(Mixtape)

You have to commend Diggy Simmons. Every time you hear him flow, you immediately realize a couple of things. For one, he’s really passionate about this hip-hop shit.  Secondly, he’s not trying to rest on any laurels, as he sets the bar very high for himself. After two moderately successful mixtapes, The First Flight and Airborne, Diggy is back with his latest effort, Past, Present(s), Future, hosted by none other than the great DJ Premier. I put on my headphones to give this mixtape a listen.

Premo scratches in several classics for the youngest Simmons spitter to go in on. Digg is Like is a take on 1999′s “Nas is Like,” from Nas’ album “I Am,” and he doesn’t do a bad job at all.  He even goes back to the 80s with “Rising To The Top,” and the new Atlantic Records signee assesses his current position: I walk into Atlantic like it’s my time, the “welcome home king” posters looking like they mine/I know they T.I.’s, but in my mind/I’m the new king of the game, so watch me shine” Other standouts include  his take on  “Electric Relaxation” and the inclusion of the extended BET Cypher verse is also a plus.

Then there are the other joints…”Shook Ones” is a grimy classic and Digg’s clean cut flow couldn’t do the beat justice. Even riskier are the “Paid In Full” and”Shut em Down” reduxes. I get what they were trying to do, but his attempts at those are like vocalists who try to redo Whitney Houston or Luther Vandross songs…they shouldn’t be touched.

Past, Present(s), Future is a commendable effort, because it not only shows Diggy consistently improving, but he’s willing to reach back in time and go hard on any beat. He’s out to convince us that he’s built for this long term, and he wants respect more than a check. So far, so good.

-Reg Young

Uncrowned City Entertainment

Released 12/21/2010

Available on iTunes, Amazon and Rhapsody

iTunes Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-dark-room/id411758437

Seriously, hip-hop fans have been waiting on a Mikkey Halsted album about as long as we’ve been waiting on another Hot Boys album. The MC that Lil Wayne doesn’t want no parts of in a battle has signed and gotten out of two major label deals, and never lost the passion that made him one of the MCs to watch in any given year. Instead of  surrendering to the pressure of signing to another major label, or a lazy independent label like E1/Koch or Amalgam Digital, he decided to put his own money up and start Uncrowned City Ent, and take his time to make the album that he wanted to make. The end result is The Darkroom, an outstanding body of work that remains true to his beliefs, talent, work ethic, and love for the hip-hop culture.

The album starts with the spoken-word gem, “Welcome To the Dark Room,” with Mikkey going in on his contemporaries like only he can: “My niggas serching the scripture to find the antedote/it’s not that y’all pro-slavery, you’re just anti-hope…/the block provides us just enough to eat, like Per Diem/That’s why I’m fighting for our freedom…”

The entire album is packed with gems such as those. The most accessible tracks here are “First Class” and “Get Money (featuring The Cool Kids and Miss Criss) ” and lyrically, they’re better than anything on local radio right now.  Songs like “The Exorcist” show off the militant street intellect that he’s laced verses with his entire career. This is one of several joints with producer No ID, which all are highlights on the album.

While it’s hard to pick favorites, I’d have to say that “Field Nigga Blues” featuring BJ the Chicago Kid and Freddie Gibbs, the posse cut, “Running My City” featuring Bun B, Killer Mike, Crooked I, Chip Tha Ripper, Gillie Da Kid & Mistah Fab (Produced by SC), The Traxter-crafted “Niggaz Just Complain,” and “Soul of a Gangsta” are the album’s best cuts…to me, right now, but there’s enough heat for you to have a different favorite every day, as songs lies “Respect Mine,” “Frozen” and “Talk Through Me” are all introspective joints that show you another side of Mikkey.

Overall, this album is thorough, and was well worth the wait. Let’s hope that his next album doesn’t take as long. That would just be cruel and unfair punishment….

-Reg Young

We introduced you to Los Angeles based rap super group Black Hippy a few months ago and now Jay Rock has released, via Twitter, a  single from their upcoming project SetBacks, set to drop January 11th, if it doesn’t live up to its name. Ha.

Black Hippy – Rolling Stone

This is What’s In My Headphones…

Release Date: 10/14/2010

Mixed by DJ RTC of RubyHornet

As I’ve stated several times, Chicago has seen its share of great talent emerge from the shadows in the last couple of years. The best thing about that is that Among the top of heap is a gritty spitter from over east, Y.P. After what seemed like an eternity, he has finally released his highly anticipated mixtape, No Sleep, mixed by Rubyhornet’s DJ RTC. In keeping with the theme, I decided to stay up after midnight after the release to put my headphones on to give y’all the lowdown on No Sleep…
After a rousing intro, the project got off to a familiar start with the fan favorite, “Bounce,”  and it doesn’t let up. “Something Inside Me” gives listeners a glimpse “I notice the difference/they don’t spit quite like me/even paraplegics say they feeling YP…/…I went from sitting on the stoop to the DJ Booth…” Clocking in at just under 3 minutes, you’re left wanting another verse.

“Pray For Em’ (ft. Kamilah Summer) is a chilling narrative of inner city life, that tells the story from a slightly different perspective. Ms. Summer’s voice is also a breath of fresh air.  “Work” is drug dealing music, but while it isn’t necessarily a new concept, it certainly hasn’t sounded this authentic in a long time. “Something New” finds YP “lookin’ for some new hoes” with none other Freddie Gibbs, as they trade bars on some pimp ish. It’s only right…this is the city of pimps, right?

Another highlight is “What I’m On,” featuring another rising star, Rockie Fresh. No bullshit here, just spitting. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed. By the time you get to “Journey,” you feel like you know YP a lot better…almost personally.

No Sleep is a great effort throughout, as YP brings his A game on most of the record. DJ RTC’s  mixing and sequencing gives it a cohesive feel. The biggest drawback was the song length on most of the songs; Tracks like “Paper” and “Something Inside Me” will leave listeners wondering what one more verse could’ve done for those songs. Regardless, No Sleep was well worth staying up all night for.

-Reg Young

Cash Money/Universal

Released 11/22/2010

The 25-Year Old MC born Onika Maraj is the most hated female rapper since, well, the last hot female rapper. And, when exactly when was that? Can’t remember? Neither can I. Maybe it was Missy, but was she like, a real MC, though? No? Okay, let’s go back…um…Rah Digga? Nah, people liked her. Jean Grae? Nah…if you know about Jean, you love her.  Trina? Well, she always got a pass…maybe because she was pretty and the gals liked her. Lil Kim? Ah…now…we’re getting somewhere. The last time there was an uproar about a female rapper, it was during the Foxy/Kim era. Kim was the raunchiest and most controversial of the era’s wave of MCs. In addition to her sexuality being flaunted in the face of mainstream America, she was actually nice on the mic. Fast forward, and that same Lil Kim has been replaced by Miss Nicki Minaj, Young Money/Cash Money’s first lady. her debut album, Pink Friday was preceded by a couple of well-received mixtapes & a  slew of well placed cameos that set her up for the same kind of success that her labelmate , Drake has enjoyed this year.

Okay, so now the album is here. How is it? Well, for my review, I’m going to ignore Milly Vee and give it a listen for myself (Smile! )

1. I’m The Best - This comes on kind of anthemic, with the triumphant synth stabs…sounds like a victory lap: “Got the eye of the tiger, the Lion of Judah/ now it’s me and my time, it’s just me in my prime/everything I tried to teach em, they gon’ see it in time/tell them bitches get a stick, I’m done leading the blind…”  She’s fighting for all of the girls, and she’s trying to make this clear.

2. Roman’s Revenge (Feat. Eminem) – Okay, so this is supposed to be Roman Zolanski, one of NM’s many alter egos. Whoever it is, she merks Lil Kim, kind of like Lil Kim used to do chicks…how ironic. Swizz Beats is on the boards…very dark, 808 driven beat. Oh yeah…and Marshall ain’t a slouch either, to say the least . The hook is lazy, but other than that, this is a winner.

3. Did It On’Em – Shondrae “Bangladesh” Crawford mans the boards and joins Nicki on this joint. The result isn’t “A Milli” big, but this might be a favorite among fans regardless, because Nicki is so disrespectful! She sh*ts on everything moving here. Nice.

4. Right Thru Me – Nice and sappy…gag! No seriously…its’ nice to hear her being vulnerable with a joint like this. Nice choice for a single as well.

5. Fly (Feat. Rihanna) – This would be another great choice for a single, as Rihanna is the golden child when it comes to hooks these days, and it shares the theme of rising above adversity and setbacks.

6. Save Me – Nicki doesn’t have a bad voice…at all, actually. This 3 minute joint showcases some decent vocals (no rapping here), but other than that, it’s kind of skippable.

7. Moment 4 Life (Feat Drake) – Another joint where she goes in lyrically, pledging allegiance to Young Money, with labelmate Drake coming by to represent  as well. Oh yeah, can’t leave without simping a little bit, too…haha! Decent album cut, the beat is cool and the content is cool.

8. Check It Out  (Feat. Will.I.Am) – Nicki steps into uberpop territory with BEP frontman will.i.am – This shit is so bubble-gum poppy, you might need a root canal after listening. To be honest, this is kind of a miss. It doesn’t pack the punch of “OMG,” or one of them BEP joints.

9. Blazin’ (Feat. Kanye West) – The thing about Nicki is when she’s on, she’s ON. Here, she’s ON, like all of the lights in the crib. Yeezy takes a break from his own tour-de-force to drop a dope verse over Drew Money’s rapid fire beat:  “I think I’m Marc Jacos/ I think I’m Lagerfeld/I think without make-up, you still bad as hell…” Nice…

10. Here I Am - Swizz again, huh? Not bad, either…makes you wonder where the hell Eve is…anyway, Nicki is effective here, when she spits…the chorus feels kind of empty, though.

11. Dear Old Nicki – In this letter to her old self, she pleads for Old Nicki to return, because she was the reason she’s where she is now. Content-wise, the joint is clever.  The track sounds like several others on the album…

12. Your Love  – Had it not been for the leak, this song wouldn’t have even made the album. Thank God it did, as it kick started the whole PF campaign…it’s actually one of the brighter spots on the second half of the LP.

13. Last Chance (Feat. Natasha Beddingfield) – The official last song on the album…her flow is nasty here. The rapid provides a backdrop for her to do her thing. She’s being typical Nicki here, which leads me to believe this may be a single choice… that, and the Natasha Beddingfield feature).

Conclusion: There’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that may or may not gain Nicki Minaj many new fans. The good news is that she really doesn’t need them, as her fan base seems to be there already. This album should definitely satisfy the, ahem, “Barbies” that have been anticipating her first official offering. She’s lyrically adept, she has pop appeal and sex appeal (without always going over the top), so there’s no doubt she’s going to be successful. Like Drake, her album did what it was supposed to do, without really breaking any new ground. She’s okay for now, but she’ll need to get the wrecking ball out for album number two.

Okayplayer/2Dopeboyz
Release Date: 10/23/2010

Add-2 is an MC’s MC.  He’s the type of cat that isn’t afraid to attack ANY track and do his thing to the fullest.  He’s something you haven’t seen in a while, like Al Roker’s neck. If his latest mixtape, Tale of Two’s City Vol. 4: Better Days, was in your headphones like it should be, then you’d know that already (The line was taken from the track “Spare None”). After hearing him on various mixtapes (including WIMH Vol 1.) and watching him rock the stage with the world famous Roots, then you would understand why he’s a big deal. Apparently, Okayplayer and 2Dopeboys sees it, and they’ve co-sponsored his latest tape so you can see it too.

The tape begins with Waiting So Long (Produced by ILL Meel), and homie spits non-stop for 3 minutes, just to let you know what it is. After that, he bumrushes right into The Menace’s Theme, Pt 2 (Produced by Antman Wonder). Boasting the line, “Can’t we all get along?/Hell naw, fuck all y’all, all Eddie Long-ass niggas!” He makes it clear that he’s not in this game to make friends, but merk anybody holding a mic. Antman’s scratch-heavy beat, laced with horns and hard drums, marries East Coast grit with a Midwest rapid fire tempo. Add-2 steps up and bounces his flow all over the beat.

A Love Letter to All My Ex’s (prod. by The Getards) tells the story of the ex-girlfriend that wants back in and reap the benefit of Add-2, VonPea and Donwill’s hard work, but couldn’t support them when they were working to get to that point. I’m sure plenty of artists can relate to this one. On Spare None (prod. by D-Man) is just mean. Add-2 goes hard, “I heard your mixtape/no I’m not a fan/you repeat the same patterns over and over like pajama sets.” Really fam? You gon’ do em like that? Cassette Tapes (prod. by Mydus) goes equally as hard, as Add-2 goes down memory lane on his rise to prominent MC. Slow It Down (Prod. by High Caliba) is one of those joints that is classic Chi-City. Nothing else needs to be said about that.  Black Out (Prod. by D-Man) is another gem where hard as nails grit meets midwest swag.

This is Vol. 4 of this mixtape series, and arguably his best of the series. If not his best, it definitely features some of the best songs of his career thus far. Chi-Town, stand up! The homie Add-2 is representing the city properly, and I believe that, in due time, the world will count him as one of the best MCs around.

@RegYoung

E1 Music (Release Date 10/12/2010)

Aside from probably Hell Rell, the members of Dipset are some stubborn dudes. Prior to their recent reunion, they were convinced that the group’s separation wasn’t going to stop anyone’s show. Jim Jones did his best to keep the rest of the brotherhood together, as the group’s well known general broke off and did his own thing. He was convinced to find the next great artist…and it would only seem right he would find that person in Harlem. From the first few bars you hear from him, you already know that he’s cut from that same Harlem cloth. If you’re not careful, you may mistake him for a very much improved Jim Jones…but there ain’t that much improving in the world…

At any rate, After keeping his name hot with this summer’s “Large On the Streets” mixtape, and the lead single with Cam’ron (Speaking in Tungs), Vado dropped Slime Flu earlier this month. I got a chance to throw it in the headphones and give it a listen. The album is decent for a debut, but not without its missteps. Here are some highlights:

Polo – The rock-flavored track is a perfect backdrop for Vado, as he “Treats every track like a pack, get double…” Not much here lyrically besides him describing how fly he is, but not much is needed; it’s a certified banger.

Speaking in Tungs (feat Cam’ron) – Don’t get this joint mistaken for the R. Kelly & Ludacris joint, as this one has a bit more bounce, and probably the best verse from Cam in a hot minute. This fares slightly better than their other collab (Shooter)

On Council Music, Dude wasted NO time going in on a popular sample (which I won’t name because you should know it! LOL).

The Greatest stands out with lines like, “I’m like Ray Charles sitting courtside, I can’t see the game…it’s a bigger picture you don’t need a frame…” Vado proceeds to paint a picture of his life over a solid track.

Beat Knockin‘ – Maybe it’s the mix, but the title is misleading…the track is good, just not “knockin’!” However,  Vado spits his ass off on this.

Celebration – The track is kind of smooth and mellow, but he’s way too rowdy…aside from the tone of voice, his delivery is very effective, but I’m starting to feel like the subject matter isn’t going to stray outside of what’s already been talked about.

Wake Up – “I woke up to the haze, holding my pen steady/they say the Lord’s on his way, tell Him I been ready…” The first real glimpse into Harlem life from his eyes. His delivery is pretty consistent with the way it’s been throughout the album, because he “doesn’t spit, he vomits…” The track doesn’t drown him out, nor does he overpower it this time.

Snapped – Seems like a great story, but it’s too short. There wasn’t an opportunity for the plot to unfold properly…

The major problems with the LP is probably his delivery…it pretty much stayed the same throughout the album, regardless of  the changes in production. The production, while not always strong enough for his voice, was his biggest asset. His subject matter didn’t vary all that much either. Despite that, it’s a decent debut from the newest spitter from Harlem. However, there’s a lot of room for him to grow. Let’s hope he gets the opportunity to do so.

Get It Man/EMI Music (Released 10/12/2010)

If you’re acquainted with Kanye West, then chances are you know GLC a lot better than you think. As a member of the Go Gettaz, he paid dues as a spitter with Ye in their early days. He’s also stolen the show on songs like “Spaceship” and “Drive Slow,” two of Ye’s biggest hits. While he’s still in the G.O.O.D. Music family, he brings us his debut, Love, Life And Loyalty, on EMI Music. Heads have been anxious to hear what he can do when given the opportunity to put out a full LP. I finally carved some time to put on my headphones to break down the homie’s first solo joint…

1. The Big Knot (Feat. Bump J) – Chicago is a huge blues city, so to have this album start off on such a bluesy note, and feature the Chief (Bump J), immediately makes this LP feel like Chicago.

2. Clockin’ Lotsa Dollarz (feat. Bun B. & Sir Mix-A-Lot) – GLC and Bun B trade verses over a Sir Mix-A-Lot laden hook. The track gels both laid back MCs together, making me think that a few more collabs with those two wouldn’t be bad idea at all. Ism, if you’re listening, make that happen!

3. Pour Another Drink (Feat. John Legend) – “I stay chasing demons that I don’t see, but I feel em comin’ at me, I know they tryna get me…” says John Legend as Gangsta L. Crisis spits real talk over the synth and piano heavy track: “I looked up to the dealers that my sisters dated/they didn’t get familiar with my sister’s babies/At 13, I had to raise my sister’s babies…”

4. Cold As Ice (feat. Twista) – The track has a lot of drum changes during the verses, and this proves to be more of a problem for GLC than it is for Twista, who has just as many changes in his verse as the beat does. The hook doesn’t do song a great deal of justice, either.

5. MHCC (feat. Byrd Dre) – Money. Hoes. Cars. Clothes. GLC and guest Byrd Dre lets the world know “how Chi niggas roll.” Byrd Dre’s appearance isn’t long enough to be notable, and The Ism holds his city down on this one mostly by himself.

6. Flight School (feat. Kanye West & T. Pain) – I’d never thought I’d ever say that a song would be better without a T-Pain hook. The energy he injects into a song is miraculously missing…or maybe that’s by design…I listened to this several times and I just feels like he’s the only drawback. Go figure. The song is still decent, as GLC and Yeezy pimp the militant drums and deep bassline with fly verses.

7.  So Real (Feat. BJ The Chicago Kid) – This song accomplishes what Flight School didn’t. Honestly…no other comments on this, other than it’s hot. BJ The Chicago Kid is quickly becoming my favorite vocalist to hear on these hooks.

8.  My 1st Model – What an interesting twist in this album! This is 2011 Space Age Pimp shit. Certified. This needs to be a contender for the next single. Either this or So Real…very innovative production and GLC rides the percussion perfectly.

9. The Light (Feat. Manford Mann) – The pimp chronicles continue with this joint…the ending was a little awkward with Manford Mann’s off beat vocals…

10. I Ain’t Even On Yet – The inclusion of this joint is actually kind of confusing, primarily because this joint is 3 years old. It doesn’t help or hurt the situation, but most folks are going to skip it as soon as they realize what it is.

11. Pull Me Back (feat. The Legendary Traxter) – This will throw you right back to the Adrenaline Rush/Mobstability days….which is never a bad thing. Definitely want to hear more of GLC over Traxter’s beats.

12. Rosanne – “Call me Rosanne ’cause a player got weight, call me Lt. Dan, ’cause I got that Rosanne…” GLC spits more of the MHCC flow mixed with a little cocaine…lol. The beat leaves a little to be desired here.

13. This What It Is – This Trailblazers MPC – produced track is reminiscent of something Dipset would jump on…but aren’t you glad they didn’t? GLC sounds MUCH better than, say, Jim Jones! I’m just saying…

14. I Did It – GLC claims victory over this orchestral track, but it falters due to a bland hook.  It would’ve been nice to hear a little more emotion in his delivery to match the emotion of the strings that can’t help but take center stage here.

15. Tator Chip Pays – This skit is kinda funny…this may actually happen at a Harolds, but, as funny as it is, this is not the way to end an album.

Conclusion: This is a decent first effort from the Chi-Town homie GLC. While there is some standout moments, such as So Real, My 1st Model, Pour Another Drink, Pull Me Back & Clockin’ Lots of Dollarz, a little over half of the album sounds underproduced and formulaic. This is a decent debut, but I get the feeling that it’s only scratching the surface of what’s to come from a very capable artist. Already looking forward to what he’ll offer us next.

Tony Toca played some sick ish from Kanary Diamonds, a female rapper out of Watts as well as the leading lady of Black Wallstreet (Side note: how many members do they have? They trying get at Wu-Tang’s headcount??), on his radio show last night. She covered Rick Ross’ B.M.F. and turned it into a tribute to female rappers throughout history. Skip across the jump to see her go in over J. Cole’s “Who Dat” and give us some insight on her feelings about Nicki Minaj.

Download : Kanary Diamonds – B.M.F. Freestyle

Kanary Diamonds – “Who Dat” Freestyle

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is What’s In My Headphones…

If you don’t know anything else, know that DJ Skee doesn’t just co-sign anybody. When Skee hosts a tape, it’s usually by some of the best in the West: The Game, Bishop Lamont, Snoop Dogg, Crooked I, Ya Boy, Nipsey Hussle, and even some outside of the West, such as Charles Hamilton, Pill and EVEN R. Kelly. Fresno firecracker Fashawn is returning with the third installment of his Grizzly City Mixtape Series and he doesn’t disappoint. I threw on the headphones to check out his first collection of songs since 2009’s Boy Meets World

“Grizzly City Boy” kicks off the album. Bravo & Grafik spit alongside Fashawn for somewhat of an epic opening. From there he goes right into Sanitago’s Revenge, then into the very ugly picture that is “California Streets” featuring The Jacka & Diego Redd:

“You wanna be a gangsta? You got it all wrong, Gangstas don’t live that long…/You call yourself thuggin? Then you better get it right, ‘cause lil homie, this is real life…”

Truest words spoken in a long time.

Other standouts are “The F” featuring currently incarcerated tat-face Lil Wayne (who halfway into a prison bid, still has a bigger presence than his free-roaming counterparts…go figure), the odes to Mary Jane “5 On My Dub,”  and “Pass The Cohiba.”  Best beats on here are “G’s Up,”  “Maybe Tomorrow,” and “Santiago’s Revenge.” He drops dope freestyles via “Midnight Groove (Freestyle) and “I Need to Know.” By the time he gets to the outro, which he jacks Rick Ross’s “Free Mason” and goes for a quick 16, he should have convinced anybody listening that he’s the truth, and well deserving of that spot on the XXL Freshmen cover.

-Reg Young

XV, newly signed Warner Bros. recording artist, dropped “Squares” on his Twitter today for the first 250 folks to support his newly launched website www.vizzyzone.com; mixtape by the same name dropping soon.

XV – Squares

This is What’s In My Headphones…

Release Date: 6/15/2010

Y’all REALLY don’t need an introductory paragraph on this guy, right? Good! Since this is one of the most anticipated albums this year, let’s cut the crap and get to it, shall we?

1. Fireworks (Feat. Alicia Keys) – A great start to the album, as his hybrid style has allowed him to be in his own lane, and he owns it completely with this track. The production also caters to his distinct sound that defined “So Far Gone.”
2. Karaoke – “So if you gotta go…if there’s anything I should know, if the spotlight makes you nervous…if you’re looking for a purpose…” Very mellow…the beat has traces of 808s & Heartbreak, the vocals are soft and Sade-esque, and eventually spits a verse about a love that moves away after telling him that his lifestyle was too much.
3. The Resistance – “I blew myself up/I’m on some martyr shit…I avoided the coke game and got with Sprite instead…” Pretty clever lines like that are sprinkled throughout this song. He can spit, definitely, and the chorus is a winner, as he struggles with the people that he “can’t kick it with” who says that he’s changing. The beat leaves a little to be desired and is the third one of its kind. You start to hope that the majority of the album doesn’t sound like this…
4. Over – I was always curious to see how this single  fit into the sequence of the album. Lyrically it fits into the overall story he’s telling and sonically, the Boi-1da track provides a nice change in pace.
5. Show Me A Good Time – Frantic screams kick of the song, then Drizzy comes in with his signature hook crooning, then slides into a double time flow for the verses. This song is fun, and not too long and not too short.
6. Up All Night (Feat. Nicki Minaj) – The beat makes the song too dark for the radio, but the chemistry between Drake and Nicki is undeniable. Still a great song, though.
7. Fancy (Feat. T.I. & Swizz Beats) – Swizz is doing a lot of sampling these days…this sounds more Kanye than Swizzy. Tip comes in and helps Drake go hard at these “Fancy” chicks…Mr. Keys checks in for the hook. Winner here…
8. Shut it Down (Feat. The-Dream) – It’s not easy to put him in a box, because he’s amassed an audience with both rapping AND singing. That said, the album doesn’t really have a lot of moments where it drags. This will win because of the slow grinding beat and Dream and Drizzy trading verses.
9. Unforgettable – I didn’t know what to expect when I heard the Aaliyah sample, but the militant drums and the way he came in with the first verse made that forgivable. Jeezy checks in and gives us a 16 that doesn’t do anything but make his fans even more excited for TM 103.
10. Light Up (Feat. Jay-Z) – Drake gets off here, but Jay daddy-schools him, which is expected…the beat is kind of boring, but I guess it’s better that way, because what they’re saying gets the spotlight here. Quoting a bar or two won’t do it justice. Just listen.
11. Miss Me (Feat. Lil Wayne) – Another song where Drake is living in the moment…in strip clubs, fantasizing about his labelmate. Wayne is standard Wayne, which these days isn’t bad…he tells his women to “write him when he’s gone.”  Line of the song –“I got so many styles, I am a group.”
12. Cece’s Interlude – Sounds like he’s talking to the chick that moved to Atlanta in “Karaoke.”  I think J.G. said it best when he tweeted that Bria’s Interlude (from So Far Gone) was better.
13. Find Your Love –Singles are sometimes obvious attempts at radio play and really have no place in the overall sequence of the album. This fits perfectly where it is. I wonder what Cece’s thinking when he hears all this material directed at her? This Kanye produced track is one of the best out of the tracks that are solely R&B.
14. Thank Me Now – Great way to close out the album. “Lately I’ve been drinking like there’s a message in a bottle…” Drizzy spits his heart out. Probably his best verses on the album.

Conclusion:  While it got off to a (very) slow start, the album did pick up and it turned out to be a good, but not perfect, debut. Thank Me Later further showcases his range as an artist, shows us he knows how to put an album together, and should satisfy his fanbase.  If he keeps it up and continues to grow as an artist, he’s going to have a great career and a respectable catalog.

-Reg Young

Rating:

This is WHAT’S IN MY HEADPHONES…