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| Kendrick Lamar |
Kendrick Lamar ✩✩✩✩✩- Kendrick is a California based hip hop artist who has been in the rap scene since 2003 and has released a handful of mixtapes. Although Kendrick's local and underground buzz was heavy, it was not until his release of Section .80 that granted him national attention. I believe Kendrick's Section .80 album embodied messages, of street life and just what it means to survive and live, similar to that of the late great Tupac. My favorites on Section .80 are A.D.H.D, No Make-up, Tammy's Song, The Spiteful Chant, and Keisha's Song. I thoroughly enjoyed the album. It is still a frequent and consistent listen since its July release, for me.
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| Wale |
Wale ✩✩✩✩- A very hard working artist who has been on the scene for a few years. Since 2006 Wale has made a mixtape every year. Some of my favorites are The Mixtape About Nothing, Back to The Feature, & More About Nothing. Wale is different then many of his predecessors and many currently in the game, in that he just raps what he feels. To me it seems like it comes very easy for him. It just rolls of his tongue. He will give you intellectual poetic and then switch it up and give you some DC roughneck, lol. One thing is for certain, you can not just put him in one box. His most recent mixtape, The Eleven One Eleven Theory is pretty dope too. I loved his debut album, Attention Deficit, and I highly anticipate Ambition which releases Tuesday 01/01/2011. I am sure it will be fire. An update will follow.
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| J. Cole |
J. Cole ✩✩✩ - J.Cole is another fresh face who has been popping up everywhere lately. I first heard about J. Cole about two years ago. I was rambling through my friends music, when I found a blank CD. I thought I would "steal" it, to burn some music onto it, BUT I was happily mistaken because there was already music on it. It was J. Cole's The Warm Up. I liked it, so I started searching for more music from Cole. Downloaded his first mixtape, and by the time Friday Night Lights (his 3rd and most recent mixtape dropped) I was a Cole fan. FNL was very dope. The beats were nice, flow was methodical, and word play was good. Now I must be honest his most recent release, his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story did not blow me away. It was not bad. But it just did not measure up, at all to his previous material. That is why he only gets three stars.
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| Jay-Z & Kanye West |
Kanye West & Jay-Z ✩✩✩✩ - These two multi platinum artist have proven themselves time and time again. They usually produce solid material. So the release of Watch The Throne was nothing different. It was a good album. With good production, clever and witty lines, and catchy hooks. It was dark, and a little different for Jay-Z. I definitely feel like it was more of a Kanye project. Even though I love both of these men, I can not confidently say this is the best album of 2011. Solid, good material though. Four stars because I hold these two at a different caliber than many of the newer guys on the block.
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| Big K.R.I.T |
Big K.R.I.T ✩✩- I got into K.R.I.T late, in the last year, and although I can not say he is in heavy rotation in my iPod, BUT I can not say that he is not dope. K.R.I.T is another who has been on his grind. He has several mixtapes under his belt. K.R.I.T Wuz Here was the first listen I gave him, and I dug it. I loved his song Hometown Hero, which was sampled from a favorite Adele song of mine, Just Touched Down, and Moon & Stars to name a few. It was refreshing to hear some new generation non nonsense southern rap.
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| Game |
Game ✩✩✩- I never was a huge game fan. I listened but never was to excited. But Game's R.E.D album was good. It had a lot of material on it, and the majority of it was good. Game had a lot of hands in this album, from production to features. It was a solid piece of work but I am just not a lover of Game's voice and delivery. Nevertheless, I do feel like it is some of his best work.
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| Meek Mill |
Meek Mill ✩✩- A fresh new face with a hard delivery and street edge always has the capability to grab my attention. Mill's has had over 10 mixtapes in the last six years. He think he talented and has a lot of potential. His two singles, Tupac Back & Ima Boss both featuring Rick Ross had good reception over the summer and House Party off his latest Dreamchasers mixtape has also been popular. He has been signed to Rick Ross' Maybach Money Group so we shall see what the future holds for Meek Mills.
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| Drake |
Drake ✩✩✩✩½ -
I heard Drake for the first time back in 2009 and since then it seems like he has been everywhere! If its not his song, he is featuring on it. Drake's witty, and fun rap lyrics along with his more than decent voice make his music almost impossible not to like. Even though I get tired of hearing his voice sometimes, you cant deny that the boy has skills and talent. His Comeback Season mixtapeDegrassi's, musical talents. I also enjoyed his debut album, Thank Me Later, it was a great first project. Looking forward to his Sophomore album, Take Care scheduled to be released mid November. I do like the two singles I have heard, I'm so proud of you featuring Nicki Minaj and Headlines.
That is it for now.... I may have missed some. I may do another Music Opinions/Review
btw, if you do not agree with my opinion, its okay to let me know. Post.
