Author Archive

Music Review: Wiz Khalifa – Taylor Allderdice


By Rehab

The rapper from Pittsburgh has had a roller coaster year. He dropped his major label debut Rolling Papers with mixed reviews, the harshest coming from his rabid fan base. He began to court socialite Amber Rose, with whom he recently got engaged to. He also was listed according to MTV as one of the hottest MC’s in the game. Wiz Khalifa, in the midst of his current tour, drops Taylor Allderdice to build buzz for his next album. Hoping to capture the fans he has lost since going “commercial”, Wiz doesn’t disappoint with this at all and will certainly be a mix tape that will be in rotation all through the spring and summer as the warmer weather approaches.

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Music Review: Big K.R.I.T. – 4Eva N a Day


By: rehab

One of the most promising emcees to emerge in the past couple of years, Big K.R.I.T. has many similarities to  Kanye West. Both share rapping and producing duties on their albums. Their music calls for “every day man” themes (well, at least Kanye’s “College Dropout”). One can’t help but cheer for K.R.I.T., as he has released two critically acclaimed mix tapes, “K.R.I.T. Wuz Here” and “Return of 4Eva.” As he preps up his major label debut entitled “Live From The Underground”, he releases “4Eva N A Day” to tide over the fans.

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Not Again, Lebron


By Rehab

Lebron James had 36 points, 7 assists, and rebounds in the 2012 NBA All-Star game. He led the East squad back from a 20 point deficit to make it a close game in the fourth quarter, but this isn’t what everyone is talking about. Kobe Bryant became the all-time leader in points scored in the event as he passed up Michael Jordan. Such an accomplishment one would think this would be headline news. Again, this isn’t what everyone will remember the most about the game. An event in which Kevin Durant won MVP honors is treated as an afterthought. What I will remember the most from this all-star weekend was that final possession in which James again has made the clutch situation his achillies heel. It’s almost comical as to how much bad luck always seems to find him during these moments. Read more

Music Review: Schoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions


By Rehab

Along with Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Ab-Soul (collectively known as Black Hippy), Schoolboy Q has been buzzing in hip-hop underground circuits for quite some time now. Each of them have a few solo projects already released to the public and are currently working on their anticipated collaboration album. Keeping this in mind, Q has released his sophomore effort entitled Habits & Contradictions and continues to prove that California’s current crop of new hip hop artists are not just flash in the pan artists. The new breed of west coast emcees have arrived and are putting out some of the best music the genre has to offer right now. Read more

Music Review: Common – The Dreamer, The Believer


Despite earning a reputation as one of the most respected lyricists in hip-hop, Common is still in a sense underrated. Any time there is a top emcee list, his name doesn’t always ring a bell with many people, myself included. I enjoy his music, but for whatever reason, I don’t place him in a higher echelon than I should. That being said, his catalogue is very solid with only one real dud in Universal Mind Control (Electric Circus can also be considered coaster music depending on who you ask). So here he is with his ninth offering in The Dreamer The Believer, proving once again that Lonnie Lynn Jr. should start being considered as one of the greatest rappers to ever hold the microphone. Read more

Music Review: The Roots – Undun


Undun is a concept album following the life of the character Redford Stephens. Though the album is 14 songs, The Roots do a great job of creating a format in which each song flows fluidly. It takes a while for the album to really set in, but you soon find out that Redford’s story is actually being told from the ending at the beginning of the album with “Sleep”. From here, each song tells social commentary of Redford’s story and his decisions. In 2011, I commend The Roots for challenging the listeners. Instead of putting out the typical 16 bar and hook formula for an entire hour (as is the case with any album from them), they reinvent their sound with every project they drop. The musicality is great throughout Undun. The band providing live instruments will entice you to see them perform live. Read more

Mixtape Review: Kidd Wes – It’s Only A Mixtape


Kidd Wes has a very versatile delivery, and that’s a good thing. I think he may still be trying to find which suits him best, so more power to him. He uses instrumentals that a lot of folks will be familiar with so they’re more likely to listen. I loved the Outro on this album. I felt like it was really Kidd Wes the artist and not someone just spitting over instrumentals for giggles. Read more

Album Review: The Roots – Undun


By Rehab

The Roots have always been one of my favorite groups of all time. I can remember the first album I’ve ever listen to from them was Things Fall Apart in the seventh grade. My older step brother was who put me on to them and told me in his words “stop listening to that garbage on the radio all the time.” Before The Roots, I was still in the typical mainstream listener mind frame. I was young and didn’t know any better. It was this album and the Reflection Eternal’s Train of Thought albums that changed my viewpoint of hip hop. The Roots made me realize that sometimes the best music is best being searched for and won’t be played on your local radio station. You’re going to have to invest some quality time and attention to anything The Roots put out. This didn’t change with Undun, the band’s latest offering, the 13th studio album since they hit the scene in the early 1990s. Read more

What’s A Lockout?


By Rehab

With the news of David Stern vetoing the Hornets/Lakers/Rockets trade, it begs the question that many are wondering: was this whole NBA lockout a hoax? What I mean by that is this whole “competitive balance” that the owners told the media. If you were to talk to a casual NBA fan, they would probably tell you that it seems as though the league at the moment isn’t exactly fair. There are the same 5 to 6 teams that are always in the post season year in and year out. The other 25 or so teams it’s a wash. There may be the new upstart team that everyone gets excited for and in the end, it always seems to be a Boston or Los Angeles squad that ends on top. It’s certainly frustrating to be a fan of a small market team, such as the Sacramento Kings or Milwaukee Bucks. Read more

Music Review: Eddie Caine – Aqua 8s & Heartaches


By Rehab

From the words of the artist himself and the mindset that he was at when creating this project:

“after months & months of deliberation I decided I wanted to provide the world w/a project that showcased my mastery of the rhyming mechanics & lyricism but in this day & age a lengthy attention span is a lost art form.. so I said to myself what does every one love? women. thus I sought out to rehash some of my past wounds, extend some public apologies & paint pictures of pretty princesses. my resources were quite limited hence they postponement but here it is something I can be proud to say is mines..” Read more

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