Big Sean - Hall Of Fame (Album Review)

Release Date : August 26, 2013
Label : G.O.O.D Music/Def Jam
 

Things have changed on G.O.O.D Music since last year. Kid Cudi and producer Hit-Boy boy left the label and Ye became a Dad. Big Sean had a nice buzz around this time last year with his contributions on Clique and Mercy from the G.O.O.D Music compilation Cruel Sumner and his Detroit mixtape. Since then, a lot of Sean's music hasn't caught on with the masses like My Last and Dance (A$$) did. Guap was dope but was it really "single" material? but to his credit, Big Sean said he didn't want it to be a single, but Kanye chose to make it one anyway.  Beware featuring Lil Wayne and Jhene Aiko didn't really make a splash either. I've seen the Fire video on MTV Jams a few times but thats about it.

A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord (Album Review)

Release Date : August 20, 2013
Label : ASAP Worldwide/Polo Grounds/RCA Records

Trap Lord was originally supposed to be a mixtape, but Ferg changed it to an album instead. I know A$AP Mob released their Lords Never Worry mixtape last year, but a solo mixtape from Ferg would of been dope so we could of got an idea of how his music would sound. Work Remix featuring ASAP Rocky, French Montana, Trinidad James & Schoolboy Q is the first song I've heard from him, so I'm still new to his music. The second single Shabba featuring A$AP Rocky produced by Snugsworth is inspired by none of than the Mr Loverman himself, Shabba Ranks. Ferg said the song came about from them playing around in the studio.

Clipse - Lord Willin' (Album Review)

Release Date : August 20, 2002
Label : Star Trak / Arista Records

Whoever would of thought the Clipse would go from having a shelved debut album to having one of the biggest Hip-Hop songs of 02. I used to watch Rap City like everyday in my teen years, so I remember when they used to show the Clipes The Funeral video and that was the only single from the Audio Exclusive Footage album. Although the album got shelved, it can still be found on the net. The VA duo didn't take off right away, but another group that The Neptunes were working with ended up buzzing first, and that was Philly's Most Wanted. The Clipse were featured on their album on the song Street Tax, they also were on N.E.R.D's In Search Of... album.  Pusha T went by the name Terrar at the time.

Rich Gang - Rich Gang (Album Review)

Release Date : July 23, 2013
Label : Young Money / Cash Money / Republic Records

This is the first album from Rich Gang, which consists of Young Money and Cash Money. With limited features from the "stars" of the label, will the newer artists step up to the plate? Nicki and Wayne are featured on one song a piece and Drake isn't on any of them. Birdman says the reason he isn't on the album is because he's working on his new album plus he says Drake is on some new tracks that's being saved for the upcoming Big Tymers album. But anyway, the album starts with R.G., Birdman speaks on the intro, while the "Man Right Chea" Mystkal drops a energetic verse and you already know he's gonna bring the energy whenever he gets on the mic. Future and Detail  link up on piano driven Million Dollar, which is basically a short song leading into the first single Tapout. You've heard the song by now, you know how it goes "She got that million dollar ooh ooh ooh!".

Ace Hood - Trials & Tribulations (Album Review)

Release Date : July 16, 2013
Label : We The Best / Cash Money / Republic Records

Since the release of his 2011 album Blood, Sweat & Tears, Ace Hood has kept his name out there by releasing  four mixtapes (The Statement 2, Starvation, Body Bag Vol. 2 & Starvation 2). During that two year stretch we also seen a lot rappers using his "Hustle Hard" flow. For real I cant even count on one hand of how many people uses that flow now. To his credit, he did get at them on song "Wanna Beez". In addition to having his flow stolen, Ace Hood has been the butt of Instagram jokes lately because his "60,000" dollar watch fell apart on the red carpet at the BET Awards.