Hip Hop Monthly

29/07/2022 DJ Premier - Hip Hop 50: Vol.1  What a treat this EP is. 5 songs of pure class. The legendary producer DJ Premier collaborates with a whole host of equally legendary rappers to commemorate 50 years of hip hop, and he delivers on the pressure that this ensues. The beats sound like they are plucked straight from the 90s but with a slight modern twinge to avoid sounding dated. Some parts are even Alchemist-esque, which if you can execute it, is a fantastic choice. With the production being this good, the rapping needs to be on par or else it may as well just be a beat tape. Well, Preemo ensures that the quality remains high by picking some of the hardest MCs past and present to feature on this tape. Joey Bada$$ kicks things off with his own solo track, a real testament to his abilities whilst among so many legends. He employs this luxurious flow over a similarly soothing beat. And it has never been in doubt that Joey has bars. He delivers. Speaking of bars, the only other s...

01/07/22  WESTSIDE BOOGIE - MORE BLACK SUPERHEROES  This was my first introduction to a complete body of work by Westside Boogie. I knew his style was similar to that of Saba, Lute, Mick Jenkins, etc. Naturally, I had high hopes. And predictably, I loved this. There is an interesting dichotomy between Boogie's tougher, braggadocio side and introspective side. His rapping and instrumental choices back both of these themes and are split fairly evenly in the album. However, I do think that within the harder-hitting songs there is a deeper level of meaning that lends itself more towards the other themes of the album. Both styles of song are enjoyable. The instrumentals in the introspective songs like 'NONCHALANT' and 'PRIDEFUL II' are rich and soulful. Very 'Lute-esque'. Personally, this is my preferred lane for Boogie as he uses these beats as good as any other rapper in the game. He talks of loneliness and self-worth a fair amount on this album, creating a qui...