Another solid Buck project. This was my first time hearing Tres, and he brings a smooth southern accent that fits the production well. ‘Stfu’ sounds like Lil Jon came out of retirement. It hits hard and brings serious energy. A few tracks lean more laid-back, with chill production and consistently enjoyable verses. The second track, ‘Bounce’, is a bit underwhelming, but the rest deliver solid, no-frills hip hop. It’s not breaking new ground, but the beats are easy to vibe with, the flows are tight, and the hooks stick. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Built for This, No Comin' Back 75 54 70 80 74 72

A lot of rap labels and crews tried putting a woman or two on the roster. Think Eve with Ruff Ryders, Mercedes or Mia X from No Limit, Lil’ Kim from Bad Boy, and Amil from Roc-A-Fella. The list goes on. Here, we have Leschea from Masta Ace’s crew, The Inc, who he would later marry. The title of the album fits, as she mostly sings, though over beats with a hip hop feel. This is her only album, and after listening to it, I can see why. The first track is weak. 'U Know the Place' is a step up, but mainly due to Masta Ace rapping, with him easily outshining her. 'Let Me Sing to You' has Leschea crooning, and let’s just say there are many stronger singers out there. Her flow is flat and repetitive. '3 to 5' features the familiar and much-sampled 'Could I Be Falling in Love' by Syl Johnson, while 'How We Stay' pulls from 'Blues and Pants' by James Brown, among others. The production leans heavily on recognizable samples, but most of them have been used more effectively elsewhere. All in all, this one isn't worth visiting. The sample-heavy beats are passable, but the songwriting and vocals don't rise to the occasion. If you're looking for a better fusion of R&B and rap from a lesser known female artist, check out Smooth’s underrated work from '95. Best Tracks: U Know the Place, All on You

This is a stronger release than Apollo’s previous collaboration with CRIMEAPPLE, 'This Is Not That'. However, I could almost copy and paste sections from my earlier reviews of Apollo’s work, because at this point, he has been making essentially the same kind of album for what feels like forever. When you think of legendary producers like Timbaland or DJ Premier, one of the first things that comes to mind is how much range and variety they bring across their discographies. With Apollo, that kind of unpredictability is missing. To be clear, I do like the production on this project. It’s well-crafted, soulful, and at imes atmospheric in that signature Apollo style, but that’s also the issue as it rarely strays from what we already know he can do. There’s a lack of surprise, of reinvention. By now, when you press play on an Apollo Brown album, you more or less know exactly what you’re going to hear. And while that consistency can be comforting, it would be refreshing to hear him push himself into some less familiar territory. Just looking back through his discography, I also think his music for a while has lacked bangers. You find more of these on his early albums like 'The Reset' or 'Gas Mask'. The rapper, Bronze Nazareth does what he does, but he isn't the most attention grabbing or unique rapper. In short, this isn't bad at all, but if you've been playing Apollo for a while I can't see how you'd think this was great as we've heard it before. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Enough Lord, Lavender, Faded Pictures, The Quiet Years

I thought this was good, but it didn’t hit as hard for me. I’d read a bit about McCandless beforehand, so the story lacked surprises and didn’t carry much emotional weight. It’s a well-made account of his journey, but unless you’re going in completely fresh, it might not land with much impact. Jena Malone plays his sister and narrates the film with a half-whisper voice that quickly became grating.

Some of the harsh 0.5-star reviews completely miss the point of this movie. Of course it leans into what made the original so memorable and beloved over the last 30 years - that’s part of its appeal. As someone who grew up watching the first film repeatedly (thanks to its constant reruns on TV), it was genuinely enjoyable to revisit the Gilmore universe. That said, I didn’t like the plot point involving Happy accidentally killing his wife. Even if it was unintentional, it undermines his likeability and could have been written differently to achieve the same emotional impact. He still could’ve been grieving or depressed without such a dark twist, and the story wouldn’t have suffered for it. I enjoyed the first two-thirds of the film more than the final act. The over-the-top golf competition felt rushed and lacked the pacing and build-up that made the original’s climax so satisfying. Still, there’s enough here for fans to enjoy, especially those with a nostalgic connection to the original.