WithThese2Hands

I created this page as an outlet for my love of what I call the "essence" of hip hop. This revolves around three basic elements: 1) Lyrics 2) Flow 3) Production.

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Alchemist & Evidence-Lord Steppington (9/10) Rating

 A collaboration with one of the best producers to do it and a member of the legendary Dilated Peoples crew bring ear to ear smiles on this reviewers face. With appearances from Styles P, Action Bronson, Domo Genesis, Roc Marciano, and others….the circle of an ill album is complete. Alchemist is a top 5 all-time producer to me, so that’s my bias ;). Every beat credit goes to this man with his signature sound. Evidence has the smooth cool flow.  Listen to the detail though; he comes through with some sick lyrics/quotables to make you want to replay.

“No Hesitation” features Styles P the Ghost…..cue the chorus intro, then commences the strings, over a simple boom bap drum.  Head nodding beat throughout.  Evidence flows “I’m descended from a list of those who center they mind” with Styles P right after “Ahead of my time, therefore I’m never late, can never be, got that prime megatron pedigree”.

            “Mums in the Garage” featuring Action Bronsolino, ALC does not disappoint yet again with this beat. Action goes in hard as usual “Chew my food, spit it out into a bird’s mouth, It’s only one and I’m already on the 3rd house”. Evidence replies “Side of pocket, caught her staring, then knocked it out of the park, Roger Maris I shoot the fair warn, I shoot the sheriff”.

Ever since Alchemist worked with Mobb in the mid/late 90’s I have enjoyed his whole catalogue.  Dilated Peoples as a group worked many times with ALC (“Worst Comes to Worst”..sampling Mobb…epic… as an example.) The match was perfect.  Evidence continues to show how well the match works with this album.

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Talib Kweli-Gravitas-9.0/10-Hailing from Brooklyn, blessing the world with Blackstar (with Mos Def, aka Yasiin Bey) Talib has released his second album this year (the first being Prisoner of Conscious) . Gravitas is distributed for now solely through Talib himself, cutting out the middle man so you will not find this on mainstream digital sale stores.  Production credits include J Dilla (RIP), Statik Selektah, Oh No, Lord Quest and others.  In the vain of consistency, Talib shows how to stand on your own two and never bow down to something that goes against for what you stand for.

            Demonology (prod. By Lord Quest) gets the album off to a serious, hard-hitting start.  Guitar riffs and hard bass drum hits.  Make sure your sub is connected to hear those hard drum bass hits. Talib goes in like usual “No wonder I’m losing blood, everybody taking a cut, speaking in tongues, quit depicting your funds.”

            Violators with legendary Raekwon, I played this track five times over before finishing the rest. An ill ILL combination. The best way to describe both flows on this track is like a sailboats flowing effortlessly over the waves.  The beat gets you stuck in the moment like a war call.  Listen closely, the flow is quick.  Talib, “This cat, y’all call a rapper is weak, my honor matter more, you? The shot to your Kenny I mean the latter more”, Rae “Blessed with the belts, flying in the stealth, Jewelry on neck, diamond on the cheals..”.

            Art Imitates Life with Black Thought and Rah Digga, prod by Oh No.  This single was out earlier in the year and still is a banger with ill rhymes.  Oct 3rd brothers Talib and B. Thought show why they are some of the best in this young or old. The beat gets me nodding quick off the bat, with that champagne glass ring. Thought comes in with the sick thoughts as always “I’m out of Philly where the ecstasy and syrup is, and we don’t need Theraflu, we need therapists”. Then Talib to match, “That’s when I’m letting the Brooklyn out when they pull it out, Better let it off cause you set it off”

            This album is a must for any collection.  Talib is a lyrical master who has paid his dues three times over. This is another classic delivered by a man who has held his own since he came out.

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A must! More to come...

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Action Bronson-Blue Chips 2 (Mixtape) 9.2/10-Creating a renaissance of lyrical talent out of Queens, Action Bronson has blessed us with his presence.  With previous work with beat smith Statik Selektah (Well Done) and legend Alchemist (Rare Chandeliers) he has garnered respect for emphasis on lyrics with beats to back it up. That being said, the sequel to the excellent Blue Chips (produced by Party Supplies) has touched down pairing the two together for round 2.

            I have to stress the creativity all around that Action and team has.  He has song #1 “Action Silverado”, before he does the official “Intro”. Switching it up right from the beginning. Very cool.  Also happens to be one of my favorite tracks. “Why the f*ck would I have a bodyguard, when I look like the mutha f*ckin bodyguard”. Then over to “Practice” with the legendary quotable from AI. Party Supplies got the horns perfect over that bass line.  Bronsalino goes right in no time to waste “Got locked up in the afternoon, I’ll make it out by Night Court”. Songs like “Contemporary Man” where he raps over untouched 80s hits, and “It’s Me” where the song sounds like its out of a Disney Movie….are genius. Totally out there….and cool as hell.  Flow over anything, at any time man! 9.24.13 is AB free styling similar to what he did on the original Blue Chips with 9.24.11. Basically just goes off the wall lyrically, and its great. “Shooting guns with my daughter on the weekend, smoke the butter same color as the weekend, Stash under the sole of the sneaker”.

            I can quote raps and beats from any of these songs.  It’s hard to hand pick a few.  And this is a MIXTAPE!!! Authentic, original hip-hop must be represented.  Much thought all around has been brought into this mix tape.  Razor sharp lyricals leave us with quotables and “WHAT? That’s CRAZY!” for days. A must have addition to your hip-hop library.

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Classic Review-AZ-Doe or Die 1995- 9.5/10 A classic all around...Sugar Hill...what a single.  Overshadowed by his brother in arms Nasir Jones, he never got full due.  However, he is still out there...you just gotta search a little.  His albums are hot no matter what the year.  A true wordsmith.

"Sicker than sickle cell anemia"

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Classic Review-OC JEWELZ- 9.2/10 O.C. is a legend.  After his premier...Word...Life (a masterpiece)...he second "Jewelz" in '97 keeps that bar high.  With guests included Big L and Freddie Foxxx, it was unstoppable.  Production credits include the legenday DJ Premier, Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, and the Beatminerz, That east coast sound, with the Brooklyn lyricals....you cannot go wong....O.C. Salute!

"When I die, bronze my mic, preserve it for newcomers to visit my grave site "

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Classic Review-Gangstarr-Moment of Truth-10/10.  Man....a moment of silence for the best.  This is top 5 albums of all time for me.  DJ Premier...my fav all time.  RIP Guru, a legend.  This whole album is a masterpiece.  Just like Gangstarr's others.  However this one hit a personal tone with me.  Got me through some really tough times.  LPs like this are not made anymore.  Better to have loved and lost then to never love at all right?

"I'm ready to lose my mind, but instead I use my mind"

[strongevity]

On a large scale, rest can be monitored in weeks off per season, months off per year, or time away from a specific training style. Broken down, we can look at pausing the action on a monthly, weekly, daily and even hourly level.

The reason why rest is important is that it allows our systems to...

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My review written for allhiphop.com on Malice's new album.

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Beautiful remix of an AZ/Premier track

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New Classic Review-Action Bronson-Dr. Lecter-9.6/10-Beats produced by Tommy Mas.  Mostly break beats.  And every song/rap is a worthy listen. Out of queens where he was an established fire flame chef, an injury/stay at home led to him writing raps.  And its a blessing to him and to all who love rap.  Action has it. An unbelievable rapper.  Many say he sounds like Ghostface...whatta compliment.  But while I say yes I can see why someone says that.....he is all on his own.  He has breathed new life into this art. In addition to this album, he has another prod. by one of my favorites Statik Selektah, Well Done. Another must have.  SAAAB Stories..an EP dropped this year.  I am eagerly awaiting new material.  Keep you eyes to the horizon, ears the speaker for this guy.  An unbelievable new talent the likes of which I have not seen in a very very very long time when it comes to rapping and flow. 

  "You can thank Flushing for my accent"

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Twelve Reasons to Die "The Brown Tape" 9.3/10-This album is a remix of his original album Twelve Reasons to Die produced by Adrian Younge.  However, this time around Apollo Brown made all the beats on the remix.  IT IS A MASTERPIECE.  Same ill lyrics from Tony Starks, with Apollo blessing the production.  After you buy this, buy Trophies by the legendary OC also produced entirely by Apollo Brown. Another new classic.

"The voice of the past and present, I speak Thrillers"

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The best is when a rapper can beat the original on the remix...Bronson runs over Odd Future.

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REKs-Revolution Cocktail. 9.1/10.  Hailing out of Boston I came across Reks searching youtube for Preemo beats.  And then I was blessed with "25th Hour" REKs, produced by Premier...taped in Coney Island in the winter.  "Ima write this here rhyme like GURUs in the passenger"....sealed the deal. Re Up on real hip hop and delve into his catalogue.  With Premier, Statik Selektah, Pete Rock, and the Alchemist (Check out Why Cry with Styles P). on prior albums, there are many gems.  On this album (they are saying its a mix tape), there are a lot of new producers and rapping guests I have not heard of.  However.....you will not be disappointed.  Please check the video for "The Molotov".  Makes me want to be a rapper.  Black background, red mask.....video alone gets me amped.  Soul Searchers produced the beat and it is sick! Check that whipping boomerang sound......unreal. Reks can rap....and do it sickly. You get 22 tracks of this! Much props to the production.  Tried to get "Melancholy" as the song to show on this rev, that is prob my fav beat on the album...Pianos get me every time. Poster Child above just as ill! 

If we hark back to a day where lyrics were what proves an MC to be the illest (I still live in that day), REKs would be multi platinum.  Give so much credit to this guy for continuing to hold the torch. This represents what HIP HOP SHOULD BE. Not what it is.  

"Hard to trust a soul now, too many are false, disappear drama go down, karma do the waltz, dancing around the issues....forget you....bounce"

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Jay-Z-Magna Carta Holy Grail- 7/10.  I was debating to write on this one…..because this is an album where everyone has an opinion….and I hate jumping in on these situations.  But Jay is my favorite…like so many other people I know I know..  So lets do this.  First listen, I was thoroughly disappointed.  So I waited and gave it time.  Now…I am less disappointed. 

Highpoints-> Picasso Baby (with that beat switch up reminiscent of another older collabo with Timbo “Come and Get Me”), FUTW, SomewhereInAmerica, beat courtesy of Hit-Boy (the Mylie Cyrus twirk part should have not been there....stupid and too many repetitions) and Heaven.  Timbaland has the majority of the production credits along with the Neptunes, Hit-Boy as I stated earlier, Travis Scott and a new comer Wundagirl (16 yr old Canadian woman, you go girl…that is cool Jay got her on here on “Crown).

Lowpoints->Tom Ford….why do we have to hear that name keep getting repeated. Uninspiring song to me.  F#ckwithMeyouknowIgotit.  Rick Ross…horrible.  Just repeating hooks…even worse….for half the song.  Get him off the damn album.  Versus and Beach is Better…sick beats wasted on less than a minute of song.  BBC sounds like it came out in 2000.  Two legends Nasir and Hov…..how could you think this beat was a good idea?

All in, disappointed still.  However, its Hova so his worst is still EONS past others.  I give the dude mad credit for still putting out records and getting #1s still.  Who else can do that, gotta give it where it’s due.  I am an old fan.  Old fan’s appreciate different things than these younger fans.  Since Jay and Nas days…..who emphasizes lyrical content on that level and is selling records?  Who focuses on ill rhymes/flow and can sell platinum?  Those who do ( cop REKs Revolution Cocktail)…do not get there due credit.  And this is because a sing along hook and a flashy beat take precedence.  I say it’s a bad direction, but who am I to say that right?  This new ish to me is not hip hop.  They should form another genre.  At least Jay has some quotables on this album like I mention below.  I cannot say the same for the new Wale album…..

  “Question religion, question it all Question existence until them questions are solved Meanwhile this heretic I be out in Marrakesh Morocco smoking hashish with my fellowship Y'all dwell on devil shit, I'm in a Diablo Yellow shit Color of Jello-O shit”