Monster is a lot to take in at once. Jam packed with an indie-folk singer and four rappers competing for your attention; it can come off as a little unfocused. It isn’t a bad track. West has been making beats for more than a decade and his production is ever improving. The problem is that Kanye is his own stiffest competition and Monster doesn’t rank among his best. It’s a great beat, and it’s cool to see Kanye reach outside … →

Thoughts by Crystal Castles is essentially a rejigging of Empathy (a Crystal Castles song) by Audiodax, a relatively small production duo. The bad news is the sample is essentially four lifted bars from Empathy slowed down with very little added. The good news is the rap on top of the beat doesn’t hold anything back. It takes a track meant for hipsters (sorry New York Times, I’ve got to use that word), gives it some weight and reinvents it as … →

Kristoff Krane is a smaller name in hip-hop, having been a member of a handful of groups in and around Minneapolis. But he’s certainly a man who has paid his dues, touring his mid-western behind off since released his first solo album in 2008. In 2010 he’s released two albums: “Picking Flowers Next To Roadkill” and “Hunting For Father”. Lacking any kind of major star power, “Work” succeeds on its own merit. Strange Matter produced an incredibly clear, bumping beat … →

Roots Manuva is somewhat of a legend in certain circles, having first released an album in 1999. He also appeared on Gorrilaz sophomore LP: Demon Days. The South London-born rapper released his last album in 2008, and Butterfly Crab Walk seems to be a lead-up to a newer LP. I’m going to be honest here: I have no idea what this song is about. Drenched in reverb and delay, Butterfly Crab Walk is a great track heavily influenced by dub. … →

J.Cole was signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation around the same time Drake inked a deal with Young Money. Cole has been much quieter in the months since, diligently working towards his first album and releasing occasional leaks. Premeditated Murder is based around an instrumental that would have felt right at home on Reasonable Doubt; lush, but understated like Cole himself. The lyrics describe the Fayetteville-born rapper’s current mindset– one of great expectations but equal uncertainty. He is pensively penning an … →

K-os is responsible, in no small way, for the latest cycle of successful Canadian emcees. His break-through single (Crabbuckit) was a huge hit domestically and internationally for the singer/rapper. Drake is newer on the scene, but has already seen fame far beyond K-os 2004 success. Make no mistake, Faith is very much a K-os song. It’s heavy in blues guitar and ethereal keyboard, and drums that sound like an actual drum-set. Drake holds his own but doesn’t touch K-os’ lyric … →

Though it doesn’t feel like it, Sir Luscious Left Foot (Purple Ribbon/Def Jam) is Big Boi’s debut solo album. During his time in the spotlight, Big Boi has been assumed to be the straight urban side of Outkast (the Grammy winning hip-pop juggernaut) complementing the pop-inclined Andre 3000. Recorded over three years from 2007 to 2010 with a collection of some of the greatest producers in the business (Scott Storch, Organized Noize, Salaam Remi), the record has a cohesive feeling … →