Aasim, scribe, the Number 1 r‘n’b artist in the world Akon and the UK’s very own Mystro, Amongst many others. Favourite tracks definitely include ‘Keep On Callin’ featuring Akon, ‘We!’ featuring Aasim & Capone and no doubt the best tune on the album ‘I Had None’ which features UK Legend Mystro. Overall this is an absolute banger of an album that all Producers, Rappers, Shotters and anyone else into hiphop should buy. 

 

 

Released in 2004 this solid long-player from the Houston legend K-RINO is more evidence of how talented this lyricist and rapper really is. Featuring a whole host of well-known and underground guests, ‘Fear No evil’ impresses from the first track. The title track features heavy-hitter Pointblank and Lil Flea from Street Military who ride on dirty piano-led beat spitting more deep reality rap. Other highlights include ‘Signz Of Hate’ which see’s the infamous Devin The Dude, Trae from Guerilla Maab and Top Dog join K-Rino for a hefty collobo’. ‘Y’all Can’t’ namechecks every member of the biggest clique in the South ‘SPC.’ Other guests include Kim Broussard, Top Dog Texas Tech, Klondike Kat, Poiz’n, AC Chill, Murder One, Rhyme Felon, Dope-E, Brain Dead and Ruff Eyque. This is an album that you need in your collection because it’s pure quality and has so much more substance than all the commercial shit around at the moment. RAGO Magazine salutes K-RINO for his consistency. You are one of our favourite rappers of all-time. K-RINO leads where others follow.

 

Right this is straight up biznizzz. No faint-hearted rucksack jazz-looped played-out sh*t. It's real music, talking about real issues, by people who led real lives. Dark, sinister beats set the mood well. Kicking off with a tight title track, SPC members K-RINO, DBX and AC Chill amongst others impress, before Lean Sippa from Belguim introduces 'D.O.A' which is classic posse cut featuring seven of Houston's finest. Infact all of the tracks on this album are deep posse cuts, and all of them bang! Our biggest tracks are 'Packin' Heat', 'Box Cutta' where Pointblank and K-Rino both murder the rhythm  in true style and fashion and 'Universal Soldiers' which see's twelve SPC members murk a deep moody beat with so much finesse. Big album and a 'must-have' album to have in your collection. There are crews in Houston who are currently are doing big & good things now such as Swisha House etc, but SPC and SUC are the originators and the whole of the world needs to recognize this. BUY THIS CD NOW!!!