VALENTINE tells all in ‘Introspection’
Electronic music, at least for me these days, tends to be a mixed bag – either the music sounds “soulless” or “generic,” or there’s a lot of repetition that has me asking, “So, when’s the […]
Album Reviews
Dave Corleone proves he’s ‘The Godfather’ of New York
By Jared GrafAsst. Arts & Features Editor One failed NBA career, 14 mixtapes, and a Nas co-sign later, Dave East is finally ready to kick the door down with his debut studio album, “Survival.” The […]
Wale devotes his sixth studio album to self-awareness
For years, Wale has voiced frustrations about his struggle to reach acceptance, recognition, and success in the mainstream music industry. On his sixth studio album, “Wow… That’s Crazy,” Wale is more transparent about his thoughts […]
Rick Ross struggles to execute his vision on “Port of Miami 2”
By Jared GrafAsst. Arts & Features Editor This past August, luxury rap aficionado Rick Ross delivered his 10th studio album, “Port of Miami 2,” picking up right where he left off 13 years ago. The […]
ScHoolboy Q showcases growth and maturity on ‘CrasH Talk’
ScHoolboy Q menacingly chants, “Been popping, ah / Hood legend, ah,” on the opening lines of his highly anticipated fifth studio album, “CrasH Talk.” At 32 years old, the South Central native delivers some of […]
Billie Eilish brings her nightmares to life in ‘WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?’
Stuck in a nightmare full of forest fires, hell-bent archangels, hatchets, frozen limbs, stapled tongues, and copious amounts of blood – Billie Eilish unleashes her inner demons, drowning us in her sultry voice and melancholy […]
BLACKPINK falls flat again with ‘Kill This Love’
Ever since BLACKPINK’s debut in 2016 as a female Korean Pop group with sass and flair, evident by their work on their first EP, “SQUARE ONE,” K-Pop fans around the world gravitated toward them for […]
Activist anthems or ennui made sexy? Hozier does both
Hozier made history in 2014 when his best-known song, “Take Me to Church,” climbed to the tops of charts across the globe after the release of its accompanying music video. It provided a scathing commentary […]
2 Chainz ‘Rule the World’ – and 2019 – with ‘Rap or Go to the League’
By Jared Graf 2018 was a wildly successful year for Georgia rapper Tauheed Epps, better known to the public as 2 Chainz or Tity Boi. He collaborated with Eminem, launched a legal cannabis line – […]
Wiz and Curren$y smoke listeners with “2009”
Ten years ago, Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa joined forces to bring us the classic 15-track stoner-anthem “How Fly.” Curren$y had just left fellow New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment two years prior in […]