Reviews

If You Were Wondering About Sivion’s Whereabouts, Relax. He’s Good. (New Track and Review)

March 16, 2020

With all of the tragedy befalling the world, and news headlines hitting every orifice of social media and the web, it is difficult to imagine life getting better any time soon. While many of us are stuck in our homes with schools, restaurants, bars, and the like closed, we’ll always have music to get us … More If You Were Wondering About Sivion’s Whereabouts, Relax. He’s Good. (New Track and Review)

Revisiting Earl Sweatshirt’s EARL Mixtape (Editorial)

March 15, 2020

The Odd Future movement in the early aughts cannot be explained unless you experienced it. In November of 2008, the LA collective dropped their debut group project The Odd Future Tape. Between 2009 and 2010 Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, Mike G, and Frank Ocean joined the clan which led to the much better collaborative effort, Radical. 2009 also saw the critically … More Revisiting Earl Sweatshirt’s EARL Mixtape (Editorial)

Revisiting J. Cole’s – Friday Night Lights’ and ‘Lupe Fiasco’s – Enemy Of The State’ Mixtapes

March 14, 2020

I am a product of the internet era. In the most important moments of my young adulthood, my soundtrack would usually come from downloaded mp3s off of the legendary mixtape site datpiff.com. I added them to my iTunes library, unwilling to pay for albums from their online store unless absolutely necessary. If I ever purchased … More Revisiting J. Cole’s – Friday Night Lights’ and ‘Lupe Fiasco’s – Enemy Of The State’ Mixtapes

An Open Letter to Musa Reems Who Exceeded Expectations On ‘To Whom It May Concern’

November 14, 2019

Musa Musa. How you’ve blessed us in the course of your career. Year after year we receive incredible projects, singles, EP’s, visuals, and collaborative efforts. We’ve come to know you as the hardest of workers with a penchant for pushing yourself into new territory; providing diverse content that can hit the heart of any music … More An Open Letter to Musa Reems Who Exceeded Expectations On ‘To Whom It May Concern’

Geno Pacino Fights For His Rights On ‘Justice’

June 23, 2019

MC’s like Geno Pacino are the reason why I have such a soft spot for nasty, grimy, street-oriented hip-hop. It’s menacing, in your face and unforgiving. And his new single, Justice, is no exception. The instrumental is one of the nastiest I’ve heard this year. The bass is an intimidating grumble, followed by hard-hitting trap percussion with bleak … More Geno Pacino Fights For His Rights On ‘Justice’

B1GJuice Sounds Smooth As Ever On “99 Freestyle”

June 23, 2019

As a music nerd, my absolute favorite thing about the summer is all of the joyous, carefree music that comes along with it. A shining example of that is B1GJuice’s brand new single, “99 Freestyle.” There’s a wavy feel in the synths that embody the slow pull of waves to shore on a chill summer … More B1GJuice Sounds Smooth As Ever On “99 Freestyle”

Jay Rence- Clairvoyance (Album Review)

June 23, 2019

Your Long Drive’s Best Friend Jay Rence is more than a rapper. The Medford, Oregon resident is an engineer, producer, guitarist, singer, songwriter and the list could go on. In a world oversaturated with trap beats, Rence’s style is a breath of fresh air. Drawing comparisons to Odd Future affiliated band: the Internet, Rence’s sound … More Jay Rence- Clairvoyance (Album Review)

DeadstockV1 And NEV Start Off The Summer Right With “Liv.9000”

May 26, 2019

Energy, energy energy. That is the thought constantly running through my mind every time I listen to DeadstockV1 and NEV’s new single, “Liv.9000.” The beat, produced by Origami, is one of the more lively instrumentals I’ve heard all year. The bass thumps along at a constant, hard-hitting pace, and it adds a distinctive rhythmic pulse … More DeadstockV1 And NEV Start Off The Summer Right With “Liv.9000”

Neak Releases Hip Hop Masterpiece ‘KWESBAAR’

April 25, 2019

I barely got a taste of Neak back in 2017 when I wrote about his self produced track B.M.P. It was a journal entry into the current (and still prevalent) dysfunctional behavior in race relations, stacked behind his impressive Dilla-esq jazzy instrumentation. Still, nothing could prepare me for his unbelievable new album KWESBAAR. Every note, every word, … More Neak Releases Hip Hop Masterpiece ‘KWESBAAR’

Adam Ronel Demonstrates Courage, Depth, and Confidence In Comeback LP ‘Best They Never Heard’ (Album Review)

March 9, 2019

Adam Ronel and I are kindred spirits; individuals who became unhappy when their hard work and dedication resulted in stress, anxiety, self-doubt, and more than anything, little in return. Adam was once known as Adam Reverie, and his story is as captivating as his album Best They Never Heard. We both took time off while … More Adam Ronel Demonstrates Courage, Depth, and Confidence In Comeback LP ‘Best They Never Heard’ (Album Review)