Mr.Top Hat's TOP ALBUMS

“"all movements begin underground" (c) Dilated Peoples ... Easily one of the most carefully scrutinized groups in the hip-hop underground, the Slaughterhouse have been EXPECTED to spit steam and flow all over the place until they blow; and 'E1 Music' Records has given them the perfect venue to do it - a full length LP ... Without the pressure and creative control in the hands of major record label, it's a slugfest where all the rappers are swinging for the fence. Slaughterhouse may not have huge star power to flaunt, but what they lack in fame, they MORE than make up for in the talent department. With all four members, you'd think there would be at least one or two dragging the group down, but that's not the case. There are no weak links in this chain .... "i remember when singles use to have cuts on it nowadays the rewind button got mad dust on it" - Joell "i do it late night, call me conan o'brien and the nose on my gun look like pinocchio lyin'" - Royce "i'm the one who always causes an affair so everytime your bitch burp - you smell my balls in the air" - Crooked “Too many dogs, not enough barking yet/ Too many blueprints, not enough architects" - Joe What's great about Slaughterhouse is the way they make the "group" concept work for them. They play off each other, they trade verses here and there, and they actually seem to draw the energy off of one another. This sort of business is the thing that, to me, defines what a rap group can (and should) really be ... Putting all egos aside for the greater good Slaugterhouse Boys shows great chemistry as a group, and they are all extremely talented, so the album is jam-packed with quotables ... “We a outfit equivalent to Votron’s/That boy Crooked I equivalent to four arms/Joell Ortiz is the body/The cannibal slash killer/Kill you then eat your body/Joe Budden is the pair of legs/He runs shit along side I, the apparent head”. - Royce Unleashing a barrage of lyrics, punch lines, and countless reasons to keep your finger pressing the rewind button, this project is uncut heroin for the ears. Best of all, each of the MCs is good enough that he could be crowned Best in the Group as each emcee shines, leaving blood on both walls and speakers alike .... Hard beats and hard rhymes in a tight overall package is just the beginning here. Playing off each other’s ferocity and their respective reputations as the most dangerous MCs in the game, the Slaughterhouse boys destroy more than a few triumphant tracks. "My niggaz asked for direction to go on this track I said FUCK A DIRECTION, spazz out!" - Royce Boys absolutely mangles the "Microphone", spewing bar after bar of molten magma with merciless efficiency ..... They doesn't need to rely on beats or hooks, I found myself truly enjoying their insane flows alone on "Cuckoo".... That craving was only further spurred by the track “Killaz”, a gutter-as-hell joint featuring the four emcees spitting like men possessed ..... The glue remains lock tight even on personal tracks like “Raindrops” where they paint lyrical pictures of their stressed childhoods and family tragedies and the track is also beautifully accented by the vocals of Novel. This and "Pray" shows that they can rhyme about something other than verbally taking someone’s head off. If there's one thing you can quickly clean from "SlaughterHouse" it's that they are deadly serious about the art and craft of making hip-hop .... Unfortunately, there are one or two minor things that were off about the album for me personally. Perhaps the biggest distraction from the sonic dopeness they provide is their own series of skits. And my only other complaint to the group is that (casaul) listeners may have trouble distinguishing who's who. Many of them rap in the same aggressive style with the same subject matter; Their voices and delivery is pretty similar .... Nitpicking critiscm aside, This is clearly a labor of love from four artists who are passionate about what they do, and want to stay true to themselves .... Overall, I loved this Album. I would say there are a handful of 5-star songs and a bunch of 4-stars. I don’t think I disliked any of the songs. Each verse features more punchlines than Lloyd Banks's entire catalog, and they're delivered in a way that would put most battle rappers to shame ... Top Picks 1. Sound Off (Hook makes me do things which shouldn't be done to furniture) 2. Cut You Loose 3. Rain Drops (Having Novel on your record only means one thing - Imma be coppin it!) 4. The One 5. Not Tonight 6. Onslaught II”

“Brooklynati!! In a time where notoriety stems from flaunting flashy style rather than possessing unquestionable skills, albums like Tanya Morgan's "Brooklynati" are hidden treasures. Being released to little or no press but gaining a strong yet minute fan following, "Brooklynati" has benefited from positive word of mouth (at this point I would like to thank Nathan) to become one of the underground scene's tightest releases in the present year. It’s smooth with a touch of grit. It’s serious but also full of humor. In other words, its an extremely well produced album with good emceeing. Features everything a hip-hop head could ever want: Dope, neck-breaking beats yet so soulful from Von Pea paired with fiery, content-driven rhymes. In an age when ‘keeping it real’ has become a punchline to a played-out joke, Tanya Morgan wins by effortlessly injecting authenticity into their music – and that’s real all three emcees possess a fun chemistry that keeps the entire album interesting. It turns out there can be a happy medium somewhere between overblown caricature and snooze-inducing emcee, and these guys know that’s their ace in the hole. Top Picks 1. Alleye Need 2. So Damn Down 3. Bang & Boogie 4. Plan B 5. She's Gone aka Without You 6. Never Enough (Crazy Love) 7. Hardcore Gentleman”

“Kill the Stereotype!!! Im with you Nathan ... Blitz The Ambassador didn’t come up on my radar until a few months ago (once again thanks to djbooth), but after thoroughly investigating the music, Im absolutely diggin his music mostly cos its an entirely different sounding music to my ears. His inimitable take on hip-hop vocabulary is carefully backed up by crispy jazz breeze to create soul funk with more live instruments/orchestration .... conscience lyrics and furious delivery over some of the flyest live production. Simple as that. He's not a punch line rapper. He relies on talking directly to the listener and what he says is more than interesting or compelling to keep one glued for multiple listens ... Check out the full-length streaming over here booth-heads! http://blitztheambassador.bandcamp.com/album/stereotype Top Picks 1. Breathe 2. Home 3. Ghetto Plantation 4. Nothing To Lose 5. Dying To Live Went through it once already and I was pretty impressed. I'll definitely try to squeeze this in this month's 'budge with a T' ....”

“A-Yo! I'm loving this to pieces yo! After the curiosity factor has worn off, it still plays amazingly well and displays not just the talents of one entity with whom music fans are already familiar but also, and more importantly, Seven's seamless ability to produce BANGERS! one after another. The artistry that rapper XV and producer Seven create together can't be denied. How the often unrecognized and entirely underrated duo continue to do it each time could be described as magical. The beats and rhymes only get fresher and fresher! ..... few individuals sound as natural together as XV and Seven. Se7en produces the beats and spins the wheels, matching almost perfectly with XV's concepts and topics. What impresses most is that the theme of XV songs do not stray midway through as most rappers tend to do. Instead, XV delivers songs that are all focused on a specific idea and hold strong to them "Everybody's Nobody". He doesnt only write raps that not only rhyme but have interesting concepts "Mirror's Edge", while simultaneously flowing over beats that BANG! without being hip-hop cliches "A.D.D" and can take the subject of female relations with equal ease when need be on "Used To". Most importantly, this shows the diversity of XV and proves that he can triumph on several levels and without inhibitions. A full 13 of the 18 musical tracks are produced by Seven his longtime collaborator: tight drums and a futuristic, sci-fi flavor, all wrapped up into a highly polished, professional sound with XV spittin raps away on top of it displaying his lyrical dexterity and hook making abilities. Other featured producers holds down the fort with their respective music that will rock your headphones and rattle the speakers in your trunk especially Omen's production on "Life Vs livin". No two songs sounds alike and each one is catchy. There's virtually no filler .... Lyrically, Xv is both able-tongued and justifiably confident, not trying too hard to impress us with intricate technique or breath control but nonetheless able to take it there if need be. He may not be addressing interesting political messages/social commentary BUT it's the unpredictable and charming way which XV delivers his fresh! raps which keep things interesting ..... On display is water-tight technique, plenty of clever turns of phrase and XV has enough charisma, MC skills, and production talent to counter any argument against his 'all clever but no substance' subject matter. All in all, the best artists know how to create a mood or atmosphere - even if not every single part works perfectly, the sum is more than enough to suffice ..... From fast paced techno/futuristic production capable of getting a party started "A.D.D" to head nodding loops appropriate for riding "Gobstopper" in the car, everything is included, that has the will to elevate any gloomy mood .... "Mirror's Edge" doesn't necessarily make a whole lot of sense at first, but the rhymes are remarkably complex considering the tone of the record. The result is lyrics both instantly enjoyable and endlessly intriguing, delivered in voice skillfully used like instrument .... "Bad News" is one of the hottest release over this beat. And then there is "Undeniable" track that is constructed with pulsating mixtures of piano-loop, snare, drums, background vocals layered upon each other, and this causes a remarkably crowded yet soooo pleasent feeling that will take many, many listens to fully sort out. Songs like this are the absolute peak of hip-hop creativity ..... Like every rapper from an overlooked region, XV would love nothing more than to be the guy who puts Kansas on the map as he sings on "Me, You" without sacrificing any verbosity or wit in the process .... All the guests ride along perfectly on this album and add flavour to the Mixalbum with their guest verses. The futuristic/eclectic vibe on the rack "Gobstopper" perfectly fits Wiz Khalifa's style and manner .... but no matter who wrecks the joint, its all XV's show throughout. One more area where this Mixalbum shines is XV's brilliancy in the art of crafting a song. A rapper who likes to sing his own hooks (and sing them well to boot) and it's obvious on every one of his hooks - "Awesome" -- "Everybody's Nobody" -- "Blinded" -- "Life Vs Livin" -- "U Got It" ..... XV's knack for the construction of addictive and harmonized hooks further sets him apart from his counterparts .... Going through this Mixalbum one keeps searching for the track that will convince one XV couldn't be this fresh and simultaneously so little known BUT the truth is it's as fruitless a search as trying to find weapons of mass destruction in Church. While the whole album is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish, here are my Top Picks: 1. Everybody's Nobody 2. Mirror's Edge 3. Undeniable 4. In Due Time 5. A.D.D. 6. Come Back Down Actually that's a bit misleading, because all of the songs are outstanding, and each listener is likely to find their own personal favorites in the process of being charmed by XV. Recognition may come tomorrow or five years from now, but if XV keeps making records like this recognition will ultimately be inevitable or should I say "Undeniable" .....”

“Frankly though, I underrated Maino as a rapper. His debut album, at 19 tracks long, is one of the more consistent and thorough albums I've heard so far this year. None of the tracks really nosedive, and a lot of them impress me quite a lot than what i expected. I like how this plays out like a book... Every song/skit is relevant. This LP sounds more like an album that you can play from front to back a couple of times before picking out your favorite tracks. Maino contributes to that by adding interludes in between most of the songs, which contributes to a flow that this listener didn't want to disrupt until it was all over. Good to see a Rapper to treat his material/album as total unit, and nothing less .... This album is Solid, in terms of production and some cohesive (not spectacular, but flowy) lyrics. Maino shows that he has many of the tools necessary to become a mainstay in the hip-hop game: catchy hook writing, emotion, strong lyricism and experiences to work with. But it’s brought down by a handful of lesser songs where Maino succumbs to the clichés of his story ... Tracks such as "Hood Love" and "Soldier" are not necessarily good on a track by track basis but when looking at the disc when taking everything in consideration, the pieces does fit. The pretty self-explanatory tracks such as "Million Bucks" -- "Gangsta" -- "Here Comes Trouble" -- "Celebrate" are above average at very best BUT they actually represents a lot more when put into the context of the album’s concept. Maino aint a bad rapper nor did he produced a bad album. His lyrics and flow is simple and mundane at times but he does offers substance at times as well. Solid production throughout makes up for Maino's 'lack of lyricism' and every once in a while he'll think of a few witty punchlines and a chorus that'll keep u glued for couple more listens, but an injection of lyrical style can help him go a long way. Maino is a generic street rapper but just slightly realer with his sh*t. This will most likely be one of the most overlooked albums of 09 (along with Mims “Guilty”). I encourage everyone to get to know Maino before passing this one off, Play it all the way through at LEAST once. It's worth it ... Maino told us his story, and while we might have heard this story before, he did make it interesting. Far from wack, but not about to change anything, "If Tomorrow" is a solid effort, straight four stars.”

“When it comes to hip-hop, I'm easily impressed, but very few get to leave a lasting impression. Novel is one of them. (Alongside Young Son and XV) Nuff the f*uk said.”

“Just in time for the summer! BEP resists to being pinned down to any genre, but the steady pulsating of the beats makes sure this lies still within the realm or at least the reach of hip-hop ... "The Energy Never Dies" with 15 disco- & electro-inspired tracks sure to be the soundtrack to many a summer party. Its a non-stop electronic dance party of shifting beats & tempos. Will.I.Am spazzed on this ish, breakdowns are crazy, songs stop & start; electronic voices fades in and out; the male Peas drop raps apparently at random. It is clear that Fergie has moved into 2nd in charge completely thanks to her ever increasing popularity. In most cases, the words are incidental to the beats, Other times, they are absolutely non-sensical, like dub-fused "Ring-a-ling," an absurdly catchy tune about booty calls. You'll keep looking for songs with more depth than "Rockin To The Beat" only to find that they're basically all at that level. Even lightweight commentaries about social networking & instant gratification (Now Generation) & a "can't-we-all-just-get-along plea" (One Tribe) are set to bumping beats. BUT What it lacks in substance it makes up with energy. TOP PICKS 1. I Gotta Feelin 2. Alive 3. Boom Boom Pow 4. Imma Be 5. Ring-a-Ling/Party All The Time “The E.N.D.” does exactly what it sets out to do — deliver a good time. I'm pretty sure that old fans of the group are almost guaranteed to be disappointed with most of the material on here. BUT I still think they are a truly inventive group. I still think a lot of people will not like them & call dis as a complete "sellout" ... So all I hope is that the Peas get back to focusing at least a little bit on the lyrics for the next album. In the meantime, this Record gonna be bumpin all summer long all around the world as the vibes these Galactic b-boys are on crosses over to all cultures.”

“Pop out of nowhere in came "Sickology 101" on to the front page of djbooth.net ... That was my introduction to a Beast named "Tech N9ne" ... One listen to it & i was hooked ... so i decided to check out his album 'Killa' as many Resident Djs suggested it (shout to my fellow Resident 'DJ Phantom') ... And again all it took was just one listen to come to the conclusion that Tech N9ne is an artist that I will support ... & Oh! my Fav. Joints were - "One Good Time" (I was completely blown away when I heard this song for the first time) & "Why U Aint Call Me?" ... However, I didn’t find too many joints that truly measured up to the greatness that was The Killa ... BUT its a muhfc*kin SOLID album Overall ... as Tech Nina bring his usual unorthodox flow, which in my personal opinion is a benchmark to the rapid-fire flow ... not too many Rappers can spit half as fierce as Tech N9ne does on his Records [just make me go out & scream] .... A majority of the album is good to average tracks with couple of classic songs like "Sickology 101" & "Midwest Choppers 2"... Simply put its a MUST-BUY ... I just wants to add that sometimes Tech N9ne gets a little too dark/weird for me; Complete with those demonic voices and creeping voice-enhanced chants on hooks ... (I know that’s his style, but dang)... But as he himself said - He is just too complex/weird/insane for the simple-minded audience ... But right now im just too Happy as He’s just starin to get out there more and he is steadily gaining the props he deserves ... COP IT !!!”

“Actually this should've been Titled - Deeper Than Rap ... Go figure?? Asher Roth is sure to get shit from the thugs for being a white kid through and through, and he’s sure to get shit from the backpackers for not speaking on “the real shit” or engaging society. And he’ll get shit from people in general for not being Eminem... So i dont think anything i would say will help him in his case ... [takes a deep breath] ... so imma just go ahead & say what i feel bout this Album ... "And even though I really couldn't relate, I kept studyin, and listenin and stuffin my face" ... This is how close Hip-Hop can ever relate to ME (an Outsider) ... My Top Picks: 1. Fallin (All Day n Nite) 2. Be By Myself 3. As I Em 4. La Di Da 5. South Patch Kids”

“PHENOMENAL prod + some of the INFECTIOUS hooks in recent history = DTR ... no denying his choice in production or his improved writing... on several occasion he shows that ross the boss can change his style and still get it right ... Ross did what he HAD to in order to stay relevant, callin in big names for guest spots, already epic sounding beats & great catchy hooks to help him shine ... Well his rhymes aren’t complicated or astonishing in the least, they are clean and he rides the beat well ... Solid guest spots from Nas, John Legend, T-Pain, Wayne and Kanye also contribute to what ends up being an extremely solid album ... Ross went for a more commercial sound on this record than his last two products, thus makin it more enjoyable to me ... Personally i like this better than both 'Port Of Miami' & 'Trilla' ... def gonna buy the instrumentals ... In-btw: I just hope & wish that more Rappers will start takin notice of one of a kind voice of Avery Storm for hooks on their joints ... My Top Picks 1. Maybach Music Pt.2 2. Usual Suspects 3. Magnificent 4. Rich Off Cocaine 5. All I really want 6. Mafia Music”

“Whatever people were saying about MIMS, I picked up his first album (his singles are always good and i agree other songs sounded like garbage next to them) ... but this turn out to be a nice surprise ... If your a hip-hop head looking for good lyricism , please join in ... If your a sucker for some hot radio hits, you’ll like most of this album ... His lyricism is more complex this time and you really have to listen closely to the music to pick up on the meaning of many of his songs ... Mims showcases a variety of delivery styles over the ever changing beat sequences showing just how versatile he is & covers all the latest trends that are jumping in & out of the 'Window' called Hip-Hop ... I don’t know what the heck happened to MIMS, but im really impressed ... MIMS provides something for everyone with “Guilt”, there’s rock-influenced cuts, R&B tracks for ladies, soulful joints, and plenty of chart-busters; MIMS even does some singing on the smoothed out "One Day" ... It actually sounds like MIMS successfully released a complete album ... a nice balance between grown folk music, and something the younger crowd might like too ... Now i know this is nowhere near Lupe but i also feel that this is not his best product either ... If the critics want to disagree with me they can, but I advise you to check this one out ... & Imma say it straight im more than disappointed with the rating & Nathan's review for the very first time ... even Bow Weezy walks away with a 3.5, but not this ... Top Picks: 1. One Last Kiss 2. Chasing Sunshine 3. Rock N Rollin 4. One Day 5. In My Life”

“DAMN!! a lil too late for the party, but its all good ... thankss to 'missnina' & 'FredRico' for mentioning all the points that i was bout to throw up in order to defense the record against the feedbacks from 'viciuzurban' & unfortunately my friend from whole another continent 'Aussie_Pride' ... She aint half bad as a singer (i.e Decent, ive heard way too bad than her) + some top-notch prod only adds up the quality ... & most IMPORTANT of all this is the type of RnB albums that i prefer (less slow jams) ... think more of Chris Brown LP rather than Neyo's LP ... Its def worth buying, if not atleast consider the HOTT singles ... My Top Picks: 1. Turnin Me On (still being slept on) 2. Alienated (sickk prod) 3. Knock u Down (on its way of makin to the front page of booth) 4. Return The Favor (cross-over hit, mainly bcos of their previous collab) 5. Make Love/Intution”

“Tight-A** melodies/harmony & Production all over.... It's a clear strength of his, one that absolutely belongs on every CD/song he releases/touches.... & The-Dream destroys it on that wit his slow flow.... My Top Picks: 1. Walkin On Moon (cant get enuff of this) 2. Rockin That Thang 3. My Love (Boo loves dis) 4. Take U Home 5. Mr. Yeah!”

“ssshhhh im still tryin to decrypt some of his LYRICS .... LOL .... Yo! nikeair453 u stole the words out of my mimd boi .... but still imma go ahead .... the lyrics were dope (anyone who doesn't feel the same,yes u guessed it rite Lupe's too intelligent for ya ) but the production wasnt ..... u see my mother tongue is HINDI .... so usually my rating is based upon the the whole vibe of the song ...... i would prefer kanye west albums over Lupe's any given day ..... personally Graduation is & was the album of the Year ..... & now im at it im also gonna say .... i liked 'Graduation' better than 'Dropout' & 'Registration' .... but dats just my opinion .... All in all this deserves nuthin less than **** stars ..... & im out ....”

“I hope this Movie gets released in India .... RIP Christopher Wallace ....”