David Amidon < PopMatters

Reviews

Wednesday, January 25 2012

Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa: Mac & Devin Go to High School

A surprisingly under-the-radar offering from two of hip-hop's most famous weed smokers delivers exactly what you'd expect, and delivers it well.

Tuesday, January 24 2012

Rick Ross: Rich Forever

After major health concerns caused the release of Ross' next proper LP to be pushed back, Florida's most boisterous MC drops 80 minutes of appetizers for his people.

Wednesday, January 18 2012

Anthony Hamilton: Back to Love

After a three year hiatus, Hamilton returns with an inspired performance. Unfortunately, too often his producers don't seem as committed.

Wednesday, January 4 2012

Young Jeezy: TM103: Hustlerz Ambition

By diversifying his muses and expanding his range, Young Jeezy returns from a mysterious three-year hiatus with his most complete, mature set of songs yet.

Tuesday, January 3 2012

Common: The Dreamer / The Believer

Common teams up with '90s muse No I.D. to make an album as forward thinking sonically as it is rote lyrically.

Yelawolf: Radioactive [14.Dec.11]

T-Pain: rEVOLVEr [7.Dec.11]

The Roots: undun [6.Dec.11]

Murs: Love & Rockets Volume 1: The Transformation [5.Dec.11]

Rihanna: Talk That Talk [30.Nov.11]

Spank Rock: Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar [28.Nov.11]

ASAP Rocky: LiveLoveA$AP [18.Nov.11]

Joker: The Vision [16.Nov.11]

Drake: Take Care [14.Nov.11]

Wale: Ambition [4.Nov.11]

Andrew Bird: Norman (Soundtrack) [27.Oct.11]

J. Cole: Cole World: The Sideline Story [13.Oct.11]

DJ Shadow: The Less You Know, the Better [27.Sep.11]

Danny Brown: XXX [23.Sep.11]

The Real Tuesday Weld: The Last Werewolf: A Soundtrack [20.Sep.11]

Paul White: Rapping With Paul White [14.Sep.11]

The-Dream (Terius Nash): 1977 [8.Sep.11]

Lil' Wayne: Tha Carter IV [2.Sep.11]

MellowHype: BlackenedWhite [29.Aug.11]

The Game: The R.E.D. Album [26.Aug.11]

Maybach Music Group: Self Made Vol. 1 [25.Aug.11]

DJ Khaled: We the Best Forever [23.Aug.11]

Kendrick Lamar: Section.80 [17.Aug.11]

Black Rob: Game Tested, Streets Approved [15.Aug.11]

Jay-Z & Kanye West: Watch the Throne [12.Aug.11]

Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor (10th Anniversary Edition) [29.Jul.11]

Random Axe: Random Axe [22.Jul.11]

Zomby: Dedication [14.Jul.11]

The Cool Kids: When Fish Ride Bicycles [12.Jul.11]

Beyoncé: 4 [29.Jun.11]

Bad Meets Evil: Hell: The Sequel [15.Jun.11]

Killer Mike: PL3DGE [3.Jun.11]

Musiq Soulchild: MusiqInTheMagiq [1.Jun.11]

CunninLynguists: Oneirology [31.May.11]

Snoop Dogg: Doggumentary [17.May.11]

Big K.R.I.T.: Returnof4eva [12.May.11]

Pantha du Prince: XI Versions of Black Noise [5.May.11]

Pusha T: Fear of God [2.May.11]

Chris Brown: F.A.M.E. [18.Apr.11]

Chip tha Ripper: Gift Raps [12.Apr.11]

Wiz Khalifa: Rolling Papers [6.Apr.11]

Gucci Mane: The Return of Mr. Zone 6 [4.Apr.11]

Pharoahe Monch: W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) [31.Mar.11]

Stalley: Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music) [23.Mar.11]

Raekwon: Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang [22.Mar.11]

Saigon: The Greatest Story Never Told [21.Mar.11]

Lupe Fiasco: Lasers [10.Mar.11]

J. Cole: Friday Night Lights [1.Mar.11]

The Left: Gas Mask [24.Feb.11]

Rick Ross: Ashes to Ashes [15.Feb.11]

The Game: Purp & Patron [14.Feb.11]

Soulja Boy Tell 'Em: The DeAndre Way [11.Feb.11]

Black Milk: Album of the Year [9.Feb.11]

Diplo: Blow Your Head: Diplo Presents Dubstep [7.Feb.11]

The Go! Team: Rolling Blackouts [4.Feb.11]

Talib Kweli: Gutter Rainbows [2.Feb.11]

Dimlite: My Human Wears Acedia Shreds EP [31.Jan.11]

Regina Spektor: Live in London [26.Jan.11]

Jamie Foxx: Best Night of My Life [24.Jan.11]

Tony Yayo & Danny Brown: Hawaiian Snow [20.Jan.11]

Roc Marciano: Marcberg [18.Jan.11]

Ghostface Killah: Apollo Kids [13.Jan.11]

Redman: Reggie [11.Jan.11]

Nicki Minaj: Pink Friday [5.Jan.11]

T.I.: No Mercy [4.Jan.11]

Rihanna: Loud [13.Dec.10]

Gucci Mane: The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted [9.Dec.10]

Lloyd Banks: The Hunger for More 2 [7.Dec.10]

Freddie Gibbs: Str8 Killa / Str8 Killa No Filla [6.Dec.10]

Vado: Slime Flu [23.Nov.10]

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [22.Nov.10]

Shad: TSOL [19.Nov.10]

Waka Flocka Flame: Flockaveli [18.Nov.10]

N*E*R*D: Nothing [3.Nov.10]

Tim Kasher: The Game of Monogamy [25.Oct.10]

The Pack: Wolfpack Party [11.Oct.10]

John Legend & The Roots: Wake Up! [29.Sep.10]

Jyoti: Ocotea [22.Sep.10]

Curren$y: Pilot Talk [21.Sep.10]

Marco Polo: The Stupendous Adventures of Marco Polo [19.Sep.10]

The Walkmen: Lisbon [15.Sep.10]

Of Montreal: False Priest [14.Sep.10]

Andreya Triana: Lost Where I Belong [9.Sep.10]

10 Ft. Ganja Plant: 10 Deadly Shots, Vol. 1 [7.Sep.10]

Darryl Moore: Where I'm At [3.Sep.10]

The Alps: Le Voyage [30.Aug.10]

Slum Village: Villa Manifesto [16.Aug.10]

Bun B: Trill O.G. [13.Aug.10]

Little Brother: LeftBack [4.Aug.10]

Dwele: W.ants W.orld W.omen [2.Aug.10]

The Books: The Way Out [21.Jul.10]

Scholarman: Free Spirit of a Troubled Soul [8.Jul.10]

The-Dream: Love King [30.Jun.10]

Dimlite: Prismic Tops [15.Jun.10]

Rhymefest: El Che [10.Jun.10]

Nas & Damian Marley: Distant Relatives [28.May.10]

Twilight: Still Loving You / Pains of Love [21.May.10]

Evelyn Evelyn: Evelyn Evelyn [5.May.10]

Flying Lotus: Cosmogramma [4.May.10]

GonjaSufi: A Sufi and a Killer [5.Apr.10]

Georgia Anne Muldrow and Declaime: SomeOthaShip [31.Mar.10]

Freeway & Jake One: The Stimulus Package [19.Mar.10]

Strong Arm Steady & Madlib: In Search of Stoney Jackson [15.Mar.10]

Ahmad Jamal: A Quiet Time [11.Mar.10]

Rogue Wave: Permalight [2.Mar.10]

Georgia Anne Muldrow: Kings Ballad [26.Feb.10]

Dark Meat: Truce Opium [24.Feb.10]

Jack Splash: Heir to the Throne: Volume 1 [9.Feb.10]

Car Stereo Wars: For Your Comfort and Safety [28.Jan.10]

Dudley Perkins: Holy Smokes [26.Jan.10]

Wiz Khalifa: Deal or No Deal [22.Jan.10]

Kam Moye: Splitting Image [13.Jan.10]

Snoop Dogg: Malice n Wonderland [8.Jan.10]

Dashboard Confessional: Alter the Ending [8.Jan.10]

Juvenile: Cocky & Confident [11.Dec.09]

Fat Freddy's Drop: Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW [2.Dec.09]

Kosha Dillz: Beverly Dillz [13.Nov.09]

Modeselektor: Body Language Vol.8 [10.Nov.09]

MV + EE: Barn Nova [23.Oct.09]

Karl Blau: Zebra [9.Oct.09]

Shady Nate: Gasman Unleashed [7.Oct.09]

Breakestra: Dusk Till Dawn [30.Sep.09]

Blogs

Thursday, October 20 2011

I-Wayne - 'Life Teachings' Interview (video) (PopMatters Premiere)

In promotion of his recently released third album, Life Teachings, VP Records offers up a video to shed some light on exactly what I-Wayne means to his home country of Jamaica.

Monday, October 10 2011

Rahsaan Patterson - "Crazy (Baby)"

If anyone in the neo soul/future R&B scene is holding Prince's ideals closest to their vest it's Rahsaan Patterson.