While the world waits patiently for the return of its flagship artist, Top Dawg Entertainment rapper REASON is here to fill the void with his debut, New Beginnings. One of the more obviously similar artists on the label to Kendrick Lamar himself, REASON dots his album with musings on society delivered in a similarly earnest … Continue reading REASON – New Beginnings
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Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar, a mere two years after the release of one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time in To Pimp A Butterfly, releases yet another dense and conceptual collections of songs backed up by his outstanding technical skills and lyricism. DAMN. is Lamar at his most straightforward yet, abandoning the poetic and … Continue reading Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
Ab-Soul – Do What Thou Wilt.
Top Dawg Entertainment's most uncategorizable artist is back for the first time since 2014's lacklustre These Days..., and continues to straddle the line between ScHoolboy Q's unapologetic approach to his gangsta rap tracks and Kendrick Lamar's intelligent and conscious lyricism and messages. Do What Thou Wilt is an incredibly dense album, and for the first time Ab-Soul … Continue reading Ab-Soul – Do What Thou Wilt.
Isaiah Rashad – The Sun’s Tirade
Isaiah Rashad certainly understands just how anticipated this album was, as he opens his album with a voicemail from labelmate ScHoolboy Q demanding its whereabouts. The final product he delivers is quite different from his debut Cilvia Demo, choosing to focus more on the laid-back delivery he showcased at times on his earlier work and … Continue reading Isaiah Rashad – The Sun’s Tirade
ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP
Perhaps I shouldn’t be reviewing this album, as the very first words uttered on ScHoolboy Q’s latest release Blank Face LP are “This that f--- the blogs”. While I understand why you might feel this way, Mr. Q, please don’t hate me for constructive criticism. And fortunately, not a great deal is needed as the … Continue reading ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 