Album Reviews9/10
Nas Stakes His Claim on New York City in Illmatic
A look back at Illmatic, Nas's 1994 masterpiece, ranking its ten tracks and arguing why it remains one of rap's finest records.
CLAY TRIBUNE / THE ARCHIVE
Tag: hip hop
Album Reviews7.1/10
Nas’ Magic 2 Trades Concept for Beats — and Mostly Pulls It Off
A review of Nas' Magic 2: a solid, beat-driven album whose peaks are high and lows are low, with a 71/100 Metacritic score.
Album Reviews8.2/10
Twelve Years On, Piñata Still Sounds Like Nothing Else Around It
A record of dealers, wives lost, and the street's grim comfort, told through old movie sounds and a voice that never flinches.
Album Reviews8.7/10
Noname’s ‘Sundial’ Packs Identity, Politics and Doubt Into Under Thirty Minutes
A swift chronicle of Noname's Sundial, wherein eleven tracks condense into a thesis of wit, sorrow, and protest.
Rapsody’s ‘The Idea of Beautiful’: Ambition, Unevenly Applied
Rapsody's debut album weighs ambition against length, with 'Believe Me' and 'Celebrate' carrying a record that drifts between modes.
Album Reviews8/10
Rapsody’s ‘Please Don’t Cry’ Is Messy on Purpose — And That’s Why It Works
Rapsody's Please Don't Cry is a raw, pointed album about surviving fame, family, and grief — a review of every track.
Album Reviews7.7/10
Danny Brown’s Stardust Balances Grime Confession and Pop Experiment, Mostly Pulling It Off
Danny Brown splits confession and pop experiment across Stardust, with tracks like 'Book of Daniel' and 'Baby' carrying the record.
Album Reviews8.3/10
Danny Brown Splits ‘Old’ Between Raw Rap and Smooth Pop Production
Danny Brown's Old splits itself into two halves, raw rap and smooth pop-leaning production, each working best when left alone.
Album Reviews7/10
A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Beats, Rhymes and Life’ Remains the Group’s Most Ambitious Statement
A Tribe Called Quest's 1996 album 'Beats, Rhymes and Life' ranks its tracks, from 'Mind Power' and 'Baby Phife's Return' to the closing 'Stressed Out'.
Album Reviews8/10
A Tribe Called Quest Trade Weight for Warmth on Their 1998 Album
A Tribe Called Quest's The Love Movement trades weight for warmth, a record of romance, dance and hooks that mostly gets away with it.