You could be excused for believing that I spend every waking hour obsessing over rap trivia while preparing for my next interview with an obscure hip-hop character, but that’s not really the case. Admittedly, a lifetime of perusing linear notes and thumbing through old rap magazines can tend to have some unwanted side-effects, but beyond…
Category: The Unkut Opinion
Producer, Engineer or Beatmaker?
Some things are hard to define. What exactly is the role of the ‘Executive Producer’ on an album? Is it the guy who paid for the record to be made? The dude who decided which beats to use and which guests to invite? Or the character who sat up the back and simply nodded his…
Toney For Mayor?
Guess some Nas stans got a little butt-hurt over the last piece. Of course, they failed to read the part where I declared that “there’s no denying that Nas is one of the greatest MC’s of all-time” and shed tears over the fact that I didn’t list ‘If I Ruled The World’ as a ‘classic’….
How Can Nas Be Garbage?
“With the exception of G Rap, Nas has more dope songs then anyone from Queens and just as many as any other rapper in the world” – Johnny Hardcore Following this challenge of sorts by a guy who seems to have taken his screen name from a male pr0n star, let’s take a look at…
Roc Marciano – Marcberg Album Review
This is Critical Beatdown for 2010. While it doesn’t exactly share any similarities in terms of the beat science presented, Marcberg is a game-changer. Much like the impact of Ultramagnetic MC’s long-awaited debut, you’ve never really heard an album like this before. No guest producers, over-used hooks or any type of traditional song-structure for that…
Respect Due To The GURU
As you would have heard by now, Keith E.E. ‘The Guru’ is seriously ill following a heart-attack. While there has been a flood of support from his friends and fans, this sad news has also given fuel to trolling douche bags to take some cheap shots at the man. Don’t get it twisted, bent-up or…
Six Reasons Why Rap Is Gonna Suck In 2010…
1. Rappers With Feelings – Who told all these Leaders Of The N00b School rappers that rhyming about being depressed, lonely and emotionally vulnerable is the what’s hot out on the mean streets of the rap game? Stick to the script, for fucks sake. The only time it’s acceptable to show any sign of emotion…
Kool G Mims?!
So I’m throwing out the usual promotional bullshit emails that clutter the old Unkut inbox and I notice something that almost makes me spit my Oranjeboom all over the keyboard: Artist “Kool G Mims” is looking for interviews, write-ups, bookings, etc
Rakim – The Seventh Seal Album Review
Rakim has had some tough breaks over his career in the music business – having dealt with bad record contracts, a DJ of questionable ability and some misguided A&R people on his two previous solo projects, some of which he addresses on ‘Won’t Be Long’ – but this time around he’s taken his destiny into…
Where’d The Rap Records Go?
So it’s that time of year again, when I try to remember all the albums that I listened to more than once and didn’t hate so that I can order them on vinyl…thing is, this year it seems like no one bothered to actually release anything on 33 1/3. As you’d expect, Year Round supported…
Lyrics Vs. Character
It’s time to admit the awful truth – I wasted many years of my life as a lyrics nerd. From constantly rewinding ‘Prsioners of War’ to attempting to memorize Percee-P‘s ‘Lung Collapsing Lyrics’ and even listening to Soul On Ice multiple times. Sure, I appreciated the genius of Willie D‘s Shout Rap and enjoyed NWA…
We’re Not Worthy! Rappers Wasting Dope Beats
Rap songs with wack beats are worthless, but what about weak rappers wasting superior tracks? Most people mention the first Group Home album in this category, but how can you be mad at a boxer who threatens to hit your moms in the head with a metal pipe? Not I. For me, it’s a little…