Bust a Rhyme
Exploring the men, women, and motivations behind your favorite hip-hop music.
Most Sensitive Drake Lyrics of All Time
Drake has come out with more than his fair share of party songs and look-at-me lyrics, but he is no stranger to sadness. The Top 40s hitmaker has long been known to have a softer side than most rappers in the game.
Dr. Ethan LeviPublished 6 years ago in BeatFeminist Rappers from 2017 You Need to Listen To
It's no secret that most of the rap songs from male artists that make it on the radio have to do with subjugating, objectifying, and degrading women. Yeah, they all have catchy hooks and sweet beats, but take a second to listen to what they're really saying. If you want to hear some raps that flaunt female power, check out these feminist rappers from 2017.
Taylor MarkarianPublished 6 years ago in BeatKanye West 'Late Registration'
Opening Opinion: 9.25 I was very very excited to buy this album when it first came out. I’m pretty sure everyone was wondering could Kanye hit a home run again. And the answer is a resounding yes; even though his lyrics aren’t improved from College Dropout. The beats are also different. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this album has a glossier sound than his debut album.
Matthew SullivanPublished 6 years ago in BeatEminem 'The Marshall Mathers' LP
Opening Opinion, 9.75/10 Ah the legendary MMLP 1, also known as Eminem’s magnum opus. It is really really awesome, but its not really a flawless album. I actually didn’t hear this cd until 2002. My parents actually wouldn’t let me hear the whole thing. My Dad gave me a SSLP and MMLP approved songs cd which was the tracks deemed “not too explicit.” I can't blame my dad for doing that cause the early Eminem albums weren’t for kids.
Matthew SullivanPublished 6 years ago in BeatRecapping 2017: Standout Debuts, Pt. V
A$AP Twelvyy, Daniel Caesar and more — here are all the standout debuts of this year... part five that is. Don't forget to check out part four.
Sadé SanchezPublished 6 years ago in BeatBronxlyn Debuts with '2 Boroughs 1 City'
So I had a pleasant surprise while I was digging up talent for my open mic series, Check It! I came across this video, and after just a few seconds I think, "I need to hear more from this guy." After reaching out to him, I received an invitation to a listening party for his upcoming debut project. His name? No, that's not a typo, you read it right.
Sadé SanchezPublished 6 years ago in BeatBrockhampton - 'Saturation III'
Brockhampton is the newest collective of hip-hop innovators that will soon have the pop landscape at their feet. They don’t want to be just another “rap group”; they insist that you call them a “boy band.” The group consists of Kevin Abstract, Matt Champion, Ameer Van, Merlyn Wood, Dom McLennon, Rodney Tenor, Ciaran “Bearface” Mcdonald, and Russell Boring.
Rap DisciplePublished 6 years ago in BeatReview - Eminem ('Revival')
Hip Hop legend Eminem's ninth studio album has officially dropped and it's a monster. It's got 19 songs and is one hour and seventeen minutes in length and feature the likes of Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, Kehlani, Pink, and more. After stories about his marketing campaign over at HipHop DX, which I think is pretty funny and smart, and it leaked two days before the actual release. Oh, let's also not forget his Trump bashing freestyle he did for the BET awards which, to me, set a base level tone for what this album is going to be about. What you actually get from this project is one of his most polished and innovative albums. It doesn't drag at all because every couple of songs he smoothly changes up the sound. I'm going to be highlighting some tracks that I think have to hit potential and also that stand out because breaking down 19 songs is deathly and frankly, I won't care by the end.
Calder Amos-WoodPublished 7 years ago in BeatRecapping 2017: Standout Debuts, Pt. IV
Vic Mensa, Chaz French, Rob Markman and more — here are all the standout debuts of this year... part four, that is. Don't forget to check out part three.
Sadé SanchezPublished 7 years ago in BeatBig Sean & Metro Boomin - 'Double Or Nothing' Review
Social media exploded into a firestorm when Big Sean and Metro Boomin dropped Double Or Nothing. Many have been quick to dismiss this project as “trash,” and quick to label Big Sean as a sub-par rapper. Joe Budden was even quick to assert that this project shouldn’t exist at all.
Rap DisciplePublished 7 years ago in BeatKendrick Lamar and Multiple Album Meanings
Yes, it is. But not in the way people may think and not in a way that makes it worth buying the album for a second time. Kendrick Lamar’s Damn. is a fantastic record with a range of both trunk-knocking hits such as “DNA.”, “HUMBLE.” and “ELEMENT.” and thought provoking and mind bending revelations such as “PRIDE.”, “FEAR.”, and “DUCKWORTH.”. The record starts out with the expository track “BLOOD.”, a mysterious and somewhat haunting track that tells the story of Kendrick coming across a blind woman who he attempts to help but ends the track by shooting him. The record continues with Kendrick reflecting back on everything that led him to lose his life. The old blind woman can be interpreted as Kendrick having a run-in with Lady Justice and her taking his life is the culmination of all the social and political injustice that Kendrick raps about often in his music. Damn. is a depressing album at times, as it can be quite evident that Kendrick has little to no hope left in him. The fire within him to fight against social injustice heard on “To Pimp a Butterfly” is seemingly replaced with a depressing realization that maybe these injustices are self-inflicted (especially apparent on the voicemail at the end of the song “FEAR.”) or unsolvable. Kendrick is defeated on this album. He has been beaten down and is left with a tangible feeling of despair. He has been looking for answers all this time and, after all of it, he is left thinking that maybe it’s his own fault. He is truly defeated by coming to the realization that he is the cause of his own torment and anguish.
Justin SmithPublished 7 years ago in BeatReview: Metro Boomin & Big Sean's 'Double or Nothing'
I'll admit it, this one took me by surprise. I wasn't necessarily shocked that Metro Boomin and Bug Sean would work together, but it was more so the fact that the album seemingly dropped out of nowhere. I was excited to hear what Metro had in store for us this time. After all, just a couple of months ago, he dropped his album Without Warning with21 Savage and Offset. Unlike Metro Boomin, this is Big Sean's latest addition to his growing discography since February's I Decided which featured chart-toppers like "Moves" and "Bounce Back." Becuase of all of this, I couldn't wait to listen to what the pair had in store.
Kaya SabirPublished 7 years ago in Beat