Compared to Kool G Rap’s output with DJ Polo, there’s a palpable pain and somber vibe that permeate much of his debut solo LP, an ideal backdrop for his tales of crime and urban despair.
Read moreDas EFX’s ‘Hold It Down’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
Across the duo’s third studio affair, there’s enough “iggedys” to make their original fanbase happy and enough great straight-up hip-hop to keep purists’ heads nodding.
Read morePhife Dawg’s Debut Solo Album ‘Ventilation: Da LP’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
Q-Tip was the first of A Tribe Called Quest’s two emcees to release a solo record (1999’s ‘Amplified’) when the group split, but Phife followed close behind with this underappreciated LP.
Read morePrince’s ‘The Gold Experience’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
‘The Gold Experience’ finds an artist lost in his own sense of identity, embarking on a new journey that would ultimately lead to a true rebirth a few years later.
Read moreShara Nelson's 'Friendly Fire' Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
Nelson’s second studio affair didn’t get the love it warranted upon its release three decades ago, so you can add it to a very long list of Black British artists whose work deserved more.
Read moreJohn Legend & The Roots’ ‘Wake Up!’ Turns 15 | Album Anniversary
Throughout the collaborative studio affair, John Legend has never sounded better, backed by a band who seem to relish the opportunity to play the classic material.
Read moreThe Replacements’ Final Studio Album ‘All Shook Down’ Turns 35 | Album Anniversary
Even at their lowest, the miracle of the Replacements was that they delivered something so stunning, so raw. It’s a long goodbye to a band that blew every chance they had at a hello.
Read moreBarbra Streisand’s ‘Guilty’ Turns 45 | Album Anniversary
The album’s enduring legacy is its culmination of intuitive songwriting, disciplined production, and, of course, Streisand’s exceptional ability to interpret music through her own unique lens.
Read moreNeil Young’s ‘After The Gold Rush’ Turns 55 | Album Anniversary
In his tribute, author Jeremy Levine contends that Young’s third studio album answers this question: how do I find love and joy in a world that’s falling apart environmentally and politically?
Read moreCocteau Twins’ ‘Heaven or Las Vegas’ Turns 35 | Album Anniversary
The trio’s sixth studio affair is as chill as it is exotic and exciting, meditative and extroverted. A bottle of exquisite stuff, indeed.
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