Eric Mendes' Official Blog

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 Read the Rest…

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.

With Valentine’s Day now done and over with, everyone can now continue to live their lives without fear of pink overload, or diabetes induced sweet talk that seems to monopolize the world during the first weeks of February. The aftermath of V-Day can stimulate a variety of feelings, some good and some bad; and while some singles might want to take a sharp object and stab themselves in the eye from all the V-Day television specials, most couples are putting aside their issues for 24 hours to craft genuine memories that will carry them into the next February 14th.
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.

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 Read the Rest…