As usual Canibus can't make a classic, but also as usual he gives us another handful of great tracks. It begins with Canibus spitting fire on 'CPTN Cold Crush' which is hardcore rap at its best, and then every few tracks, we get another one worth repeating repeatedly. In between these songs are mostly solid tracks, from the Premo produced 'Golden Terra of Rap', to the vibey 'Cingularity Point'. As Bis has been releasing albums at a fast pace recently - 3 albums in 18 months - you feel if he had the best of all three albums in one, it would be something special. Nevertheless this is well worth checking out if you're a Canibus fan and one of his strongest efforts.
Best Tracks: CPTN Cold Crush, Merchant of Metaphors, Title 17 USMC, Pine Comb Poem, Good Equals Evil
Canibus gets some hate for his beat selection but at least he is original. The production on a lot of his albums sound different to what most artists spit over and it's no different here. Track for track the production by Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind on this is the strongest and most consistent he has had. The first four songs are incredible or near enough to. 'Spartibus' isn't as engaging, with the beat having less to it. The high pitched Spanish hook on 'Indisible' isn't great but the production and verses make up for it. 'Showtime at the Gallow' is my least favourite song. I feel it is a bit overproduced. It almost sounds like there are two songs playing at once. 'Cemantics' has fire verses but again the chorus could be better. The album is somewhat front-loaded but the quality never dips too much. To this day his best album from someone with an underrated discography.
Beats: ★★★★☆
Bars: ★★★★☆
Hooks: ★★★☆
Best Tracks: Genabis, Levitibus, M-Sea-Cresy, No Return, Poet Laureate II
*Written in 2K19
The hip hop legend Large Pro rhymes fairly simply but commands the microphone and has unique qualities as a rapper. As with most Large Pro projects, the production is where the strength lies. You cannot not start boppin' your head once ''Bout That Time' begins and it lasts for almost all of the album with the final song, 'Radioactive', having a similarly contagious beat. Interestingly, the penultimate song, 'Hip Hop', features the same beat as Nas' 'Star Wars' that was a leftover from 'Illmatic' and has since been released. Head boppin' from start to finish.
Beats: ★★★★☆
Bars: ★★★☆
Hooks: ★★★☆
Best Tracks: 'Bout That Time, Akinyele, In the Sun, Alive in Stereo, Radioactive
Three very good albums in a row from Chrisette. While this has more low moments than her previous album, the best songs here are excellent and are among the best R&B released in 2010. Also, while the mini tracks/skits and 'So in Love' particularly unnecessarily slow the album down, there is still enough great stuff here. The chorus of the title track is orgasmic. "Leeeeeetttt Freeeeeedommmm Reeeeignnnn!"
Best Tracks: Number One, Let Freedom Reign, Goodbye Game, So Cool, Unsaid
Chrisette Michele is one of the few female artists I'm really diggin' currently. Her debut 'I Am' had some great tracks with a unique style, a great voice and good production, so that left me readily awaiting her next album. 'Epiphany' starts where 'I Am' left, using that format and creating a more consistent release with a lower spread of quality and a higher percentage of great tracks. So if you liked her debut, you will like this, and if you liked the singles from this then I'm pretty confident you will like a lot of what's on this disc.
Best Tracks: What You Do, Blame It on Me, Playin' Our Song, Another One, On My Own, I'm Okay
