KRS-One And Marley Marl
Hip Hop Lives

3 out of 5 discs

Talking about the epitome of what true Hip-Hop is lies in its foundation. And the architectural brilliance of the pioneer producer Marley Marl matched with the super rhymes of  KRS-One for the LP no one expected should be a slam dunk.  But Hip Hop Lives struggles to elevate the globally-embraced genre in more ways than one.  KRS-One doesn't give much in the lyrical department, as evidenced on "Over 30" where there is practically no meaningful chorus or verses.  And even though the concept on "Nothing New" is one that is reverberated by many , the song lacks any underlying entertainment value.  "Hip Hop Lives" is well-produced and KRS-One's flow is crafted wonderfully, while "I Was There" sounds like a lot of bragging with very little substance behind the relevance of KRS-One's presence.  The development of the choruses for at least half of the songs are non-existent, leaving much to be desired by the listener.  "Musika" featuring Magic Juan is decent though with its Latino influence,  "Kill A Rapper" asks why dead emcees always have open cases, and "The Victory" features guest vocals from Blaq Poet and turntablist Dj Premier.   "House of Hits" featuring Busy Bee sounds like a jumbled mess at times while "This Is What It Is" has the potential to be a classic jam with a little tweaking.  Even though both men are highly respected, little can be gathered from  Hip Hop Lives. By no means should KRS-One and Marley Marl stop with this one project.  Marley Marl should just change it up a little bit with regard to his beats, and KRS-One should remain focused on social commentary and speaking on rap's worth to the world.  Now that would certainly reign supreme in everybody's eyes. 

4 out of 5 discs

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Strength & Loyalty

With the absence of Flesh (when was he ever a full-fledge member?) and the enigmatic Bizzy Bone, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is down to the core trio of Wish, Layzie, and Krayzie Bone.  And even though they've been holding it down most of the time, the years haven't been very friendly to the Cleveland natives.  After years of disappointing projects and a fan base that is completely shaken up, the crew is fighting to prove their importance to the ever-changing rap game.  Strength & Loyalty could spell either a inevitable end or a prosperous beginning for the new lineup.  The Game holds his own next to the Bone members on "Streets" with help from Will.i.am on production.  The super radio-friendly "I Tried" is a no-brainer with the mellow beat riding under their subdued vocals and guest vocals from Akon.  Akon pops up again on the somber album closer "Never Forget Me." Mariah Carey and Bow Wow infuse their talents into "Lil Love" while Swizz Beatz brings his expertise for "Bump In The Trunk."  And the brilliant pairing of the collective with their fellow Midwesterner Twista for "C-Town" marries the rap styles nicely since they are so similar.  Thankfully though, Bone can sustain without the collabos as well.  "Sound The Same" speaks to the ever repetitive story of people trying to escape the hood anyway they can.  The sinister sounding "9MM" is a throwback to their darker early days of rapping, along with thugged-out "Gun Blast" and the hyperactive delivery of "Flowmotion."    And even though the Fleetwood Mac sample on "Wind Blow" is out of place on this LP, Strength & Loyalty redeems the faith in the group by their long-standing fans. And with the remaining members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony each showing their worth throughout  the album, there's no reason for anyone to write them off just yet.

Dj Jazzy Jeff
The Return Of
The Magnificent

4 out of 5 discs

Hip-Hop has transformed into so many things that it's amazing that originals like Dj Jazzy Jeff are even still in the game.  True enough, he was one half of the infamous rap duo that also featured The Fresh Prince (now Will Smith).  But Jeff Townes has been doing production work the entire time, eventually forming A Touch of Jazz production company and then releasing his own material.  His latest project The Return of the Magnificent is a follow-up to his original 2002 BBE offering The Magnificent and features a slew of new emcees, old Hip-Hop heads, and equally talented soul singers.  Twone Dabz gives the metaphor-heavy "Hip-Hop" as well as "Go See The Doctor 2K7" where he gives a near comical account of getting 'burned' by a woman.  Kel Spencer does a good job with "The Definition" while Eshon Burgundy and Black Ice ride over the smoothed-out cut "Run That Back."  Chinah Blac serenades over "Touch Me With Your Handz," a track that masterfully reworks the beat for the Floetry hit "Say Yes."  J Live does  an okay job with "Practice" even though it sounds a bit amateurish in its delivery.  Blacksmith Records' own Jean Grae takes another stab at establishing her name in the Hip-Hop arena with "Supa Jean." Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall pops up out of nowhere for the album standout "She Was So Flyy."  Underrated R&B singer Raheem Devaughn says it all with the aptly-titled jam "My Soul Ain't For Sale." The Hip-Hop pioneers break out full throttle on the album as well. Posdnuos of De La Soul fame represents for the old school on "Let Me Hear U Clap,"  Method Man gives his lyrical assault for the groove "Hold It Down," Big Daddy Kane shows off his rawness on "The Garden," and CL Smooth showcases his signature flow for "All I Know."  And newcomers like Dave Ghetto ("Come On"), Peedi Peedi of State Property fame ("Brand New Funk 2K7") and Rhymefest ("Jeff N Fess") all show and prove on the respective tracks too.  The Return of the Magnificent is prime real estate for anybody looking for a well-rounded mix of old and new Hip-Hop, a sprinkling of good R&B, and a touch of Jazz. 

2.5 out of 5 discs

Rich Boy
Rich Boy

Mobile, AL doesn't seem like the most likely place you would think of when you think of rappers from the Dirty South.  But that's exactly where Hip-Hop newcomer Rich Boy was born and raised.  After dropping out of college to pursue music, Rich Boy made some rumblings on the underground scene before finally releasing his debut self-titled album.  Exploding onto the charts with the first single "Throw Some D's," things looked promising for the rapper's career.  But after listening to Rich Boy, you sort of get the feeling that he might have trouble trying to one day live up to his moniker.  The few songs that stand out include the lead-off single "Throw Some D's" as well as the remix version featuring Andre 3000, Jim Jones, Nelly & Murphy Lee, the beat-pounding "Boy Looka Here," the Lil Jon-produced "What It Do," and the radio-friendly "Good Things" featuring the 'always grinding' R&B siren Keri Hilson.  Things drop off tremendously with "Hustla Balla Gangsta Mack," a song that could have been better with a faster tempo and a better chorus.  "Get To Poppin" has a sample that is too loud and crowds the main vocals on the song.  "Touch That Ass" sounds just as wack as it's title suggests.  Big Boi and David Banner offer some fruitless assistance for  an already dismal sounding  "And I Love You."  "Lost Girls" is a horrible Island-influenced cut that is nearly laughable. And "Ghetto Rich" would've sounded better if it was toned down musically and vocally (excluding John Legend's portion to the song of course).  Rich Boy has his work cut out for him if he doesn't want to be labeled a one-hit wonder.  Simply resorting to including a dozen guest appearances doesn't always save a rap album.  Just ask Diddy. 

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