Review: #NVRWRY - @Partyxmichael

If you were under a rock on Saturday I got you covered. We took a unorthodox method to review Party Michael's new project, NVR WRY.

Instead of the traditional written review we went live on Facebook and played the album. All the critique was said in between tracks and we were lucky enough to have Party himself in the building to explain the things we didn't understand. You need to like us on facebook for the next time we do this. If you missed it we got you covered. We did a live thread on twitter as well. You can peep that below. Enjoy.

@partyxmichael #NVRWRY Live Review in a thread and on FB LIVE TUNE IN! https://t.co/n5OulSkODX pic.twitter.com/eF5FSS5Nmo

— #WTM (@WatsTheMovement) September 24, 2017

Review: The Silent Partner - @mobbdeephavoc & @Alchemist; A Niles P. Joint

When a new project is announced but not yet released, as a writer you let your imagination wander a bit.  Is your favorite emcee or group going to break new ground?  Will it be innovative or pandering to the new kids?  Will they maintain quality or sacrifice style for substance?  When I heard Havoc and The Alchemist were putting out a joint album called The Silent Partner, I immediately knew what time it was.  I wasn’t going to be sold a false bill of goods, I’m getting violent ass lyrics over brooding beats.  That’s each man’s calling card, especially when Al works with either or both members of Mobb Deep.  But in this case, even if you have the game plan figured out ahead of time, there can be a real beauty in sticking to the script.  

This album is well structured, first of all.  The duo keeps it light and only has three guest appearances, all from legends.  Naturally, Prodigy showed up for some gun talk on The Gun Holds a Drum.  Going over 20 years strong and the Mobb still has it on lock.  Elsewhere, Buck 50’s & Bullet Wounds renews a musical alliance with the Wu, in this case it’s Method Man.  Over a dirty piano and ghastly choir, the dudes from the legendary crews put fear in the hearts of wack/soft rappers.  For the conclusion Hear Me Now, Havoc doesn’t even have to leave Queensbridge for a guest verse.  Cormega is the best in the business when it comes to introspective raps and that’s the nature of this song.  They tag team the hell out of it and close the album out on a thoughtful note.

While he has his own legendary chops as a producer, Havoc turns it over to Alchemist for the entirety of the project.  I’d assume it would be somewhat tough as a producer to surrender the boards entirely to someone else.  But The Alchemist and Mobb Deep are close and you can tell that there’s a mutual trust there.  And Al doesn’t disappoint.  While he’s known for his darker & grittier instrumentals, he manages to have some lighter ones mixed in.  Maintain (Fuck How You Feel) was the first single; it’s built around a soulful sample that is actually kind of upbeat.  Out The Frame has chimes reminiscent of your grandmother’s music box and a lurking piano.  Of course Havoc lays down some hardcore bars over both of these songs, bringing forth an interesting disparity.  Later on, the pair makes some Smooth Ride Music which has a terrific mix of cuts and scratches, a scant bongo, some keyboard work, and a lone saxophone.  The backbone is the bullying bassline which takes place of traditional percussion.  This song should preferably be listened to after 9pm only.

As a rapper, Havoc has often been overshadowed by his brother in arms Prodigy.  P has had a gaggle of solo releases over the years while Hav’s greatness is usually mentioned when it comes to his production.  So it’s good to see the silent partner put out a solid album with a talented friend/producer who can match his grit musically.  Neither steps too far outside of their comfort zone, instead sticking to what’s worked for decades.  The Carhartt & constructs crew (think hardcore East Coast heads) will undoubtedly love this one.  It goes for a traditional sound without being at all stale and keeps things trim at 11 tracks.  While some may like more experimentation in their raps, you get what you pay for here.  There’s a real comfort in simplicity and tradition, and Havoc and The Alchemist bring out the best in each other on this album.  It’s dark but fun in a mischievous way, a soundtrack for when you're up to no good.  As an ending note, The Alchemist has now fully produced solo albums for both Havoc and Prodigy.  We can only hope now for an Alchemist-produced Mobb Deep album.  If and when it happens, you know what to expect, and you’ll love it.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Review: Little Earth: Lazarus - Allen Thomas (@samohtnella); A Niles P. Joint

If you look past the obvious dudes getting radio play and living legends, Atlanta actually has a dope ass underground hip hop scene.  And for my money, Allen Thomas shines the brightest.  And his career arc has been brilliant.  He’s always been ill, whether with rhyming or playing the drums.  Whether he wanted a gun or was at Belvedere Plaza.  Now he’s embarked on the Little Earth endeavor, a series of EPs that’s similar to Jean Grae’s Gotham Down trilogy of 2013.  The first installment is the newly released Lazarus.  According to his Bandcamp, it’s “based around Lazarus, a man frustrated with a life spent in procession and mundane living.”  

BEGIN is obviously the beginning of the album/series.  Duh.  The snare cracks and right as you get to the automatic head nod, the song ends at 46 seconds.  The next song, Just Another Day, is similar in that regard.  This one is much more bright and cheery sounding and features Allen Thomas in more of a melodic, singsongy type of flow.  The background vocals are a nice added layer.  I just wish this song was at least twice as long, although magic was still made in a minute and 17 seconds.  

Welcome 2 Ur Life is more fleshed out and possibly my favorite song on the joint.  The mix of Timbaland-like percussion with a piano that gives all the sentiment of a Charlie Brown special (any one) is so goddamn beautiful.  Combine that with an appropriately uptempo flow and some light harmonies on the chorus and you have a gem.  Speaking of harmonies, they're abundant on Pasttimes+++Memories.  D-Real actually does all of the rapping, while AT croons.  I covered TIFY when it initially came out, but the Kaedus Hines-assisted song is reformed into the Eastside Blues Mix.  This adds some more instrumentation on the back end as Allen ends the new version on a positive note lyrically.  

This is honestly a tough album to rate.  I know I love it, first of all.  And as I said before, I wish the first two songs were longer.  But since it’s the first in a series, is this by design?  Will future installments of the Little Earth series give more insight?  It’s too soon to tell, but I’ll be damned if I’m not excited to figure it out.  While Allen Thomas has always been dope, I’m proud to see him challenge himself with creating a string of semi conceptual & interconnected EPs.  Dude did not go for the low hanging fruit, and we’re all better for it.  If the first episode is any indication, Little Earth will have a big impact for the ATL underground as a whole.

Rating:4.65 out of 5

You can purchase Little Earth: Lazarus via Bandcamp.

Review: Entitled - @Torae; A Niles P. Joint

Recently, some emcees have taken to crowdsourcing websites to help fund the completion of their albums. Coney Island emcee Torae joined those ranks this past fall when he set up a Kickstarter to fund his sophomore solo album Entitled to the tune of ten stacks.  I knew of him from his Barrel Brothers collaboration album with Skyzoo and his Sirius XM show The Tor Guide. Since I’m cheap and hadn't funded an album before I was hesitant. But in the end I had to practice what I preached, as I tell my fellow WTM staffers and anyone else around me to “invest in hip hop.” The culture doesn’t continue without dollars behind it. Torae hit his goal and the album was funded and delivered to me late last week. Since production is key on this album, I’m going track by track with producer credits.

Introview - In a clever skit/album intro, Torae is on a job interview with a random company during which all he can think about is rapping.  Instead of becoming a corporate drone, he opts to be an emcee.

Imperial Sound (feat. Saul Williams; prod Praise) - The horns are incredibly triumphant and upbeat, which makes for a great first song.  Tor is sharp as he sets it off with gusto.  Saul Williams delivers some profound words towards the end as only he can.

Get Down (prod. Pete Rock) - This is the first single, which I covered upon its release in November.  It retains replay value and works as a more subdued companion to the previous song.

Clap Shit Up (feat. Phonte; prod. Nottz) - Torae spits the toughest bars on the album on this track.  When you get laced by Nottz and have Phontigallo as a guest, you're pretty much mandated to go hard.

Let ‘Em Know (prod. Jahlil Beats) - To be completely honest I thought this would be the weak point of the album as Jahlil Beats has never impressed me.  But it fits within the framework of the album and might be the most car stereo worthy of the 16 tracks.

Override (ft. Jarell Perry & Roni Marsalis; prod. E. Jones) - After a short skit where he lightly chastises his friend for street harassment, Tor gets into his “95 LL” flow and makes an airy romantic type song for the ladies.  It’s cool but it runs long with both a spoken word piece and guitar solo at the end.  

Crown (feat. 3D Na’tee; prod. Mr. Porter) - At first I thought this was about simple rap bravado but it gains depth as it’s more on the Black power tip.  Na’tee proves one to watch with her bars about innocent Black folks turned hashtags.

R.E.A.L. (prod. Praise) - Realness is the topic here as Tor discusses the perils of the rap game, amongst other things.  The sample laden beat, strings and all, is reminiscent of mid-2000s New York rap, which was a fun time for the genre.

Coney Island’s Finest (prod. Apollo Brown) - Anybody who talks glory days of their hometown (me and Ramsey do this with Neptune) can appreciate this song.  Torae talks about his own rise in the rap game and frames it with the success of Coney Island’s best basketball players, especially the Marbury clan.  Apollo Brown continues his hot streak behind the boards.

Troubled Times (feat. Mack Wilds; prod. !llmind) - First things first, I love the drums here.  The title is telling as this is about the darker side of life.  Mack Wilds is one of the most talented/underrated artists in all of R&B and proves immensely talented on the hook.

Together (feat. Kil Ripkin & Shaquawna Shanté; prod. Praise) - This isn’t a bad song but it covers the same ground sonically as track 8, only this time with guests.  Both are equally as good, although this has more musical depth.

Entitled (feat. Teedra Moses; prod. Eric G.) - The title track is the third song in a row featuring a singer on the hook and fourth overall.  None are bad at all they're just all of the same ilk, which seems vaguely redundant.  In my opinion it’s the best of the bunch as Eric G. crafts a superior beat which is complemented by Teedra Moses.  

The eNd (prod. MarcNfinit) - Let me be clear as I say that this song is fine as far as the instrumental and overall flow go.  The subject matter can be divisive.  Torae laments the use of “the N word” in everyday vernacular.  If you agree with him, you’ll enjoy it.  If you disagree, it will be a hard listen, no matter how well done it is.  

Shoutro (prod. Khrysis) - As a cool concept, Torae has his album notes as a track.  I kind of wish this beat was used elsewhere as Khrysis once again does a stupendous job, but it works for what Tor is trying to do.

Saturday Night (prod. DJ Premier) - The first of two “bonus tracks” features the legendary Preem creating an Asian type of instrumental for Torae’s story about a food delivery gone wrong (no spoilers!)  It’s excellently made, as Torae shows his creative range.

What’s Love (feat. Pharoahe Monch; prod. Praise) - This may be the best song on the album.  Praise flips the same sample from The Dynamic Superiors that Kanye used for Beanie Sigel years ago, but in a new and innovative way.  Torae does well but Monch steals the show with a loose yet thorough lyrical exercise in alliteration using the letters from the word love.

I’m glad I invested in this album as Torae spent every penny he received on getting top notch producers and guests.  There isn’t a bad beat anywhere on this album.  My only gripe, which I mentioned before, is that some of the tracks become repetitive as the sonic themes were used more that once.  Also having both of the strongest tracks on the album as bonus tracks was an odd choice.  It’s like in baseball where you have a good roster but the batting order is off kilter.  Regardless, this is a solid album to start off 2016.  Any future emcees looking to make an album via crowdfunding could learn from Torae as he got the most bang for his buck with Entitled.

Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Review: Better Daze - @MURS & @9thwonder; A Niles P. Joint.

Streaming services have been instrumental in bringing back many a cancelled/ended series back from the dead. This not only pleases loyal fans but also brings a whole new audience into the fold. You might think I’m talking about a Netflix series but (bait and switch!) I actually mean SoundCloud. Hip hop luminaries Murs & 9th Wonder teamed up three years after releasing their 5th collaborative album, tellingly titled The Final Adventure. They revived their series at noon on New Year’s Eve with Brighter Daze, releasing it on SoundCloud so their fans could stream it for free. I’m a 9th Wonder fan but for some reason I never checked out his collabo albums with Murs, whom I’ve enjoyed on guest appearances. Thus, I fall into the category of the new audience when it comes to this series reboot.

The Battle is as good of an intro as any, with Murs rapping for two minutes straight over a horn-laden beat that could serve as a perfect backdrop for eating tacos at an authentic Mexican restaurant in Cali outdoors. The horns return on God Black/Black God which as you could guess has pro-Black themes throughout. In the last third of the song, the beat switches and 9th flips a sample of Sound & Color by the Alabama Shakes. It’s sonically genius as the North Carolinian beatsmith usually samples vintage soul but here he found a gem in a song that came out in the same year.  Murs gets to show off his storytelling chops on How To Rob with Rob which tells the story about his aborted brush with crime.  At this point, I’m befuddled as to why it took me so long to get into Murs.  Dude’s got the goods lyrically.

The next two tracks, Lover Murs and Get Naked, get sexual but still don't lose Murs’ wry wit.  9th does a good job at slowing things down instrumentally to set the mood while Problem lends a verse on the latter. The Shutters, by contrast, is much more solemn in tone and more traditional in structure.  Reuben Vincent takes the second verse but Bad Lucc really steals the show. Wait…Back It Up shifts the ambiance entirely with what is the most fun/singable hook on the whole album. The flute steals the show instrumentally. The subject of breakups/divorce comes up in If This Should End. Murs displays a great ability for making himself vulnerable with a sensitive subject without being whiny or sappy. He explores the intricacies of a topic that isn’t covered much in hip hop in a poignant & approachable manner.

Speaking of tough topics, Walk Like a God takes on religious themes. The host and Propaganda have good bookended verses but Rapsody continues her ascent to the top with an honest and thoughtful take on religion that also manages not to be preachy and dry. Otha Fish revisits failed romance but in a different way than the earlier track.  It’s pretty impressive that he could make two songs using similar material but have both be unique and listenable. We get the obligatory posse cut in No Shots which has Mac Miller and a bunch of friends show up. The beat is minimalistic and Miller actually provides a decent yet short hook. At the end of the day it’s Murs’ house and he outshines everyone with his bars. It’s a little bloated but it works well enough as a penultimate song.  Murs SuperStar is a great finale. 9th creates a beat around a distorted piano loop that you’ll swear you heard in a dream. Murs complements the track with reflective lyrics that also manage to triumphantly look towards a bright future, hence the album title.

The only issue I have with this album is the timing. It was released both too early AND late for Album of the Year consideration as it came out with 12 hours to spare in 2015. No matter, it’s an excellent project that runs the gamut of emotions and life experiences. Everybody could relate to something that Murs talks about on here. Most interesting is that while he has a rap style that some may consider emo, he is still very much West Coast at heart and in the references in his lyrics. 9th Wonder once said that “Soul is universal, dude” and that is proven correct as his beats fit perfectly.  South and West collide in a way that most might not think possible. But it works exceptionally well.  Like any rebooted series, part of me wishes I was a fan of the Murs/9th Wonder collaboration from rip. This just means that I can go back and listen to their last five albums to play catch up. Better Daze will turn new listeners into fans while surely pleasing the core audience. 

Rating: 4.9 out of 5.

#AOTY 2013 Honorable Mentions

This year's voting was so difficult we had to include a list of Honorable Mentions that were not far off from making the countdown. In fact some of them missed out by one or two deciding votes from the panel. This group includes some of my favorites but favorites doesn't make the list now does it (sorry to Pusha T Mac Miller & Big Sean). Here's a list of the albums in no particular order:

Childish Gambino's Because the Internet:
Perhaps this album could have gotten a higher spot on the list if it had dropped earlier in the year. The December 10th date gave him just about two weeks of time to listen and review it. He put more feeling into this album and it shows. He dropped the chip on his shoulder rap and just gave you everything he had. Less geeky but same clever punchline rapping with the accompaniment of his own singing. Possibly my favorite album this past year, Ramsey Rating Scale gives this 3.6 of 5 Stars.

Jean Grae's Gotham Down:
This album is without a doubt the most underrated project that is and will be mentioned on all of these lists point blank. Because I'm sure you didn't listen its on her bandcamp. Maybe one day female emcees will just be known as emcees, especially when they have the skills she does. I enjoyed listening to Kill Screen and Before the Summer Broke. This was one of the best projects in all of music this year and thats word to Niles Cavanaugh. Ramsey Rating Scale gives The Phoenix 3.2 of 5 Stars.

Earl Sweatshirt's Doris:
I understand that many people aren't into his monotone flow or the fact that he is plain odd. Regardless this album was pure dopeness (Yes it is a word, because I added it to the dictionary of Microsoft Word on my cpu). Hive with Vince Staples and Chum were my favorite cuts on this album. I had a hard time keeping it off the top 5. The Odd Future member got 3 out of 5 stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale.

Kid Cudi's Indicud:
He drops an album then a week later leaves G.O.O.D Music. This was one of my favorite albums this year. I've always admired how musical the production on Kid Cudi's albums were. That didn't cease on this album. Unf*ckwittable, Solo Dolo Part II feat. Kendrick Lamar, and Girls feat. Too Short. Indicud received 3.4 stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale.

Wale's The Gifted:
Before I start I would like to apologize to the emcee personally in hopes he doesn't spazz on me the same way he did to Complex Magazine on their Top 50 album of 2013 list (You have to listen to this) (All jokes, look forward to interviewing you one day and enjoyed when you came to WPUNJ). The Gifted was awesome, I enjoyed it personally but it was a Top 10 album this year, not top five. His choice of singles were great with LoveHate Thing with Sam Drew and Bad feat. Tiara Thomas. I also enjoyed the remix with Rihanna and Tired of Dreaming featuring Ne-Yo & Rick Ross. This album got 3.8 of 5 stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale.