May
22

The Big Bland Dreams of Meek Mill

Jonah Bromwich dreams of electric Meek. Between the Killer Mike and Ab-Soul albums, I’ve been on black radical sabbatical, but I’m returning to the mainstream for a moment — a shift from fiery personalities/righteous anger/interesting albums to the distinctly un-radical new mixtape of Messr. Meekus Mill. Dreamchasers 2 isn’t half bad. Whenever Mill is spotted… Continue reading »

May
18

Killer Mike’s R.A.P. Music > Rap Music

Doc Zeus is also glad that Reagan’s dead. Given their shared fondness for bombast and apocalyptic oration, I imagine a choir of avenging archangels were sent as heralds to mark the occasion when Killer Mike and El-P met. Certain artists just simply belong working with each other and its no coincidence when fate forms a… Continue reading »

Apr
04

The Fantastic Plastic of Lee Bannon

Evan Nabavian is considering taking a job in plastics. A man claiming to be recording himself taking a dump with his iPod screams, “I got video chat on this muthafuckaaa! I got a million games on this muthafuckaaa!” right before the song abruptly switches to an antiquated infomercial about the Internet. The distorted clips and… Continue reading »

Apr
02

Chromatics, the Killers

Jonah Bromwich does it better. When grappling with a work of art, it’s occasionally helpful to imagine it within a different medium. That’s a pretty pretentious idea, so allow me to illustrate. The Wire is a commonly used example: the staggering depth, characterization, and pacing reminded most critics of a novel not a TV show.… Continue reading »

Jan
09

Review: Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – “Merry eXmas”

Jonah Bromwich doesn’t order well drinks. You could be forgiven for thinking that Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire has changed. If you didn’t delve too deeply into Lost In Translation, you may have found it fun: loud, lewd, and full of absurdist fantasies and shots of vodka. But there was dirty, stark realism at the core of… Continue reading »

Sep
07

Past the Heavens: Blu’s Continuous Self-Transformation

This is the first contribution from Tosten Burks. It will not be the last. When you debut with (near) perfection, what happens next? This question is Nas’s career. No matter how highly you revere Stillmatic or any of his other post-Illmatic works, Nasir Jones’s legacy will always be a tale of an artist beating on… Continue reading »

Aug
29

Empty Cup: Does Lil Wayne Need Drugs?

Don’t call Abe Beame killer because he’s killing. Putting your finger on precisely why you come away from Tha Carter 4 dissatisfied is a difficult proposition. It’s brimming with bangers, large hooks, big guest appearances, and experimental song concepts. Wayne is totally and completely invested. His rapping is as energetic and crisp. You can hear… Continue reading »

Jul
20

Frank & Beats: Zomby — Dedication

Despite the Walking Dead, Aaron Frank continues to endorse Zombies. Calling Zomby’s new album his best seems slightly inaccurate. By now, it’s clear that every release is more warped and innovative than its predecessor. Oddly enough, it doesn’t feel as if Zomby is “progressing,”  as much as uncovering another place within himself. In years past,… Continue reading »

May
12

Floodwatch: The Book of David and the Renaissance of DJ Quik

It occurred to me about halfway into The Book of David the other day that, De La Soul excepted, there isn’t another name in hip hop that has enjoyed a longer sustained loyalty for me than DJ Quik. I can still remember that autumn afternoon in seventh grade when my friend Erick handed me a… Continue reading »

May
09

Sach O: Tyler, The Creator – Goblin

Sach O is a fuckin table. You think you’re sick of hearing about Odd Future? Ask Tyler. Artists hating their own success is a well-worn trope, but the burning glare of the hype machine has never been so swift and vicious: the kid hasn’t even released a CD and yet he’s become the single most… Continue reading »

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