BigBlue fo32's TOP ALBUMS

“Ever heard the saying: "it's not what you say, it's how you say it?" Well, I believe that applies with this album and Wiz in general. The Pitt native isn't a lyrical genius--anyone would admit that--but his rap style has a certain something that differentiates itself from those of other artists. If I can describe it in one word: VIBE. Wiz's music has a very distinguishable vibe to it, and part of that involves his flow, delivery, and his voice. I don't care what anyone says--an artist can rap his ass off, but if his voice is wack, or not distinguishable in some way then his/her's music suffers. What if Jay-Z had a voice like pee-wee herman's?" His rhymes would still be dope but I doubt anyone would listen to him. It's an extreme example but hopefully you get the point. It's hard to measure things like vibe, swag, and flow, but I think it definitely should factor into an evaluation of an artist. Nathan is a great music reviewer--my favorite on the internet, actually--but sometimes he misses this (take Kid Cudi, for example-- http://bit.ly/13kD5W). To not even mention "The Race," which like many reviewers pointed out, is the best on the album, makes me wonder if he even listened to the entire disk. 4 stars -------------------------------------------------------------------”

“Never head of Naledge or any of the guests on this mixtape. But damn. I mean DAMN. Nathan wasn't kidding--this guy and his mixtape as a whole, is fire. Its not just that Naledge's flow is smooth and intelligent, the production on some of these songs is spectacular. Its chill; and no other songs on this mixtape define it better than Southside and Cool Relax. You'd be doing pretty well playing these songs at a slick summer party, or just rolling down the streets on a hot summer day with the sunroof open and the windows down, heads bobbing for sure. Looks like Naledge is up and coming so I'm assuming not a lot of people are aware of his talents. One thing I like about the booth is that it looks like they try their best to separate the quality from the massive quantity of hip-hop out there--no matter what commercial level an artist resides. Naledge is an example of this trend, so thanks for what you're doing. I'll take this guy over Ace Hood any day. And keep up with the reviews Nathan; love them.”

“"The Soul" is a classic listen. There, the flow and content mesh perfectly with the production. Before Halfway, I hadn't listened to Budden since his annoying "Pump it Up" and was unaware of his talent. But now I'm a fan. I'm eagerly anticipating Padded Room and like Nathan pointed out, PR's success (and I mean success in the artistic sense) will hinge on whether Joe decides to make an album that is either filled with cliche club tracks or authentic pieces. After listening to 11 songs where an artist prides himself on being real and outside of hollywood, its awkward to hear Joe spit on something like "Touch and Go". But overall good music, my favorites were "The Soul", "Check Me Out", and "Just To Be Different".”