Similar to other aspects of life, within the hip-hop world, a rapper’s first impression means the world. That’s why the debut album is the quintessential album of an artist’s career. After all, if your first album isn’t up to par, who’s to say you’re going to get a second chance? Chances are you’ll be dropped in the blink of an eye. But, if you’re one of the few artists who can actually pull off a masterpiece of an album the first time around, all is not well. Just ask Nas and Jay-Z, both artists achieved overwhelming critical success with their first albums, and have been criticized for not recreating the magic in their preceding albums.  Now Mos Def represents a unique situation due to the fact that he has not one, but two classic debut albums to live up to, Black on Both Sides & Mos Def and Talib Kweli Presents Blackstar. While 2004’s The New Danger didn’t live up to expectations, it showed Mos experimenting and expanding his horizons into the Rock world. 2007’s Tru3 Magic featured an unfocused Mos that was clearly focused more on his film career than his hip-hop career.

It’s now 2009 and the boogeyman has dropped his forth-solo album, The Ecstatic. From the title alone, you can tell that Def is attempting to bring back the lyrics, and he doesn’t disappoint. All you have to do is listen to the album’s first single, “Life in Marvelous Times”, to see that Mos is focused this time around. What the The Ecstatic does really well is combine the Rock influenced beats of The New Danger, and the conscious hip-hop from his debut album. Also, his singing on the tracks has really been intergraded within the tracks in a much fluid way this time around. While listening to The Ecstatic, it’s extremely clear to see that Mos Def actually sounds more comfortable and is having a good time recording the album.

Mos Def definitely seems well traveled within the album. “No Hay Nada Mas” is spit fully in Spanish by the boogeyman. And throughout the album, his Muslim affiliations become more apparent than any of his previous albums and this includes, various Arabic samples and track names such as, “Wahid” (the number one in Arabic).

The album begins on a great note with a Malcolm X excerpt on the Oh No produced “Supermagic” and continues on to “Twilite Speedball” and “Auditorium” featuring Slick Rick. “Auditorium’s” Madlib produced beat provides a great track for both Mos and Slick to do their things.  Mos rhymes “my flows forever deep / and its volumes or scriptures when I breath on a beat / my presence speak volumes before I say a word”. Def then continues to drop scriptures on what proves to be one of 2009’s best singles, “Life in Marvelous Times”. The tract vividly describes life in 1982’s Bedstuy, Brooklyn and Mos rips the Mr. Flash produced beat apart, spitting, “On-going saga, terminal diagnosis / basic human survival requires super-heroics / no space in the budget for a cape / so, you gotta fly by the night to save the day”.

It’s amazing how well the production was handled on the album. Madlib, Oh No, and Mr. Flash all provide amazing beats, so that Def can do what he does best (and no I’m not talking about his acting!). One can’t forget the wonderful J Dilla produced Blackstar reunion on “History”. But, “Wahid” proves that the short and sweet formula still works. Although, the track clocks in at only a minute and forty seconds, Madlib’s strong drums and samples make the track really stand out from the pack. All in all, ten years after Mos’ classic beginnings, he comes full circle and delivers one of 2009’s best hip-hop albums.

    With the legions of Jay-Z fans, myself included, anxiously awaiting the release of his eleventh studio album, the Jigga man decided to feed his fans’ appetite by dropping his first official street single off of Blueprint 3 – D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune). Jay-Z and the album’s co-producer, Kanye West, have already declared that BP3 will not only not feature the effect, but it will also be the “anti auto-tune” album.  So, after making these bold assertions, how does the first track off of BP3 hold up? Read on to find out.

    While Kayne West will provide most of the production on BP3, much like 2001’s The Blueprint, No I.D. takes over the boards for D.O.A. utilizing a sample by the Janko Nilovic song, “In the Space”. While I.D. didn’t have to do much to the sample, he should still get mad props for digging up this sample from the 70’s psychedelic rock scene. The horns used throughout the track are wonderful and the guitar riffs are top notch, but the props for that should go to the original artists for providing the sample. The instrumental for D.O.A. has already been remixed by a variety of artists including AZ, Jay Rock, and Trey Songz of all people, showing that BP3 isn’t slacking on its production value.

    You would think that since No I.D. brought the heat on the boards, that Hov would come through in the booth, but its like he decided to bring out his ‘B’ game and leave his ‘A’ game at the studio. While I love the message on the track, I just feel like the lyrics could have been upped a notch. For example, when he states, “I don’t be in the projects hallway, talking about how I be in the projects all day”, usually Jay would spit a tight metaphor that would make you pause and rewind the track, but I feel there’s no point in the track where that happens. Perhaps I’m expecting too much from Hova, but since he feels he’s the “G.O.A.T.” and he claims BP3 is a classic in the making, then he should be held at a higher degree.

    But all in all, it’s a great track and Hov’s swag is on showcase once again. Plus, you got to love how Jay finally states what everyone has been thinking about concerning the whole Auto-Tune era of Hip-Hop – its got to go or atleast be toned down a bit! Yeah, I’m looking at you Weezy!

4/5

Click here for Jay-Z’s D.O.A.
Click here for the sampled track, “In the Space”

As I doing my customary surfs through the tubes this morning, I come across this heart-wrenching story. Apparently an Italian who was late for the fatal Air France 447 flight, and was forced to take a later flight, was involved in a fatal car crash in Austria as they drove home.

“Johanna Ganthaler, a pensioner from the Bolzano-Bozen Province (South Tyrol, Italy) and her husband, Kirk, were on vacation in Brazil and missed flight 447 after arriving to the airport late. They were able to board a later flight and avoided being victims of the horrible crash.

The couple rented a car in Munich, Germany and decided to drive home to Italy. On their way home, while driving through Kufstein, Austria, their car ended up in the opposite lane and they had a head on collision with a truck.”

It’s no surprise that the first thought to mind for most people is the 2000 supernatural thriller, Final Destination, that involved the same premise of a group of students who “cheated” death by avoiding a fatal plane crash after their peer has a premonition of the crash. In the end, they find out that they in fact cannot cheat death as each student is killed throughout the film.

If your like me, goosebumps ran through your entire body as you read this story. This story shows how “supernatural thrillers” always have a basis that was formed through reality. And apparently if it’s your time to go, it’s time for you to go.

Furthermore, the woman’s husband is reported to be in critical condition, so my thoughts and prays go to the family and friends of the couple.

Source

     In the Hip-Hop world the month of March will forever represent both a time of mourning and a time of celebration over one of the greatest emcees of all-time – The Notorious B.I.G. On March 9^th 1997, six months after the death of Tupac Shakur, B.I.G. was murdered in Los Angeles, and fifteen days later his first posthumous album, Life After Death, was released to the masses. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard charts and in 2000 it was the first Hip-Hop album to be certified Diamond, just a mere three years after its initial release. Since its debut, Life After has been considered a classic effort in most Hip-Hop circles, but there has always been talk among Hip-Hop heads that the album is considerably overrated due to Biggie’s early demise. Additionally, there’s a continued debate on whether or not Life After actually surpasses his solo debut, Ready to Die, and for all these reasons and more, Life After is arguable one of the most controversial Hip-Hop albums to ever be released. In celebration of the life of one of Hip-Hop’s largest cultural icons, I’ll re-review Life After Death to see how the album holds up after twelve years. I’m assuming that the majority of the audience reading this article has atleast partially listened to this album, and if not, I suggest you finish reading this article then proceed to you’re local CD store and purchase this album, now.

      Let’s cut to the chase, over a decade after the release of Life After Death the album still proves to be one of Hip-Hop’s greatest albums, and easily surpasses any other double album Hip-Hop effort to date. The album begins where Ready to Die left off, namely after Biggie’s “Suicidal Thoughts” and actions led to a flat line in the Intro to Life After. The album’s title and Intro track refers to the death of Big’s past life as a street hustler that was notably portrayed in Ready to Die, therefore, Life After Death was meant to usher in a new style that wouldn’t ultimately focus on his past street life. B.I.G. accomplishes this by assuming the Mafioso persona that began sweeping the rap world after 1995’s classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Disc one of this two-disc endeavor is flawless. Big’s spectacular story telling abilities shine brighter than snow on a sunny day. “Somebody’s Gotta Die”, “Niggas Bleed”, and “I Got a Story to Tell”, each stand as prime examples of why Biggie is considered one of the best emcees of all time. As he narrates each story with vivid imagery the listener is brought into a world where one doesn’t really know what’s going to happen next. On Ready to Die Big was able to mix his gangster flow with pop beats flawlessly, and Life After is no different. Disc one also includes some of his most successful singles, “Mo Money Mo Problems” and “Hypnotize”, along with one of his most aggressive attacks against his haters, “Kick in the Door”, oh and don’t forget about the standard track for the ladies, “Fuck You Tonight”.

      While Disc one was flawless, Life After’s flaws are found on the second disc of this double CD oasis. Much like Tupac’s All Eyez on Me, Nas’ Streets Disciple, and Jay-Z’s Blueprint 2, double albums always seem to have some filler throwaway tracks, and Life After is no exception. “Nasty Boy” should have been left on the cutting room floor, and tracks such as “Miss You”, “Another”, and “Playa Hater” are tracks that are going to be hit or miss amongst the crowds. One must also acknowledge that these tracks feature Biggie stepping out of his confront zone and trying new things, therefore, you have to appreciate the fact that he would take such chances on his second studio album. Within Disc two you’ll also find the classic cuts, “Ten Crack Commandments”, “Goin Back to Cali”, “Long Kiss Goodbye”, and “Notorious Thugs”. It’s actually pretty amazing how Big was able to create a double disc album that was over twice as long as his classic debut, and actually almost recreate the same magic.

     In conclusion, Ready to Die and Life After Death are two separate albums that speak on different subject matters; therefore it’s difficult to claim that one album is superior to the other. In any case, I would give nod of the superior album to Ready to Die because without it, there would be no Life After Death. With that said, it’s a pretty difficult to claim that Life After is overrated, because even if it were, it would still be far superior to the majority of Hip-Hop albums. Furthermore, you can credit Life After with creating the blueprint that the majority of Hip-Hops employ today; some tracks for the streets, one or two tracks for the clubs, and several hustler themes. So for all you 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Lil’ Wayne fans, give credit to the King of NY, after all, “[they] took home Ready to Die, listened, studied shit, Now they on some money shit, [and] successful out the blue” (Kick in the Door).

Heart of the City Tour         

The first tour to conquer the Hip-Hop world in 2008 was the amazing genre uniting Heart of the City tour. Featuring Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige, this tour provided the greatest balance between Hip-Hop and R&B of any tour to ever precede it, and conveyed just why the two genres go hand and hand. Jay and Mary are arguably the most respected and well regarded acts of their respected genres, therefore even before you even stepped foot in the building you can feel the aura and essence that the concert was sure to bring.  While many concerts with multiple acts will simply proceed without much collaboration, The Heart of the City concert dominated on all grounds. Mary performed all of her smash hits having the crowd groove with each vocal and continuously moved about the stage as if she was still stuck in her ‘90s form. On the other side Jay performed like a champ, as he commanded the stage and performed hit after chart topping hit. The highlight of the concert came as Mary and Jay performed the several tracks that they collaborated with throughout their illustrious careers. “Can’t Knock the Hustle” off of Jay’s classic debut stole the show, as the duo made the place feel as if it were ’96 all over again. The most interesting part of the concert was looking around and seeing the same guys that were just “Big Pimpin’” with the Jigga man, turn around and sing about how they can’t “Be Without You” with Ms. Blige.

Glow In the Dark Tour

            The critically acclaimed Glow in the Dark tour was perhaps one of the greatest concerts to ever be performed, ever. Kanye West really performed a one-man show that featured no guest appearances and literally no other person on the stage, not even the instrumentalists. The story of West traveling across the universe only to have his space ship crash on a foreign planet was simply amazing. Never have I ever seen a concert that was literally a story told with songs throughout West’s stellar catalog. The tour features thousands of lights being shined throughout the nighttime sky and had West decked out in his huge shades and glow in the dark jackets. This concert would literally take your breath away, and West should be putting out a DVD about the amazing concert alongside a book later this year. And while Kanye was amazing, one most not forget the terrific opening acts that featured Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D, and Rihanna. So while the Heart of the City tour had the best collaboration, The Glow in the Dark tour was literally out of this world!

Rock the Bells Festival  ‘08

            The Rock the Bells tour is quickly becoming a summer tradition and one of the hottest Hip-Hop tours each and every year. This annual tour that was christened in California in 2004 has now spread to a full blown global tour. Rock the Bells has the bragging rights to have reunited the entire Wu-Tang Clan, Rage Against the Machine, and A Tribe Called Quest. In 2008 A Tribe Called Quest led by Q-Tip dominated the tour. Q-Tip probably performed the most hyped performance of any Hip-Hop act I’ve ever seen and after jumping off the stage into the crowd a staggering three times, I was determined that he was possessed with some type of Hip-Hop demon. When the Tribe wasn’t dominating the stage, Nas, Mos Def, Dead Prez, Rakim, Raekwon, Ghostface, and many others were commanding the stage in this all day Festival that lasts over 10 hours.

     Consider this article the christening of my “Most Slept On…” series, so feel free to use this as your excuse to drink on a weeknight. This series will convey my thoughts on the most slept on albums, songs, artists, or just about anything that can be slept on, even mattresses, so learn to expect just about anything. As much as I would like to expect that everyone reading this article would understand the colloquial phrase, I acknowledge that some people are just not beefed up on their slang terms, therefore I’m here to help. The term “slept on” is akin to overlooking or ignoring something, i.e., you slept on that class your friend swore was an easy A, you know until you got a C. With that said, it’s with sheer enthusiasm that I present The Most Slept On…Album of Jay-Z’s Career.

     When Hip-Hop heads begin talking about the best MCs of all time, some of the usual suspects named include, Tupac, B.I.G., Nas, Rakim, Eminem, Andre 3000, and of course Jay-Z. Jigga’s stellar catalog, which includes at least two classic albums, his legions of fans and his net worth that is somewhere north of $400 million, all attribute to his claim that he’s the best rapper alive. When Hov dropped Reasonable Doubt in ’96, it was an instant classic, but lacked hardly any commercial success. Therefore, he faced many issues regarding his sophomore album, not only did he have to dismiss any sophomore slump theories, but he also had to introduce himself to the mainstream audiences. With this in mind, I would like to present Jay-Z’s most slept on album, In My Lifetime Vol. 1. In an attempt to create a crossover sound that appeases mainstream audiences and long time fans, Vol. 1 fell directly in the trap that many sophomore albums fall into in which some tracks were just too mainstream. With most of the album being produced by Diddy (or whatever he calls himself these days) it’s no surprise that some tracks seemed to commercialize Jay-Z’s sound. With the exemption of only a few tracks, Vol. 1 had a possibility of being yet another classic album under the Hov’s belt. While on the CenterStage show Jigga mentioned that if there were one thing he could do over in his career it would be this album, “[Vol. 1] was this close to being a classic, but I put like, a few songs on there that ruined it.”

     The oblivious tracks that he was referring to are the very skippable “”I Know What Girls Like” and “(Always Be My) Sunshine”. But other than that, Vol. 1 has stood the test of time and stands out as one of Hov’s standout albums. When speaking to many Jay-Z fans and hip-hop heads, I found that many people dismiss the entire album as a commercial sellout, even though only a limited amount of the tracks can actually be considered to be “selling out”. These people also fail to realize the significance of this album. One must consider that this was Jay-Z’s first album released after the death of his mentor, Biggie. Although he doesn’t pay homage to his late friend, Hov is quick to try to fill his shoes. In what would escalate to a battle over who is the true king of New York between Nas and the Jigga man, Jay-Z claims on Vol. 1 that the “City is Mine” and is quick to brush off any “Imaginary Player[s]”. And if you think this album fails to inspire, look no further than the current hot boy, Lil’ Wayne, who payed homage to Hova on “Mr. Carter”. If the first verse of Vol 1’s “Lucky Me” sounds familiar, Weezy borrows a few of the elder Carter’s bars to close out the “Mr. Carter” track. The greatest tracks off of the album come as it ends, “Where I’m From” and “You Must Love Me” are some of Hov’s finest tracks in a career that spans over 11 albums. “Where I’m From” finds Jay-Z showing love for fellow NY native Nas as he spits, “I from where niggas pull your car, and argue all day about who’s the best MC’s, Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas”. And in “You Must Love Me” Hova talks about how even though he sold his own mother crack, shot his brother, and put his female friend in the position to smuggle his work, they all must still love ‘em for forgiving him.

     All in all, this album finds Jay-Z attempting to establish himself as an artist. Therefore he takes several chances throughout the album and while some work, “You Must Love”, and some do not, “Sunshine”, the album as a whole does work. Essentially, this album finds him stepping out of his comfort zone, something he wouldn’t do again until his ninth studio album, Kingdom Come. The fact of the matter is that while a majority of people have criminally slept on this album, it’s about time you revisit this near classic.

     But regardless of how you’re feeling, Hip-Hop can boost your spirits in ways no other art-form can match, and so I bring you Hip-Hop’s essential post V-Day playlists. Note that there is a fine line between Hip-Hop and R&B, and that these playlists are strictly Hip-Hop.

The following playlist is for all the love birds still enthused from that special day!

03’ Bonnie & Clyde – Jay-Z

21 Questions – 50 Cent

Angel – The Game

Fuck You Tonight – The Notorious B.I.G.

Good Life – Kanye West

How Do You Want It – Tupac

I Used to Love H.E.R. – Common

Kick Push – Lupe Fiasco

Killing Me Softly – The Fugees

Mind Sex – Dead Prez

Never Let Me Down – Kanye West

Want to feel in a better mood after V-Day? This is the playlist for you.

All Falls Down – Kanye West

Can I Kick it? – A Tribe Called Quest

Dance – Nas

Girls, Girls, Girls – Jay-Z

Hailie’s Song – Eminem

Hip-Hop Saved My Life – Lupe Fiasco

Hustlin’ – Rick Ross

I’m Not a Player – Big Pun

I’m So Fly – Lloyd Banks

It’s Okay – The Game

Keep Ya Head Up – Tupac

Life Goes On – Tupac

The World is Yours – Nas

Are you upset, pissed, or just a V-Day scrooge and don’t want to feel better? Well here you go, enjoy sulking in your emotions.

Beware – Big Pun

Don’t Push Me – 50 Cent

I Used to Love Him – Lauryn Hill

Intruder Alert – Lupe Fiasco

Kim – Eminem

Life’s A Bitch – Nas

Me Against the World – Tupac

Suicidal Thoughts – The Notorious B.I.G.

The Message – Dr. Dre

Thieves in the Night – BlackStar

You Must Love Me – Jay-Z

You Never Know – Immortal Technique

Album of the Year

Nas – Untitled

      Even with my bias towards Nas out the way, its difficult to find another hip-hop album in 2008 that delivers on more levels than Nas’ Untitled. Not only is Untitled nominated for best hip-hop album of the year, Nas is also nominated for best rap solo performance with “N.i.*.*.e.r. (The Slave And The Master)”. While Esco originally attempted to name the album Nigger, he was forced by the industry to alter its title; therefore he opted to release the album without a title (although the album cover speaks for itself).

      After 2006’s Hip-Hop is Dead was criticized for not sticking to the title’s theme, Nas keeps Untitled’s tracks focused and tightly woven around its subject matter. This is an album that has to be consciously listened to and understood, and until you understand the album as a whole, you’ll fail to truly realize its greatness. Nasty Nas touches on everything from Barack Obama’s now successful presidency campaign in “Black President”, to Fox News’ corrupt behavior in “Sly Fox”, and to America’s history in the appropriately titled “America”. Nas proves once again why he’s a top five contender to be hip-hop’s G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time).

Notes: In addition to dropping Untitled in 2008, Nas also released a mixtape entitled  “The Nigger Tape” weeks before Untitled dropped. The mixtape is a great complimentary album to listen to alongside Untitled and features several tracks that failed to make the final cut for the album, including the “Be a Nigger too” remix.

Honorable Mention: Q-Tip The Renaissance. 

Biggest Surprise Album

Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak

      When Kanye West announced that the project to follow his critically and commercially successful Graduation was an album sung entirely using the auto tune effect (aka the T-Pain effect), no one knew exactly what to expect. Now, two months after its initial release, everyone seems to have some type of opinion on the album, with the majority of people actually praising the album for its concept and creativity. Production wise, 808s is without a doubt on a different level. West masters the 808 drums throughout the album, and also manages to deliver a unique experience on each of the twelve tracks.

      While the lyrics might seem a bit repetitive to most listeners, they do present the largest growth of any album released in 2008. West reflects on his life in ways that most rappers wouldn’t dream of, and he accomplishes this while singing throughout 90% of the album. The standout track of the album has to be the hidden track at the end of the album, “Pinocchio Story”. This track was a freestyle at a concert in Singapore, and has West wanting to be a real boy, all the while keeping it real, boy. Other stand out tracks includes the immensely popular singles “Love LockDown”, and “Heartless”. “Coldest Winter” finds West speaking about his late mother and “Amazing” is the only track in which West actually raps.  

Best Solo Single

“Lollipop” – Lil Wayne

      “Lollipop” is probably one of the catchiest singles to be released in years and has spent 5 weeks on top of the Billboard charts. Wayne also uses the auto-tune effect throughout the track and it’s one of the many reasons why Tha Carter III sold a milli it’s first week out. And if you loved this track, check out the remix with Kanye West.  

Best Single Collabo

“Swagga Like Us” (Jay-Z & T.I. feat. Kanye West and Lil Wayne)

      This Kanye West produced track dominated the airwaves and probably features one of the best quotes of the year, “I can’t wear skinny jeans cause my knots don’t fit”, and Jigga probably single handily killed the skinny jeans trend of 2008. West samples M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” superbly and proves why he’s one of the best producers currently in the business. “Swagga Like Us” is also nominated for two Grammys and should also be performed at the award show.

With 2008 firmly in the rear view, Hip-Hop heads can now look to 2009 with eager anticipation because the next 365 days look to have the best album line-up, in years. With albums from Hip-Hop heavyweights Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z, fans shouldn’t be disappointed in 2009. So without further ado, here are 2009’s Most Anticipated Hip-Hop albums.

	10. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II Linx II is the sequel to Chef’s 1995 classic solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and with RZA back manning the boards, fans have reason to be anxiously awaiting for this album to drop. Recent interviews has ‘Kwon expecting to drop this in March, but since this was projected to drop nearly two years ago, expect this around the summer.
	9. Rakim – The 7th Seal The 7th Seal is yet another album that has been continuously pushed back for years, with rumors stating that work on the album dates all the way back to 2002, and that it was actually supposed to drop on 07/07/2007 in order to keep with the seven theme. However those plans never came into fruition. Now, nearly a decade after Rakim’s last studio album, The 7th Seal should be out in the spring – just don’t hold your breath.
	8. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter IV / Various Projects After selling a milli opening week last year with the long awaited Tha Carter III, Wayne is determined to stay in the limelight and keep his pockets tight in 2009, with several different projects announced. Although Tha Carter IV was projected to drop this year, Weezy is instead dropping his rock album, The Rebirth on April 7th.  The Rebirth will attempt to break new ground for a hip-hop artist, similar to 808s & Heartbreak that dropped less than three months ago. Prom Queen, the first single off the album has already leaked onto the Internet, and initial reactions seem less than enthused, but the legions of Wayne’s fans will most likely be coping the album on April 7th.
	7. 50 Cent – Before I Self Destruct Before I Self Destruct marks the first time in Fif’s career where he’s actually dropping as an underdog. After losing the much hyped first week sales battle with Kanye West in 2007, 50 is looking to take the crown back and gain relevance in a mainstream market now dominated by Lil Wayne and others. This album is also 50’s last album in his current contract with Interscope; Depending on his SoundScan, he could potentially be negotiating his next contract with Scott Boras. Look for this to drop sometime in February.
	6. Big Boi – Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty OutKast’s Big Boi comes through in 2009 with Sir Luscious Left Foot, his first solo album. Expect his OutKast counterpart, Andre 3000, to man some of the boards and to deliver some classic vocals. Boi has called the album “a recession special,” And goes on to say, “I’m talking about what’s going on in the world, with everything from rising gas prices to the election. It’s just my insights on life up to this point.” Big Boi’s looking to drop this around the first quarter.
	5. Mos Def – The Ecstatic Mos Def’s career started with a BANG, as he teamed up with Talib Kweli in ’98 to release the classic Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star album, and then in ’99 he dropped his classic solo debut, Black on Both Sides. But his career has skidded since then as he’s focused mostly on his acting career. The Ecstatic should prove to be a return to form, for the MC that many consider to be top ten dead or alive. The album is slated to drop on February 24, 2009.
	4. Jay-Z – Blueprint 3 2008 saw the first time in Jay’s career (outside of 2005’s “retirement”) that he didn’t drop an album. That’s right, he’s dropped an album in every year since 1996 except for 2008, which represents a 13-year span of chart topping success, talk about consistency. Well Mr. Consistency returns in ’09 with the third entry into the Blueprint series. It will also serve as Hov’s walking papers from Def Jam, as he continues his career with Live Nation, after signing a 10-year $150 million contract. Look for this to drop sometime in the first quarter.
	3. Lupe Fiasco – LupE.N.D. : “Everywhere” Lupe seems to be following his former mentor, Jay-Z, in saying that he will be retiring after his next album, LupE.N.D. While he hasn’t said that he’s calling off his retirement, Lupe is looking to make his final effort a three-disc endeavor, with the trio being named LupE.N.D. – “Everywhere“, “Nowhere” and “Down Here” (E.N.D.). While Lupe is definitely one of the best MCs to emerge in the 21st century, and perhaps all time, I seriously doubt he will attempt to deliver a three-disc album. On the other hand, I do see him releasing three individual albums over the next several years, and prolonging his “retirement”. Look for “Everywhere” to drop in June.
	2. Dr. Dre – Detox Detox is probably the only album to have graced every most anticipated albums list since 2002 and still hasn’t seen the light of day, although 2009 seems to finally be the year that Dre drops his third, and final, studio album. A decade has passed since Dre’s last classic effort, 1999’s 2001, and fans are eagerly waiting for one of hip-hop’s most prominent producers to drop what could be yet another classic album in his catalog. If nothing else, you should expect the best-produced album of the year, hands down. Look for this to drop around 3rd or 4th quarter.
	1. Eminem – Relapse Eminem is not only one of hip-hop’s greatest MC of all time, but he’s also the highest selling hip-hop artist of all time. So, when he’s ready to drop an album, the hip-hop world (and perhaps the world in general), awaits for it like summer vacation. Add to the fact that it’s been five years since his last effort, and you have the makings of not just an album release, but rather a phenomenon! If this isn’t #1 on a hip-hop fan’s list, then I suggest you find a new hobby. Look for Em’s keenly anticipated album to drop around Spring.

     The Game is similar to Forrest Gump’s proverbial box of chocolates, because you never really know what you’re going to get. On one hand his albums have rejuvenated a West Coast that has seemingly lost its relevance, but on the other hand his constant name dropping has always been viewed as one of his faults. On LAX, The Game still continues his name dropping ways, but the main question remains: does the name-dropping detract from the album? Answer: not one bit. If anything, it actually adds to the album’s aura. Additionally, unlike his previous efforts, the guests appearances – Nas, Ice Cube, Ludacris, Common, Raekwon, Ne-Yo, & Lil’ Wayne – on the album essentially add relevance to his name-dropping by providing a diverse look at hip-hop’s OG’s and the current metaphor slingers.

     The album begins with a prayer by Ruff Ryder DMX. While the Intro (along with the Outro) is perplexing, it’s definitely worth a listen due to its great piano melodies in the background, but after the first listen, you’ll learn to quickly skip this track. Interestingly, the best aspect of the Intro is how well it leads to LAX’s first musical track, LAX Files. The track features a soft piano melody in the background and a nicely sung hook by Shorty. The lyrics are nothing spectacular, but Game’s flow makes the track an appealing introduction to a well executed album. Ice Cube comes through to assist Game on State of Emergency, but Game opts to keep Cube relegated to the hook. The J.R. Rotem produced beat simply oozes G-Funk with its pulsing bass and piano loops. While Cube doesn’t stray outside of the hook, his presence is felt throughout the track with the Game emulating Cube’s delivery and flow. Surprisingly, he does such an excellent job that I was compelled to listen to Cube’s classic, Death Certificate.

     Throughout the album The Game impersonates various hip-hop artists and does it with pin point perfection. On the Scott Storch produced Let Us Live, Game mimics Nas’s iconic flow to the point where you just might think Nasty Nas dropped some vocals on the track. And for those who may think Game is swagger jacking, he drops a few bars for you, “Liquor in my system, voice raspy who I sound like? Don’t ask me that’s my n*gga we classy.” Three tracks later Game drops one of the best songs of his career, Never Can Say Goodbye. After a haunting hook by LaToya Williams, Game pays homage to Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Easy-E by dedicating a verse to each artist. Unlike the countless hip-hop artists who have devoted tracks to these legends, Game not only assumes their delivery, but also takes on the voice that was stolen from them with their untimely deaths. What makes the track even more intriguing is that Game raps from the perspective that his idols had right before they were tragically taken away.

     Disregarding the Outro, LAX’s final track, Letter to the King, is simply amazing. The Nas and Game collaboration team is quickly becoming a dream team similar to the Nas and AZ team. The most stunning aspect of this track is that while Nas delivers a great verse, Game actually outshines him on his second verse. While they each take turns speaking to the King (Martin Luther King, Jr.), Game ends the song with a powerful rhetorical question, “Wonder why Jesse Jackson ain’t catch him before his body dropped. Would he give me the answer? Probably not…”

     Singles My Life (featuring Lil Wayne), Dope Boys, and Game’s Pain (featuring Keyshia Cole), along with Money and Cali Sunshine make the album an incredibly enjoyable ride. And Common comes through in Angel, which is essentially a sequel to I Used to Love H.E.R. While this sequel is no Godfather 2 or The Dark Knight, it works well with the Kanye West provided beat. Although LAX is a great album, it’s not without its faults. With a running time of 76 minutes, tracks like Touchdown, Gentleman’s Affair, and Hard Liquor (Interlude) should have been left on the cutting room floor. But, all in all, LAX is definitely The Game’s strongest effort to date and should be a contender for album of the year.