Fastlife is the first solo album from Pop/R&B artist Joe Jonas. This album debuted at No. 15 on the billboard charts, selling 18,000 copies in its first week. I'm not sure what Joe Jonas was trying to achieve with this album but whatever it was he didn't. While listening to this album I couldn't help wanting to press the fast forward button. However there are three or four songs that's worth a second listen. I give Joe Jonas album "FastLife" 1.5/5
Recommended Tracks "See No More," and "Just In Love."
Rap icon Nas Released his fifth album Stillmatic December 18th, 2001. This album debuted at No. 5 on the billboard charts and sold 1.7 million copies to date. If you are a fan of Hip Hop and is familiar with Nas work I shouldn't have to say much. I was only a kid when this album came out but I immediately knew I was listening to a classic. Nas is arguably one of the best lyricist in the game and we all can see why with this album. Stillmatic has many classic songs like "One Mic" and "Ether." This album has guest appearances by AZ, Mary J. Blige, Amerie and more. I Give Nas "Stillmatic" 5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "You're DA Man," "One Mic," and "Ether."
R&B artist Lloyd drops his fourth album King Of Hearts. This album debuted at number ten on the billboard charts, selling 26,000 copies in its first week. King Of Hearts exceeded my expectations with the number of great songs it has. This isn't your ordinary Lloyd album, it's a step above the rest. Almost every song on King Of Hearts is replay-able from the slow songs to the club bangers. Lloyd deserve a lot of credit for this album. King Of Hearts has guest appearances by Trey Songz, Young Jeezy, R.Kelly and more. I give Lloyd's "King Of Hearts" 4/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "Naked," "Be The One," and "Jigsaw."
On November 12th, 2010 Rihanna drops her fifth album Loud on Def Jam Records. This album debuted at No. 3 on the billboard charts, selling 207,000 copies in its first week. Loud has several different genres of music from pop, R&b, to reggae. Rihanna shows bit of a evil side mixed with innocence on this album with songs like "What's My Name?" and "Man Down." Overall this is a solid album and possibly one of her best. This album has guest appearances from Drake, Nicki Minaj and Eminem. I give Rihanna's album "Loud" 3.5/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "What's My Name?," "Love The Way You Lie(Part 2)" and "Cheers."
I Remember Me is the second album from R&B artist Jennifer Hudson. This album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboards charts, selling 165,000 copies in its first week. We all know without question Jennifer Hudson can sing, so now all we need is good music. I Remember Me is a pretty decent album, not bad but not good. Some of the songs Jennifer Hudson chose to sing didn't fit for her voice. I must say this album is much better than her previous album. This album doesn't have any guest appearances. I give Jennifer Hudson "I Remember Me" 3/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "Why Is It So Hard," "Where You At," and "Believe."
Lady Gaga released her second album Born This Way on May 23, 2011. Born This Way debuted on the top of five major charts, including the billboards 200. This album sold 1.108 million copies in its first week destroying the competition. Hate her or love her you have to give her credit for her dedication to her work. This album has inspirational songs for her monsters(Fans) like of course "Born This Way" and "Hair." Born This Way isn't for everyone but if you're a fan of Lady Gaga's music then you will appreciate this album. This album doesn't have any guest appearances. I give Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" 3.5/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "You and I," "Hair," and "Born This Way."
Jay-z drops his "comeback" album Kingdom Come on November 21, 2006. This album debuted at No.1 selling over 680.000 in its first week. Kingdom Come was a good album, but average coming from Jay-z. With three years away from the mic Jay-z had to dust off some cobwebs and he did so with this album. Overall Kingdom Come was a solid album not too much disappointment. This album have guest appearances by John Legend, Ne-Yo, and Chris Martin. I give Jay-z's "Kingdom Come" 3.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Beach Chair," "30 Something," "Lost Ones."
Finally Famous is the debut album from artist Big Sean. This album debuted at No. 3 with first week sales of 87,000 sold in the first week of its release. This album has a ton of energy and full motivational songs. With Finally Famous you won't hear the best punch lines, but the lyrics are decent and the wordplay is on point. Kanye West appears on Marvin & Chardonnay, which is a good track and also a big hit. This album features artist such as "Roscoe Dash," "The Dream," and "John Legend." I give big sean "Finally Famous" 3.5/5 Mics
Recommended Tracks "I Do It" "Marvin & Chardonnay" and "Memories."
Eminem and Royce DA 5'9" Released their collaboration album Bad Meets Evil on June 14th, 2011. This album debuted at No. 1 selling 171,000 copies in its first week. This album is for real Hip Hop listening and if you stop listening for one second you just might miss something. Bad being Royce DA 5'9" and Evil being Eminem makes for a deadly combination. Bad Meets Evil consist of Lyrics, Flows, and Metaphors. This album Features artist such as Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Bruno Mars. I give Eminem's and Royce DA 5'9's "Bad Meets Evil" 4/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Lighters," "FastLane," and "Loud Noises."
Let Freedom Reign is Christette Michele third album on Def Jam Records. This album debuted at No. 25 on the billboard charts, selling 42,000 copies in its first week. Christette Michele has a beautiful voice and she displays it on this CD. Let Freedom Reign has a more up tempo feel than any other of Christette Michele albums. One of my Favorite songs from this album is "Goodbye Game" for many reason and one being the statement. Let Freedom Reign is a good album and I feel Christette Michele should get more exposure for her work. This album Features artist such as Talib kweil, Black Thoughts and Rick Ross. I give Christette Michele "Let Freedom Reign" 3.5/5 Vocal Cords
Recommended Tracks "So In Love" "Goodbye Game," and "I'm A Star."
Royce DA 5'9" releases his fifth solo album "Success Is Certain." This album debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 charts, selling 16,000 copies in its first week. Despite the low record sales this album isn't bad and was better than expected. If you liked Royce DA 5'9" on "Bad Meets Evil" than you should like him on this album. The topics chosen for this album are great and shows that he leads rather than follow. This album is strictly for the Hip Hip listeners all around the world. This album has guest appearances by Eminem, Joe Budden and more. I give "Success Is Certain" 3/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Writers Block," "Legendary" and "My Own Planet."
Eminem drops his seventh album recovery that debuted at No.1 on the Billboard charts, selling 741,000 copies in its first week. Eminem is well respected in the Hip Hop community for his lyrical skills on the mic. This album has a great song called "You're Never Over" dedicated to proof, a long time friend of Eminem who past away in 2006. Nothing really unexpected from Eminem on this album, add another one to the collection. This album features Rihanna, Lil Wayne, Pink and more. I give Eminem album Recovery 4/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "You're Never Over," "Love The Way You Lie," and ''No Love."
Kid Cudi releases his second album Man On The Moon 2 that debuted at No. 3 on the charts, selling 170,000 copies in the first week. I must admit at first I was a bit sceptical about this album but I gave it a try anyway. Man On The Moon 2 gives you five different vibes, all changing as you near the end of the album. Kid Cudi is definitely not your average rapper, his style and choice of words are unique. If you're a fan of Kid Cudi music then you will be very please with this album. This album features artist such as Cee Lo Green, Mary J. Blige, and Cage. I give Kid Cudi's "Man On The Moon 2" 3.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Mr. Rager," "All Along," and "These Worries."
Self proclaimed musical genius Kanye West Drops his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, selling 496,000 in the first week. If you ever heard a Kanye West album then you know he wants greatness and nothing less. Kayne west shows growth with every album he releases by out doing his past work.The instrumentals chosen on this album are phenomenal and so are the lyrics. This album features artist like Raekwon, Swizz Beatz, and Push t. I give Kanye West "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" 4.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Track "Dark Fantasy," "Devil In A New Dress" and "Blame Game."
Here I Am is the third solo album from R&B artist Kelly Rowland. This Album debuted at No. 3 on the charts, selling 76,339 copies in its first week. The single "Motivation" from this album is what lead up to me going out to support it. Here I Am didn't sound like an album but more like a demo. After listening to the CD it left me scratching my head. The bottom line is, this album isn't worth a second or third listen. Here I Am features artist such as Lil Wayne, Big Sean and Nelly. I give Kelly Rowland's "Here I Am" 2/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Track "Motivation," "Lay It On Me," and "All of the Night."
Trey Songz drops his fourth album "Passion, Pain & Pleasure" that debuted at No. 2 on the billboard charts, selling 240,000 copies in the first week. A lot of people say all Trey Songz talks about is sex, but this album kept me entertained from start to finish. This Album isn't anything spectacular but it's a good solid album from Trey Songz. Passion, Pain & Pleasure Features artist such as Nicki Minaj and Drake. I give Trey Songz "Passion, Pain & Pleasure" 3.5/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "Can't Be Friends," "Bottoms Up," and "Made To Be Together."
The Black Album is the eighth album from rappers Jay-z and was suppose to be his last. This album debuted at No. 1 selling 463,000 copies in its first week. Brooklyn born rapper Jay-z is no stranger on the mic and his track record proves just that. At this point we already know what Jay-z is capable of spittin so now he was really competing with his past work. The Black Album showcased Jay-z skills on the mic from lyrics, flows and story telling . This album features other artist such as Pharrell and instrumentals from Timbaland and Just Blaze . I give Jay-z's "The Black Album" 4.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "What More Can I say," "Public Service Announcement" and "99 Problems."
The Blueprint 3 is the eleventh album from rap icon Jay-z. This album debuted at No. 1 selling 476,000 copies in its first week. The Blueprint 3 is Jay-z's eleventh number one album breaking a record that was tied with Elvis Persley. I feel this was another great album by Jay-z especially having the New York anthem "Empire State Of Mind." Nothing bad to say about this album, it was just another one of Jay-z's greatest. The Blueprint 3 Features artist such as Young Jeezy, J. Cole. and Kid Cudi. I give Jay-z Blueprint 3 4/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Venus Vs Mars," "Already Home" and "Empire State Of Mind."
Adele releases her second album "21" which debuted at No. 1 with 352,000 copies sold in its first week. Adele album now sold over 10 million copies in been placed in the Guinness world record book for most consecutive weeks at number one. Adele has one of the most amazing and unique voices I've ever heard so purchasing this album was promising. If you like the singles from this album then you would love it because it gets better. Overall this album was really great but i felt overwhelmed with so many heart breaking songs. This album doesn't have any guest appearances. I give Adele's album "21" 4/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "Don't You Remember," "Rolling In The Deep" and "Someone Like You."
Wiz Kahlifa's Rolling Papers debuted at No. 2 with sales of 197,000 copies in the first week. This album has plenty of catchy hooks like "Black and Yellow, and "Roll Up" but not much lyrics. Rolling Papers has a very limited amount of topics making the next song almost predictable. Rolling Papers features artist such as Too short, Chevy woods and Currensy. I give Wiz Kahlifa's "Rolling Papers" 2.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Black and Yellow," "Roll Up," and "The Race."
Pink Friday is the first album from female rapper Nicki Minaj. This album debuted at No. 2 on the billboards charts with first week sales of 375,000 copies. Eventually Nicki Minaj climbed to No. 1 selling over a million copies. I don't really listen to female rappers often but I gave Nicki Minaj a try and was very impressed with this album. I think Nicki Minaj actually has skills and not just another female artist trying to sell records with sexual rap lyrics. "Pink Friday" not only displays Nicki Minaj skills on the mics but also her ability to sing. This album has a guest appearance by Eminem. I give Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" 3.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Romans Revenge," "Moment For Life," and "Save Me."
The Boss Rick Ross releases his fourth album "Teflon Don." This album Debuted at No. 2 on the Billboards 200 charts, selling 176,000 copies in its first week. If your a fan of Rick Ross and Hip Hop in general you would like this album. The lyrics on "Teflon Don" was on point, nothing really unexpected from Rick Ross. This album have guest appearances by Jay-z, Drake, and Cee-Lo. I give Rick Ross "Teflon Don" 3.5/5
Recommended Tracks "Aston Martin Music," "Tears Of Joy" and "B.M.F."
Hardcore rapper Styles P drops his fourth solo album "Master of Ceremonies." This album debuted at No. 33 on the Billboard charts, selling 11,300 copies in its first week. On this album Styles P delivers more music for the gangstas and gentlemen with Songs like "Harsh" and "Don't Turn Away." However this album does not quite match up with his past work. Being a fan of Styles P's music I expected a little more from him. This album features artist like Rick Ross, Pharrell and Lloyd Banks. I give Styles P "Master Of Ceremonies" 3/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Uh Ohh," "Children," and "Harsh."
On march 18, 2011, Chris Brown released his fourth studio album F.A.M.E. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts, selling 270,000 copies its first week. Chris Brown's album F.A.M.E has a lot of dance music as well as baby making music. The album has a great vibe to it and left me impressed. This album features many artist such as Ludacris, Lil Wayne, and Tyga. I give Chris Brown "F.A.M.E" 3.5/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "Look At Me Now," "Wet The Bed," and "Deuces."
R&B artist Alicia Keys releases her fourth album titled "The Element of Freedom." The album debuted at No. 2 on the billboards 200 charts, selling 417,000 copies in its first week. This album is truly a work of art and possibly one of her best albums yet. This album has plenty of inspirational songs that everyone can relate to. The Element of Freedom has guest appearances by Drake and Beyonce. I give Alicia Keys "The Element of Freedom" 4/5 vocal cords.
Recommended Tracks "Unthinkable(I'm Ready)," "How It Feels to Fly," and "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart."
Ace hood drops his third solo album debuting at No. 8 on the billboards 200, selling 26,000 copies. This album has a few tracks that I enjoyed but most of the material sounds mediocre. While listening to "Blood, Sweat and Tears" the lyrics almost became predictable making me believe he's one dimensional on the mic. This album features many artist such as Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. I give Ace Hood "Blood, Sweat and Tears" 2.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Hustle Hard(Remix)," "Body 2 Body," and "Go 'N' Get It."
Lupe Fiasco released his third solo album "Lasers" that debuted at No. 1 selling over 200,000 copies its first week. Atlantic records rapper Lupe Fiasco is well respected on the mic for his creativity and wordplay. I think Lupe Fiasco's latest album expresses his dedication to Hip-Hop. His album is well thought out, showing his commitment to music through a combination of original lyrical content and subject matter. I give Lupe Fiasco's album "Lasers" a 3.5/5.
Recommended Tracks "The Show Goes On," "Words I Never Said," and "Never Forget You."
It took forever for J Cole to drop his highly anticipated debut album and in the end it paid off. Even though his album leaked about a week before the actual release date it debuted at No.1 selling 218,000 copies in the first week. One of J Cole's strengths on the mic is story telling and you will hear a lot of it on this album. "The Sideline Story" takes you deeper into his mind with songs like "Breakdown." and "Lost Ones." On the downside this album has very similar instrumentals giving most songs the same feel. Overall with this album I think it's safe to say that J Cole has created his own lane. This album features many artist such as Jay-z, Trey Songz, Drake and more. After listening to J Cole's "The Sideline Story" I give it 4/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Nobody's Perfect," "Breakdown," and "Can't Get Enough."
Beyonce drops her fourth solo album and simply titles it 4. Her last three albums were successful and this one is no exception debuting at No. 1. I feel Beyonce experimented with this album and wanted to do something different for her fans. While listening to this album I was unsure where Beyonce was going with this. It took a few extra listens to get use to her new sound but I must say I enjoyed this album. Beyonce's album 4 features artist such as Andre 3000, and Kanye West. I give Beyonce's album "4" 3.5/5 Vocal Cords.
Recommended Tracks "1+1," "Best Thing I Never Had," and "Start Over."
Lil Wayne shocked the world when he sold just under a million copies of the carter 4 in it's first week. Despite The Carter 4 record sales I feel this album wasn't his best work. Some tracks on this album is enjoyable, but some of Lil Wayne lyrics doesn't sound well thought out making me believe this was a rushed project. Overall The Carter 4 don't quite match up with his last two albums. This album features many great artist such as Nas, Andre 300, Drake and many more. I give Lil Wayne's The Carter 4 3/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Nightmares Of The Bottoms," "She Will," and "President Carter."
Independent artist Mike Swagg has dropped several mixtapes in the past with his record label ToughMen Records. Releasing his first solo LP "Forget Me Never" put a stamp on Mike Swagg's music career. This LP shows his versatility by putting together a variety of club bangers and heart felt songs. This LP has very limited amount of songs to choose from, but overall it is pretty solid. This LP has one guest appearance by streets. I give Mike Swagg LP 3/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Rollin," "Play The Fool," and "Path I Choose."
The R.E.D Album is the fourth album from The Game and it debuted at No. 1 selling 98,000 copies in its first week. Although I am not a fan of the Game's music, I must say I was nothing more than impressed with this album. Listening to the Game's R.E.D Album is almost like watching a movie. Dr. Dre appears several times on this album narrating the Game's life. This album has a little bit of everything on it making it impossible not to relate to at least one song. Other artist are also featured on this album such as Beanie Sigel, drake , Chris brown and more. I give the Game The R.E.D Album 4/5 mics.
Recommended Tracks "Pot of Gold," "Born in the Trap," and "All I Know."
Kanye West and Jay-z's Watch The Throne collaboration album lived up to it's hype. This album debuted at No. 1 selling 436,000 copies in the first week. After listening to the album from start to finish I got the feel that I heard a complete album and got my moneys worth. I don't think either artist out did the other on this album so it balanced out well. Although this is a kanye West and Jay-z album it feels more like a Kanye West album. This album features artist such as Swizz Beatz, Beyonce and Frank Ocean. I give Kanye West and Jay-z's "Watch The Throne" album 4.5/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Ni**as in Paris," "Who Gon Stop Me," and "Made in America."
Underground rapper T-Will released his first Mixtape "Before The Flight." On this Mixtape T-Will takes you into his personal life with songs like "Fight School" and "Thoughts." I was really impressed with T-Will's ability to tell a great descriptive story making it very imaginative. "Before The Flight" delivers incredible punchlines and great flows. On the downside side, I wasn't too pleased with the lack of subject matter on this Mixtape. Overall "Before The Flight" is pretty solid for a Mixtape, but could of been better. This Mixtape features various artist. I give T-will's Mixtape "Before The Flight" 3/5 Mics.
Recommended Tracks "Welcome To The Life," "The Last Hope," and "Grind Mode."
