Pack FM – I F*cking Hate Rappers ( Review )
Written by Nicholas Candiotto
( www.potholesinmyblog.com )

The title track of Pack FM’s latest release, I F*cking Hate Rappers, pretty much says it all. The veteran emcee has clearly had enough of what passes for hip hop in two-thousand and ten, and he’s not giving any artist a pass. The Brooklyn born emcee wastes no time delivering his state of the hip hop union address.

On the title track, I F*cking Hate Rappers, Pack FM attacks label-mate Tonedeff’s aggressive beat right from the outset. Over the hard-hitting drum pattern and powerful vocal sample
he aims poisonous lyrics at another rapper veteran ( If you play Common now for Common Sense in 92’ / The Bitch in You would a been The Bitch In You Part.2 ) and at those who will dismiss the track as a jealous rant from an underground artist ( At the end of the day stand by your statements / If I don’t like it, then I don’t like it, that doesn’t mean I’m hating ). But that’s not the only critique of today’s current scene on this album. Pack FM reunites with Substantial and Mr. Mecca to form Dominion, and the trio reveals that they’re not ready to give up their spot to the next generation of emcee on the Domingo produced cut, Take Our Place. The somewhat stripped down instrumental allows the lyrics from these three veteran emcees to take center stage, and they do not disappoint.
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A-Mafia & DJ Diggz – Lord of the Streets ( Review )
Written by Sermon Donaldson
( www.thesermonsdomain.com )

Serving a two year long prison sentence would mark the end of some artist’s careers, but not A-Mafia. Upon his release Abdul Holmes linked up with his musical co-conspirator, Duke the God, and quickly reclaimed the attention of fans with his Araab Muzik produced single, We Back. A few weeks later he made an appearance on Cam’ron‘s, DJ Drama assisted mixtape, Boss of all Bosses, adding fuel to the fire that was his buzz. The hype generated from his appearance on Boss of all Bosses allowed Mr. Holmes to release the project I’m reviewing today, the DJ Diggz assisted, Duke the God Hosted, Lord of the Streets.

On the album’s anthem like intro, the hip hop Fidel Castro, A-Mafia, brags about being a dictator in the hood while simultaneously letting everyone within ear shot know who he is, and isn’t fucking with. For the sake of those who didn’t hear the record, he’s fucking with Cam’ron, Hell Rell and Vado. Did he say your name? If he didn’t then, according to him, you’re a bitch ass nigga and your death should be a slow one. On One-Hundred Grams the glorification of the drug dealer lifestyle is turned up to the maximum but he shows his versatility on records like Beyonce’s Joint.
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Fabolous & DJ Drama – There Is No Competition 2 : The Funeral Service ( Review )
Written by Sermon Donaldson
( www.thesermonsdomain.com )

John Jackson, the artist fans have come to know and love as Fabolous, has quickly become one of the most hated men in the mixtape game, and for good reason. Fans have had to wait an excruciatingly long time for Fabolous to release the next chapter in his DJ Drama assisted series, There is No Competition. This tape was originally scheduled to drop on December 25th but fans must have been naughty this year because instead of the gift of music they got lumps of coal in their stockings. The release date was changed to January, then February and now, in March, this project finally sees the light of day.

This installment of the series has been dubbed The Funeral Service and, according to Fabolous, it marks the beginning of the end for his competition. There Is No Competition starts off like any normal funeral would, with a wake. At Fabolous’ wake for the competition he starts his sermon off by blaming DJ Drama for the for the delays and missed release dates. After a moment of silence for the dearly departed Fabolous goes on a four minute long, punch line spitting frenzy. His punch line heavy verses continue on I’m Raw where he spits attention grabbing lines like “Go to your head like a shot of Vodka /Rock a sick fit call a Doctor partner/you’d think I had a Gucci deal Waka Flocka”.
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In the last decade the city of Atlanta have gave birth to more careers then most cities in the South. These Atlantian rappers have in turn created new genres within hip hop. We’ve seen everything from the dance inspired rap records of artists like Young Joc to the trapper turned rapper tales from artists like Young Jeezy. In 2010 its time for a new breed of artist to emerge from Atlanta, and Alley Boy is that artist. Since being released from prison in 2007 Alley Boy has been building both his catalogue and his fan base, doing both with the aid of his DJ Scream hosted mixtape, Alley Boy Da Don.

No one track on Definition of Fuck Shit embodies Alley Boy’s gangster nature better then I’m Strapped. The Arkatech’s brand of production allows the zone six native to put on his ski-mask and do what he does best, rob, slang and perform random acts of violence. On the list of this mixtapes top gangster records Rapping or Robbing would have to take the number two slot. I like this record because Alley Boy, with the help of his co-defendants, Princess, of Crime Mobb fame, and Wake Flocka Flame take you thru the day to day life of rappers who moonlight as thieves who take what they want, by any means necessary.
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New Orleans emcee, Curren$y, parted ways with Dwayne Carter’s imprint, Young Money, in 2008, to carve his own nitch in hip hop, on his own terms, free from the label chains that bind. In an effort to achieve his goal Curren$y blazed a trail thru the mixtape circuit, dominating it for the better part of 2008. He continued his reign at the top In 2009, releasing the critically acclaimed, Amalgam Digital distributed, This Ain’t No Mixtape. After the release of This Ain’t No Mixtape he took the rest of 2009 off, making only small appearances here and there, but for the most part, maintaining a low profile.

In, what can only be described as a stroke of marketing genius, Curren$y released his latest mixtape, Smokee Robinson, shortly after the Saints won the SuperBowl, giving the good people of New Orleans two things to be proud of. I do have to admit I was disappointed by the lack original records on this cd but this is a mixtape, not an album. I guess he’s saving all of his original records for his studio album, which is understandable. As you might of guess, the majority of the records on this mixtape come in the form of freestyles, done over industry beats that vary in style from classic West Coast to the smooth sounds of the South. This project is twenty-two tracks deep and is something any Curren$y fan, or hater, can enjoy.
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