| Reviews Reviews are based on a point system. 1= bootee material, 10=masterpiece |
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| Eightball- Almost Famous: 8Ball may be best known for his collaborations with MJG, but he's certainly no slouch when left to his own devices, as evidenced by ALMOST FAMOUS. The opening cut "Thorn" is something of a mission statement, where 8Ball pledges to "keep it hardcore" while explaining that anyone who covets his position will first have to see all the things he's seen, describing himself as a thorn on a rosebush. Over a syncopated, Latin-tinged beat on "No Sellout" (which features a guest appearance by Koncrete), 8Ball further attests to his street-cred hip-hop commitment via some urgent, high-speed rapping. The R&B-laced, downtempo "Daddy" takes a sympathetic look at a prevalent slice of modern urban life, the absent father. Even as he runs through a host of societal ills on almost famous, 8Ball has a long enough view to make good on the pledge he makes in the aforementioned "Thorn," to "let the world see the beauty in these ugly things," and that's what gives him an edge over more one-dimensional rappers. 8 OUT OF 10 |
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| KRS ONE- Spiritual Minded: I must say that this is one of the weakest product Kris has ever blessed us with and he HAS TO know that. His lyrics are okay and his concepts are different, but his production is trash and I can't believe that an artist of his caliber would even allow R&B like beats to work with. I played the CD as much as I could bear in an effort to MAKE myself like it the first couple days after buying it 2 days ago, but I haven't listened to it since and that's hard to say. I think this album is the start of KRS' ending and a mark of his disconnection with today's black youth and more politically-inclined hip-hop lovers. The references to religion are cool and if that is the direction he is going I applaud him for that, but even then this album is still not up to par (although check out the tight posse cut "The Temple" to see what KRS is capable of). I know you have wonderful memories of BDP and the KRS-One of old, but this ain't it/him. Buy at your own risk! 7 OUT OF 10 |
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| Sherm- Sherm Smoke: Mike Dean's first artist on his new label, Dean's List Entertainment, is Sherm and the only way I can describe his style is if Luke, Scarface and RBX's style could be all thrown together, it would probably sound like Sherm. This album starts off weak, but by midway through the album, DPG guests Roscoe, Daz, Kurupt, RBX help out Sherm and it seems once he has guests on his tracks, his skills pick up. Production wise, Sherm and Mike Dean take care of that department with trunk rattling beats that will give your speakers a good workout. Not too bad of a album, if you can hang around long enough through the first half. 6.75 OUT OF 10 |
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