Mac & AK - Legendary

Mac & AK - Legendary Review


Mac And AK both have been doing this for many moons, if you enjoy westcoast rap
music during the 90's you  must have heard of these boys and they classic which was titled "Westbound (For Riders Only). They caught the eye of Tommyboy Records and got signed.

That didn't work out all that well though as they realized they were better off on there own and have
since put out two more albums. Legendary is the 3rd release from Mac and AK if Im not mistaken and this is arguably there best album, from a production and rapping perspective.

Legendary starts off with a bang with the title song and Do that, which both feature fantastic production and rapping that will bring you back to the 90s. In all honesty it feels to me like I am back in the 90s, rockin to some RBL Posse or Above the Law when listening to this album, pure dope mobb music.

One thing I wanted to mention before getting to the other tracks, is that the productino on this whole album is top notch. Mac P handles the beats and he does not dissapoint as the beats really set the tone and are dope the whole way through the album as Mac P uses a nice mixture of slappin drums, keys and live instruments to create a unique sound that does bring back tha tfeel of the 90s westcoast rap music.

Think of a mix between EA Ski and E-40s early production. Another thing is that the album is mixed and mastered very well, alot of underground albums that dont have help of a label seem to sometimes have crap mixign or mastering, this has great beats and mixing the whole
album.

You can also tell that these vets have been around for a hot minute as they rap extremely well
and feel right at home over this type of production. Do yourself a favor, sit back with some godo kush or a beer and let this music marinate. We need more westcoast music like this in my opinion, dope lyrics with sick production, Mac and AK bring it on Legendary not much more to say.

Grind Time and Who Dat are two more songs that highlight the middle of the album as Mac n Ak both flow perfect and had me pressing repeat on these two to bump again. Both rappers sem very confident as they kick laid back rhymes effortlessly.

If you are looking for old school style mob music then do yourself a favor and cop this, during a time when the hyphy bandwagon had started, these two just stayed true to what they do well and it worked out very well on this album. It is 100% a mob album that you might think came out in the mid 90s, wonderful job by Mac and AK to give us that real mob music that we been missing for many a years.

Dope Boyz has a dope ass bassline and definatly has a very old school feel to it and Come On In is about the closest you will get to a party or dance track, but it works very well over a slick beat and dope rapping. These types of tracks can work if done right like

Keep it Gully is one of my fav albums on the album with a hard ass beat and the rapping is perfect, almost sounds like this beat could have been a song on an old album from E-40 and The Click, has that real mobb feel to it, love it.

California has a real nice summertime vibe to it, would be perfect for a video in cali during the summer time.

We Got Swagger is really the only song I didn't put on repeat, its not horrible but its not as good as the other fantastic songs on this album. East Meets West and Where U From both are slappin and finish off the album well, with more of that mob shit that you know I love.

In a time when rappers are looking to put out radio tracks and wear skinny jeans instead of make great music, this is a breath of fresh air. Especially with all the wonderful prodction and the overall mob feel the album has on both the beats and the rapping. Some might think the subject matter is weak or nothing special, but this is really taking back to a time when westcoast music felt REAL and Authentic, had this album on repeat for awhile now, I been missing that Mobb music!

Do yaself a favor and cop this album, has extremely underrated production, mixing and mastering and the rapping is that feel good westcoast mobb music.

SCORE: 9/10

Covering Grounds 2

S.B. & Krypto - Covering Grounds 2

The first Covering Grounds cd was one of the most underrated westcoast albums in a few years. It had some good beats but was carried by S.B. and Krypto's rapping, this time around the beats are even better and the two bay area rappers once again bring they A game.

The One's featuring newcomer Axion Jaxion is a great way to start the album off as Kryp and SB tear the mic apart over a fantastic beat. Krypto rides the beat perfectly on his verse and on the hook and the same goes for SB and Axion. Keep an eye and ear out for this dude Axion Jaxion, he has a ton of talent and has not been on a bad track yet.

Truth Is has one of 2012's most impressive beats on it, which comes courtesy of Freddy Machete. The eiry voice samples and the drums are a perfect backdrop for Krypto, SB and Axion Jaxion on this one. If you ain't heard many of Freddy Machete beats yet, do yourself a favor and get up on game, dude is a beast, this beat sings to me and has been on repeat this I got this album, not much else to say other then STRAIGHT SLAP, awesome track. Krypto stole the show on this track fosho.

Heavy Metal is on some hard ass shit that will have you wanting to knock a mothafuck out with Axion Jaxion doing a great hook that is on some down south/David Banner or Lil John type and fits the vibe of the beat perfectly. Lots of energy from every rapper on this track here as they spit raps over a fantastic high energy beat. The youngster Axion Jaxion stole the show on this track, from the hook to his verse, nothing but heat!

Dola is a more laid back chill track, especially compared to the previous tracks on the album and features the mainstream worthy Los Rakas and has a dope relaxed feel to it. Production is on point again with this beat as westcoast don Mitchy Slick joins the party and drops a ridicolous verse and remids me why he is one of my favorite rappers on the west.

Once again this is another track that has a dope hook that is not annoying and that doesnt take away from the song, Los Rakas killed it. Is it just me or is it just a matter of time before Los Rakas blow the fuck up? They have mainstream appeal without doing some corny bullshit, let this be a lesson to mothafuckas, you aint gotta dumb down your shit to appeal to a wider fanbase!

They Can't see Us is another high energy track that has a beat with a more eastcoast feel to it. SB starts things off with his street poetry an kills it
with dope lines and his usual flawless flow. Yet again another dope ass hook, I cant remember the last time an album had so many hooks that where enjoyable instead of being a pain in the ass or extremely annoying, it might not soudn like much to some, but generic and piss poor hooks can ruin some tracks, not the case on this shit. Axion Jaxion and SB steal the show on this track over yet another dope ass beat.

Ampachino joins the crew on Life Of Block Baby, which is a mobb/gangster track that is one of my favorites on the whole album. Alot of rappers have some nice features but they don't give them a good beat to rock or the mixing sucks,etc.. but with this track they picked a PERFECT beat for Ampachino to jump on, as he sounds right at home, as if it was one of his solo albums. SB and Amp together? Super dope track and makes me wish for a SB/Amp colab album. It's not my favorite beat on the album but as I said above it fits Ampahinos style perfectly.

Greenlight is another one of my favorite songs and beats on the whole album. It's one of those rare tracks that is dope as fuck that you could also play at a party for the ladies on the dancefloor, that won't
send the men wanting to close there ears. The beat is super slapping, the hook is ill and all the rappers kill it. Just goes to show you don't have to dumb ya shit down like crazy to make an accesible track. The young and talented Danked Out joins the crew for this track and does not dissapoint, killin it as usual. This track has me putting it on repeat non-stop, reminds me somewhat of WE MUSSSH which was a similar track that was on the first Covering Grounds, addicting track!

Peice Of Cake is another mobb track that slaps and Sacred Soldiers is a group track that is very enjoyable aswell (both with dope beats again).

The only track that feels out of place to me is Silly Games, its far from a bad track, just not as enjoyable to me as the other tracks on the album.

Thanksgiving is a dope track that has a oriental feel to it and Krypto steals the show on this track over a crazy beat. The production on this track made me want to jump on the MPC with a few oriental samples loaded up, dope shit.

Excuse My French is a perfect way to finish the album, as the beat is intoxicating and SB and Krypto kill the mic like you know they are capable of. Another track that does everything very well, which is a recurring theme on this album.

Overall its a very well made album with extremely high quality mixing, production, hooks and rapping. No realy bad tracks on the whole album, some better than others but overall this is one of the years most consistent albums from a rapping and production aspect. If you enjoyed the first Covering Grounds album you will LOVE this one, its got better production and of course dope rapping from Krypto and SB.

Sacred has dropped some of the best albums of 2012 with Danked Out's underrated latest album and now this Covering Grounds 2 with S.B. and Krypto. This is independent hiphop at its best right here, good beats and good rapping, along with well done mixing and mastering, take notes up and coming labels.

Danked Out - Reloaded

One of the underrated up and coming mc's from the wild west is Danked Out. The youngster has some great lyrics, a dope flow and has been rocking over dope beats for a minute now. Whether its with Indo or Sacred Ent, Danked Out is gonna be someone to lookout for in the future.

Sacred has been putting in alot of work lately and it looks to be paying off with this release from young Danked Out. Its got a good overall feel to the album and should have a little something for everyone to bump.

The album starts off with the title track, Reloaded. Danked introduces himself to those who ain't heard him yet and introduces himself with fans who been checking him since his last album. Dank spits dope lyrics over a nice beat and is a good start off to the album. Not my favorite song on the album but a very solid way to get things started.

"Aye" is the 2nd track off reloaded and its a fucking heater. For years I been wondering how does a rapper stay in his lane with that gangsta shit, but still make some club or popular tracks at the same time. This AYE track here is a perfect example of a track that you could play at a club but at the same time its not watered down or annoying, its good fuckign music that you can just happen to bump for the ladies to. The beat is one of my favorites on the album and Danked Out sounds extremely confident when rocking a instrumental like this. Can we get more radio/club tracks that are this quality and not watered down crap?

The World Is Mine is another one of my personal favorites on Reloaded as Danked Out is joined by westcoast mobb figga The Jacka. The beat is fantastic and another one of my fav beats on the project. Danked Out's flow on this song is straight money and the hook from The Jacka is dope as fuck (Jacka always been dope at doing good choruses). Also this is one of the better verses ive heard from The Jacka since Tear Gas and GoBots2 with Lee Majors dropped. Hope to see a high quality video of this track right here, its classic westcoast music with a dope beat and Jacka and Danked Out spittin that bay area game that you love.

24 is on that gangsta shit with bay area hard hitters Phithy Rich and Stevie Joe. Its pretty much what you would expect from a Livewire and Sacred track, the beat grew on me alot for this song, the first few times I was not super impressed but the more I listened to it the more I enjoyed the production on here.

Sacred Army is a hard fucking track and one of my favorites as Danked Out spits maybe his hardest verses on the whole album for this song. With lines like "You just bitter my nigga, slicker then slick rick the ruler" and "Sayin you the man, now how boy I been that, put it in your brain you should never think im bluffin and fuck killin the game im a leave that shit suffering".

Yesssiree is a slapper produced by Traxxamillion and features Krypto. The ingredients is there for a dope track and it definatly is slappin, as the beat is really nice and Danked Out drops a good verse, but to me Krypto did not fit well on this beat at all. Either would have liked a Danked Out solo on this or different feature. Nothing against Krypto because I love some of his music, but he felt out of place on this beat/track.

Right back has some hard ass strings on it and the drums slappin like crazy. This song reminds me of that old school westcoast music that we use to get back in the day. The production on this track sounds like its fresh out of the 90s and is one of my favorites of the year. For some reason the beat during the hook reminds me of some old school Above The Law with the synth or what ever it is that comes in. Had this track on repeat many times, yes Danked Out kills the track with an ill flow as he rides the beat perfectly but its the production that really shines the most on this track.

Kush everywhere is a track for the weed smokers and does not disappoint at all. The hook is dope, the beat good and Danked Out sounds at home rapping about that sticky. If you are like me you could not listen to the whole song without sparking up some kush. Do yourself a favor and pack the bong, roll one up or grab the vaporizer before bumping this track. In no time you will be screaming "kush everywhere!"

Take It back is CRAZY, the production is my favorite on this album and Young Gully who is crazy underrated steals the show with lines that have put him near the top of my list of most underrated up and coming rappers from the westcoast. He paints a picture that many rappers cannot do, can we get a Young Gully and Danked Out album? This track stays on repeat and is great all the way around, not one negative aspect here, straight slap!

Come and Get it is back on the mobb shit and another stellar beat that is hard as a mothafucka (actually made me want to jump on the mpc or keyboard after hearing it). This beat right here brings out the best in Danked Out as he spits hard as a mothafucka alongside bay area veteran Ap9 who not only lays a dope verse but also rocks a dope chorus to.

One Of Them Nights is probably my least favorite song on the album. Its not horrible by any means but to me Danked Out is not as effective on this kind of track as he is ripping them mobb tracks or the weed songs. I like the beat alot and like I said before its nothing really bad about this track, it just kind of felt out of place next to the other tracks on the album.

Down For You is so dope, Suryil kills the hook, the production is straight and Danked out kicks some dope ass lyrics that Im sure most people can relate to. Another song here that is a nice mix of different styles, the females and the males will both enjoy this song I think. Nice chill ass beat to, really feeling this one, has a jazzy feel to it that I like alot.

Self Made has Bay Area legend Yukmouth dropping a dope ass verse for Danked and Sacred, over yet another dope beat. Danked kills it and so does Yukmouth who drops one of my favorite verses of his in a minute. Don't know if Yuk just enjoyed the beat or they had some good kush in the studio for this or what, but Yuk sounded right at home on this track. Another slappin track that is great all around.

Mainey is CRAZY, first off Husalah from the mobb figgas jumps in and kills the mic over a beat you would swear was from his classic Dope, Guns and Religion album. As Hus says "Bitch that's mobb shit!" indeed this is that mobb shit that we been missing lately. Now, as great as Husalah was on this song, he doesn't drop the best verse on the song, that would have to go to the criminally underrated S.B. AKA Baby Cougnut. When I see names like Husalah and S.B. who are vets in this bay area thang, I expect a dope fucking song, but alot of the time dope features together are either wrecked by a wack beat or something else. Not the case on this song, who ever thought of adding Husalah and SB on this song deserves some credit, they fit this beat PERFECTLY! Mobb shit you bitch.

Yo Bitch is another good track as Freddy Machette continues to impress me with his production. Danked Out spits some game about your bitch and also a well done hook, which could have been annoying if done wrongly. Not my favorite song on the album, but far from a bad track.

Ridin Dirty finishes the album off and its a fantastic way to finish things off. The hook is great as Raka Dun drops a dope fucking hook and Freddy Machete provides alot sick ass beat that is hard as fuck. Unlike the Yesssire track, Krypto sounds right at home on this beat and kills shit, same goes for Livewire member J-Stalin and Danked out, great rapping on this song fits the great beat and hook perfectly.

Overall this is a very good rap album, its got mostly great beats, nice features without going overboard and Danked Out impresses on nearly every single track. I really enjoyed Danked Out's first album and this one is even better in my opinion. Quality is something that Sacred Ent is pushing and you can tell that is has paid off. They are taking this rap shit seriously and have dropped one of this years top 3 albums from any coast in my opinion. For other rap labels trying to come up in this game, check out the way Sacred Ent is going it right here. Good production, High quality mixing/editing and no filler, take notes y'all.

Still early in the year but for me personally this is up there with my other favorites so far from 2012 (Peplove's latest, E-40's latest, Locksmiths latest and that new Casual/Dj Fresh).

Score: 9/10

Krypto - It's My Turn

Sacred Muzik seems to be on the right track here with Krypto, SB and Danked Out all extremely talented and hungry. This is that mobb/gangster music you been missing in your life, good beats and good lyrics.

Nuthin At All showcases Krypto's signature voice and flow over an industry beat, that he rips to shreds. Is it just me or does Krypto have one of the best voices on the westcoast? At times his voice sometimes reminds me of San Quinn, when he raps you listen.


So Clean is more laid back but dope as fuck all the same. Krypto spitting some story telling type shit as he shows his versatility. Not many rappers that can do gangster music, lyrical music and then some party shit.

Sacred is alive is another dope track that has Krypto letting yall know that Sacred Muzik is here to stay, Krypto's flow is fantastic on this track right here. Krypto talks on haters, his family and much more on this track.

Down The Drain is more of a deep track were Krypto doing his storytelling thang again speaking on letting someone you love go. Raka Rich from Los Rakas also does his thang on this song aswell, showing Los Rakas gonan be a force in the future. The beat also is dope on this track to, laid back but slappin! Krypto does a nice job on the hook to.

Bye The Night is another of my favorite songs on the album as it features Goldie Gold from
The Federation and S.B. dropping by to lend a helping hand over a slappin ass beat.
Krypto comes dope again on the mic as does Goldie Gold and SB, to me this track
is nearly perfect, dope ass beat, great hook and the rappers all did a great job.

The Real Krypto is basically Krypto spitting game over a slapper from Sean T,
donno what else you can ask for really? Straight slapper not much more to say.

Get Even(Not Mad) is another good song, that has Krypto at his best over a reall
sick beat by Kamilson, but the hook brings the track down a little bit for me personally.
There is nothign really wrong with it, just personally not feeling it all that much.

Act Bad is really the only track that I skip on this album right here, and its not even a really bad song it just cant stack up to the other songs that this project delivers. Usually I can say the beat bothers me or the rapping or hook sucks but for this one I really dont have a reason, just dont like it as much as the others.

Operate is that hustler music, with a killer beat from Tony Toons&Craftworks. If you are out there hustling and doing yout thang no matter what it is, you'll enjoy this track, you out there grinding? Put this in ya ride after a long day, light up some Kush and youll feel right at home.

Hot as Hell finishes Its My Turn off very well as Krypto is joined by AP.9. The production on this track here is perfect to me, Krypto sounds dope as fuck over these kinds of beats (sort of reminds me of To The Moon in some ways). Anyways, this track straight slap and is another one of my favorites on here, Krypto and Ap9 both sound great over these kinds of emotional relaxing slaps.

Sacred Muzik looks to be here to stay for the long haul. Krypto drops a mixtape here that is better then most rappers full albums. You also have S.B. sounding the best he's sounded in his whole career and as hungry as ever. Then you have the youngster Danked Out, how magazines or websites can not have this dude on there UPCOMING RAPPERS lists is beyond me.

Looking forward to more from Sacred Muzik as they have a very nice lineup of mc's and so far the video work they have done has been top notch to. Oh yeah and this is a free album so go download it right now, this is a taste of whats to come in the future for Sacred. Already looking forward to Krypto's upcoming album, along with Danked Out, SB solos and a new colab album from SB and Krypto called Covering Grounds 2 (The first one is fantastic, go cop if you havn't yet, WE MUSH is still on repeat here).

SCORE: 8.5/10

The Witcher 2

The Witcher 2

The first The Witcher game was very well done but suffered from a handful of issues that stopped it from being the perfect adult fantasy RPG. If you are new to the world of The Witcher, its a Polish book series that they hold very close to there hearts (has also been made into a TV show and movie).

The first game had a great story, interesting characters and a fantasy world done to perfection, but the combat, the bugs on release (which they later fixed with updates) and the lack of variety in NPC characters hurt the game. Still The Witcher was the reason I got back into PC gaming; a RPG for adults with a story thats as good as any fantasy book or movie.

All CD Projekt had to do to make The Witcher 2 a masterpeice was keep the quality of the first but fix its issues. Easy to say, but harder to do. They were quite successful with the first game in terms of sals and they've been on a mission to make the perfect RPG for the more mature audience since. Did they succeed? Oh, hell yeah!

There is not much more I could ask for in an RPG to be honest. The story is fantastic, the characters are interesting, the combat is way better then the first game, and the game world is simply amazing. If you enjoy HBO's Game of Thrones, I would highly suggest buying this game for the story alone. And so much love and effort has been put into this game's world, it is unbelivable. When you first finish the prologue, you arrive at this amazing forest village, which is hands down the most beautiful area I've ever seen in 20+ years of playing video games. It's not just high definition graphics but the artistic design...it is just breathtaking. The game also has an epic soundtrack that would make Danny Elfman proud. As you finish a battle or watch a cut scene, you are brought right back into the game with the amazing music and sound effects.

One of my favorite aspects of this game was the decisions that you make, they have a huge impact on the story. Some decisions in this game had me paused for about 20 minutes trying to see who I should side with or if I should let someone go. In a lot of RPGs the decisions you make don't effect the game much, they are just there for show. In The Witcher 2 though, it's as if you are reading an epic fantasy book but you are in control of how things play out. Do you want to side with the humans or the elves and dwarves? Each side brings up great points and issues, this is one of the first times that a video game has truly made me stop and think about decisions or how to answer some questions from characters in the game. This makes it feel like you are part of the process of writing the story as it happens.

It's great to see a development team finally put in the work and love it takes to make a top notch role-playing game for adults. You will feel connected to the characters, pulled into the game world, and blown away by the graphics. Another thing I liked about the game is that the difficulty is turned up a notch compared to other RPGs. This reminds me of the NES days, when games were tough and didn't holding your hand all the way through.

This game is a breath of fresh air in a genre that is rather stale at the moment. The Witcher 2 tosses all RPG clinches out the window and instead makes something unique and original. Do yourself a favour and get a copy of this soon-to-be classic game.

Indecent The Slapmaster Presents: Agerman - The Streets Made Me Do It

Bay Area vet Agerman is back at it again in 2011 with The Streets Made Me Do It. Every beat except one (Survivor is a co production from the underrated Kev Knocks and Indo) on this album is produced by Indecent The Slapmaster and as usual he doesn't dissapoint. Whether its slappin drums or Indo letting lose on the keys, if you love good production you will not find a bad beat on this whole album.

The album starts off with I Go Hard and features Agerman sounding like his old days with 3X Krazy, nothing but heat. Not only is the rapping top notch and a blast from the past but the beat knocks very hard to.

The second track which is titled "The Boss" and is even better then the first track, with Indecent cooking up a dope beat that Agerman really seems to feed off of. Alot of quotables on this song here, just crank up the volume, spark up some of that sticky and get ready for your head to start nodding. This is one track that I am sure I will have on repeat for many moons.

Pro features Lady E and Marcellous Carter and has one of my fav beats on this album. The Synth or what ever it is that Indo brings in over these drums is dope as fuck. You know a beat is dope when you waiting for a section of it to come back. I'm not usually a fan of many female rappers (Marvellous, lady Of Rage,etc.. I enjoy of course), but Lady E does her thang on this one.

Lights Out is that Mobb shit with some fast paced drums, another one of my favorite beats on the album. Not only one of my favorite songs on this album but one of the best tracks of 2011 so far. Agerman seems to really enjoy rapping on this beat here from The Slap Master, you know what to do, but this bitch on repeat. This is a hard ass song right here, Agerman rapping with tons of effort and confidence the whole song.

Just Livin is a differnt style of beat then the previous ones on here and really shows Indo's versatility as a producer on this one here. The hook is also very well done and rapping does not dissapoint. KOB and Dre Green do they thang on here as they stop by the jump on the track with Agerman and Indo.

Shining is a more uptempo beat with more of a party feel to it. Once again just adds to the variety that this album has from a production standpoint. Legend Young Dru hops on this song, as does KOB again. The chorus on this song is catchy as a mothafucka, will have you busting that shit up as you roll up some Kush.

Only One is a more laid backa nd deep song, showing that Agerman can do all styles and kinds of songs. The beat that Indo lays down for this one fits perfectly with Agermans flow on this one. Soulful fucking track this one right here, another good hook, which might not sound like much, but sometimes them horrible hooks can ruin a song. Marcellous doing a hell of a job again helping out on this one to.

Surviver is a track that feautres Indo on the hook and a very well done beat with some great piano/keyboard and drums from Indecent and Kev Knocks (if you are not up on game with Kev Knocks then do some homework, this dude is one of the most talented producers out there). Usually I dont like Auto-Tune in songs, but Indo does his thang on the hook here and the auto tune does not take anything away from the song at all.

Girlfriend is probably my least favorite song on this project, but its still a very good beat with some dope ass bass that kind of reminds me of a DJ Quick type of beat that is cooked up by Chef Slapmaster.

The Game Is Made To Lose is the last song on the album and its another blap. Starts off with a sample from Boyz N the Hood I think and Agerman spits some of his best lyrics over another ill beat. Great way to finish the album with this song, straight slap! You can really feel the emotion that Agerman is spitting with not only on this last track but the whole album.

Overall this is one of the better albums released so far in 2011 and a must buy for Bay Area rap fans. Go Support Agerman and hard working producer Indecent and buy this album when it drops this month. These two have put in some great work on this one here and there really is no bad songs or beats, got some mobb songs, some party songs and some deep/soulful stuff to, alot of variety and also the quality is top notch as far as mixing and mastering goes.


Agerman showing fans that hes still got alot left in the tank and Indecent showing everyone why he is one of the hardest working producers on the westcoast. Some colab's like this between producers and rappers dont go that well, but the styles these two bring to the table work very good. Age painted alot of great pictures here on this album to go along with the thunderous, slapping production from Indecent. If you are fiending for some of that 3X Krazy Agerman or an album full of dope production then cop this album the day it drops in stores or Itunes.

BEST 2010 Lists! (Movies, Rap Albums and Videogames)

BEST OF 2010 LISTS!


Albums:
- Known Associates Vol3
- E-40 - Revenue Retrevin
- Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot
- Devilz Rejects 2 - The Jacka and Ampachino
- Black C - 70s Baby
- Yukmouth and DJ Fresh - The Tonite Show
- SB and Krypto - Covering Grounds
- J-Stalin - Prenuptual Agreement
- Go Bots2 - Jacka and Lee Majors
- Eligh - Grey Crow
- Pimp C - The Naked Soul Of Sweet Jones
- Reflection Eternal - Revolutions Per Minute
- Moeses Soulright The 2nd - The Delicatessen
- Kno - Death Is Silent

Movies:
- A Prophet
- Black Swan
- I Saw The Devil
- Inception
- The Secret In Their Eyes
- Machete
- True Grit
- Toy Story 3

Videogames:
- Starcraft2
- Mass Effect2
- Grand Turismo5
- Fallout New Vegas
- NBA2k11
- Bad Company2: Vietnam
- Elemental
- Call Of Duty: Black Ops
- Civilization 5
- Halo Reach
- Red Dead Redemption
- Fifa 11

TV SHOWS:
- Boardwalk Empire
- Dexter
- NBA LEAGUE PASS
- Treme
- The Walking Dead

Compassion Club weed that has helped most with pain:
- UBC Chemo
- OG Kush
- Apple

Known Associates Vol.3 Review

DISC #1

The holidays are on the way and while you are out getting gifts for family and loved ones, you should get yourself a little something and cop this project here. If you are a old school westcoast/bay area fan who loved that Mob music from the 90's, you will feel right at home with both these discs from Bay Area vets Apt.3.

Disc one is my favorite of the two and thats what I will speak on first here for the review. First off the main thing about this disc right here is the production from Mob vet TC is amazing and as close to perfection as you can get for a Mobb album. There is not one bad beat on this whole first disc, which is 18 songs. The whole feel of the first disc is extremely well done and if you are a fan of mobb beats or just hiphop beats in general then you MUST check this out, TV out did himself on this shit here.

On "Sav Pt.2" SB of UNLV and RJ Boone spit over one of the best beats ive heard in a long time and drop that hard gangsta shit with flows that fit the production perfect. There are tons of quotables on this one here and neither rapper dissapoints, as SB spits his usual addicting flow and RJ Boone steps his game up with heat that could earn him some more followers. On top of the hot beat and the rappers bringing there A game, Levitti brings the track together nicely with a dope hook. If you love mobb music like I do then this song will probably be on repeat for awhile.

Next up is Cyanide and is another beat that will have you turning the volume up and reaching for that kush to roll up. You enjoyed the last beat alot? Didnt think this beat would be as dope did ya? Get use to that because like I said above, this whole disc is pretty much flawless in production. A slappin beat is ncie and all but what if the rappin is wack? Well Tony Francis of The Young D Boyz fits the beat perfect to and doesnt dissapoint

Illmannered Riders is one of my fav tracks on these two discs, C-Fresh just murders the mic and its another dope beat that is vintage mobb shit. Brotha Lynch sounds right at home over this type of beat and the great Cougnut(rip) blessing us with his energy and classic voice. What we have hear is a song that any rapper wanting to make mobb music should have to listen to. In a time when mobb music doesnt come out much, this is a breath of fresh air. Bump this track as loud as your system can go, sit back and smoke a fatty, fucking awesome song this one.

Revenge Is Easy features SB of UNLV again, as hes joined by Shag Nasty and Equipto. Another hard ass beat from TC and that nice lookign lineup each hold there own. SB sounds so at home over TC beats, would love to hear a SB album produced by just TC and Kev Knocks.

The Wicked Shit is one of my personal favorite beats on these discs, the drums, keys and just everything is done so well that I could honestly just listen to this beat alone and be good. With that said, Mad Insanity(Mars and J-Rz) and Triple6(SOS and ADR Levey) bring tons of energy and continue the streak of the rappers doing TC's amazing production justice and being part of a masterpeice. I am not a huge fan of Horrorcore rap, but definatly respect it, Mars music steady impressing me.

Fly Mar drops another highlight on the album with IM BACK AT IT (BALLIN NOW PART2). Hood tales, mobb adventures, A great hook and some great production from TC. Yes, yet another hot track, im tellin you, this whole first disc is fantastic.

They Fucked Up is another one of my top favorites on this cd as Og's Ad Kapone, SB and Tayday join forces and rep hard over another blappin beat from that dude TC. SB is crazy consistent, dope verse after dope verse dude been on a role lately. 3 of my all time favorite groups are represented on this song and it doesn't dissapoint like alot of songs with dope features do.

Roastin Pigs is a hard fucking a song, thats all I am gonna say here. Once again its Mars, SOS and ADR LaVey bustin violent raps over a murderous TC beat. This would be perfect on a horror or gangster movie this track here. Alot of variety as you have mobb legends and horrorcore heavyweights thru the first disc.

Gangsta Matic 2 is a more up tempo track, especailyl comapred to most of the other beats on this album, but its once again done very well. Hugh EMC was a perfect pick for this beat to, you know when an actor gets picked for a movie and its just a perfect cast? Well thats the same here, Hugh EMC does a great job with his signature style and rapping. Hugh EMC got an album in the works that I dont know about? Sure hope so.

You Better Belive is back on that mobb shit with SB and Baldhead Rick (UNLV) Dirty Work and Cellski, and its more of that mobb music. I could listen to UNLV spitting over TC beats all day, yet another dope song on disc #1.

"With some red Bull!" haha, this Highspeed track is the shit. Taydatay of 11/5 and Rappin 4 Tay take us on a ride that you swear brought you back in time. Vintage 11/5 and Rappin 4 Tay, rocking another ill beat from that dude TC. My head nods like a mothafucka when I hear this song here, the hook isn't annoying, the mcs are great and the beat slap.

SOS of Triple 6 rocks this track on his own and does a great job, another one of my favorite songs. Epic beat from TC and SOS gets an A+ for his flow and lyrics on this one, why cant we have more mobb songs like this shit here? Straight knockin the whole damn song you beeezy.

4151 OG's is up there with my other favorites, as Spice1, SB and Baldhead Rick drop a straight westcoast anthem, can we get a video for this song? I could see a dope video on this song here around the bay area. Is it a surprise that another one of my fav songs has a TC beat and SB on it? Does it get much better then those two? Add Baldhead Rich and one of my favorite rappers ever Spice1 and damn you got a dope fucking song. Can we get TC to produce something on that new Spice1 album? Please?

Paint The Town Red seems to be put on repeat often lately to, as Mr. Kee, Da Robba and SB all do a good job on this song, I cant really pick one rapper that did the best to be honest. The hook is nice and TC continues his A game with nothing but great beats.

The Grand Finale is over 9minutes long and its dope shit, lots of dope rappers on here like Cougnut, Dubee, Miami The Most, A-Wax, Woodie and many more. If you got a 9minute song you better have a great fucking beat
or im a turn that shit off with the quickness but as he did for this whole disc #1, its another slappin beat.

Overall Disc #1 is as close to a perfect Mobb album that you will get these days and it stacks up very well with old school classic mobb music. Do yourself a favor and buy both discs, but if your asking what disc is better? Then yeah this first disc is definatly my favorite of the two, but both are nice. We might not get many more classic mobb albums like this so if you love this mobb music like I do then cop these FASSSSSSSSSST!

SCORE for DISC #1: 10/10



DISC #2

Its always hard for a movie sequel or the 2nd disc of a double album to be as good or better then the one before it, but Disc #2 is well worth your money here. Yes I definatly enjoy the first disc more, but by no means is the 2nd disc dissapointing or bad at all, on its own its great.

Also the first disc was produced all by TC so im sure that is a reason why I like disc #1 a bit more, disc 2 still has some great songs and beats, just its more modern sounding, but still extremely high quality.

Illmannered Playa starts the second disc off with a bang as its a more modern beat, but still slaps and Mr. Kee, Cuddie Cut and Mateo on the mic. Great way to start off this disc with this song here with production from Vybe.

Lunatik Village is produced by Leo J and is another great song that features SB, Cougnut and Leo J on the mic. This track has a real mobb feel to it also, as Leo J did a nice job on the beat.

Friday Night has a very pimpish beat that C-Fresh from IMP spits raps over and also has Maka-Mill and the hook by Carolina. This track sounds like it woulda been dope on Boyz N The Hood or Menace II Society back in the day during a houe party or some shit, dope track.

Bleed The Streets I wasnt feeling all that much, the beat is nice, but I felt like at times some of the rapping just didnt do the beat justice. One of the few negative things I have to say about these two discs and its not even a bad song, just not on par with the others in my opinion and thats all this is really, is just one person's opinion.

EAST is dope as fuck let me say that right away, Indecent The Slapmaster cooped up a hot fucking beat right here and that youngster on the comeup Danked Out does his damn thang as he kicks that dope shit Vallejo style. Tragedy does his thang to, but its Danked Out that definatly steals the show on mic here, keep an eye out for this talented Vallejo artist. Dope chorus, slappin beat, one of hte best up and coming mcs rippin shit? Count me in.

On Site is another mobb slapper produced by TC and has ADR LaVey on the mic and is another good track on two very good discs. The hook could have been a little better, but that is a minor thing, nothing big.

Another one of my favorites on Disc #2 is Days And NIghts (Funk Season2), which has Young D-Boyz and BeBop over a beat from Dank Dunk. Yet another dope track, not much more to say.

San Quinn drops by for The Familia which has a slappin beat and dope rapping for the whole song. Turn the bass up on this one and grab the bong, as I said when I first heard this "Damn that shit go". Its San Quinn that steals the show on this track, Doc HOliday and Droop Tha Goon do a good job to, but Quinn just tear that beat from JS apart.

Thanks fOr Nothing is dope as fuck to, the beat from Dj Mark 7 is super dope, got a real old school feel to it and Malice does a great job of getting some shit off his chest it sounds like. A buddy of mine who doesnt even like rap music but he read this track when I was listening to it and he just loved it, dope track all around. This would probably be my pick for a video for Disc #2.

The Business is... well, The Mothafuckin Business to get to the point. A very well crafted beat that has had me putting it on repeat a bunch of times, does very well with legendary 2-11 and a dope hook. More great mobb music,
this shit here is slappin hard as fuck.

Dead Girls Dont Say No I was probably my least favorite song on these two discs but once again its not a badly made song or a bad beat, its just not a song I would personally put on repeat or want to listen to alot in the future. Just my honest opinion and nothing more here, just telling it how I feel. Might be just that im not huge on horrocore music (although I did enjoy a bunch of the other songs with horrorcore artists on em on these discs). I don't skip this song, I just dont find myself wanting to hear it again anytime soon, while most the other songs I cant wait to hear again.

Some of my other favorites on this disc are:
- Hidden Cougnut track at the end is DOPE AS FUCK!
- What The World Has Done is another one of my favs on Disc #2, really dope/deep shit!
- Talk That Talk with Cobra Abysmal, Agerman and L-Dubb, which has a
another slapper of a beat and entertaining rapping and a good chorus. Did I mention the beat was dope?
- Melt Your Bald Fade with Messy Marv, Droop Tha Goon and Taydatay, which once again has another beat that
I liked and each rapper does they thang, especially Messy.
- Bloodstains with Big Oso Loco has an intense nightmare type beat from Darkhill Productions
- Senorita... its Cougnut, not much more to be said, one of the best ever.
- Guce and Mr.Kee are dope on that ITS THE TURF song, Guce is so dope when he on these gangsta tracks.

SCORE for DISC #2: 9/10

Overall this is well worth the money to buy both of these discs here. If you only have enough for one disc then get the first one, but dont sleep on disc #2, its got some heat!

This is a perfect gift for any fan of Mobb music this holiday season, one of the years best albums no doubt about it. Some things are just perfect for some people... OZ and The Wire were two perfect tv shows for me, E-40s In A Major Way, IMP - IMP, Miles Davis - Birth Of Cool, Goodie Mob - Soul Food and Celly Cel - Killa Kali were perfect rap albums for me.. and this Known Associates Vol.3 is along those same lines as something that pretty much all I want in a cd.

Savs Pt.2 - S.B. and RJ (prod.Tone Capone)

S.B. and Apt3 with a new heater! This is that real mobb music that is the reason I have enjoyed Bay Area rap so much over the years. This song sounds like its straight out of the 90's, check it out.

Also the beat was done by legendary producer TONE CAPONE (TC), the beat is crazy dope. This is one of the years best songs and shows that Mobb music is still alive! Straight slap!

Be on the lookout for that new APT3 album dropping soon!

S.B. (Aka Baby Cougnut) - Bang 200

S.B. (Aka Baby Cougnut) - Bang 200

Kev Knocks and S.B. join forces for this track right here and its pretty much perfect. The beat will have you humming and nodding your head non-stop, while S.B. spits heart felt lyrics and that flow we have come to enjoy for years now.

How can people not love a song like this? It's got fantastic lyrics and a beat that not only knocks hard but is very creative and well put together for the whole song. More rappers need to call on Kev Knocks for production, dude is amazing.


The hook is also very dope to and will have you rapping that shit over and over once the track is done. Is it just me or should SB do a book for rappers about how to do a hook? Alot of times I'll be enjoying a track until the hook comes on and then its like "WTF was this dude thinking with the hook?". SB keeps it simply but to the point and his hooks seem to add to the track, not take away from it. There are alot of quotables in this track, so I'm gonna just say that lyrically SB is at the top of his game instead of listing a whole page worth of good lines.

The sound quality is also extremely high quality on this track and I hope that they rest of S.B.'s upcoming album is of the same quality. I really liked SB's last album with Krypto and his last solo album was good, but could have been better. This track right here is something anyone can bump and relate to as well, this is some world wide music right here.

If they rest of the upcoming record is as good as this song then we might just have SB's finest work to date. Its hard to top a classic album like the UNLV one him and Baldhead Rick did years back, but this song right hear is just as good. SB and Kev Knocks really show some great chemistry with this one and already have me fiending for more songs from these two.

Do yourself a favor and get a hold of this track and bang this shit all summer, its been on repeat since I got it and im sure ill have it playing the rest of the summer. Also if you have not checked that Krypto and S.B. album called Covering Ground, go check it out in stores or on Itunes.

This is when rap music is at its best, real life tales on the mic, told with some meaning and a beat that has some real soul to it.

Danked Out - The Takeover

Vallejo has a new up and coming MC by the name of Danked Out that has all the potential in the world. Give The Takeover a fair chance and im sure you will think the same by the time the last song id done.

On "Fear Me (100 bar Intro)" things start off with Indecent hitting Danked Out with a slappin ass beat that is put together perfectly with dope drums and the quality sound we have come to expect from Indo. And what about Dank's lyrics you ask? Dude does a lyrical onslaught with a bunch of quotables. This was a great way to start the album off, nothing but heat on the mic, no hook and a slappin westcoast beat, what more do ya need?

Easy is the second track and Danked doesn't dissapoint over production by Blak Ghost. Danked showed on the intro that he doesnt need a hook to rip a track apart, but on this track he shows the other side of that and his talent for rocking an enjoyable chorus. Vintage Danked Out on here as he spits with confidence and delivery that will have you swearing he a vet in this rap game.

Ain't No Tellin is more relaxed and laid back but still has a crackin beat done by then talented youngster Tony Lo. KOB and J. Minixx join the track and both do a nice job. Tony Lo on the beat stole the show though, with a chill westcoast beat that will have your head nodding the whole time. KOD and Danked Out also sound very good together on a track, looking forward to hearing more.

Tear It Up has an up tempo feel to it that I could hear on the radio or in the club. Don't get it twisted though, Danked Out comes off fresh to death on the track and doesnt water down his flow or lyrics to do this type of track. Grab some whiskey, Gin or what ever you sip on and turn the volume up on this and it will have you giggin' like Mac Dre was still alive. Jon Jon continues the great production that this album has as well, with a nicely done party beat. YEEEE!

Beast and a Monsta features another up and coming lyrical powerhouse, San Jose beast Stik Gilatine. These two dudes right here show that the westcoast and bay area are in godo hands in the future, nothing but high quality shit from both these dudes every time I hear em. Can we get a colab album from these two in the future? Blappin beat and two dude who know how to put the pen to that pad and drop lyrics for days. This song has tons of great lines that I could write here but here is one from Stik that picked: "These boys aint lyrically fit man, step up get stuck, yea drivin the quick sand/my city is leanign on my yea call me the kick stand"

"Do It Like This" is one of my favorite songs on the album as it has one of the best beats on the album that is done by the underrated Tekilla. Put this track on a nice system and pump the volume way up to fully appreciate it. Both Danked Out and especially Pody Mouf rip the beat to shreds like they
are sharks in the water following that blood. Is it just me or is Pody Mouf another extremely talented up and comer on the west? Dude drops some club shit, some gangster shit and also some lyrical stuff to. Definatly hope to hear more tracks from Danked and Pody together, both talented and seem on a mission to drop nothing but quality work.

Put It Down is yet another track that I can't stop bumping lately. Ive had this track for awhile now and it seems to always get played on the nice days when the sun is out so far this summer. Looe on the beat and Danked spittin fire, can't ask for much more! The quality of the recording shines on this track to and is dope the whole way thru! Yet another heater on Take Out! No features on this one, its just Danked Out doin his thang over a bangin slap.

Wuts Good is the only track that im not feeling on this album myself personally. Its not that the song is horrible or badly made, its just that it feels out of place on this album to me. Most of the other tracks go together well and feel like they are part of something, but this song feels like it was just tossed in there. On its own as a single I might enjoy it more, but in the middle of this album it just didnt work for me. The beat from Looe is another slap, the rest of it just aint slappin to me to be honest.

On Some Other shit to me is a soon to be classic, crazy ass beat from Scandal and so many quotables from Danked and Krypto. Indo does his usual dope hook on this song and it works very well in between these two setting the mic on fire. I already reviewed this track awhile back so I wont go doing a bunch of the same quotes or new ones, just listen to the song and enjoy hit. You know when Krypto, Indecent and Danked come together its gonna be quality and this is no differnt. One of my personal fav songs on this album and the whole bay this year, everyone came off correct no doubt.

Fire is on some lyrical flexing for Danked Out and is just him spittin crazy lines for the whole track. Scandal does another good beat, though not as nice as "On Some Other Shit", its still well made.

Goin' Gone is decent but compared to some of the other excellent tracks on this album it just can't compete. The production is fine and nothing really wrong with the lyrics, it just didn't do much for me or make me want to repeat the song like alot of the others on this album have.

Dank is another track that I was feeling alot. Danked Out lets yall know just who the fuck he is, rapping over another quality beat from Looe. He sound so hungry on this track, like he ain't ate in days and hes rappin to eat. Grab ya grapes, role that shit up and bump this Dank tracked from the playa known as Danked Out.

Wut U Talkin is another of the top songs on this album, which features great production from ERG. Krypto steals the show on this track with some slick lines and that ill flow we come to expect from the big dog. Beat wise, its yet another mothafuckin slap that Danked picked up.

No Problems with Tradgedy is dope as fuck to, with a well made hook and Looe dropping maybe his best beat on the album. Danked does a great job on tracks like this that have a really well made hook and a slappin beat. You will find yourself singing along to the hook and your head bobbing the whole way. Not much more to say other then, THIS SHIT SLAP and YOU DONT WAN'T NO PROBLEMS! This track should get a video for ya ASAP!

Generation X is a crazy lyrical slaughterhouse with some of the best up and coming westcoast mcs. Tracks with these man people usually dont work out and have atleast a few rappers who dont represent as hard as others. With this shit here though EVERYONE does a sick job spittin that swine flu.
Already did a review for this song awhile ago, so Ill jsut say this.. You wack rappers that ain't bringing dope music to the table better watch out, these dudes are: 1. Hungry 2. extremely talented 3. they have lyrics for days. I really hope that we get an album from these dudes together, this would
be the westcoast version of Slaughterhouse, except with many more. Its so hard to pick who did the best job on this song, one time it will be one and then the next listen it will be someone else.

I Get It is one of the best beats on the album, as Looe drops a classic westcoast riding beat. Danked Out is the best over these kind of hard ass mobb type of beats, he just rides that shit perfectly. Some songs are dope, but you dont feel like bumpin em over and over, but this track is addicting as hell. I can't say enough about the beat on this one to, slaptastic! On top of it all, Indecent grabs the mic and reps for producers who can rap on the mic, as he does his thang.

Show U Where Its At is another heater from Tekilla that Danked sounds right at home on. Lots of quotables on this song: "I stay loaded like the bases on a grand slam" is one of em. This track could also have radio or tv potential to, lets see how things go.

100 Bars is just Danked Out going in hard as a mothafucka over another ill beat from Tony Lo. Just bar after bar from Danked over a dope beat, the fuck else you need? Yes its another slick song that ends the album very well.

Overall this is a very good album from Danked Out, its got well made beats, some fantastic features and showcases a hungry, talented and confident mc in Danked Out. Its really hard to belive that this dude is just starting off in this rap shit, hes got his flow down perfectly and sounds like hes been
doing this for years already.

With someone like Indecent behind him and helping out, its only going to get better in the future. Keep an eye on this dude Danked Out, as well as the rappers on Generation X, this is dope music with good beats and new aged lyrical fitness. Definatly looking foward to seeing a few videos for this and Danked Out's next project.

Generation X - Danked Out, Pody Mouf, AG Cubano, Shill Macc, Ice Meez and Roach Gigz

Generation X - Danked Out, Pody Mouf, AG Cubano, Shill Macc, Ice Meez and Roach Gigz

For awhile there I was begining to think the Bay Area rap scene didnt have a ton of young talent like it has in the past. But with the rise of Livewire and all the quality stuff they put out, times have changed.

Danked Out has been impressing me since I first heard his music. Dude sounds so confident on the mic and sure of himself, that its hard to belive hes just started rapping the last year or so.

This Generation X track is crazy, the beat is hard as a mothafucka and each of the mc's do a great job at spittin crack on the mic. Its one of those posse tracks that is near perfection, its extremely hard to single out one mc that did the best job.

It seems like everytime I hear this track I am feeling one rappers verse the most, then the next time its someone else. How often do we get a posse track like this where EVERYONE on it spits fire? Usually you get a few dope verses then a bunch of crap and then some average spits, but this is all fire, the whole song.

I am hoping we get a GENERATION X album, each of these dudes got bars for days and shows that the bay area has young talent on the come up that is going to rep the bay are and the westcoast well.

I could go on and on about each verse and post quotables from each dude, but that would make this review a few pages long. Tons of dope lyrics, alot of swag, a slappin beat, mixed very well and overall just a fantastic track!

If this group of mc's ever come out with an EP or LP together you better cop it, these guys have tons of talent and this song is one of my favorites of 2010 no doubt. If there is a complaint its that the song had to end and that I would have liked to see Nio Tha Gift and Stik Gilatine on the track but thats just me.

$hots - $hots Is Here Get It Clear!

$hots is an up and coming bay area rapper that has a bucket full of talent to offer this rap game. Sometimes its hard for new rappers to get on and in the thick of things, even with alot of talent, but $hots looks like hes well on his way to making an impact on this westcoast rap game.

The first time I heard of $hots was on a freestyle video I think, and dude was rippin it up with tons of confidence and energy.

Things start off well with King Flow, as $hots shows his excellent flow and some good lyrics. Alot of rappers seem to be struggling or fighting there flow as they spit but $hots flow sounds very natural, like it comes easy and he aint forcing things.

We Here is more of a fast paced song and while not bad is a step down from the previous song and the next one.

No Brakes is slick as a mothafucka as $hots rides the beat extremely well. With more of a down south type of sound to it, $hots shows that he can do numerous styles of songs that people from every coast or region can enjoy.

Friend Role is my least favorite song on the album as $hots rocks the auto tune the whole time and im not feeling it at all. I dont mind Auto tune for a hook here and there, but when its used the whole song it honestly gives me a headache.

2010 Till is a knock no doubt as $hots does his thang over the classic SOuls Of Mischief beat from way back. Dope lyrics on here and his addicting flow are showcased on one of the albums top songs.

No Seatbelt is another enjoyable track that once again shows $hots versatility on the mic, charizma and swag aswell.

Money Money and I win are not bad songs but are not songs Ill be playing much or ever again. Just not that interesting to me for what ever reason.

Right Now is dope as fuck and gets things back on track after a few average songs. Showcasing his flow and lyrics again on here as he spits hood shit with convidence and personality.

Go Thru it is more of a deep track and it works wonderfully. I would like to hear more of these kind of songs from $hots, he rocks em very well. This track will be on repeat for the next while no doubt.

5 Star is a club slapper that homeboy sounds very confident on and would sound good in the club or in your ride on a sunny day while puffin on some grapes.

My Damn Self is a tight track but the quality doesnt sound right. The recording, the mixing, etc... just doesnt sound right. If more work was put into making this sound as good as most of the other songs it would be another ill track no doubt.

Dope n Guns has a dope chorus and dope lyrics aswell. $hots sounds slick when hes rockin storytelling shit like this and over beats like this.

Audio Crack is another one of the albums best songs as $hots spits that crack thru the mic and will have you pressing repeat numerous times. Is it just me or would J Stalin and Clyde Carson sound dope on this track with $hots? Had to cut up some Jack Hair bud after hearing this one.

Memory Bank got some excellent lyrics but is somewhat pulled down a bit with a wack hook. But overall its an enjoyable song and has $hots painting a picture with his tales on here.

Toe Up is on some Mac Dre party type shit that I was feeling as well. The lyrics are nothing that will blow you away but its a good track to bump before you hit up the club or smash on a breeezy.

Most of the beats are industry rap beats like alot of mixtapes but there are 4 tracks with original beats. Dex Beats really did a good job on Toe Up track, with some very good production, the other original beats are good but this one was the highlight for me.

Overall this was a good project from $hots and will have me interested in hearing more from the up and coming mc in the future. Keep your ear to the streets and remember the name dude has a bright future ahead of him. With some good production behind him from maybe Sean T, Indecent, Cozmo or other bay area producers, $hots could really be a force in years to come.

Big Koz - Weekly Masterpeice #1

Week #1 of my masterpeice rap albums posts. Each week I will be posting an album that I find to be a masterpeice and a MUST OWN hiphop album. Been listening to rap music since 1987 and this is just my personal opinion. It will be albums from everywhere, Westcoast, Eastcoast, Down South,etc..



CELLY CEL - KILLA KALI

This album is just simply amazing, raw street tales with great flows from Celly Cel. But the best part about this album is the production, one of the best produced hiphop records ever in my honest opinion.

With beats from westcoast legends such as: Tone Capon, Studio Tone, Ken Franklin and Sion-T.

If you are a fan of old school westcoast mobb music then give this album a listen its simply amazing. Or do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of the real cd. I still have my copy from the day it came out, brings back great memories from 95 or 96 when it dropped.

Some albums dont age very well, they where dope back in the day but not so good now, but this cd is still just as good as it was back then, maybe even better. Maybe albums can get better with time? Like wine when its aged well? Dope album is dope!

There really is not one bad or average song on this whole album, its extremely well made the whole way! Killa Kali brings back tons of great memories from when this first dropped, every summer I have to bring this album out and bump it. Street tales over some of the best production that the westcoast has to offer, do yourself a favore and go cop this album if you can find it.

My Favorite songs =

- What You Niggaz Thought

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRv3ITxeP-w&feature=related

- Its Going Down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPv0o536V_g&feature=related

- 4 Tha Scrilla

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSflIbc2ZZg&feature=related

- Playerizm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkSYE8ZtgY0

- Red Rum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9MgvRAeOgs&feature=fvw

TRACKLISTING:

1. "Round 2 (Intro)"- 1:47
2. "What U **** Thought"- 4:44
3. "4 tha Scrilla"- 4:09 feat. E-40 and B-Legit
4. "It's Goin' Down"- 5:25
5. "Can't Tell Me **** 5:18
6. "Tha Bullet"- 4:44
7. "Red Rum"- 4:27 feat. Spice1
8. "Skanlezz Call"- :45
9. "Scanlezz Azz Butcher"- 5:16
10. "Remember Where You Came From"- 4:16
11. "Killa Kali"- 5:02
12. "Playerizm"- 5:03
13. "Funk Season"- 5:17

Stik Gilatine and Tha Critic - Streets To The Sky

Stik Gilatine & Tha Critic - Streets To The Sky

The San Jose rap scene keeps pushin a hard line with this all freestyle album from Stik Gilatine and Tha Critic. Last year two of my favorite rap albums where The Enimegos cd and The Fly Guy from Stik Gilatine, both had great production and excellent rapping.

To me its always nice to see what rappers can do off the top of there dome, its a part of the hiphop culture and I wish more rappers would drop a freestyle mixtape or album once every few years.

My Click and Who's That are my favorite songs out of the first hand full as Stik Gilatine, Trey C and Th Critic show us there raw and uncut talent at this freestyle shit. No big name features, no gimicks, just straight freestyles for that ass.

Tha Critic is more on the gangster/d-boy side of things, while Stik Gilatine is more on a hiphop tip to me, but with both these dudes together its the best of both worlds. Both compliment each others style perfectly and are enjoyable to listen to.

Still Here is another slappin track that has Critic stealing the show with his street tales and confident flow. Stik Gilatine doesnt dissapoint either as he rocks a slick flow and his usual quotable raps.

From The Ground Up is another highlight as Stik delivers the goods lyrically and will have you swearing up and down that this was written, his freestyles are that good.

Blaze A 50 is straight heat as Critic, Stik Gilatine and 2 Left Feet destroy that Nas beat from a few years back. I remember having this Nas single on record years back and it was a favorite for freestyles or just mixing an accapella with, dope to hear it on here with these San Jose monsters rippin it up.

So Gone is one of the few tracks I wasnt feeling, but thats a small set back in an overall excellent freestyle project.

Streets To The Sky is another heater as Stik Gilatine steals the show with more consistant freestyles without messing up at all. 2 Left Feet also rocks his best freestyle on this as well.

Im A Ride is definatly the type of production that Critic shines on to me, as he drops some dope lines with confidence for days.

Do Your Thang has Playa Rae showing that hes still at the top of his game with his spits and will have you anticipating another solo from the San Jose vet. Super ill track with a dope hook, cant ask for much more.

Close is another blap that I had on repeat for awhile. I've always enjoyed this chill relaxing beat and Critic does the production justice as he spits a short, but fantastic verse.

In Love Wit A Rida is addicting as hell and a song ill be bumpin for awhile, dope beat, sick hook and top notch rapping. I cant recognize this beat and I know there is one original beat on this album so my guess is that this is the one, straight heater from start to finish.

My Life is on the storytelling side of things and shows the diversity of this mixtape as a whole.

Step it up has Playa Rae sliding by to lay a hand and some raps with Stik and Critic and once again does a great job. Is it just me or do these three have alot of charizma together on tracks?

Overall this is a very good project from Monstaville and 408inc, its nice that some rappers can still spit off the top with freestyles. Usually when I hear a freestyle album it gets boring half way thru or just isnt very consistant, but this right here from Stik Gilatine and The Critic was very well done. A lot of the freestyles are so well done that they dont even sound like they where
made up on the spot, excellent job from both mcs.

Only thing I would change would be a few of the beats that where picked and if im gonna nit pick then I might as well say having Gangsta Reese up on one or two songs woulda been nice to. I'm usually not a huge fan of freestyle albums but when they are done right like this one and the ones by say Cellski, Baldhead Rick and Mistah Fab they are good stuff.

Do yourself a favor and download this or cop the DVD and hard copy when it drops, the San Jose rap scene is putting out some awesome work people, time to take notice if you havn't yet. If you are still sleeping on Stik Gilatine, then go pick up one of last years best albums, The Fly Guy and check out The Critic killin it on So Sweet on that Enemigos cd.

SCORE = 8/10

Big Chill - Chill Pill

The only work I had heard from Big Chill in the past was on some comedy shit and while being entertaining and creative was nothing I'd listen to over and over again years down the road.

You cant judge a book by its cover, a movie by its trailer or an album by its cover these days. Some of the best foreign movies Ive seen have had weak covers or a bad trailer, but ended up being fantastic. This is the same deal with Chill Pill, when I saw the cover I wasn't sure if this would be more comedy stuff from Chill or a serious rap album. But the songs on here are nearly all extremely well made and a bunch of them will be getting play all this summer.

Wiggle is on some old school mob shit and works very well as Big Chill rides the slappin beat perfectly and reminded me of some old school Celly Cel or The Click music.

Crazy B is a track that I'm sure every male who been smashing for a minute can relate to. Its about crazy bitches and is not only a real life type of track but its got some comedy thrown in there as well as Chill raps about them Crazy Beeezies out there. Good storytelling, some humor in there and another solid beat.

Westcoast Retro is one of my favorites on Chill Pill as Big Chill slides thru to bring this westcoast rap music back to its roots. The production on here is nothing to crazy or complex but it fits this track perfectly, and the hook is on some classic shit aswell. Roll up some Kush or Hemp Star and bump this during a summer BBQ and im sure some of the old school west coast fans will be asking "Who is this? This shit go!".

Imagination is another great track that really shows Big Chills storytelling abilitys, over a relaxing chill beat. To me this track is some westcoast shit mixed with some Slick Rick type of storytelling, as Big Chill takes you along with some of his dreams, as his imagination run wild. For some reason I could see this song on a modern day Boyz N The Hood movie, would be perfect.

It Iz Chill really brings me back to the days when westcoast rappers would made enjoyable party songs. Entertaining production and Big Chill spittin good lyrics that people can vibe to, without selling out on some played out radio friendly Auto-Tune bullshit. Seriously, go make yourself a Gin n Tonic or what ever you drink and put some Ribs on the BBQ, light up a fatty and bump this song as loud as you can.

Murderers Row is totally differnt then the rest of the album and the songs before it. This song is on some crazy ass mobb shit, mixed with some Brotha Lynch flavor. Its tracks like this that show Big Chills versatile writing and talent. The beat is hard as a mothafucka and the lyrics are just as hard. Never been a huge fan of horrorcore music (other then Lynch and Mars), but
this track here is on some sick shit and I gotta admit I love it. A few tracks ago Chill was rippin apart some summer time chill tracks, now this track is on some Murder tip, but still done very well with storytelling at its best. Definatly one of the real highlights of the album for me personally, just straight heat.

Ohh Chill will have you starting up the BBQ or rollin up a spliff and then putting the song on repeat. What makes this song dope to me is that it sounds like a remake, but its got its own style and feel to it. Just do yourself a favor and check this song out, straight classic to me personally. Another good beat and great lyrics from Big Chill and the hook? Lets just say
that it will have you singing it for days to come "Ohhh Ohhh chill things are gonna get easyier, ohhh ohhh chill things are gonna get brighter". Alot of the time when rappers try to redo a really dope track it doesnt seem to do the original justice, but Chill did his thang on here.

House Party is another chill track that will take you back to the 90's type of westcoast party vibe. Once again its another song that would be perfect playing at a house party in the summer, layed back beat with Big Chill doing the damn thang.

The whole album is dope and I reccomend people give it a chance, there is something here for everyone. There really are no bad songs on here, IDGAF is the only track that could be better to me and its a bonus song, so its all good. Big Chill really brought his A game on this album and I hope it does well.

Big Chill did all the production on here which is pretty impressive to me for one person to do all these differnt kinds of beats. Not only is this dude spittin dope lyrics with an addicting flow, but he can produce some dope ass shit aswell! Not full of features to help him out, its all Big Chill on here and thats whats so impressive with this album to me.

Tracks like Westcoast Retro, Murderers Row and Ohh Chill are tracks I'll be bumping not only all summer but for years to come. I would have liked maybe one or two more of the crazy hardcore tracks like Murderers Row but in the end thats just personal preference. The production is on point for the most part, the recording quality sounds good, Big Chill's flow and writing ability is top notch and he really ahs managed to take it back to a time when westcoast music was at its best.

You remember when party/radio songs where not cheesy and gay as fuck? But instead well made tracks with dope production and lyrics that you could have playing at a BBQ or party? Well Big Chill has brought that shit back with Chill Pill. I think old school fans will really enjoy this record right here, anyone born in the 80's or 70's will want to cop this. Might be to 'old school' for some of these young kids, but for me personally this is quality project that brings me back.

SCORE: 9/10

A-Wax - Nightmare On Elm Street Vol.1

A-Wax - Nightmare On Elm Street Vol.1

There are only a hand full of mixtapes that I seem to enjoy each year, if that. Maybe its the DJ putting stupid ass gun shots or sirens in the background, djs who cant use turntables or just wack songs, but I just am not as big of a mixtape fan as back in the day. These days I seem to prefer the original production mixtapes from dudes like DJ Fresh or some of Dj Green Lanterns work. Or on some old school shit with good mixes and remixes by the likes of Dj Mark 7 or Dj Chong Wizard.

Awax has been on the grind the last year with a dope street album, a colab album with Regime member Gonzoe and now vol1 of this mixtape right here. All of which are enjoyable and worth your time and money to check out.

NFES starts off with a crazy track called NIGHTMARE which is produced by the underrated "Equivalent Exchange", which has a slappin ass beat that will have you looking over your shoulder the whole time. I love it when a producer can flip something ridicolous like this, one of the better beats ive heard this year. Im not 100% but I think there are samples from Nightmare on Elm Street on here and the way this was done from Equivalent Exchange is hot as fuck.

Sometimes a dope first track sets the tone for a great album or its a trick and the rest of the album sucks. But with this project right here its just a taste of whats to come.

Yes most of the beats (I think all of them besides the first one) are from other rappers songs, but there is a nice selection and Awax brings his A game.

First thing you notice after the first listen of this mixtape is that its album quality, the recording is good, the lyrics top notch and Wax is just spittin hard as fuck. There are some disses on here and they are no joke. Im not gonna lie here and be 100 with everyone, Mob Figgaz are one of my favorite groups, Smigg Dirtee is a beast on the mic who ive always enjoyed. So most might think that fans of those that I listed wouldnt like or listen to Awax, but I cant front the dude has lyrics, swag and lately great beat selection and a good flow.

Mic Down is another great track that has Awax just ripping the mic apart and taking no prisoners. Not only does Awax make good D-boy gangster music, but hes got some deep and complex lyrics at times aswell, can cover all areas it seems lately.

Stayin Up is that D-Boy music from the start to the end of the song. A song I could see on a movie like City Of God, Menace II Society or City Of Men. The hook is also enjoyable and will have you singing along or nodding your head in no time.

Against Time is on some more relaxed deep shit that anyone can enjoy or relate to. The last two songs are Awax at his best to me, either with the D-Boy shit or the meaningful deep tracks. And once again the chorus is well made and instead of being annoying or ruining the song like seems to be happening alot in rap these days.

Fair One is one of my favorite songs on the album as Bandana tha Rag joins
Wax for a hood as fuck track. Bandana The Rag shows he is improving with every track, he spits major heat on this song and steals the show, which is damn hard to do when Awax is on the track. Both mcs do a great job though, Wax holds his own and as usual sounds good when sharing a track with Tha Rag. Gonzoe gets a few shots sent his way as Awax spits vicious lyrics the whole time.

Passive Aggresive is another hard ass track that has Awax smackin rappers outside the face with hard lyrics. This is not only a dope diss but creative aswell, as Awax rocks some commentary inbetween his verses while his enemy is rapping.

Other songs I enjoyed are Soul, Up & Down and Obviously, which feature Awax at his best and very consistant. This mixtape is up there with the newest Jadakiss mixtape, Dj Mark 7's latest and the latest Jeezy as my favorites so far this year on the mixtape circuit.

The whole mixtape is a great listen and there really isnt many bad things to say about this album. Some songs are better then others but no songs that make me skip them. To me personally Awax has done some great work with his last three projects, call me impressed, this dude keeps getting better and better. Usually to many diss songs bore me or get on my nerves but I cant front, this shit right here is hot.


SCORE = 9/10

Moeses Soulright The 2nd/Dj Mark 7 - The Delicatessen

The Delicatessen starts off very well with an enjoyable song "I Know" that showcases Moeses Soulright The 2nd. Alot of soul comes thru on this track and the whole cd in general, as Moeses spits lyrical lines aswell as a good flow to go with a very unique sounding voice and style.

DJ Mark 7 really brings this project together nicely aswell as he lends a helping hand and is a reminder to other DJ's of what a DJ should be doing.



Hood Shit Ya Know is another standout track as Moeses feels right at home over the instrumental, aswell as rocking a great chorus. This song also flows into the next song very well to, which is called Gone With The Wind and has some extremely strong and jazzy production from Has, probably my favorite song on the cd.

As a huge fan of other genres of music and not just hiphop (Jazz, Blues, Reggae), I really enjoy how this project sounds, weither its original beats or just picking some good old school industry beats. You get a real soulful, jazz feel while listening to this here.

Another very good track is All We Do, which features Skee and also has some fantsatic original production, this time the slappin beat is done by Unkle Sam.

Roots Reggae is a mixture of reggae and rap and its done very well, and caused me to pause the cd and roll one up before listening to it further. This song shows Moeses can do not just hiphop, but also add a little bit of other
genres into his music aswell.

Frequencies is another shorter track, as the album keeps moving and flowing together. The average rap fan who wants more of a pop sound or club music might not understand or apprecaite this album, but for me its very unique as its got a little something for everyone and ALOT for people who like some other genres on top of rap music. In a time where rap music features so much copy cat crap, it nice to listen to someone like Moeses Soulright The 2nd who isnt scared to step out of the box a little bit and make world music and not just rap music.

40 OZ Of The Ocean is a feel track that has a real old school feel to it. Smooth track right here that features Skee and Des Real joining Moeses Soulright The 2nd. DJ Mark 7 does his damn thang as he connects this to the next track which has a really slappin beat once again from Unkle Sam. More great rapping, another good original beat, a good hook and DJ Mark 7 on the ones and twos, what more can we ask for?

Cold Pimpin once again has another slap from Has on the boards, which features a good backdrop for Moeses The Soulright to spit his lyrical tales and raps over.

Another personal favorite is The Longeliest as Moeses spits some great lines and is a track that has been played over alot since I got this project. Just another track on here that shows Moeses is extremely consistant and confident with his raps and the songs he is doing.

Get Cha is decent but probably my least favorite track on the mixtape. I wouldnt consider this a bad track, just when compared to the other tracks it doesnt do as much for me, despite a dope hook.

Filmore Nights is another good track as Moeses brings us to some nights in Filmore and is very enoyable. More good tales and raps, along with a well made hook.

Gone is super dope as the soul in Moeses Soulright The 2nds voice really shines over a classic beat, aswell as once again rocking a very good chorus. How many rappers out there these days can rock a song as smooth and soulful as Moeses does right here?.

Dude has his own style and the only rapper I could really compare him to is Charlie Tuna from Jurassic 5, mainly because of the sound of his voice. Although I will say that Moeses Soulright The 2nd has his own way of using
that deep, soulful voice and also seems a bit more versatile.

This cd was good the whole way thru to be completely honest. DJ Mark 7 once again does a great job as one of the best DJ's around and really could teach a bunch of DJ's a thing or two about putting together a project. There is no bullshit screaming, car sirens,etc.. like alot of DJ's use way to much, its just great mixing and doing things the right way. This whole work flows together very well and doesnt get boring or repetitive at all.

I for one will be looking forward to the next work from Moeses Soulright The 2nd, as he really brings a little bit of everything to the table with good lyrics, a flawless flow and one of the better voices on the westcoast at the moment. All of the original production on this peice of work are very well done aswell.

More rappers should call on DJ MARK 7 in my opinion, he has rocked some of my favorite mixes ever and he just knows how to get a project to flow well together. This work here starts off very well and finishes off just as good aswell. Dont sleep on Moeses Soulright The 2nd and DJ Mark7, get yourself a copy!

8.5/10

The Infantry Presents Mega Slap Vol3 Hosted by: Roach Gigz

Nobe and The Infantry are back at it again with the 3rd volume of Mega Slap for that ass. This one is hosted by up and coming bay area mc Roach Gigz who has tons of potential with his music.

Overall the mixtape is good and definatly worth checking out. The highlights to me personally are Danked Out - Put It Down, Roach Gigz - Magic Gas, Bueno - Chasin' Me, Eddie Projex - Wrong and Young Rebz - Fly Individual.

Other enjoyable tracks are Outta My Head by Skuba and Erk Tha Jerk, Break A Bitch Off by Young Mix,Dregs One - City Lights, The Katz & Nobe song and G-Mo - Brace Yourself. Another dope song is the World Trade Produced Doing My Thang by Local $tar which has a good beat and overall slappin.

There are not any really bad songs on the album, just some are higher quality then some of the others. The only song that I could do without on here is the song by Kai Straw which just gets a little annoying after awhile, mainly because of the hook.

To be honest I think I'll have Bueno - Chasin me and the Danked Out song on repeat for a good while, both those songs are ridicolously hot. The hook on Chasin' Me is fantastic and the production along with the lyrics are top notch. Danked Out also continues his onslaught of lyrical heat on here as he continues to prove hes one of the most talented up and coming mcs. Bueno and Danked Out both have my attention for future releases, these dudes have been dropping nothing but fire from what ive heard.

Do yourself a favor and go download this free mixtape, you wont be dissapointed. Weither or not you like the music that Inf Gang is doing, you cant deny there hustle and work ethic.

I was going to score this a 7/10 but after listening to it a bunch more times and having Chasin' Me and Put It Down on repeat for the last few days, its up to a 8/10.

SCORE 8/10

http://www.infgang.com for the download

Dekalog/Decalogue

Dekalog/Decalogue

Kieslowski is one of my all time favorite directors and Dekalog is a cinema masterpeice.
Its basically 10 short movies (1 hours each), that are loosely based on the 10 Commandements.

Each movie/episode has amazing cinematography and acting, along with a fantastic soundtrack to boot. There is so much more then meets the eye in Dekalog, that even after seeing each one numerous times, there are still things that you will relize and find later on.

None of the films are bad and everyone will have there own favorites, but to me film #1,#6,#2,#4 and #9 would be my personal favorite. Episode #6 is a shorter version of A SHORT STORY ABOUT LOVE, which is by the same director and 2 hours instead of one hour. The other film that has a full length version is A Short Story About Killing, which is fantastic aswell. The films each are named just by numbers and not by a name if you are wondering why im just using the numbers instead of names.

Some of the films here are very powerful and really pull the viewer in. The characters are great, the writing is top notch and the atmopshere the Kieslowski has created is simply amazing. Artur Barcis does a wonderful job as a nameless character who observes some of the main characters are they do things. He plays the role very well as he seems somewhat supernatural as he watched the main characters at key points but never intervenese.

Each film is directed by Kieslowski but he uses a differnt cinematographer for each film, which really adds a unique twist to each one. Stanley Kubrick who is another of my favorite directors once said that Dekalog was one of the most amazing peices of film every made and I definatly have to agree with that.

Some people might find Krystof Kieslowski's work a little boring but to me its a thing of beauty,
if you can find this box set do yourself a favor and get it. Definatly a MUST have for any foreign
movie fan. If you end up really liking Dekalog then please check out The Double Life of Veronique and the Colour Trilogy (Blue, Red and white), which are also classics from Kieslowski.

Weither you enjoy foreign movies or not, Dekalog is something that everyone should watch at least once in there lifetime. Cinema like this doesnt come around very often, maybe once in a lifetime so give this a chance if you see it at a store.

SCORE: 10/10