Detroit rapper and GOOD Music affiliate Big Sean has never been away from the game for this long, but the time off has evidently given him quite a bit to talk about. With his fifth studio album, a sequel to an early 2012 mixtape that had a huge part in putting him on the map, … Continue reading Big Sean – Detroit 2
Big Sean
Nas – King’s Disease
Legendary New York City rapper Nas has returned with his first full-length album since 2012’s Life Is Good, with a brief 7-track project produced by Kanye West in the middle that many argued was actually the weakest of West’s five projects of summer 2018. On King’s Disease, he trades in West’s production for the reliable … Continue reading Nas – King’s Disease
Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
Jhené Aiko’s last album, Trip, a 90-minute highly conceptual masterpiece, revolved around the process of healing in finding a special person to share life with and escape from all the other miseries surrounding her. On her latest project Chilombo, titled after her real last name, she takes much more solace in herself, building up her … Continue reading Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
Lil Wayne – Funeral
Man, it used to be a much bigger deal if Lil Wayne and Eminem were to release albums in the same month. Regardless, one of the most influential figures on the modern rap landscape has returned – despite being a couple years older than the age at which he threatened retirement – with his first … Continue reading Lil Wayne – Funeral
Rapid Fire Reviews (Chris Stapleton, Miguel, Big Sean)
Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 2 Country/soul superstar Chris Stapleton releases the second half of his From A Room series, following the excellent Volume 1 early this year. Despite mostly restraining himself from the explosive moments and outlaw country lyrics on this second half, opting instead for safer, pleasant balladry, Stapleton’s vocal talent … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Chris Stapleton, Miguel, Big Sean)
Jhene Aiko – Trip
R&B/Soul singer Jhene Aiko's sophomore album, Trip, is less of an album and more of an experience. Nearly an hour and a half in length, Aiko's silky smooth vocals guide us through a project framed as one long drug trip. Aiko's becomes lost in a psychedelic and sometimes scary world, addressing her relationships including her disastrous … Continue reading Jhene Aiko – Trip
Calvin Harris – Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1
Versatile DJ and frequent hitmaker Calvin Harris’ 5th studio album is a reinvention of sorts. While he has frequently incorporated some aspects of funk and hip-hop into his music in the past, he has never attempted to make this much of a fully-focused and cohesive project. Harris abandons the formulaic dance drops here, instead turning … Continue reading Calvin Harris – Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1
Big Sean – I Decided.
Detroit rapper, G.O.O.D. Music artist and Kanye West protege Big Sean's fourth studio album continues to showcase his remarkable consistency, always delivering a decent project despite not taking as many creative risks as many of his peers. More trap-influenced than its predecessors and reflecting the rapidly rising popular sound of today, I Decided. has been described by … Continue reading Big Sean – I Decided.
DJ Khaled – Major Key
Major key alert: DJ Khaled has returned with another one, returning to his classic formula and further cementing himself as an unstoppable force in the world of hip hop with his latest victory lap of an album. I find that people are often confused as to what Khaled actually does, and as he has in … Continue reading DJ Khaled – Major Key
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 