[Review] Drake - Thank Me Later

Artist: Drake
Album: Thank Me Later
Release Date: June 15th 2010
Producers: Boi-1da, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, No I.D., Omen, Crada, 40, Tone Mason, Jeff Bhasker, Francis & The Lights, Arthur McArthur and Al Khaliq.
Guests: Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Lil' Wayne, Young Jeezy, T.I., Swizz Beatz, & The Dream. (Bonus Tracks feature Bun B, Lil' Wayne, & Trey Songz).


Like when Eminem took over the game in the late 1990's, and the hype around 50 Cent in 2002, the Hip Hop industry's richter scale has been sizing up another possible tremor to hit over the past year.

Despite his debut album only dropping this summer, in the ast year, Drake has already had artists no bigger than Lil' Wayne, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige and of course Eminem recording music for him, as well as rumours persisting last summer of an on/off relationship with Rihanna, and a mixtape that many claimed was better than most albums released in 2009. You sort of get the impression that something perhaps Drake might sell quite a few records.

Having already has major acting roles on US and Canadian TV shows, including Digrassi: The Next Generation, and Blue Murder, plus a role in the next Batman movie, Drake has now switched his talent towards making music. The Toronto born star soon found his way into Lil' Wayne's Young Money circle where he featured on their recent album, outshining all of the other artists in many opinions. Even Jay-Z was unsure whether to put Drake's verse on his Blueprint 3 album, but instead opted for just Drake featured on a chorus - a move leaving many fans wondering why, since Drake had recorded an entire verse for Timbaland to put on the CD, but perhaps Jay learned his lesson from Eminem's presence on Renagade.

Lasy September, Drake released an EP entitled 'So Far Gone' which included 6 tracks inclusing 'Best I Ever Had' which became a hit in the states, and 'Successful' with Lil' Wayne and Trey Songz. The EP has so far sold over 450,000 copies, something I cannot possible envision another new artist to do before the release of any debut material. In fact, to kick start any discography off with a bang like that only suggests monumental things for the future. Weeks later, Eminem has recorded a verse for his song 'Forever'....which he soon used on his 'Relapse: Refill' album.

So finally it is here. 'Thank Me Later' has been simmering for months, with various songs leaked online - some making the final cut, some not. There was even rumours of a mega collaboration with The Kings Of Leon, although this has not meterialised.

The album seems to have an alternative sound to it. Drake comes from a softer direction, in terms of ballad beats with an 'old skool' style rap over it. This seems to be a problem I found with the CD - much of the album sounds very much the same, with not a lot of variation. Most of the songs fail to excite, and often get forgotten once skipped onto the next one. However, 'Up All Night' is very heavy, although features a below average verse from Nicki Minaj. 'Light It Up' is one of my favourite tracks on the CD, and seems like a battle of best verse between himself and Jay-Z, as both are at their best lyrically on this track - I will give Jay bragging rights on this one since Drake easily owns Lil' Wayne's feature.

'Shut It Down' is a song emotionally driven with The Dream, as are most of the songs on the album, but the best track has to be 'The Resistance', which is produced by 40. The song represents everything that the album is about - emotional rap with an alternative sound.

I was not as impressed with the Swizz Beatz produced track, 'Fancy' as I thought I would be. I was hoping the uptempo Swizzy style would elevate into the next single from the album, but I doubt the average hook will enable this to happen.

Overall I was impressed with Drake, who has set a new bar level for new artists simmering in the rap game, but will the fans of Drake's mixtape material feel it? I dont know, but I know there will be thousands for every listener that doesn't.

7/10

[Review] Jim Jones Presents: DJ Webstar - The Rooftop

Artist: DJ Webstar
Album: The Rooftop
Label: Scrilla Hil
Release Date: 6th October 2009
Guests: Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Styles P, Sin, Ricky Blaze, Young B, Young Deion, Brucie B, DJ Mix, Brittany Taylor, Ron G, Rex & Bradhurst.
Production: DJ Webstar, Remo Green, Da Drizzle.

When it comes to Harlem rappers, most of us will associate them with being at street status, gangster lyrics and lack of mainstream success. This is one of the reasons which DJ Webstar has been shunned by so many Hip Hop listeners - the fact he has released "corny" records in the past, and has set himself a different goal of making music than most of the people around him.

"Chicken Noodle Soup" will probably have stayed with Webstar till the grave, and to be honoust, it was a bit of a novalty record. However, having recently hooked up with Jim Jones, it may be that Webstar is now heading in a new direction.

Afterall, the former Dipset cappo has dropped one of the hottest albums so far in '09, and in terms of consistancy, is competing with Fabolous, Eminem and Jay-Z for album of the year (well until 50 Cent drops his new album next month). Jones has taken Hip Hop by storm in the last three or four years, and has established himself near the top of the Hip Hop ladder, despte being the "quiet one" in the Dipset group.

While Dipset have come to an end with Cam'ron leaving, Jones and Juelz Santana have formed new groups, worked with new artists in the game, and built their own power among the Diplomat ashes, and it seems to be working. NOE has become a recognised voice on The Jim Jones albums and Byrdgang mixtapes, and getting a reputation of being the "lyrical Jay-Z" with his similar vocals to the Brooklyn MC. Then there was the late Stack Bundles who was sadly shot dead a couple of years ago, and Chink Santana.

Now working with Webstar, this is something new for Jones. The album is a new sound - swapping the adrenaline fuelled hits such as 'We Fly High', 'Jackin Swagga From Us', 'Pin The Tail' and much more, to the slower, more basic dance songs. In fact when I first heard songs from the album, I was sure that Ron Browz had something to do with the project, as it had a similar sort of bounce in all of the records. In fact, if you want to know what the sound of this album is like, think of the 'Pop Champaign' tempo and flow. In fact think again - think Ron Browz meets Swizz Beatz.

The first single released was 'Dancing On Me' which featured Jones himself, as well as Juelz Santana. The song is very simple indeed, with lack of strings in the tune, a constant drum loop and a rather repetitive hook from Webstar. In fact, the key to this song was Santana's verse, which as usual, is full of his normal slick lady talk.

I will be real, a lot of the album bored me. There is not a lot of varient within the actual beats, but do not despair, some of the artists Webstar has featured, have decent lyrics which save the day.

'OMG' was a song which stood out, due to its catchy hook, but lacked in other departments. For a club song, it does not have the 'thump' that it should have. I soon began to realise that this was happening in all of the other songs, there is not a reason for a DJ to say: "Hang on, I need to get that Webstar song on next, right after I play 'In Da Club', or some DMX, Flo Rida or Dizzee Rascal." In fact, I dont think he will be getting many requests for much of this either. 'Dancing On Me' might have been played in the last few weeks, but it wont be a classic, and certainly will not be getting plaed in six months.

And if Webstar is not the giant in Hip Hop that he wishes, he then has a song called 'Follow Me On Twitter' which actually sounds like a beg for more followers. The beat was actually OK, but perhaps if he had written a more appropriate song, then it could have been turned into the next single.

Its not all bad news though, I generally liked some of the song content. As a radio DJ myself, there are one or two records that could be played. In fact, most of the album sticks to positive lyrical content, its almost like an album of singles, although more like an album of 'Top 200' chart singles. If your a fan of that layed back, chilled in the club music, then you're probably better off just waiting for the new Ron Browz album whenever he decides to drop it.

So to round it off, I dont want anybody to get the impression that this is a disaster, it is not. But with input from one of the most prominant figures in rap, I was expecting more. Perhaps there could have been more well known collaborations, some of the new artists did 'standard verses' that do not stand out, though I was actually impressed with the features Ricky Blaze had. He that heis knocking on the Hip Hop door for a future entrance. I really wanted to give this album a higher score, but I was just left feeling let down in the end, and a bit disappointed.

4/10

[Review] Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon: The End Of The Day

Artist: Kid Cudi
Album: Man On The Moon: The End Of The Day
Label: GOOD Music
Release Date: September 15th 2009
Guests: Billy Cravens, Ratatat, Common, Kanye West, & MGMT
Producers: Kanye West, Emile, Jeff Bhasker, Dot Da Genius, Crada, Matt Friedman, Free School, Crookers & Plain Pat.

Throughout the next 12 months at awards shows broadcast on BET, MTV or whoever else is deciding to dish out awards these days, Im sure you will hear 'Kid Cudi' mentioned under the catogory of The Best New Comer. In fact, as writing this, I have just seen this year's BET nominations, and I am so far correct.

To a lot of people, this name will conjour up something incorrect. Holiday makers may recognise the name from Ibiza, Malia, Kos, Kavos or Zante last summer, where Kid Cudi was the artist of one of the biggest dance songs that swept across the club scene, spreading to the UK, and eventually onto Radio stations that heard the buzz. From there, Cudi landed on top of the Official Singles chart. Of course, although it was Kid Cudi, it was an Italian DJ duo, known as the Crookers. The duo had sampled the original 'Day N Night' song they had heard while in the US. The outcome was so massive, that it has overshadowed the original.

But the fact of the matter is, that the real sound of Kid Cudi is far from that. If you buy the album, you will not here any dance songs. You will not hear anything that any club DJ will play.

OK, so next you will probably see that Kid Cudi is a protege of Kanye West. "So if he is not interupting award shows, surely Cudi is making Hip Hop tunes for the street, or with catchy autotune hooks, dancing in videos with pretty girls and driving fancy cars" you might ask next? Nope, none of these. Despite being on a label with names such as Kanye, GLC, Consequence and Common, Cudi is far from this too.

The only way to describe the sound of this CD, is to imagine that your asleep. That seems to be the album theme, with the first few tracks sounding very sureal. In fact, it sounded 'too sureal' for me, and had me feeling droopy. The album is split into several sections - End Of The Day, Rise Of The Night Terrors, Taking A Trip, Stuck & A New Beginning. So the album follows the average person's sleep patterns.

Appart from nearly putting me into a sleep pattern, the only songs I will feel like listening to again are 'Day N Night' (the original version) although I've heard this so many times that this might not be the case, 'Soundtrack 2 My Life' and finally, the second single, 'Make Her Say', which features Common and Kanye West. These are the only two songs with any Hip Hop feel. If you like to listen to music while you drive, do not have this CD on, seriosly, it will probably make you fall asleep at the wheel!

If yo work as a session therapist, then this will be the best CD money can buy for you, maybe apart from Natural Wale sounds or Sounds of The Ocean (Natural Wale sounds is not a reference to another new artist).

I must admit, I am very disappointed with the album. I do not mind albums having themes, but I do like it to have a theme which I can listen to and stay active to.

2/10

Now On Pipeline Radio

You can listen to my weekly show on Pipeline Radio, by going to here http://podcast.com/show/70472/Pipeline-Radio/ and search for Urban Legends with Rob Davies.

On the show this week, I play music from Fabolous, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Common, Outkast, 50 Cent and more!

[Review] Fabolous - Loso's Way

Artist: Fabolous

Album: Loso's Way

Label: Def Jam
Release Date: July 29th 2009

Featured Guests: Jerimih, Kobe, Keri Hilson, The Dream, Jay-Z, Lil' Wayne, Red Cafe, Paul Cain, Ryan Leslie, Ne-Yo, Trey Songs & Marsha Ambrosious.

Producers: StreetRunner, The Runners, DJ Khalil, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Ryan Leslie, Jermaine Dupri, Christopher 'Tricky' Stewart, Blackout Movement, Miguel for 'The Council', Sid V for 'Duo Live', The Alchemist, Just Blaze, Sean C & L.V.

In a time when rappers depend on dance routines, ringtone sales and fancy autotune effects to be able to sell records, it is sad to say that there are very few real' rappers out there, and by real, I mean traditional lyricists, who use wordplay, punchlines and complex rhyming technique to impress fans.

Sure Jay-Z will continue to make songs for the time being, after all, he has a new album lined up for later this year, and Nas dropped his 'Untitled' album just last year, but they are artists that began their careers when MC'ing was what gave you the answer whether you were going to make it or not. Minus all of the old heads of rap - the Jay-Z, Nas, Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Pharoahe Monch and so on, the list of artists that got to where they now, in the recent era of hip hop by real lyrical skill is very minimum. In fact, I am counting them now with my fingers....as the other hand types.

Sure, Eminem has a complicated rhyming technique that wows even those that want to hate, and Cassidy delivers clever punchlines, that leave listeners of his music like they've just seen a magic trick - they wonder how he does it, Lil' Wayne plays around with words meanings to create tricky (and sometimes hidden) metaphors, T.I. and Ludacris also have impressive rhyming techniques as does Juelz Santana in his own style, but one has always stood out to me, and that is Fabolous.

While other rappers look for words that rhyme, Fabolous is looking for sentances that rhyme, also known as multi-syllabic to those who have studies English at school. On top of that, Fab's rhymes are powerfull in the street, and he has such as style that can be adapted for the radio, and for the club. And as if we just see 'Loso' everytime a single drops, he is also featured on many remixes of other songs that come out, meaning he has countless amounts of versus out there.

However, when it was announced that Fabolous was going to put out a concept album, similar to American Gangster by Jay-Z, which was based on the film under the same name, I was a bit doubtfull that it would work. Rumours circulated the internet as to which film the album would be based around, until finally, it was announced that the album would be called Loso's Way, a take on the 1993 Al Picino film, Carlito's Way. There was also talk that the album would have no guests at all, which again gave me doubts, as Fabolous' best songs come when somebody else sings the hook. However, severall months down the line, I have the album right here in front of me, and I have heard Ne-Yo's voice, Keri Hilson's voice, Jeremih's voice as well as Jay-Z, The Dream and so on.

Already, after only one listen through of the album, songs are beginning to stand out and become favourites of mine. Track 3, 'Imma Do It' which features Kobe, and produced by DJ Khalil - the song delivers a catchy beat with hook, as well as probably one of the best verse on the CD (the 2nd verse).

The same can also be said for Track 5, 'Everything, Everyday, Everywhere' with Keri Hilson and Ryan Leslie. Ryan is a producer whom has impressed me lately, since he produced 'Precious' for Jim Jones earlier in the year. However, if your looking for something for the street, then that is also on this disc - 'Salute' with Lil' Wayne draws comparisons of the street life with working in the army. There is the usual Fabolous use of money music, as well, as well as a Ne-Yo featured love song.

Anyone who may have been worried that this album would not be the traditional Fabolous album, will be wrong. If may not be the commercial success that From Nothin' To Somethin' was, but then again, T-Pain is not on this CD.

Real Fabolous fans won't be disappointed, but the only way to describe the feel of this album is to say that it is not as 'street' as the first couple of Fabolous' discography, but not as 'RnB' as the last - if that makes sense? For me, I've been waiting on this for months and months, and I'm considering it as being my favourite so far in 2009.

9/10

[Review] Maino - If Tomorrow Comes

Artist: Maino

Album: If Tomorrow Comes

Label: Hustle Hard/Atlantic

Release Date: June 30th 2009

Featured guests: Swizz Beatz, B.G, T-Pain, Trey Songz, and Push! Montana

Producers: Swizz Beatz, J.R. Rotem, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Just Blaze, Dangerous LLC, GQ Beats, Scott Storch, Nard & B, Mista Raja , Chris Styles & Maino.

New York City will always be associated with producing Hip Hop greats - after all, they are the originators of this music. Go back to the late 70's, throughout the 80's and all of the way through the 90's, NYC was the heart of Hip Hop. To just name some of the greatest from the boroughs, is like naming a who's who of Hip Hop. Jay-Z, Nas, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Ja Rule, Wu-Tang Clan, Diddy, Dipset, Jadakiss, DMX, Fabolous, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Fat Joe, LL Cool J, Mobb Deep.... In fact, I will stop there because I could go on and on.

But lately, NYC has been critisised for not producing the quality of music it did. In a new era of Hip Hop of dance routines, catchy hooks, auto-tune and ringtone sales, some are starting to question NYC's stance as the heart of Hip Hop, and perhaps give that title to the South, which has come up so fast in the past decade. Many fans are waiting for someone to take NY back to the forefront of Hip Hop.

Then along came Maino. Those in the know, will know that to make it big on the NY scene, you will need to be big on the mixtape circuit, and that was exactly what Maino has been doing in the last couple of years, following in the style of 50 Cent - and we all know how big he became.

If Tomorrow Comes refers to Maino's time in prison. He served a 10 year prison sentance for his involvement in a drug related kidnapping, and upon his 2003 release, he turned his attention to a music career. It would not be long before the rapper, better known as Jermaine Coleman, would feature at the 2008 Summer Jam Festival, onstage with Alicia Keys, with whom he was introduced to by ex husband, and music producer Swizz Beatz.

The album has an autobiographical feel to it. By kicking off with the lead track, Million Bucks, featuring the familiar upbeat production of Swizzy himself, as well as his trademark hooks to go with it, the song deals with money, material objects, and emotions of getting out of the hood. This is then followed by one of the many interludes on the album, Scene 1: If Tomorrow Comes. The interlude takes you back in time, before the money, success of music, and while he was still locked down. The album then follows a story from here on, with the next song Back To Life dealing with adapting back into his original life, after a long sentance.

Overall, there are 5 interludes, rather reminiscent of an Eminem CD. But to many, Maino's story will be something many people who have experienced the ups and downs of living in the NY ghettos will be able to relate to.

The production from some of Hip Hops big name producers, Scott Storch, Swizz Beatz, Just Blaze, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and J.R. Rotem, and a feature track from T-Pain, along with an all-star remix of another single, is something even established artists in the game would be flattered by, never mind for your debut studio album. However, without any big singles, you can forget putting Maino in the same league as Jay-Z or 50. Hi Hater and All The Above have had moderate success on the Billboard chart, but nothing that will catapult him to the forefront on mainstream rap. The remix of Hi Hater featured Fabolous, Plies, T.I., Jadakiss, & Swizz Beatz, and this gained a lot of radio airplay, especially in NY.

The album has a quality feel to it. It is not just something which circulates around a couple of hype singles, and it is not often I can say that in 2009. Notable album tracks which stand out, are Here Comes Trouble, and the sexually explicit Lets Make A Movie, which talks about doing the same thing that made Paris not just a city. This album is a must for Hip Hop fans. Maino will be a a rap great, perhaps to the size of moderate artists such as Jadakiss, Jim Jones or Joe Budden, but that push for a massive mainsream breakthrough wont come from this CD.

8/10