House, R&B, Soul & Rap > West Coast Rap House, R&B, Soul & Rap > East Coast Rap > Rap > 5 GBP to 10 GBP

Advantages: Great album through and through! One of the best Rap albums available.
Disadvantages: Due to content, should not be played around minors.

This is a what i would call a groundbreaking album! My first real taste of the rap scene and I loved every beat and lyric of it. A lot of comedy, some commercial and indeed some very dark and perhaps shocking songs; all bursting with intelligent rhymes. Tracks: PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT - Short comedy intro/skit perhaps gives a little taste of what is to come on the rest of the album. MY NAME IS - The most commercial and perhaps lyrically random ...
...featuring Dr Dre. BRAIN DAMAGE - Darker song offering something of an insight into Eminem's childhood. PAUL - Brief skit. IF I HAD - One of the more mellow songs on the album. Gritty song reflecting Eminems' 'poor' beginnings. 97 BONNIE AND CLYDE - Very controversial at the time.. a parody of Will Smiths' 'Just the Two of Us' . In this version Em has just killed his wife and is singing to his daughter on his way to dump the body in the sea; the ... Read review

Advantages: Funky!!
Disadvantages: Some boring songs on the album!

The Blackeyed Peas- Elephunk Interscope records, licensed to Polydor Ltd (UK) The "peas" are also known as Will.i.am, Fergie,Taboo and Apl.de.ap. The peas have been around in the hip hop music scene for years know, and true die hard hip hop/RnB fans may say that their commercialisation has spoilt the genre. However, as one of these fans, I am nothing but impressed with the album. I tend to buy albums that reflect in a certain memory in my life. ...
...throughout the whole of my girlie ski trip to South Germany and became our sound track! From then on, we all had to get it! As a musician myself I can appreciate the fine form of all things musical, but particularly the catchy tunes with a range of rythmical influences such as salsa and latino which i love. In a nutshell then, its just down right funky! In my opinion, the album is very good, strong and powerful. No two songs are the same in style, ... Read review

Advantages: Great first five tracks, vast musicaly variety
Disadvantages: crap ending songs

...when it started; I started seeing sounds...whoah" Admittedly, the first time I heard this album it sounded like complete and utter nonsense - merely a lot of noise all happening at once. Yet, having listened to the album in its entirety a few more times, it really grew on me as I uncovered different layers to it. --- Band Members: --- Pharell Williams - Vocals, Piano, Guitar Chad Hugo - Lead Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals, Bass, Saxophone ...
...recounting his childhood memories of seeing sounds. He is accompanied by a xylophone and plucked strings - reminiscent of the Desperate Housewives soundtrack! The song then evolves in to a much darker sound, with a thinly layered blues-bassline and drums. Then, completely out of the blue comes a synthesizer for the chorus; only to be followed by the aforementioned blues bassline. At this point, first-time listeners like myself will be utterly baffled ... Read review

Advantages: Thought provoking lyrics, messages in the songs
Disadvantages: No filler

Food and Liquor is Lupe Fiasco's debut album and was released in 2006 through Atlantic records on the back of Lupe being featured on Kanye West's "Touch The Sky". 1.Intro This is a women reciting a poem/rap about stereotypes, and just introducing Lupe and the album. It's one of the more relevant intros put on a CD. 2.Real Lupe talks about the increasingly common materialistic rap that has dominated mainstream hip-hop for a number of years, and ...
...substance. The beat is up tempo, the hook catchy and the lyrics clever, but I think this had a little more potential than was delivered. It's still very enjoyable though. 4/5 3.Just Might Be OK This shows off Lupe's lyricism once more. He uses clever metaphors while rhyming over another high tempo beat, this time with some trumpet sounds mixed in. The track is about over coming obstacles that get in the way, and in the end just being OK. As with ... Read review

Advantages: A few bangers
Disadvantages: He doesn't pay attention to rhyming on occasions

"Tha Carter III" is the latest album in the "Tha Carter..." series by Lil' Wayne, who has boosted his popularity over the past few years without releasing a solo album since 2005 by appearing on collaborations with just about everyone, not just rap, or even that and R&B, but these and pop as he collaborated with Natasha Beddingfield. Lil' Wayne never took a break from making music all through last year or the beginning of this, resulting in some ...
...able to whip together tracks quickly, he decided to take advantage of what should be a negative situation by releasing "The Leak", using tracks which should have been found on "Tha Carter III", but as they had already been heard by a substantial audience, he may as well release the music offically to see how many haven't heard it and make it act as a preview of what the music will be like for "Tha Carter III". 1. "3 Peat" This introduction to the ... Read review