Tag Archives: Music Reviews

Album Review: SWV “I Missed US”

23 Apr

Artist: SWV
Album: I Missed Us
Released on: April 17, 2012

In 1992, SWV were signed by producer Teddy Riley and set out to take the R&B world by storm with their debut It’s About Time, which was certified triple platinum. The third single “Weak” from the debut was the group’s first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as, the R&B chart and will go down in history as one of the best songs of the 90s. Now back with their fourth studio album and first release in fifteen years I Missed Us via Mass Appeal Entertainment.

The album kicks off with “Co-Sign” and I felt it was a good opening single. When I first heard the track, I thought SWV had not missed a beat. The arrangement, the vocals and the melody were all signature elements of SWV’s sound. Also, I was really glad to hear lead vocals from Lelee this time around. The next track “All About You” flowed in effortlessly. The song really made me remember the 90s basement parties I had. With Fat Man Scoop being the hype man of the track, the song really felt as if they had a party session in studio. The vocals were really nice and I love that the track contained an interpolation of one of my favorite songs ever “Peter Piper” by Run DMC. On “Show Off” the ladies displayed that they can still hang with today’s generation. Sonically, the track is modern, yet still contains their classic sound. The verses are started with the lyrics of “Come and Talk to Me” by Jodeci and the formula reminds me of Beyoncé’s ”Party.” With “Everything I Love,” the ladies of SWV sing to the men in their lives vowing to be there through any trials that may come and I love the bridge section where Coko showed off her upper register and of course, incorporated some of her traditional riffs and runs.

“Do Ya” featuring Brianna Perry is another uptempo on the album. I could have actually taken the song without the rap because I did not feel it made the track any better. I loved the horns, but overall, this is the only song on I Missed Us that I felt was ill-fitting. With “The Best Years,” production was lacking, as well as, vocal dynamics, the song just seemed to be an album filler about being naive in love. However, the title-track “I Missed Us” was a standout moment on the album. I loved the track as soon as it began with the scats and the cadence on the verses. The song gave great nostalgia and reminded me of their previous album releases. Another favorite of mine that held the same momentum was “Better Than I.” The hard-hitting instrumental, harmonies, lead vocals by Coko and Taj’s rap made this track one of the very best on the album. Everything was completely in sync and I loved it.

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Album Review: Monica “New Life”

10 Apr

Artist: Monica
Album: New Life
Released on: April 10, 2012

Grammy Award-winning artist Monica brings forth her seventh studio album New Life. Due to the merging of RCA Records from J Records, the album’s release was delayed by a few months and her leading promo singles “Anything (To Find You)” and “Until It’s Gone” somewhat suffered. Beyond the setbacks, Monica enlisted top producers and writers to bring her vision to life. The album’s contributors are Polow Da Don, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan Michael-Cox, Rico Love, Jazmine Sullivan, Salaam Remi, D. Smith and Missy Elliot.

New Life opens with an intro featuring Monica’s longtime mentor Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul, Mary J. Blige. Blige gives Monica insight on turning her past issues into lessons learned, moving forward and being thankful for her blessings. The first official single “It All Belongs to Me,” duet with R&B songstress Brandy peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop charts. For me, I really love the skill both artists brought vocally with their melismatic inflections and technique. The song definitely had to grow on me because the production could have been stronger, however the ladies gave all they had vocally. On the infectious track, “Daddy’s Good Girl,” Monica rides the beat effortlessly, which is really reminiscent of Mary J. Blige’s “Mr. Wrong.” She sings about wanting more than materialistic things and states that as long as she feels loved & cared for, she will remain loyal. “Man Who Has Everything” sounds like an experimental track for Monica. Produced by Rico Love and Earl & E, the song has a different sound with reggae undertones and is unlike anything that Monica has ever tried. On “Big Mistake,” Monica sings her regrets of staying in a relationship with little to no growth and hoping the man would change his ways. The instrumental is classic R&B and I liked the adlibs Monica gave in the end, it made the song somewhat better because the lyrics and hook were too simplistic. Continue reading →

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Album Review: Melanie Fiona “The MF Life”

20 Mar

Artist: Melanie Fiona
Album: The MF Life
Released on: March 20, 2012

Returning with the follow-up to her 2009 debut album The Bridge, Canadian singer Melanie Fiona releases her sophomore album The MF Life, which continues on the path of fusing genres to create Retro Soul and Pop songs of love and lack thereof. Fiona has been making a stamp on the music industry as a newcomer recently earning two Grammy Awards for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the song “Fool for You” with producer Cee-Lo Green. The MF Life contains productions from Rico Love, Salaam Remi, Andrea Martin, J. Cole and more.

The opening track “This Time,” produced by J. Cole, is a hip-hop/soul song where Fiona learns from the past and promises to do things differently in her new relationship. The collaborative bars Cole presented were a nice fit, but I did not feel the song was the best possible start for the album because it did not really set the tone for what was to come. The song should have been placed midway through the album. The second official single “4 AM”, comes in following an odd transition of sequencing and Melanie speaks of the torment and emotions a woman faces when she finds herself waiting up in the wee hours of the morning for her man to arrive home. I loved this song from first listen, it has feelings of despair, desperation and avengement all at the same time. Also, “4 AM” is Fiona’s highest charting song to date, landing at # 13 on Billboard’s US R&B chart. “Break Down These Walls” is a powerful song that left me wanting more. Approximately, the last two minutes of the track contained a guitar solo that I loved, but I wish she adlibbed over the break taking it to another level of power vocals more than she did with the verses. That suggestion would have added another dimension making the song much more convincing. Subsequently, the beautiful melody ”I Been That Girl”, co-written by rapper and Fiona’s former group member Drake, displays her lower register and descending modulations on the chorus. I love her velvety tone on the track and the cadence in which she uses to sing the pre-hook.

“Wrong Side of a Love Song” is a great ballad that really allowed Fiona to exhibit her vocal capability and agility. She soars over the captivating guitar riff and delivers commanding vocals permeating through the melancholy. I can’t get enough of this song. However, my favorite song on The MF Life is “Running” featuring legendary emcee in the game, Nas. The track has such a vintage sound with incredible horns that I could actually hear Amy Winehouse singing over. Then, much to my surprise, I discovered Winehouse’s long-time producer and collaborator was the wiz behind the track. Melanie’s vocals shine powerfully and are simply amazing on the track. There was nothing at all to critique. On “Change the Record”, Fiona is joined by rap artist B.O.B. for a piano-driven Pop song with staccato vocals about making the decision to evolve after a dissatisfying union. The first single released “Gone and Never Coming Back” is a song that immediately grabbed my attention months ago, I just loved how poetic the lyrics were and I would sing the song every single day. My fav section is the bridge when Melanie sings “Whoever said look on the brighter side/has never been on mine/whoever said that he’ll get his/never felt like this/ain’t no use in crying/when you’re done like that/’cause baby, baby you took something that I can’t buy back.” Continue reading →

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Album Review: Estelle “All of Me”

4 Mar

Artist: Estelle
Album: All of Me
Released on: February 29, 2012

 

British singer and Grammy Award winning artist Estelle has released her junior album entitled, All of Me. Led by her debut single featuring rapper Rick Ross “Break My Heart”, which charted at number 30 on the Billboard US R&B Chart, generated buzz and followed by the second single “Thank You”, which peaked at number 22 on the US R&B chart, All of Me was an anticipated release. Critics have made past comparisons of Estelle to Lauryn Hill and with the setup of interludes All of Me has, it is a definite nod to “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”. The skits can be described as classroom dialogue pieces that discussed issues of love and life. The producers and writers of All of Me are David Banner, Carvin & Ivan, Akon, Stacy Barthe, Don Cannon, Ray Angry, Ne-yo and others.

The album opens with “The Life”, which begins acapella with stacked vocals and Estelle raps for the first and second verses, then sings on the b-section. I love the energy of the track! It is a hard-hitting instrumental and a good way to introduce her third LP. The follow-up track “International (Serious)” is an unexpected collaboration featuring singers Trey Songz & Chris Brown and it holds the same intensity as the opening track. The song has reggae elements in the vocal phrasing and Estelle offers more bars of her rapping, but my favorite part of the song is the pre-chorus where her vocals seemingly glide over the track effortlessly. Estelle shines on “Love the Way We Used To” and the song contains a retro, throwback feel.

“Cold Crush” personifies 80s music to the fullest. After I listened twice, I loved the track. The standout segment is the bridge where Estelle displays really nice background harmonies. “Break My Heart” is another track that begins in acapella fashion and this is a song that I love everything about. When I first heard the track, I became so excited for Estelle’s return. The production and vocals were great and the feature from Rick Ross added a nice & smooth accompaniment. On the Akon-penned “Thank You”, Estelle bares her soul and it’s almost the only track on the album that show vulnerability, which is what I wanted for the entire project because the album’s title should have been reflective in every song. The track is about being in a relationship that ends sour and finding that even though it did not work, you took it as a growing experience and lesson learned. Estelle stated the inspiration for “Wonderful Life” came at a point, where she grew tired of performing her most recognizable hit “American Boy” and she felt it was appropriate to note the defining moment when she realized that she should not take her career and many blessings for granted. Continue reading →

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METY’s 50 Best Albums of 2011

30 Dec

From Late 2010 to Present…

Based upon creativity, critical acclaim, sales and of course, whatever my ears loved most of all! This was a VERY difficult list to assemble because I listen to EVERYTHING. I say it a lot, but I truly love all genres and with the exception of a few mixtapes, here it is! {Note: You must press the “continue reading” tab in order to view albums 50-31, 30-11 and 10-1}

50. Lloyd [King of Hearts]

49. Big Sean [Finally Famous]

48. Trey Songz [Passion, Pain & Pleasure]

47. James Blake [James Blake]

46. Wale [Ambition]

45. PJ Harvey [Let England Shake]

44. Wiz Khalifa [Rolling Papers]

43. Maroon 5 [Hands All Over]

42. Dawn Richard [A Tell Tale Heart]

41. Radiohead [The King of Limbs]

40. Raphael Saadiq [Stone Rolling]

39. Rihanna [Talk That Talk]

38. Common [The Dreamer, The Believer]

37. Björk [Biophilia]

36. Miguel [I Got Next]

35. Lenny Kravitz [Black and White America]

34. Kelly Rowland [Here I Am]

33. Lady Antebullum [Own the Night]

32. Jackie Evancho [Dream With Me]

31. Chris Brown [F.A.M.E.]

Continue reading →

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Album Review: Anthony Hamilton “Back to Love”

19 Dec

Artist: Anthony Hamilton
Album: Back to Love
Released on: Dec 13, 2011

Anthony Hamilton began to receive recognition after his 2003 platinum-selling album Comin’ from Where I’m From, which included singles “Comin’ from Where I’m From” and “Charlene”.  Now emerging with his fifth studio effort Back to Love, which features writers Babyface, Dre & Vidal, Kelvin Wooten, Mike City, Avila Brothers and James Poyser. Hamilton also co-wrote every song on the album. The album’s productions were by Salaam Remi, Kevin Wooten, Jairus Mozee and more.

The album kicked off with the title-track “Back to Love”, which had great drums. I loved the way Hamilton sang very smooth and sexy. The track was about a couple falling out of love and trying to revitalize their relationship by returning to what they had previously. “Writing On The Wall” was an up-tempo and  I did not feel Mike City gave his best production, Anthony sounded out-of-place and inadequate with vocal conviction. On the first official single “Woo”, I loved how Hamilton roared on the track and unleashed aggressive vocals, displaying his signature soulfulness. This song was a standout moment for the album and I feel it definitely needs an extended version. I can just envision Hamilton singing it live on tour, I am certain, it will be something great to witness. The energy continues on “Pray for Me”. The song is about admitting that you’ve messed up with the one you love and praying that God will hear your prayers & pretty much, right your wrong. I really loved the bridge section, Anthony’s vocals flourished beautifully and were very heartfelt. There was an honesty in the song that I appreciated.

With “Best of Me”, once again, Hamilton gave smooth vocals and even managed to throw in his falsetto and for me, it really worked as a whole. I found myself repeating this track constantly. With the collaboration of Anthony and Keri Hilson on “Never Let Go”, again production-wise, I was unmoved. For me, Keri’s vocals were quite vapid and lacked class with her singing “I gave all I had, all the way down to my ass”. The song seemed unnecessary for “Back to Love” and I don’t believe it added anything to the album’s brilliance, making it my least favorite of the album. However, the following track “Mad” did not disappoint. The instrumental was filled with an amazing harmonica background and Hamilton’s vocals were strong and exactly what I was looking forward to. I loved the lyrics of “I’ll Wait (To Fall In Love)”, as well as, the way Anthony presented phrasing. He really had a way of caressing the track with velvety vocals that gradually progressed into an explosion of robustness. This song also became a favorite of mine. Continue reading →

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Album Review: Robin Thicke “Love After War”

11 Dec

Artist: Robin Thicke
Album: Love After War (Deluxe Edition)
Released on: December 6, 2011

Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, composer and musician, Robin Thicke has penned songs for Christina Aguilera, Brandy, Usher, Michael Jackson, Ashanti, Mary J. Blige, Mya, Jennifer Hudson and others. In 2006, people began to notice him as a solo artist with the release of his double-platinum sophomore album “The Evolution of Robin Thicke”. From that album spun “Lost Without You”, Thicke’s most recognizable track, which made it to #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Thicke was the first Caucasian male artist to top the R&B charts since George Michael. Now Thicke serves up his fifth studio effort with productions by Swizz Beatz, Poo Bear, Jeff Bhasker, Pro-J, Polow Da Don and more.

Love After War began with a great opening in “An Angel On Each Arm”. The song presented components of funk, with strong vocals and a raw quality. On “I’m An Animal”, Thicke continues on an old-school path with live instrumentation and a hook that was captivating, which was probably the best part of the song. “Never Give Up” started off with the sweeping sounds of an orchestra and gradually built with percussion, making it classical yet current. With “The New Generation”, Thicke incorporated jazz elements with nice horns. I loved this groove from the lyrics to the infectious chorus to the smooth background vocals. All of those factors gelled really well. At times, I felt like I was listening to the legendary Marvin Gaye.

The title-track “Love After War” is a great representation of blue-eyed soul, the vocals are fluid and sexy. Thicke really went in on this track! Co-produced by Mary J. Blige ”All Tied Up” exhibited airy vocals, where Robin decided to delve in to his falsetto. The track was really sensual and definitely one of my favorites that I could not resist replaying. On “Pretty Lil’ Hands” Thicke was joined by Lil’ Wayne. Thicke’s vocals were staccato and titillating. Actually, I would have preferred the song without the accompaniment of the rap because it did not add anything to the track for me.”Mission” was a contrast between subduing and passionate and I loved it. The inflections Thicke gave were quite reminiscent of one of my favorite artists, Prince. This was another song I kept repeating.

“Tears On My Tuxedo” was a beautiful track. The first vocal comparison that popped in my mind was Smokey Robinson. It wasn’t the deepest of songs, however I could appreciate it. I loved how much it reminded me of Brazilian Bossa Nova. On “Boring” Thicke gave one of my favorite celebrity couples a cool shout-out and basically, expressed to his love that he is happy he’s in an eventful relationship, where there’s never a dull moment. The song seemed to be an interlude that he decided to lengthen by allowing the instrumental to play out and it worked well. “Lovely Lady” was an interlude that felt nostalgic of Stevie Wonder’s writing ability. Sonically, the track gave me the feeling of Latin Jazz and made me want to dance Salsa. Both songs “Dangerous” and “Full Time Believer” were not much inspiring to me. They were okay, but both turned out to be my least favorites of the album. Continue reading →

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Album Review: Rihanna “Talk That Talk”

22 Nov

Artist: Rihanna

Album: Talk That Talk

Released On: November 21, 2011

Born in Barbados as Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Rihanna aspired to be a singer performing songs made famous by her music inspirations: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Destiny’s Child. It wasn’t before long that industry executives took notice and signed her to a contract under the guidance of music mogul Jay-Z. Rihanna has managed to keep everyone talking since she first stepped on the music scene in 2005 with her debut album, ”Music of the Sun”. After recently completing a world tour for her “Loud” album, she is back with her sixth studio album entitled, “Talk That Talk”. Breaking Madonna’s record, Rihanna made the achievement of twenty Hot 100 top-ten singles faster than any other artist in charting history. The first single “We Found Love” from this album became her eleventh #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100.

“You Da One” is a great opening track on the album, I felt the hook was very catchy and I personally love the bridge section. This song is classic Rihanna. “Where Have You Been” is one of my favorite songs from the album, I love the house music feel it’s giving. The song is simplistic, yet makes you want to dance all night long. I love how it opens and closes, almost acapella, that part alone is captivating. I feel it could be a big record. On “We Found Love”, Rihanna continues the dance/trance vibe and I love it. I would love to see the reaction in the clubs to this one. It’s sick how the instrumental crescendos higher and higher, then breaks into a groove that is really something reminiscent of 90s house music. Love it! With the album’s title-track “Talk That Talk”, Rihanna is joined by her mentor and hip-hop heavyweight Jay-Z. I love Jay’s verse, he rides the beat like the “G” he is. He rhymes, “I talk big money, I talk big homes, sell out arenas, I call that getting dome”. Dope! I really hope this track is released as a single because I love the arrangement. The bridge section breaks into a reggae rhythm that’s undeniably hot. “Cockiness (Love It)” is a sexy track, a bit raunchy and I predict alot of girls will make the song their ringtone/callertune. Rih sings, “I can be your dominatrix”, so you get the gest of the song. The instrumental was full of bass and my favorite part, although the song is short, is the bridge where Rihanna sounds like she’s “chatting”, which is a West Indian rapping style…very dope! Another song where Rihanna keeps on the line of rawness is the following track, “Birthday Cake”. The song is more of an interlude and just when she was about to get too explicit, it’s over. I like the instrumental, but I feel like I’ve heard it before.

“We All Want Love” is another favorite track of mine. I feel like this one could have been on the ”Loud” album. The song is about being in a lonely state and wanting more than just sex, but yearning for companionship. Overall, the message is true and I love the lyrics, the pre-chorus is what struck me immediately. I could see Rihanna performing this song on her next tour, but more acoustic and stripped. “Drunk On Love” is my favorite track off of “Talk That Talk”, it’s my kinda song. I really feel the lyrics when she sings them and it sounds like she is singing from a place of hurt. The lyrics are honest and many people should be able to relate to this song. Rihanna sings, “I wear my heart on my sleeve, always let love take the lead, I may be a little naive”. I’m hoping the track gets released as a single because it is that infectious. When I first heard “Roc Me Out”, I thought of a previous song she did “Rude Boy”. It has the same feel, in it being fun, sexy, nothing too heavy and still being a solid production. With “Watch N Learn”, the Barbadian beauty stays on the sassy side. This is a song I personally keep on repeat, the verses have a Carribean vibe, the instrumental is hard-hitting and the hook is catchy. “Farewell” is the only song I feel just did not belong on the album. I actually love the track, but it was not a good fit along the lines of the house/dance/hip-hop direction the previous tracks gave. The song is much more alternative rock and although well-produced, she should have held it for her next LP.

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Album Review: Lenny Kravitz “Black and White America”

1 Sep

Artist: Lenny Kravitz

Album: Black and White America

Released on: August 30, 2011

Rock legend Lenny Kravitz released his debut album “Let Love Rule” over twenty years ago and now he is finally back with his ninth studio offering entitled “Black and White America”. Kravitz is a multi-instrumentalist and his musical style ranges from alternative rock to soul to psychedelic. Some of Kravitz’s idols that shaped his sound include Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, Bill Withers, Bob Marley and John Lennon. Kravitz states “Black and White America” came about after he watched a documentary based on the racism in the United States after President Barack Obama took office. Also, Kravitz drew ideas from his own experiences growing up as the product of an interracial marriage. All lyrics on the album were written by Kravitz.

The album begins with the 70s inspired title track “Black and White America” and I love the musicality, as well as Kravitz’s vocals. The track is really reminiscent of the Motown era. With the lyrics, Kravitz touched on the struggle his parents had to face, dealing with much criticism for being in an interracial union. “Come On Get It” is a guitar-driven rock song with percussion elements and I loved the song melodically. “In The Black” is classic Lenny, bold and very funky. “Liquid Jesus” is really soulful and I love the simplicity. “Rock Star” is an alternative track where it seems Lenny wanted to have fun, nothing too serious and technically this track can be classified as vintage Kravitz also.

With “Boongie Drop” Kravitz is joined by Jay-Z and I loved his tonality on the track. This is another enjoyable track, although die-hard fans may not gravitate towards it because it’s a little left of what Kravitz normally does. “Stand” has great lyrics, it’s an inspirational song and I loved the stacked harmonies in the background. On “Superlove” I was reminded of why I love Kravitz so much. The track is  groovy and his vocals are sensual, I can’t stop playing this song, it is my favorite track of the album. “Everything” was accompanied by guitar strumming and power vocals…another track I fell in love with. With “I Can’t Be Without You” Kravitz gives a sexy quality, but I would prefer to hear it acoustically. I believe if the song were stripped, his voice would be quite orgasmic.

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Album Review: Lil Wayne “Tha Carter IV”

31 Aug

Artist: Lil Wayne
Album: Tha Carter IV
Released on: August 29,  2011

Four time Grammy Award winning rap artist, Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter is back with long-awaited “Tha Carter IV”.
The album starts with “Blunt Blowin” and at first, I was thinking where is this going until the hook came in and then my memory was refreshed and I thought classic Wayne. The track really reminded me somewhat of “Go DJ” and I loved it. I loved the instrumental to “MegaMan”, Wayne’s verses were strong, yet reminiscent of “A Milli”, so it was another song that was kind of where he’s already been and what he’s already done. “Nightmare Of The Bottom” was another typical track, I honestly wanted more out of this song, but I did not get it. The track “How To Hate” features T-Pain and I felt that T-Pain’s intro was way too long, it seemed more than a feature with the amount of bars he had and I was thinking when is Wayne going to jump in. I felt the track was okay, the lyrics were somewhat bitter yet Wayne was rapping about how he’s moved on from prior relationships and ex-girlfriends.

“John” featured Rick Ross and the instrumental had a southern hip-hop feel to it. I enjoyed Ross’ contribution, but I really didn’t feel Wayne gave his best until his 3rd verse. Finally on “Abortion” Wayne came around and gave me what I was looking for, I loved the track lyrically and sonically, although the instrumental sounds like something Jay-Z already did, so I can’t exactly call it original, but I did fully enjoy it. I loved the unlikely collaboration with John Legend on “So Special”. The hook was crazy and I felt Wayne’s verses were hot also. Continue reading →

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Album Review: Game “The R.E.D. Album”

26 Aug

Artist: Game

Album: The R.E.D

Album Released on: August 23, 2011

Rapper Game has released his fourth album entitled “The R.E.D. Album”. Game reportedly stated that the album’s title was chosen by his fans and he ran with it because it was great conceptually in that, his new outlook on life was re-dedication and redemption and both words begin with “RED”. After a 3-year hiatus, numerous postponements, ongoing beef issues, Game is getting back to the music and with “The R.E.D. Album” he pulls out all stops with the productions and collaborations. The album’s producers include: Dr. Dre, Cool & Dre, StreetRunner, The Futuristics, DJ Premier, Maestro, Pharrell and more. “The R.E.D. Album” features an astounding 18 artists collaborating on the tracks.

The album starts with a hard-hitting track “The City”, with a Kendrick Lamar feature. The hook was actually taken from 16 bars that Kendrick came up with and divided into two catchy choruses. I loved the tonality Game presented, it had a ravenous quality to it and the track was a great opener for the album. With the following track “Drug Test”, Snoop, Dr. Dre and Sly featured and honestly I haven’t heard anything that personified the West Coast this tough in a while. However, I felt something was missing and I believe if Ice Cube would have added some bars, it would have taken it to the next level for the West Coast. On “Martians Vs. Goblins” Lil Wayne assists with the hook, Tyler the Creator features and Game stirs up controversy as usual and does a few name-droppings. On “Red Nation”, Lil Wayne and Game collaborate again and I was impressed, the track is one of Game’s best tracks lyrically. It has been noted that the song is banned due to media taking the lyrics literally instead of metaphorically speaking and stating that it seems gang-affiliated. “Good Girls Go Bad” is a personal track where Game paints a story of his childhood, expressing how his father was violent towards his mother, but one day his mother finally became fed up and fought back. It is basically a track depicting how some women go through bad experiences and become tarnished and/or scorned.                          Continue reading →

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Album Review: Ace Hood “Blood, Sweat, & Tears”

11 Aug

Artist: Ace Hood
Album: Blood, Sweat, & Tears
Released on: August 9, 2011

First came “Gutta” then “Ruthless” and now “Blood, Sweat & Tears”. After releasing two crazy singles produced by Lex Luger “Hustle Hard” and “Go N Get It,” I knew I had to review this. I’ve been following Ace Hood ever since “Ride” with Trey Songz and I love what he’s been putting out and now the latest single “Body 2 Body” featuring Chris Brown is all I want to hear. Ace Hood was the first artist signed to DJ Khaled’s record label, We the Best Music Group, and although he has not gained a huge amount of recognition mainstream-wise, he has from the streets with his mixtapes.

“King of the Streets” was a great start for the album. With T-Pain on the hook, I felt Ace delivered a banger. I loved the fluidity of his rhyming and how his voice naturally was befitting of the instrumental. Ace continues with another street anthem “Errrythang” featuring Yo Gotti, which is a catchy track that I could hear Young Jeezy featuring on, but was happy with the collaboration from Gotti.   Continue reading →

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