“Under the Black Cloud”
As the world waits and prepares for Jay-Z to drop what has been called his last album later this week, the hip-hop industry is feeling the quiet before the storm. It’s not very easy or settling to put out an album anywhere near Jay’s release dates, due to the fact that each time he blows the competition out of the water. His album “The Blueprint” changed up the entire game when it was released and started a trend of sampling for beats again. Now the mysterious “Black Album” has many wondering where Jay-Z will take the game next, and how the game and other rappers will respond.
It’s always exciting when there is so much anticipation surrounding an album. This year hasn’t been short of such situations, as we have also seen a high feeling of anticipation for the double Outkast album. But with Jay-Z it is different. The streets are calling for it, with this being Jay-Z’s supposed last hurrah. Many people feel that he will most definitely leave on a high point and with a big bang. It has also been no secret that the list of production credits on this album is one unparalleled in hip-hop.
But just as we are waiting for that album to be released there are still others out there now who are tearing it up under the shadow of the disputed King of New York. Both the underground and the mainstream have a few serious joints out there right now that are circulating and making much noise on the scene. Right now it is no secret that the dirty south is running hip-hop, with Lil Jon producing club hit after club hit and Ludacris, having yet again another hot album of up-to-no-good antics. But almost slipping by unnoticed is actually one of the dirty south’s best albums of 2003, a real sleeper hit in T.I.’s Trap Muzik.
Our mainstream pick of the moment goes to T.I.’s album because of its wide array of satisfactory aspects. T.I. can rap, unlike some of his extra counterparts, but he can also create an ill hook to get the club bumping like the rest of them. Plus it doesn’t hurt at all that my favorite new producer at the time, Kanye West, has blessed the young man twice on his album. What is most strikingly different about T.I.’s album is that on many of the tracks he is coming across with a message as well as keeping with the down south style that the mainstream has been eating up lately.
This album has a lot of potential radio hits and has been letting them go ever since its release, and we don’t think that it’s done with at all yet. “Trap Muzik” is the perfect album for all of you who want an album that will bump in your system and will do well at parties. But if you listen closely to it, you’ll find yourself realizing that this cat has much more to show than meets the eye. T.I. is calling himself the King of the South, and although he has yet to earn that title, he is definitely on the right track now with his latest release.
In the underground there have also been a few standout albums of late, one of the best comes from the often-overlooked MF Doom, this time releasing his album under yet another comic book referenced name, Viktor Vaughn. The former member of K.M.D. gained much acclaim from his last full-length album, “Operation Doomsday,” under the MF Doom moniker. On that album he produced all the beats as well as dropped very inventive verses on each track. This time, as Viktor Vaughn, he left all the production up to others such as “RJD2,” “King Honey” and “Heat Sensor.” The top-notch guest production lives up to the very talented production of Doom himself. Where this differs from his last album is that he has improved his lyricism to an even higher level and changed his entire tempo and style for this new character that he has embodied for the release.
His clever and funny lyrics keep the listener on the tip of his tongue, while the dope production throughout provides more than proper backing. This great combination of rhymes and beats makes this album one of the best this year, and is guaranteed to satisfy listeners who desire clever and inventive rhymes, especially those who appreciated his last release.
So if you can’t wait for the “Black Album” to drop, or if you are one of the unconcerned and like sure bets, we’d recommend these two releases. Both provide the best in what they are trying to accomplish, and will satisfy the ear, that’s why they are our picks of the moment.
(You can listen to Justin Chellman ‘ Peter Dale on the radio every Friday night at 9 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. on The Redline at 91.1 FM. You can also email them at [email protected])
