ALBUM REVIEW: Shock Value 2

Timbaland
Shock Value 2 (2009)
Album Scan
By Arik Cohen

I think the greatest compliment I can give this is that it's not nearly as bad as we were expecting. Nobody was expecting anything from this album, which might be the first time people had lowered their expectations for a Timbaland-produced LP.

ALBUM SCAN: Attention Deficit

Wale
Attention Deficit (2009)
Album Scan
By Arik Cohen












The album opens with short, quarter-measure horns announcing his arrival.  He comes on the mic, "Ladies and gentlemen" is all he gets out before going straight into a verse.  Gentlemen, ladies, welcome to the best rap album of the year.

ALBUM SCAN: Tongue N' Cheek

Dizzee Rascal
Tongue N' Cheek (2009)
Album Scan
By Arik C.












For those too lazy to read the rest of the review, you can be assured that Dizzee keeps his streak going.  Four albums deep and he's yet to release a bad one.  Go Dizzee.  Though his latest, Tongue'n'Cheek has dipped the lowest.

ALBUM SCAN: Escape Route

Joe Budden
Escape Route (2009)
Album Scan
By Arik C.

Just a couple years ago, Joe Budden would be #1 on my list of MCs who needed to come out with a studio album already.  He became an instant critic's fav in 2003 by doing something rap is rarely good at: club singles with art.  His self-titled 2003 debut featured the Just Blaze produced hits "Pump It Up" and "Fire (Yes Yes Ya'll)", that latter of which could very well be the definitive night-out-partying jam of the decade.  And "Focus" off the same album is, for my money, one of the most innovative productions this side of Dizzee Rascal.  Even his sex anthem ("Pornostar") was somewhat innovative.  (You have to remember, 2003 was a world before the minor Ying Yang Twins vs David Banner sex war, where the former released the painful "Wait (Whisper Song)" and David Banner hit back with the superior "Play.")

ALBUM SCAN: Carried Away

People Under The Stairs
Carried Away (2009)
Album Scan
By Josh B.

If I was Kool Moe Dee and I was handing out my famous Hip-Hop Report Card, I would have to give People Under the Stairs 7th album “Carried Away” an A for sticking to the themes.  From its beats, rhymes, swagger, and execution, it is one of the most solid hip-hop albums I have heard in a while.  PUTS have been together for over 10 years now and are still going strong. 

ALBUM SCAN: Hello Nasty [Reissue]

Beastie Boys
Hello Nasty [reissue] (1998/2009)
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By Josh B.

First off I have to say that this review is going to be kind of biased. I am a huge fan of The “BEATsie” Boys. I know that this album was very popular when it came out in 1998 thanks to the huge ubiquitous single “Intergalactic” but if there is one thing to say about this album is that it is so much more than just one single.

ALBUM SCAN: Corkscrew Gaps EP

Panacea
Corkscrew Gaps EP (2009)
Album Scan
By Josh B.

First off, Panacea is a hip-hop tandem hailing from Washington DC.  They are comprised of soundscape technician K-Murdock, and amazing emcee Raw Poetic.  They have already released 4 full albums and are getting ready to release their 5^th album 12 Step Program.  Their 2^nd and 3^rd albums were released through the famous indy label Rawkus Records. 

ALBUM SCAN: Blueprint 3

Jay-Z
Blueprint 3 (2009)
Album Scan
by Arik Cohen

I always remembered Jay-Z getting the best, groundbreaking beats on his albums. If it was Jay-Z, you were getting ear-shattering beats. But I think I was mistaken. With the exceptions of Kingdom Come and The Dynasty Roc la Familia* he was more likely to get the best of the current set. The soul-sampling of Blueprint wasn’t exactly groundbreaking in its production, nor was the hard-pop of Volume 3, they were just the best collections of the current style. It’s like he didn’t want to change rap, he just waited for rap to change so he can step up and say he’s the best of the new style.