Big Maal Steady Campaignin Through Underground Hip-Hop & Introduces The Tucson, AZ Hip-Hop Scene

Hello Readers and welcome back to another post by The Hip-Hop Review Board. When this blog was started it was just something I cooked up to have yet another reason to write and to write about another topic that I love to write about. However, something happened I was not expecting. I have had some underground promoters and emcees reaching out to me to review their music. I find this flattering that they want me to do this, honored to do so, and am happy to help the underground rap scene out anyway I can. This post is for one of the emcees I mentioned. For those readers that want reviews hit me up on Twitter @automachi. Enjoy!

So this week I had someone reach out to me to review an underground

emcee by the name of Big Maal. He has a mixtape out on DatPiff called Campaignin Vol 2, which is what I am reviewing. He is from Tucson, AZ, and has a consistent but unique sound.  His sound is refreshing because we do not have a lot of artists out there that has a consistent but unique style and sound anymore. I think this is because there are more collabos in hip-hop than ever before. Since beef is, for the most part, a thing of the past you will see just about anybody working with anybody, and in doing so you start to hear some uniform in sound. You have the largest beat makers and producers creating any diversity not really the artist anymore except their voice. For this reason the underground seen can be so very refreshing.

Big Maal has a relatively softer voice but still has great range. His songs do not sound uniform and his beats are extremely well done, as well as the production for being underground. His lyrics are fresh and his own. I cannot think of any emcee out there that is representing Tucson, or Arizona for that matter. That is also refreshing hearing an emcee representing a place you don’t always hear, like Houston, Cali (in general), New York, etc.

Campaignin Vol 2 has that mixtape sound too with a DJ coming in at the beginning of certain tracks. This is heard a lot with DJ DRAMA and DJ Khaled and many more which makes you know this dude knows what he is doing and how it should be properly done.

Review Summary:

Big Maal is an artist that needs to be on every hip-hop head’s radar because his lyrics are tight and original. The beats and tracks on Campaignin Vol 2 are excellent and original. I expect this cat to be signed to a major label in a year or two. Big Maal is a good introduction to the Tucson rap scene and I cannot wait to hear more.

Overall Mixtape Rating (Note: Mixtape Scale is different than the Album Scale*):

3.5 out of 5

Track List and Track Review (Note: Mixtape Scale is different than the Album Scale*):

Track 1.) How we get down = 4

Track 2.) Aint gotta ask = 2.5

Track 3.) Uh huh = 3.5

Track 4.) The world is my enemy = 3.5

Track 5.) You cant be my girl = 3

Track 6.) Off the hennessy = 3

Track 7.) Im Good = 3

Track 8.) Im a Hustla = 3

Track 9.) Tryin To Be A Boss = 3

Track 10.) Freestyle 1 = 2

Track 11.) She love BIG MAAL = 3.5

Track 12.) H.N.I.C. = 3.5

Track 13.) In the wind = 4

Track 14.) Honey Dip remix = 3

Track 15.) Riden By = 4

Track 16.) For the streets = 3.5

Track 17.) Freestyle 2 = 3

Track 18.) Im that guy = 3

You can find his mixtape on DatPiff at http://www.datpiff.com/Big-Maal-Campaignin-Vol-2-mixtape.426976.html

Check it out. You will not be disappointed.

-The Hip-Hop Review Board

* - The Mixtape Scale is adjusted slightly higher than the Album Scale because mixtapes usually do not have commercial production and have a large label helping them fund the effort. 

The Adventures of Bobby Ray Continue With Underground Luxury

Hello Readers, and sorry for the gap between my last post and this one. The primary reason why there is a gap is due to the fact that I will not review albums, EPs, or mixtapes unless I am willing to purchase them. I hope you enjoy this post and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I had been anticipating the release of B.o.B.’s 3rd album since I heard the release date as well as hearing the singles dropped from the album. B.o.B.’s first LP The Adventure of Bobby Ray was one of the best albums of that year. He has numerous hip-hop classics that came from that album. His voice and style is so unique you cannot help but love his music. The beats, that one of a kind voice, style, and the ability to work with diverse artists prove his talent is immense. I have never heard a song of his that I have not liked. Underground Luxury is another example of that. One aspect of him that is superior to a lot of emcees is the topics he rhymes about. It is not consumed by sex, drugs, and illegal things. Granted those topics are in his music here and there but not like it at least 75% of emcees today. It is a refreshing change when listening to B.o.B.

The new album that dropped 2 days ago called Underground Luxury did not disappoint. It is a great album with great features. The Adventures of Bobby Ray is his best as that is an album that is hard to beat, however, underground is just as good as Strange Clouds which was a phenomenal album in it’s own right.

B.o.B. is not going anywhere. His talent is undeniable. If he is a feature on someone else’s track he makes it so much better and it does not matter who is the primary artist. His clothing style is also something to admire as it is very unique to hip-hop just like everything else he does or is. Underground Luxury helped him solidify his aspirations to go forward with a jewelry line. So much so that the line will be called Underground Luxury.

Review Summary: 

B.o.B. is consistently as ever and has proved through his last 3 albums that will never change. The beats are unbelievably fresh and there is none like his, lyrics are witty with great delivery, feature are perfect for beats, and hearing an evolution of his style. B.o.B. also had some of the great producers for this album as well, those being Rock City, Cam Wallace, DJ Toomp, Geoffro Cause, Detail, SoFly and Nius, Arthur McArthur, FKi, Big Zar, Jim Jonsin, Finatik N Zac, DJ Mustard, Mike Will Make It, and B.o.B. himself.

Overall Album Rating:

4 out of 5

Track List and Track Review:

Track 1.) All I Want = 5

Track 2.) One Day = 5

Track 3.) Paper Route = 4

Track 4.) Ready (feat. Future) = 5

Track 5.) Throwback (feat. Chris Brown) = 4

Track 6.) Back Me Up = 3

Track 7.) Coastline = 4

Track 8.) Wide Open (feat. Ester Dean) = 3

Track 9.) FlyMuthaF**er = 4

Track 10.) Headbandz (feat. 2 Chainz) = 5

Track 11.) John Doe (feat. Priscilla) = 5

Track 12.) Cranberry Moonwalk (feat. Mike Fresh) = 3

Track 13.) Nobody Told Me = 5

Track 14.) Forever (feat. Playboy Tre) = 3

Track 15.) We Still in This Bitch (feat. T.I. and Juicy J) = 5

The album is spectacular and suggest picking it up.

-The Hip-Hop Review Board

The Rap God Graces With His Presence Yet Again With MMLP2

Readers, here we go the first blog post under the new format. I hope everyone enjoys it and finds it informative. So without further adieu here we go…

I have been a Eminem fan since he first came out onto the main stage 15+ years ago. He is 1 out of 2 people in Hip-Hop to win an Academy Award and that is just one of his incredible list of awards. Outside of awards he also has sold more units (CDs, digital downloads, etc.) than any other person in Hip-Hop by an incredible margin. His worldwide albums sales stand at more than 100 million, singles 120 million, and the estimated sale of over 220 million records worldwide. In the United States, he has sold 49.1 million albums and 42 million tracks. No other emcee comes even remotely close to this, or complete labels with all their artists combined. These numbers are higher than all emcees from YMCMB as well as GOOD Music combined, it’s incredible. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying anything negative about any of those artists either because they are some of them are my favorites as well and are some of the most talented emcees in history.

Until today it has been 3 years since we were graced with a album from the Rap God which was  Recovery. Personally, I loved Recovery, I think it may be my favorite Em album to date in my opinion, and apparently most people since Em had 2 videos from the album on the top of the 10 most watched videos list on YouTube not all that long after it’s release. However, some huge fans of Em did not like it because a lot of tracks did not have his original sound that first made them fans. This surprised me because I thought it was epic, there is not a song on that album that is not phenomenal. An artist’s sound will evolve and change and some like it and some do not. So I think this is because some fans missed his early sound that we heard on the The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP (MMLP), and The Eminem Show.

The fans that may not have liked Recovery will be so happy to hear The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (MMLP2) goes back to his origins as far as style and delivery, but at an even higher level. He sounds like the old Em but in a more refined way. He has dropped 4 singles already and they are all great and seems to mix the MMLP sound in with his newer Recovery sound as well as a furthered evolved sound. He will see some fans that may have strayed come right back because of that.

On the Marshall Mathers LP 2 Em decided to work with legendary producer Rick Rubin, Dr. Dre, and Em also decided to produce for this album as well. Relapse and Recovery Em was not a producer for. I think that is a match made in heaven with Rick, Dre, and Em working together. I hope he works with Em again on future albums.

The first single to drop was Berzerk which was a fast paced track with the MMLP sound and with a phenomenal beat with unique samples. The video you can see a node to the Beastie Boys with some of the video shooting and it was very fly to see Rick Rubin in a video again, with a little lyrics.

The second single released was Survival feat. Liz Rodrigues which was also a blockbuster. Great beat, lyrics, delivery, etc. The song is inspiring. You hear it on the commercial for the new Call of Duty game as well.

The third single released was Rap God. Em was the only one on this track and spits crazy fast rhymes for 6 minutes. He was the “Rap God” before this track was released and it just helps solidified the fact that is what he is and always will be. I cannot wait for the music video to release.

The fourth single released was The Monster featuring Rihanna is a monster just like the last track the two collaborated on and will be huge. This song is a grand slam and I cannot wait until the music video of this song to premiere either.

All the other tracks are just as good as the single released if not even better, if that can be said. I mentioned above that Recovery was Em’s best but after hearing the entire MMLP2 album I have a new favorite Em album, that being MMLP2. The first week sales are in at 792,000 units sold and they will continue to rise as time progresses.

-automachi

The RHHR Board

The Real Hip Hop Review: Reloaded

Readers, I started this blog years ago and did not keep going with it even though Hip Hop is a true passion of mine as a fan, listener, and critic. So here is round 2. The plan is to review new albums coming out or just released. So a little mix up from the way things were on The Real Hip Hop Review (RHHR). Easier on the author and more informative for the reader.

I have loved Hip Hop since I was a kid and it is getting better daily and I think it will be nice for fellow fans to be able to read another fan’s feeling of new Hip Hop out there. I am not sure what made me suddenly decide to resurrect this blog with a new format that I think anyone reading it will enjoy and get something out of it. 

Some good albums have been dogged by “real critics”. I might be a “critic” but I am a fan first and will give you a completely unbiased opinion on new Hip Hop albums and base it on raw talent, presentation, etc.

I suppose I should thank the upcoming release Marshall Mathers LP 2 (MMLP2) coming out this Tuesday. An epic album lit a fire under this author’s ass to start writing again about this subject apparently. This will be the first album I review under this new format of the RHHR. So it will not very long until you hear from me again since the album is coming out less than 20 hours.

On a personal note, I need to write, it is my creative outlet. I have a religious blog that I wrote 46  posts over several years being a religious person looking for a new Faith. It helped me find what I need to and because of that I have very little to write about in that arena now, at least as far as for a blog. I created another religious blog a few months back and it remains empty, due to the same reason I just mentioned. So I am going to write on something I always have a opinion about and do not have to wait for a topic to “hit me” to be able to create a great piece of work, that being Hip Hop.

When writing about new Hip Hop albums I do not need to have to wait for a topic to inspired me. I just have to wait for a new Hip Hop album or mixtape to be released. 

So… with all that being said check out my review on Em’s MMLP2 coming very soon. I have heard nearly all the songs due to Em letting iTunes Radio play the entire album, which, ironically, is what I am listening to while writing this. I hope that other emcees do things like this, which a lot already do but there can never be too much in that regard.

A nod to Nicki Minaj for helping me thinking of a title to the first post for the resurrection of RHHR.

“Click-click, we are officially reloaded”

-automachi

The RHHR Board

Carter 4 and the State of Hip Hop

I have not been on this Blog in too long!!! I will try and post here more often as Hip Hop is a lot different than it was back in April when I posted last. Kiddos I have been busy!!! Enjoy!

Wow Hip Hop has certainly changed since my last post... C4 is out, and as YMCMB being my favorite label, soooooo much talent, especially with Weezy, he is the greatest rapper alive... however... C4 failed my expectations, but its new and it is different, even though most critics say it is a lot of the same. It simply can be that it will have to grow on me. I actually read some posts on lilwaynehq.com that said the same it was like there 6 or 7 go through and they we really feeling it at that point, which is scary as hell it has only been out since Monday and its Thursday... that is 6 to 7 hours of time, respectively, I do not know how you fit that in when I was reading this on Wednesday... but I have noticed that some other the other songs I am coming around on too. Really digging "So Special" that features John Legend. So I am hoping that all the sounds on C4 have that affect on me, only time will tell.

So now that I got my C4 thoughts out of the way lets go to the State of Hip Hop right now. I think the radio needs to diversify and play more than 10 relatively new songs and occasionally putting in a Throwback jam in there every so very often... 

Went out for a bit and grabbed a bit with fam and really C4 seems to be really growing on me and the I guess this album just has to grow on me I think. 

Getting back to the State of Hip Hop, we have YMCMB at the forefront and they do have a lot of talent, there is a Jay Z presence that is good and Kanye is in there too and then there collabo "Watch The Throne", which is a 5 Star album. Now we have Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (ODWGKTA), with Tyler, the Creator that I think can be the next big Hip Hop genius and his ass is only 20 years old. However, his talent speaks for itself, check out "Yonkers". He could be a mogul in a few years if he plays his cards right. Have not heard too much out of Aftermath Ent. which is a shame, but if we have to wait for the next mega Eminem album them so be it. I just want to see Hip Hop radio diverse like Hip Hop is right now. Tallinn Kweli is shell but gets no air play, he is great, I challenge anyone to state otherwise. Spoken Word Hip Hop is some f the best Hip Hop produced, Common is another name.

Within a paragraph I have summed up the layout and state of Hip Hop, come on lets see some more competition and MCs going for greatness.

I will Try and post more on this Blog but I have another that takes up most of my blogging time.

Kiddos stay safe and away from stupid!!!...

-automachi 

Yela & Tech... 2 Bright Lights to Watch...

What's good HHHs? 

I know I am listening to to 2 artist in particular here lately that I cannot seem to get enough of them.. These 2 artists are great in their craft (speed-spitters), them being Yelawolf and Tech N9ne. I have always been into the funk that came out of the West, like from the Bay (E-40 to Snoop and Bishop Lamont in between) down to the streeps of Compton, and love the New York artists (Wu, to 50, to Hova, and etc.), and of course the dirty dirt south, YMCMB baby!... I love all Hip Hop but these two come and are in a special niche of the rap game.

So lets look at the Kansas City's own Tech N9ne, he is a rap vet and been in the underground scene forever, not to mention he has released on big albums and been at the game for awhile but never got to the success of even Khalifa, Kweli, and others but this brother can spit just as good if not better. The only reason I can think of that he never get huge mainstream success is because he is in the hardcore and horrorcore scenes of Hip Hop and there are very few of them that have ever had a national stage except ICP for a short time but I think Tech has better skills.

However, with Weezy saying while in Rikers that he only wanted to work with 2 people when he got out, Andre 3000 and Tech N9ne I think got a lot of people hip to T9. Plus he and Wezzy and confirmed a track together on the Carter IV which better be a banger. With Weezy F.'s work ethic it better be as heavy as 6 foot 7 foot all the way through. He has to prove he is still "The Best Rapper Alive". But enough about a Hip Hop Don at the moment, Tunechi (and yes Weezy's hands still got the grip on the game, but he needs to tighten it). T9's could have the biggest year every and deservingly so. This brother has been at the grind a long time, is great, and its just this brother's time to get as big as he can. He will get a platinum record in the next 2 years.... I have no doubt. So watch out for this cat and if you ain't hip to T9, buy an album, any of them and you will be glad you did. Tech N999999ne!!!....

Now lets talk about another new star in the Hip Hop realm that is shining bright. That star being Gadsen Alabama's own Yelawolf. This cat is another fast spitter like T9 but with a spin, he is a white dude with major street creed. Plus he is bringing even more and new culture to the game of Hip Hop. With talkking about riding in Chevy's and making that Trunk Muzik. He recently signed a deal with the Reaigning King (and by sales always will be) of Hip Hop. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen Yelawolf is signed to Eminem's Shady Records. Shady signed him and Slaughterhouse (a Hip Hop Supergroup). Yela re-released a mixtape, making it a retail mixtape that was named Trunk Muzik 0-60, and it bangs and brings a whole new, unheard of style. If this cat plays his cards right and is smart about it he could be a heavy hitter and change the game forever, especially with Em in the mix. If you have not heard of Yelawolf check him out... pick up Trunk Muzik 0-60 you will be impressed. Then, watch out for his first album on Shady which is almost done, Radioactive, I am sure it will be a 5 star album if it is done right.

Until we meet again, keep those ears ringing...

-automachi

Is GOOD Music Good?...

Hello fellow Hip Hop Heads, whats good?

In my last post on this Blog I made mention of reviewing Travis Barker's new album "Give the Drummer Some." Well, I was still in the design process of how this Blog was going to flow... At that time I was thinking of reviewing Hip Hip albums and such culture surrounding them from post to post... Well I took some time and thought about it and decided I did not want to go in the review style format for this Blog. I host several different Blogs and the best posts come from an idea hitting me and me thinking, I have to write about that, for sure!... So that is the way this Blog is going to go forward... Feeling pressured to write about a fresh new album just makes you feel like you have another deadline to hit... and well... I have enough already.  However, I will say go out and by Travis's new album, I throw two thumbs up for that disc, it has killer real drum beats and great lyricists, period. So now lets get started, hopefully the title of the Blog gives you an idea of how posts will be going forward.



So is GOOD Music good?... I think so and I will tell you why. GOOD Music is Kanye West's label that boasts a roster of Kanye himself, John Legend, Common, Consequence, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Malik Yusef, Mr. Hudson, Sa-Ra, Cyhi Da Prynce, Pusha T, and last bust certainly not least Mos Def.

So I ask you again, Is GOOD Music good? Yeah, I thought you would agree. This is huge and has been kept under wraps compared to most "Label Hype". Look at Cash Money Records and Young Money (YMCMB) they are the biggest hitters in the game right now, but unfortunately (Tunechi is my fav) things look like they are shifting around and Weezy and Birdman may be running up against some compitition with Slaughterhouse and Eminem's endeavors with them and the artists within the Slaughterhouse supergroup (e.g. Yelawolf) and GOOD,  and other new artists, like B.o.B. The landscape is definitely changing my fellow Hip Hiop Heads (H3s).

However, I think the change is good because when you only have one primary outlet for heavy hitters like YMCMB has been the last couple things get stale, but not the YMCMB banggers. Anyway, I recently read about Pusha T's new stuff made me think about GOOD's artist and how much Yeezy's got his hands on the game. We all know that the Yeezy and Jay-Z's collabo is going to be stellar and will move some serious units but he has a lot of other serious artists too. Pusha T's new album will sell good I think. Come on he is half of Clipse and has worked with the Neptunes and now Yeezy, watch out!

However, the talent does not end there. we have Kid Cudi who is off the hook, Man on the Moon II was stellar, his next should be great too. You have Common who is stellar and consistent. Mos Def, just like Common but with a little longer history. So yeah.... GOOD is stacked.

So Hip Hop better watch out because 2011 could be the GOODYear. Kayne has to the troops that coulds bring the pain and lock down Hip Hop for most of the year... We will just have to see how the year goes and how Yeezy plays his cards.

-automachi, making Hip Hop hipper since 1981.