The Slim Shady LP review

Hi, Renegade back to review Eminem's controversial major label debut, "The Slim Shady LP." The album was released in February 1999 and features work produced mainly by The Bass Brothers and Dr. Dre. Eminem comes into the album explaining his alter ego, "Slim Shady", an exaggerated, cartoon like persona that tells stories that are far stretched from the truth. The album is far from a joke though. Eminem displays his talent to tell stories in music (As the World Turns, Brain Damage), express his anger over his situation prior to his signing with Dr. Dre (If I Had, Rock Bottom), and introduces himself front and center (My Name Is, I'm Shady). Eminem begins to expose himself here as a lyrical genius, stretching his complex wordplay and rhyming schemes much longer than most rappers. The album is a mix of fact and fiction, and Eminem himself challenges the listener to determine what his true emotions are. As it would be seen in future albums, there is also a sizable amount of humor in The Slim Shady LP, along with fictitious stories, which are the tracks that really showcase Eminem's talents. The controversy started here, and it really wouldn't end for a while. But what makes The Slim Shady LP such a great album is it's way to drag the listener in, with a track order that couldn't have been organized any better. Another characteristic Eminem showcases is his sarcasm, which is exaggerated to extreme extents throughout the record. While this album may scare non hip hop fans, it's an essential album for any hip hop fan, casual or hardcore.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

* denotes recommended track

1. Public Service Announcement
2. My Name Is*
3. Guilty Conscience*
4. Brain Damage*
5. Paul
6. If I Had
7. 97 Bonnie and Clyde*
8. B**ch
9. Role Model
10. Lounge
11. My Fault
12. Ken Kaniff
13. Cum on Everybody
14. Rock Bottom*
15. Just Don't Give a F**k
16. Soap
17. As The World Turns
18. I'm Shady
19. Bad Meets Evil
20. Still Don't Give a F**k

Linkin Park-Hybrid Theory review

I'm back to review another album that changed the game. An album that showed rap-metal in the mainstream was possible. And it couldn't have been in a better way, than what was shown on Hybrid Theory. Shortly after Linkin Park picked up a new vocalist, Chester Bennington, they returned to the studios after inking a deal with Warner Bros. to put together a debut LP. Commercial expectations were very low, and there wasn't much expected out of the record. Linkin Park would release the album in the fall of 2000, and there wasn't much commercial success right away. That was until, the hit single, "In the End" was released. In the End became a model for commercial rap-metal songs, and it peaked as high as 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Eventually Hybrid Theory would go Diamond in the US. But what about the material? Hybrid Theory features a range of alternative metal and rap-metal throughout, and most of the lyrics deal with Man vs. Self conflicts, and some lyrics also reflect their childhood hardships.( ie: Crawling, Runaway) While the lyrics seem typical, Linkin Park features their own turntablist, two separate vocalists, a rapper and a singer, and a powerful presence that was unmatched to this point. Hybrid Theory would launch Linkin Park, as well as rap-metal into the mainstream and would change the industry forever. Linkin Park displayed innovation in the way they executed the music, and also embraced the DIY work ethic to create a musical powerhouse. Since 2000, Hybrid Theory has become the stepping stone for young nu metal bands across the nation.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

*denotes recommended track:

1. Papercut*
2. One Step Closer
3. With You
4. Points of Authority*
5. Crawling*
6. Runaway
7. By Myself
8. In the End*
9. A Place for My Head*
10. Forgotten
11. Cure for the Itch
12. Pushing Me Away

Top 10 Greatest Rap Artists of All-Time

This may not be the last time I'll make this list, but this is where I'm at. This is for dead and alive rap artists, and this is based on their consistency, their lyrical talent, and their legacy. So, without further ado, here are, in my opinion, the top 10 greatest rap artists of all time:





10. 2Pac





While I know many think he's too low, with no insensitivity intended, I believe most of 2Pac's legacy came after his death and his albums were overexaggerated. While there is no doubt 2Pac is one of the most talented hip hop artists we will ever see, most of his material has been overrated by critics and fans alike. 2Pac however had nothing short of outstanding flow and was always able to make sure music was his focus. It is unfortunate that 2Pac became the unlikely martyr of hip hop. While he has left behind influence to many rap artists today, 2Pac remains as a staple to hip hop fans across the world.


Highlight album: Me Against the World


Highlight song: Changes





9. Run-DMC





Run-DMC had much more left in the tank and unfortunately didn't show it up. But in their time, no one was able to come close the likes of Run-DMC. Their first two albums, Run-DMC and Raising Hell have changed hip hop forever, and made the transition from Old School Hip Hop into the Golden Age. Run-DMC was extremely innovative, and has inspired the hip hop stars of today.


Highlight album: Raising Hell


Highlight song: Walk This Way





8. Wu-Tang Clan





Wu-Tang Clan never achieved the commercial success they deserved for the extremely innovative work they put out. With flow smoother than a brand new steel roller coaster, and rhymes that rival the best of Jay-Z, this hip hop collective combined many talents and no one could've seen a better organized and put together collective. While the Wu-Tang Clan is still around today, the legacy from the past is what stands out.





Highlight album: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)


Highlight song: C.R.E.A.M





7. Public Enemy





Public Enemy was another hip hop group that came up in the age of change, and Public Enemy was able to change rap and inspire rappers today. Public Enemy was able to put out two rap classics in as many years that spawned as much legacy as most artists can dream to have in their entire careers. While commercial success never really hit Public Enemy, they were able to influence plenty of it.





Highlight album: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back


Highlight song: Fight the Power





6. Beastie Boys





Before the age of the Beastie Boys, white rap was unimaginable. After the Beastie Boys, it became possible. The Beastie Boys began as a hardcore punk band, and eventually involved into what has become the only successful punk rap group to this date. After innovating millions in the 80s, the Beastie Boys never slowed down, and even this year in 2011, the Beastie Boys are still putting out tunes that are extremely different to everything else around today, and are still showing they can do it. The Beastie Boys are true visionaries to hip hop music.





Highlight album: Paul's Boutique


Highlight song: No Sleep Til' Brooklyn





5. OutKast





Outkast did not experience commercial success right away, but that didn't stop them from coming out with music that would revolutionize hip hop, and eventually, popular music. Outkast started displaying their innovative music in the mid 90s, and while they're on a hiatus today, the records they left behind will inspire generations. While Outkast did eventually get their commercial success, they had already made their impact on thousands of young musicians, listening to some of the most unique, innovative music to date. Outkast may be "outcasts" in comparison to other pop acts, but there may never be another act that can match the talent displayed by OutKast.





Highlight album: Stankonia


Highlight song: B.O.B





4. Kanye West





While many may think he's too young to be on this list, let alone this high, Kanye has shown consistency more than anyone in the game. Kanye started out as an all star beatmaker for Jay-Z, earning recognition for his work done on, "The Blueprint." After that, Kanye inked a major label deal, and since then, Kanye has made a mark on hip hop's history. Kanye West has put out 4 albums that are extremely influential and innovative for hip hop, and with those 4, Kanye West has shown he has unmatched consistency. With clever lyrics and beats that combine several genres, there may never be someone as talented as Kanye West.





Highlight album: The College Dropout


Highlight song: Devil In A New Dress





3. The Notorious B.I.G





Notorious BIG, Biggie Smalls, Chris Wallace, whatever you want to call him, in the two albums he released, he put out as much talent and displayed his unique and sly flow more than 90% of rappers ever will. Biggie was one of the few to match his critical success with commercial success, coming out with hit singles on both of his albums. Biggie took advantage of catchy beats and put out lyrics relating to his life, his upbringing, and how life was with the fame. Biggie had an untimely death, but what he left behind was some of the most incomprehensible talent that we can just listen in awe.

Highlight album: Ready to Die
Highlight song: Juicy

2. Jay-Z

Jay-Z's level of balanced raw talent, musical drive, lyrical ability, and love for the game create a superpower. Jay-Z has never had the commercial success that pop rappers get, Jay-Z displayed that he can perform well in a range of hardcore gangsta rap into a R&B/pop styled song. Jay-Z has been showing consistency throughout his years, and has released tons of material in just 15 years, and all of it is true, quality music. Jay has put out 3 albums that can be called rap classics, and while his legacy hasn't been seen yet, 15 years from now, many commercial rappers will look up to Jay-Z as an influence

Highlight album: Reasonable Doubt

Highlight song: Dead Presidents II

1......Eminem

He may have three public personas, but under all three, no one will ever match up to the ability of this unbelievable talent. Eminem rose as the King of Controversy, but at the same time, put out bone chilling raps that were equally eerie and genius, and it seemed like it wouldnt' stop. From 1999-2002, Eminem displayed his lyrics in complex wordplay and used a multiple syllable rhyming technique, and was able to find a rhyme with every word in English. While it seemed that he declined, he stormed back in 2010, and here in 2011, Eminem is still showing lyrical and musical talent, and he is always able to express himself in his music. While at the beginning that worried many parents, Eminem can write a song about anything, and he has taken advantage of his talents.

Highlight album: The Marshall Mathers LP

Highlight song: Stan

Nas-Illmatic Review

Back again with another album review, and this time, I'm nothing short of extremely impressed.
Nas' 1994 debut, "Illmatic" came in with low commercial expectations, and not much of a critical expectation. While Illmatic is only a Platinum record, it has spawned around 20 Platinum records. Illmatic is a powerful, influential, jazz flavored hip hop debut by a then 21 year old rapper who had just entered the industry. In Illmatic, Nas talks about his life in New York, his family, and his personality. But it just seems like much more. Nas brought in rhymes that were completely unimaginable to this point in the rap game. Busting out lines like, "I rap for listeneres, blunt heads, fly ladies, and prisoners, Hennessy holders, and old school n*ggas" in, "Memory Lane" and also spits an incredible verse in the album's lead single, "Halftime", such as, "Versatile, my style switches like a faggot, but not bisexual, I'm an intellectual, Of rap I'm a professional and that's no question yo." Nas came out with thunder, even if it didn't mean topping charts getting noticed by the mainstream. Nas shows nothing but brilliant lyricism and adds in plenty of piano rhythms along to help give the album some jazz and alternative hip hop background. Nas has influenced greats such as Eminem, Jay-Z,(Who he would later feud with) and modern day rappers such as Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco. Illmatic may only be 39 minutes and 51 seconds, and may only be 10 tracks long, but the legacy it leaves behind is far greater. Illmatic changed rap, and opened up the minds of songwriters across the world. Whether one likes rap or not, this is a classic that can't be passed up, and is a 10 track showing of sheer brilliance.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

*denotes recommended track

1. The Genesis
2. NY State of Mind*
3. Life's a B*tch
4. The World is Yours
5. Halftime*
6. Memory Lane*
7. One Love
8. One Time 4 Your Mind
9. Represent
10. It Ain't Hard to Tell*

Eminem-Recovery review

It's been over half a year, but I'm back to review an album, that's about, coming back.
Eminem had just finished putting out an album that he claimed wasn't to his standards. On his blockbuster 2009 album, "Relapse", he reintroduces the Slim Shady persona, and puts out similar lyrical themes that he did before, those being his mom, drugs, Slim Shady, and his friendship with Dr. Dre. But this time around, after planning on "Recovery" to be an extension of Relapse, he found the material to come out very different, and instead of naming it "Relapse 2", he settled with Recovery, coming out with an album that was extremely different than his 5 previous major label albums. On Recovery, he only has one work with career-long producer Dr. Dre, that being, "So Bad", which is often seen as a filler. While Eminem changed, and the songs may be a little more pop sounding, as the Slim Shady persona is non existent and not mentioned in the album, his lyrics have gotten more complex, and he hasn't sounded this aggressive and proud of his work since, "The Eminem Show." Recovery has several topics, some being of his low points in the previous years (Talkin 2 Myself, Not Afraid), his confidence in himself (Cold Wind Blows, Cinderella Man, Won't Back Down), and even his life with the ladies ( Space Bound, Love the Way You Lie). While none of these involve valium, his mom or Kim, and not even his daughter, this is viewed as a first stint out of rehab for Eminem. His innovation is returning, and he also included collaborations with several artists, including big names such as Lil Wayne, P!nk, and Rihanna. This time around, we see Marshall Mathers for the first time in 10 years, and while he's changed, his attitude and commitment to the game hasn't. Recovery is one of the strongest albums of the decade to this point, and showcases that Eminem still has the talent he had before his drug problems. His lyrics may not be clean, but he is, and he's brutally honest in his 7th album, Recovery.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Track listing:
1. Cold Wind Blows
2. Talkin 2 Myself*
3. On Fire
4. Won't Back Down
5. W.T.P
6. Going Through Changes
7. Not Afraid*
8. Seduction
9. No Love*
10. Space Bound
11. Cinderella Man*
12. 25 to Life*
13. So Bad
14. Almost Famous
15. Love the Way You Lie
16. You're Never Over
17. Untitled

*denotes recommended track

The Green Mile review

Hello, I'm Renegade back with my first movie review, this time looking at the Academy Award Nominee, "The Green Mile." The Green Mile depicts an elderly man, Paul Edgecomb, in a nursery home, crying while watching the film, "Top Hat." One of his friends wants to see what is wrong, and Paul tells the story. The entire film is in a flashback, where it shows a middle aged Paul Edgecomb, being played by Tom Hanks, who works at the Cold Mountain Penitentiary as a corrections officer in charge of death row inmates. One day, Edgecomb meets a large African American man, named John Coffey, who instantly looked disturbed and scared, and even mentioned being afraid of the dark. As the time goes on, Edgecomb is the first to realize Coffey has supernatural powers, as he cured Edgecomb's urinary infection and even resurrected a mouse. Edgecomb discovered that Coffey was much different than the others. As Edgecomb takes a look into Coffey's past, he discovers the truth about what really happened to John Coffey. The film is based off of a 1996 Stephen King novel, and is rightfully executed in an outstanding performance by Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan, who plays the role of John Coffey. The Green Mile executes some visually disturbing moments during a rough execution and shows that a lot can be done from the novel-to-movie transition. The movie has many depressing moments, and is most certainly worth a watch. In the end, The Green Mile exemplifies outstanding acting, outstanding directing, and all based off of an outstanding novel. It may be a shade on the long side, eclipsing three hours, but no matter what, this one should keep you engaged throughout.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Graduation-Kanye West review

I'm back to review a quite interesting album: Graduation by Kanye West. This album was half of what was called, "The Revival of Hip-Hop) in the sales race between Graduation and Curtis by 50 Cent. Kanye ended up winning the sales race, and also had more successful singles. Kanye West was in a position where he had a semi story line, depicting a gangsta like character who dropped out of college, (The College Dropout) then attempting to come back, (Late Registration) and finally graduating.(Graduation) What's interesting about this is it strayed from his previous styles of many skits, and off topic tracks. Kanye almost depicts a rap opera, with every track making sense. The opener of Good Morning shows a man that just barely made it through, Champion is the celebration song, and Stronger shows the hardships he went through. The album has gone double platinum and has spawned three Top 40 hits (Stronger, Good Life, Flashing Lights) with Stronger and Good Life reaching the Top 10, while Stronger topped the chart. Graduation however lacks consistency; a problem relevant in many rap albums. His strong songs are extremely strong, (Good Life, Can't Tell Me Nothing, Flashing Lights) while his weak points are very weak. (Drunk and Hot Girls, I Wonder) While the album lacks an element of consistency, it shows some things Kanye had never done before, and ventures out more musically, as seen in Homecoming and Champion, as they venture into pop-rock and R&B respectively. Then, what makes it good? The overall outlook of the album. It will take you a few times, but you end up finding a diversity of feelings, especially in the honor track to Jay-Z in Big Brother. Overall, the album conveys a strong, yet fun rap album that has party tunes, and songs you just might want to think about. Yet overall, for any hip-hop fan, or music fan for that matter, this is one you have to check out.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

1. Good Morning

2. Champion

3. Stronger*

4. I Wonder

5. Good Life*

6. Can't Tell Me Nothing*

7. Barry Bonds

8. Drunk and Hot Girls

9. Flashing Lights*

10. Everything I Am

11. The Glory

12. Homecoming

13. Big Brother