RATING SCALE FOR CD REVIEWS

RATING SCALE
5=Blazing :) :) :) :) :)
4=Hot :) :) :) :)
3=Good but not great "worth a listen" :) :) :)
2=Buyer Beware :( :(
1= Don't waste your money or time :(

NAS HIP HOP IS DEAD DEBUTS AT #1

Nas is this week’s big winner on the charts with his Def Jam debut LP Hip-Hop is Dead landing atop the Billboard Top 200 after moving 355,000 copies in it’s first week in stores. This impressive first week showing marks the third number one debut of the Queensbridge, New York MC’s career. He first topped the charts back in 1996 with his sophomore effort It Was Written, and again in 1999 with I Am. Also landing in the top 10 this week is Bow Wow, whose fifth solo LP The Price Of Fame moved 262K units, placing him at #6. Meanwhile, Trick Daddy enters the Top 200 at #48, selling just over 87,000 units of his latest Back By Thug Demand.

1.
Money Over Bullsh*T
2.
You Can't Kill Me
3.
Carry On Tradition
4.
Hip Hop Is Dead (Ft Will.I.Am)
5.
Who Killed It
6.
Black Republican (Ft Jay-Z)
7.
Not Going Back (Ft Kelis)
8.
Still Dreaming (Ft Kanye West & Chrisette Michele)
9.
Hold Down The Block
10.
Blunt Ashes
11.
Let There Be Light
12.
Play On Playa (Ft Snoop Dogg)
13.
Can't Forget About You (Ft Chrisette Michele)
14.
Hustlers (Ft The Game & Marsha Ambrosius)
15.
Hope

4 / 5

JAY Z "Kingdom Come" November 21st

Everybody go cop the new JIGGA cd. I dont care what any of those haters say this CD is worth the listen, worth the wait, and worth the the chedda "and for those who dont know wat "Chedda" means its $ money dawg. HOLLA at your boy and get KINGDOM COME.

As expected, Jay-Z’s comeback LP Kingdom Come dominated this week’s charts, moving just over 680,000 copies and landing at #1 on the pop charts, according to SoundScan. The album marks Jay’s emergence from a self-imposed retirement that he announced in 2003 shortly before releasing his last record The Black Album.

Kingdom Come Disc 1

1. The Prelude

2. Oh My God

3. Kingdom Come

4. Show Me What You Got

5. Lost One

6. Do U Wanna Ride

7. 30 Something

8. I Made It

9. Anything

10. Hollywood

11. Trouble

12. Dig A Hole

13. Minority Report

14. Beach Chair

Disc 2

1 Politics As Usual

2 Can't Knock The Hustle

3 Can I Live

Songs worth the listen:

Kingdom Come

Beach Chair

30 something

Trouble

Minority Report

Do you wanna ride

Lost One

4.5 / 5 rating for Jigga

FEATURE CD SPOTLIGHT

Obie Trice ~ SECOND ROUNDS ON ME
Big shout out to Obie Trice for his new CD... way to go homie for keeping it real "Obie Style". Check it out CD release date August 15th, 2006.

SECOND ROUNDS ON ME "4.5 out of 5"
"Intro"
"Wake Up"
"Violent"

"Wanna Know"
"Lay Down"
"Snitch" ft. Akon
"Cry Now"
"Ballad of Obie Trice"
"Jamaican Girl" ft. Brick and Lace
"Kill Me a Mutha"
"Out of State"
"All of My Life" ft. Nate Dogg
"Ghetto" ft. Trey Songz
"There They Go" ft. Big Herc, Eminem and Trick Trick
"Mama" ft. Trey Songz
"24s"
"Everywhere I Go" ft. 50 Cent
"Obie Story"

PAC's LIFE NOVEMBER 21st

Untouchable (Feat. Krayzie Bone)
Pac's Lif (Feat. Ashanti & T.I.)
Dumpin (Feat. Hussein Fatal, Papoose & Carl Thomas)
Playa Cardz Right (Female Version) (Feat. Keyshia Cole)
Whatz Next (Feat. A3 & Jay Rock)
Sleep (Feat. Young Buck & Chamillionaire)
International (Feat. Nipsey Hussle & Young Dre)
Don't Sleep (Feat. Lil Scrappy, Nutso & Yaki Kadafi)
Soon As I Get Home (Feat. Yaki Kadafi)
Playa Cardz Right (Male Version) (Feat. Ludacris & Keon Bryce)
Don't Stop (Feat. Big Syke, Yaki Kadafi, Hussein Fatal, E.D.I., Young Noble & Stormy)
Pac's Life (Remix) (Feat. Snoop Dogg)
Untouchable (Feat. Yaki Kadafi, Hussein Fatal & Kastro)

Best songs off CD:
Untouchable featuring Krazie Bone
Soon as I get home
Whats Next
DumpinSleep featuring Chamillionaire
Playa cards right the male version and the female version could and should have been left off. Pac's life featuring Ashanti should have been in the garbage at least the remix of the song featuring snoop dogg does justice.

3 / 5 "Too many guest appearances and not ENOUGH PAC"

Jay L. Jenkins AKA ~ YOUNG JEEZY

The Snow man is back

The Inspiration

Go get your copy The cd hits the stores December 12th 2006

holla at tha snow man

The Inspiration

4 / 5

When I first started listening to this CD it played different from the first CD slower yet it hooked me in from the start I liked it and then once "I luv it" kicked in and the Timbaland produced "3am" I was all over it. There are guest appearances like R Kelly and the best one of the CD is TI of course. Young JEEZY may not be the best lyrically yet somehow he can pull it off wit pure one liners all over the entre CD. You go boy I am all over this CD keep it real playa and keep mixing that baking soda wit that Coke boy.

Taken from "I LUV IT"

Smoked all day, Lord knows I stay high Stay on top, Lord knows I'm gon' try And live for the moment, Lord knows I'm gon' die And when I get to hell, Lord knows I'm gon' fry Woke up this morning so I'm still alive 36 O's I sold them all for five

You gotta play it how it go, you can't cheat on life (YEAAAAH!) Ya better drink a Red Bull, you can't sleep on life I ain't tryna do you, I'm tryin' do me Last album did two, I'm just tryin' do three Fresh out the block yea the work was hard Ride with the top down so I'm closer to God My P.O. telling me I need a 9 to 5 But I already got a job, and that's stayin alive

Atlanta-based Young Jeezy originally planned on having a background role in the music industry — as a businessman, not as a rapper. Years before making his first Def Jam album — Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, released in July 2005 — he set up Corporate Thugz Entertainment and promoted Cash Money releases. From there, he branched out as a label boss and artist in his own right, releasing albums and mixtapes. Come Shop wit' Me, his independently distributed debut from 2003, allegedly sold more than 50,000 copies. As a member of Boyz N da Hood, he was behind a self-titled album (released just weeks before Let's Get It) that debuted in the Top Ten of the Billboard album chart. Driven by the hit "Soul Survivor," Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 eventually did even better, nestling at the number two spot in the Top 200.

Government Name
Jay L. Jenkins
Reppin
AtlantaBorn "Jay L. Jenkins", Young Jeezy is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is signed to Def Jam as a solo artist and to Bad Boy Records as a member of the hip-hop quartet Boyz N Da Hood. One of his nicknames is "Snowman" because of his past as a drug dealer; "snow" is a slang term for cocaine

RELEASE THERAPY

1. Warning (Intro)
2. Grew Up A Screw Up - (with Young Jeezy) *****
3. Money Maker - (with Pharrell) *****
4. Girls Gone Wild *****
5. Ultimate Satisfaction - (with Field Mob)
6. Mouths To Feed *****
7. End Of The Night - (with Bobby Valentino)
8. Woozy - (with R Kelly)
9. Tell It Like It Is *****
10. War With God
11. Do Your Time - (with Beanie Sigel)
12. Slap *****
13. Runaway Love - (with Mary J. Blige)
14. Freedom Of Preach - (with Bishop Eddie L. Long)

3.95 / 5

Ludacris "Release Therapy"
Everyone needs to give it up for "LUDA" on this on. Check out his new joint that is in stores now. Big shout out to Pharell for supplying the beats and hook on Money Maker.CD is loaded with Guest appearances like Young Jeezy, R Kelly, Mary J Blige, and Beanie Sigel. Make no mistake this is LUDACRIS's cd and even though all of these guest make the CD quite good....Ludacris's smooth rap and rhyme make the CD Great.Holla at ya boy Ludacris on this one.

GREAT LUDACRIS LINES FROM NEW ALBUM:
My baby need new shoes, her momma need GiuseppesMercedes need new shoes surrounded with Pirellis "Taken from Mouths to feed"

I went from Hot Wheels to big wheels, Hyundais to BentleysAnd five course meals, no more Popeye's and Blimpie'sFrom alright to handsome, from one room to mansionsFrom hangin on the block to throwin parties in the HamptonsFrom, broke as a joke to rich as a bitch, I bought aplane and a boat and six other whips, no MARTAFrom dice on the curb to stackin up chips, but harderFrom birds on my nerves to chicks on my DICK! Guard yourwomen dawg I went from ashy to classyWent from a, kiss on the cheek to doin the nastyReach your hand up in the air and you can play with the starsIt's not the hand that you're dealt but how you're playin your cards 'Taken from Grew up a screw up"

Will YOU, make me feel like I just hit the lotto other girls I give 'em a shoulder colder than Chicago But in ya center I heat it up in the Mourning like Alonzo and I'd get it, I'd bit it, I'd split it, I'd hit it up in a TahoeBravo, make make make it clap I'd break break break ya back then tuck tuck tuck you in so you can take take take a nap "Taken from Woozy"

Howard Bailey, Jr. ~ aka ~ Chingy

Howard Bailey, Jr. hails from St. Louis, Missouri, like friend and associate Nelly. He was born on March 9, 1980, and grew up in the rough Walnut Park section of the city's north side. Street-smart from his encounters with edgy situations, Bailey nonetheless focused on school.And so he had a way with words. At age 8, he wrote his first rhyme. Four years later, he was a regular at local talent shows and battle rap sessions that would later evolve into Nelly's St. Lunatics posse.

In the summer of 2003, Chingy released his first single. "Right Thurr" became an overnight club anthem with beats and lyrics that were on everyone's lips. What does "Right Thurr" signify? It's that instinctive fire that lights up in every man at the sight of a beautiful woman.

"Right Thurr" was a steady Top 40 hit that helped his debut album Jackpot shoot to double platinum status. A collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Ludacris made his second single, "Holidae In," another chart topper. "One Call Away," a song showing his more sensitive side to the ladies, became a Top 10 hit in February 2004.

CD's

Jackpot 3 / 5

Right Thurr
One Call Away - (featuring J/Weav)
Holidae In - (featuring Ludacris/Snoop Dogg)
Right Thurr - (remix, bonus track, featuring Jermaine Dupri/Trina)

Powerballin 2 / 5
Sophmore Slump hits Chingy on his 2nd CD. Nothing like CD1 where everything was fresh and new and really smooth.
Balla Baby " the only song off the CD that was decent and it was average.

Hoodstar 3.5 / 5
Pulling me back featuring Tyrese Gibson
Bounce That
Dem Jeans
Let me love you
Club Getting Crowded

There you go boy bring it back to the Lou one more time. Hoodstar is more like it. We want you back doing what you do best.
Nelly's Country Grammer is Chingy's Right Thurr.
Holla back Chingy represent yo hood playa

Christopher Llyod ~ AKA ~ Llyod Banks

Rotton Apple in stores 10/10/2006
3 / 5
Rotton Apple
10/10/2006

track listing
Rotten Apple
(4:26)
Survival
(3:47)
Playboy 2
(3:44)
Cake
(2:46)
Make a Move
(4:46)
Hands Up
(4:00)
Help
(3:54)
Addicted
(3:00)
You Know the Deal
(4:05)
Get Clapped
(5:01)
Stranger
(3:09)
Change
(3:35)
NY NY
(3:29)
One Night Stand
(3:57)
Iceman
(5:26)
Gilmores
(2:50)

THIS CD IS FOR FAN'S ONLY

The highlights are way high, but the album as a whole is "fans-only."

The entire CD plays like "the boy wonder's" mix tapes of way back. If you are true G-Unit and 50 cent fan you will apppreciate this CD. If you thought when you bought this you were getting the commercial cross over Bank's then you will be very dissapointed. This CD goes back not forward and Bank's brings it lyrically hard only a few soft hits on here for the lady's. Overall the CD is good Hand's up is a club banger while the rest of the CD plays as if the production was done in 50's basement. I like the cd but I am a true Llyod Bank's fan dont look for this CD to be Hunger for more part 2 or you will be dissapointed. G-UNIT brings it once again.

Tyrese Darnell Gibson

R&B singer Tyrese began his career at the age of 14, performing in local talent shows around his home in Los Angeles' Watts section; his big break came when he starred in a commercial for Coca-Cola, shortly followed in 1998 by his self-titled debut album for RCA. He followed three years later with 2000 Watts.

Confident, self-assured yet down-to-earth and always real, Los Angeles native Tyrese is referring to the sizzling cuts on his much-anticipated J Records debut album I WANNA GO THERE, an electrifying follow-up to his best-selling 2001 release, "2000 Watts." Speaking from Florida where he's been hard at work completing the album and wrapping up filming for the action movie "The Fast and The Furious II" (due out in the summer of 2003), the passionately soulful singer says, "Every album is a listening biography for me. I have no choice but to pour my heart into the music. If I just went through something, I write about it. I'm a great listener. If a woman is talking about a situation she's been in, I can embrace her feelings, understand what she might be going through. I like getting to know people and just one conversation can inspire me to write a song." Jam-packed with potential hits, I WANNA GO THERE features a number of cuts Tyrese created with the hitmaking team of Damon Thomas and Harvey Mason Jr., known collectively as The Underdogs (who also worked with him on "2000 Watts") including the hypnotic first single, "How You Gonna Act Like That". "That song is about a past relationship. It's about temper tantrums, you know... but it's about working it all out. I think the subject is something everyone can relate to... and like everything else on the album, I put my heart and soul into it." The album features a cover of the late Tupac Shakur's 1996 duet with Ki-Ci and JoJo "How Do You Want It," produced by Johnny Jackson who also produced the original version of the song. Other prime cuts on the new CD include "Down and Dirty," produced by Jermaine Dupri, which Tyrese describes as a "club record"; "South Beach," produced by Jack Knight; and "Taking Forever," produced by The Trackmasters which Tyrese states "is another song based on my experience in life and particularly how I felt before I had a record deal."

CD's

TYRESE 3 / 5

I WANNA GO THERE 3.75 / 5
2000 WATTS 3.5 / 5

Chris Bridges

Real Name: Chris Bridges

Birthday: 09/11/1977

Birthplace: Champaign, Illinois, USA

Ludacris shows serious side on new album

The shorn locks provide a clue to rapper Ludacris' new musical direction. The buzzed-about braid-free 'do he sports while criss-crossing the country to promote his upcoming album "Release Therapy" is a mini-me version of his trademark towering Afro.
"The haircut is partly because I've had braids for 10 years and done every braid style two and three times over," a chilled-out and contemplative Ludacris said with a laugh during a recent interview. "But it's also part of my evolution, the whole idea of release therapy. The entire album is therapeutic to me and hopefully to whoever listens to it."
Ludacris (real name: Chris Bridges) will release his fifth solo album on September 26. It marks his first CD since 2004's "Red Light District," although a burgeoning film career ("Crash," "Hustle & Flow") has kept him in the spotlight.
Intent on sharing more of what motivates the person behind his various alter egos -- rapper, actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist -- the former Atlanta radio DJ reassures that the witty, animated style and bouncy, Southern-fried tracks that took him to the forefront of the "Dirty South" hip-hop movement are still part of the mix.
Thus, party- and girl-happy tracks like lead single "Money Maker" featuring Pharrell, which is currently at No. 61 on the Hot 100, and "Girls Gone Wild" are tempered by more introspective songs like "Do Your Time," about the social implications of incarceration, and "Freedom of Preach," Ludacris' conversation with God.
One of the most emotional tracks is "Runaway Love." Featuring Mary J. Blige, the song addresses the sometimes overwhelming life pressures that many kids endure, be it from peers or their family environment.
Other collaborators on the album include R. Kelly, Field Mob and Young Jeezy. Ludacris experiments musically as well, dabbling in pop and rock elements and an organ-driven southern blues feel.

The rapper originally chose the title "Release Therapy" because his five-album deal with Def Jam was up and he had the option of leaving. But coincidentally, "It was also time for me to release as well. I'm really getting a lot of stuff off my chest (on this album); something my career has been leading up to. You get to a phase where you want to try new things."
(Ludacris renewed his Def Jam contract last year but declined to disclose the length of the deal.)
While Ludacris "doesn't let too many people into his world," according to co-manager Jeff Dixon, he has set up a busy promotional schedule of listening parties, in-store appearances, a concert tour, TV talk-show visits and interviews.
Such a grind may seem more in keeping with a developing act. However, nothing can be taken for granted these days when it comes to music sales. Although "Red Light District" sold 2 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, it paled against 2000's "Back for the First Time" (3.1 million), 2001's "Word of Mouf" (3.6 million) and 2003's "Chicken*N*Beer" (2.6 million).
Given the aggressive push and the current sales climate, Dixon says they are aiming for "that pop radio/top 40 lock" and hope to sell more than 500,000 units the first week. Ludacris' biggest debut, "Chicken*N*Beer," moved 430,000 first-week units; "Red Light" came in at 322,000.
Carl Mello, senior buyer for the Newbury Comics chain, says a robust first week is all but guaranteed. What happens after that will "depend on whether the single crosses over. It could go either way; I don't know if the movies help or hurt."
Over the years, rappers-turned-actors have encountered various ups and downs with their music careers. In some cases, their acting success has eclipsed their rap personas (Will Smith). In others, an argument could be made that film work helped sustain their recording careers (LL Cool J). The that Ludacris has garnered critical and popular acclaim through roles in "Crash," "Hustle & Flow" and TV's "Law & Order: SVU."

Christopher Lloyd ~ aka ~ Llyod Banks G G G G UNIT

Lloyd Banks' Sophomore Album Delayed
Lloyd Banks' highly anticipated sophomore album, "Rotten Apple," has been pushed back again. The album, which is originally slated for release in July, was pushed back to a September release, but according to his label reps, will now hit stores on October 10. "Rotten Apple" will reportedly feature appearances from the entire G-Unit family, as well as 8Ball, Rakim and Scarface. Production is reportedly supplied by Timbaland, Eminem and Havoc, among others. The album's first single, "Hands Up," features 50 Cent and is presently in rotation on major radio station across the U.S.

CD's

Hunger for More 3.75 out of 5 Platinum

Hunger for More

On Fire

Warrior

Warrior Prt 2 "featuring Eminem"

Til The End

I Get High

OBIE TRICE ~ Real name no gimmicks

Way to go Obie it's been 3 years since your last CD dropped & I have been waiting patiently for this new joint to hit the stores . Thank you for not selling out or getting too commercial. The last CD was full of promise and this second one delivers thanks to a CD full of Eminem's beats along side your tight lyric's. Way to hold it down for Detroit City Obie.Keep it on the real playa and don't forget "BIG PROOF 4-ever homie".

OBIE TRICE - real name, no gimmicks. One sentence, But it really says it all. Rapping under his government name, Obie Trice, is the real deal, no frills, no filler. Just skills and personality. Obie Trice given the name at birth, born in Detroit, Michigan on November 14th 1977. A combination of drive, passion, talent and a healthy work ethic is arguably the best prescription to ward off a sophomore jinx. Eminem protégé Obie Trice has no need to worry. Since the release of his platinum 2003 debut, CHEERS, which sold more than 250,000 copies during its opening week, he has been in prep mode. In between joining Eminem on the Anger Management Tour in the U.S. and abroad, Obie has been gearing up for his latest set, SECOND ROUND’S ON ME.

CD's
Cheers 4 out of 5
Second Rounds on Me 4.5 out of 5

Cheers
Got some teeth
Average Man
Lady "featuring Eminem"
Dont come down
Shit hits the fan
Hands On you "featuring Eminem"
We All Die Oneday "featuring Eminem, 50 Cent, G-Unit"
Dont Come Down

For Cheers, his debut album, Obie Trice had some tough acts to follow. Less than a year earlier, fellow Shady Records signee 50 Cent had released the year's best-selling rap album, and before that, Eminems burgeoning label had a pair of other multi-platinum, hit-filled releases: his own The Eminem Show and the 8 Mile soundtrack. Chances were, no matter how remarkable his album debut, Trice wasn't going to match the success of his predecessors — not by a long shot. Perhaps that's why he begins his album with "Average Man," a standoffish statement-of-purpose that showcases his humble persona. He's just an "Average Man," a long-struggling rapper from Detroit who "rose from zero to hope." This theme of urban actualization informs the majority of Cheers: the evolution from nickel-and-dime hustling to big-time rapping ("Here's a toast to never looking back again...this is it, my niggas/This what we boast about," he raps on the title track.Cheers is such a well-crafted album that it's a worthwhile listen regardless of whether or not you care much for the protagonist himself. Trice is a fine rapper — thoughtful, sincere, gruff, and quick — but perhaps a bit too "average" for casual rap listeners. In fact, you could call him middle-of-the-road: hardcore but not gangsta; swaggering but not big-pimpin'; witty but not hysterical; smart but not brilliant. That's okay, though. It's his persona — he's the Everyman rapper. And besides, his producers more than compensate for his plainness, as does the solidness of his album. Cheers boasts 74 straight minutes of inventive production, original ideas, thought-out lyrics, and straight-up MCing .His debut is quite an accomplishment and deserves accolade, even if it's not a commercial juggernaut like its fellow Shady releases.

Second Rounds On Me:
1.) Intro
2.) Wake Up (Produced By Eminem)
3.) Violent (Produced By Eminem)
4.) Wanna Know (Produced by Emile)
5.) Lay Down (Produced By Eminem)
6.) Snitch f/Akon
7.) Cry Now
8.) Ballad Of Obie Trice (Produced By Eminem)
9.) Jamaican Girl f/Brick & Lace (Produced By Eminem)
10.) Kill Me A Mutha (Produced By Eminem)
11.) Out Of State
12.) All Of My Life f/Nate Dogg
13.) Ghetto f/Trey Songz
14.) There They Go f/Eminem, Big Herc & Trick Trick (Produced By Eminem)
15.) Mama
16.) 24's
17.) Everywhere I Go f/50 Cent (Produced by Eminem)
18.) Obie Story

Last summer, Obie gave fans a dose of the new album when he leaked the rock-fueled “Wanna Know” which samples Van Halen. The song was featured on Entourage, the hit HBO comedy series produced by Mark Wahlberg. “Snitch,” the album’s official first single and collaboration with Akon, is a melodic lesson on the perils of betrayal. Neo-Soul singer Jaguar Wright joins him on “Love,” a compelling account of relationships gone awry. Nate Dogg provides the hook for “After Party,” and “Detroit Boys” includes appearances from Eminem, Big Hurk, and Trick. “Cry Now,” the last song recorded for the album, is also one of the most poignant. Over humming bass, kick drums and sharp horns, “Cry Now” was written as Obie recovered from a near fatal gun wound in the head. On New Year’s Eve 2005, Obie was shot while driving on a Detroit freeway. Though he was treated and released from the hospital on the same day, the doctor was unable to remove the bullet from his skull. In the emotional song, Obie professes that he does not want to be the next hip-hop artist slain: “Catch me in a Benz like ‘Pac/ Catch me in a Tahoe like Big/ No.”

Clifford Harris ~ aka ~ T.I

Once dubbed "the Jay-Z of the South" by Pharrell Williams, T.I. gradually came into his own and established himself as one of rap's greatest and most successful MCs during the early 2000s. Like Jay-Z, T.I. -- born Clifford Harris in Atlanta, GA -- has always carried a balance of smoothness and toughness, and though 2001's I'm Serious (released on Arista) didn't shoot him out of the gate à la Reasonable Doubt, he consistently grew and began a string of major hits with 2003's "24's." From that point through 2006, there wasn't any point when T.I. couldn't be heard within a couple hours on any given urban radio station throughout the U.S. 2003's Trap Muzik, 2004's Urban Legend, and 2006's King -- all released through the MC's deal with Atlantic -- were Top Ten albums, and King even spent some time at the very top of the chart. T.I. was arrested and charged for violating his probation over a previous drug charge, which had occured in 1998. He was sentenced to three years in prison and soon released.

CD's
I'm Serious 2.5 out of 5
Trap Musiz 3 out of 5
Urban Legend 3 out of 5
King 4.5 out of 5

I'm Serious
Dope Boyz
Whats Yo Name
Im Serious

Trap Musiz
Rubber band Man
24's
No More Talk
Be Better Than me

Urban Legend
Tha King
U Dont Know Me
Bring Em Out
The Greatest

King
What You Know
Top Back
I'm Talking To You
Ride Wit Me
Why You Wanna
Front Back

Curtis Jackson ~ aka ~ 50 Cent

Pay $41 millionPower Rank 8 ~ 50 CENT
Despite the bidding war, Eminem indeed got his man, signing 50 to a joint deal with Shady/Aftermath -- the former label Em's, the latter Dr. Dre's. During the successive months, 50 worked closely with Em and Dre, who would co-executive produce his upcoming debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', each of them producing a few tracks for the highly awaited album. Before Get Rich dropped, though, Em debuted 50 on the 8 Mile soundtrack. The previously released (via the underground, that is) "Wanksta" became a runaway hit in late 2002, setting the stage for "In da Club," the Dre-produced lead single from Get Rich. The two singles became sizable crossover hits -- the former peaking at number 13 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, the latter at number one -- and Interscope (Shady/Aftermath's parent company) had to move up Get Rich's release date to combat bootlegging as a result.
Amid all this, 50 made headlines everywhere. Most notably, he was tied to Jam Master Jay's shooting in October 2002, the F.B.I.'s investigation of Murder Inc's relationship to former drug dealer Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, and the shooting incident at the offices of Violator Management. Furthermore, he made more headlines when he was jailed on New Year's Eve 2002 for gun possession. The media relished his life story, particularly his storied brush with death -- and not just the expected media outlets like MTV -- even such unlikely mainstream publications as The New York Times ran feature stories ("Amid Much Anticipation, a Rapper Makes a Debut"). By the time Get Rich finally streeted on February 6, 2003, he had become the most discussed figure in the music industry, and bootlegged or not, his initial sales figures reflected this (a record-breaking 872,000 units moved in five days, the best-selling debut album since SoundScan started its tracking system in May 1991), as did his omnipresence in the media.

CD's
Get Rich or Die Trying 5 out of 5
The Massacre 3.5 out of 5
The Massacre re-release 4 out of 5
Includes remix of Outta Control "featuring Mobb Deep" & video's to every song on CD.

Get Rich or Die Trying
872,000 units moved in five days, best selling debut album since soundscan started its tracking system.
In da Club
PIMP "featuring SNood Dogg"
21 Quesitons
Wanksta
Patiently Waiting "featuring Eminem"

The Massacre
Piggy Bank
Disco Inferno
Candy Shop "Featuring Olivia"
Just A Little Bit
In My Hood
Outta Control

Sales of his 2003 debut album, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," and last year's follow-up, "The Massacre," have sold a combined 20 million copies worldwide. But 50 Cent--Fiddy to fans--also lords over G-Unit, a vast multimedia empire that includes apparel, videogames, ringtones, even a stake in Glaceau Vitamin Water, which named its low-cal grape flavor Formula 50 after the former drug dealer. Despite the only modest performance of the "Get Rich" film last year, 50 is slated to appear in at least two more films, including the soon-to-be-released Iraq war flick "Home of the Brave." Stay tuned for his next album before year's end

Marshall Mathers ~ aka ~ Eminem

Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, 17 October 1973, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. This white rapper burst onto the US charts in 1999 with a controversial take on the horrorcore genre. Mathers endured an itinerant childhood, living with his mother in various states before eventually ending up in Detroit at the age of 12. He took up rapping in high school before dropping out in ninth grade, joining ad hoc groups Basement Productions, the New Jacks, and D12. The newly named Eminem released a raw debut album in 1997 through independent label FBT. Infinite was poorly received, however, with Eminem earning unfavourable comparisons to leading rappers such as Nas and AZ. His determination to succeed was given a boost by a prominent feature in Source's Unsigned Hype column, and he gained revenge on his former critics when he won the Wake Up Show's Freestyle Performer Of The Year award, and finished runner-up in Los Angeles' annual Rap Olympics.The legendary rap artist/producer Dr. Dre scouted the angry chirpster after hearing him freestyle on the radio to collaborate on Dre's own label, Aftermath.

CD's
The Slim Shady LP 3 out of 5
The Marshall Mathers LP 3.5 out of 5
The Eminem Show 4 out of 5
Encore 4 out of 5
Curtin Call "Greatest Hits" 4 out of 5

The Slim Shady LP
My name is?
Guilty Conscious
97 Bonnie & Clyde
Just Don't Give a Fuck

The Marshall Mathers LP
The Real Slim Shady
The Way I Am
Stan "featuring Dido"
Kill You
Kim

Encore
Mockingbird
Toy Soilder
Love You More
Encore "featuring 50 Cent & Dr. Dre"
Just Lose It

The Eminem Show
Without Me
White America
Superman
Cleaning Out My Closet
Sing For The Moment
Soilder

Curtin Call "Greatest Hits"
When I'm Gone
Lose Yourself "8 Mile"
Stan "featuring Elton John"

Cornell Haynes ~aka~ Nelly

Nelly was born Cornell Haynes Jr. in St. Louis, where he encountered the street temptations so synonymous with rap artists. And like so many of his contemporaries, a change in circumstance at a pivotal time in his life may have changed the course of Nelly's life. In his case, when he was a teenager, Nelly was taken away from those streets when his mother moved to nearby suburban University City. It was there that he shifted his attention to playing baseball, storytelling, and writing rhymes. With some high school friends, Nelly formed a band, the St. Lunatics, who scored a regional hit in 1996 with a self-produced single, "Gimmie What You.
Who would have thought a kid from the midwest would make it so big. Who else could do a duet with a country superstar and still keep his fan base? Country Grammar set the tone for all Midwest rappers to come. Everytime his CD's drop they sell...smile and let us see your Grill.

CD's
Country Grammar 5 out of 5
Nellyville 4.5 out of 5
Da Derrty Versions 3 out of 5
Nelly Sweat 3.5 out of 5
Nelly Suit 3 out of 5
Sweat Suit 4 out of 5

Country Grammar
Country Grammar
Ride Wit Me
E.I
Batter Up
Luven Me

Nellyville
Hot in Herre
Dilema "featuring Kellie Rowland"
#1
Work It "featuring Justin Timberlake"
Air Force Ones "featuring the St. Lunatic's"
Pimp Juice

Sweat/Suit CD Combined
Flap Your Wings
Fly Away
Grillz
My Place "featuring Jaheem"
Over & Over "featuring Tim McGraw"
Nasty Girl "featuring Notorious BIG & PDiddy"
Heart Of A Champion

Kayne West

Kanye West (pronounced KAHN-yay) (born Kanye Omari West, June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American music producer and rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Previously best known for producing hit singles for Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, and Ludacris, Kanye himself worked on a solo album for a long period of time, having the release pushed back time and time again. A car crash on October 23, 2002 left his jaw fractured in three places. With his mouth still wired shut and only weeks after having an encounter with death, Kanye West began recording "Through The Wire," reliving his near-fatal accident. "Through The Wire", which sampled Chaka Khan's classic track "Through The Fire", would eventually become his lead single from The College Dropout, which was released on Roc-a-Fella Records in February 2004. In 2005, Kanye West received ten Grammy Award nominations, making him the most nominated artist of 2005. At the 47th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony held on February 13, 2005, Kanye won Best Rap Album for his album The College Dropout and Best Rap Song for his single "Jesus Walks".

College Drop Out 4 out of 5
Late Registration 3.5 out of 5

College Drop Out
Through the Wire
Slow Jamz "featuring Jamie Foxx & Twista"
Jesus Walks
All Falls Down
Never Let Me Down "featuring Jay-Z"

Late Registration
Not to put West into a sophmore slump but it would be hard to top College Drop Out. This CD is good by all standards and better than most peoples but after the 1st one we expected more, we wanted more.
Gold Digger "featuring Jamie Foxx"
Heard Em Say "featuring Adam Levine from Maroon 5"
Diamonds from Sierra Leone "remix featuring Jay-Z"
Bring me down "featuring Brandy"

EARL SIMMONS ~ aka ~ DMX

It's Dark and hell is hot 4 out of 5
Flesh of my flesh, Blood of my blood 4 out of 5
And then there was X 4 out of 5
The great depression 2.5 out of 5
Grand Champ 3.5 out of 5
Year of the dog again 2.5 out of 5

Its dark and hell is hot was the 1st CD from DMX. This CD took it back to the streets with Ruff Ryders Anthem & Get at me Dog. Fly away showed us a softer X and Stop being greedy showed us the hardcore X. No one rapped with more conviction, every word seemed like his last breath, every word made us beleive again.

Flesh of my flesh,blood of my blood
Rob all night
Guest appearance by Marilyn Manson on the Omen
Bring your whole Crew

And then there was X
Party up
What these bitches want "featuring Sisco"
What's my name

The Great Depression
This CD was the great depression of RAP music. DMX was a rapper turning actor and his heart was not in this one.

Grand Champ
Where the hood at
Get it on the floor
Don't gotta go home "featuring Monica"
Guest appearance by 50 Cent
This CD brought X back to the streets

Year of the dog again
We in here the 1st song on the CD really makes you think DMX is back, back to the Ruff Ryders Anthem, back to what he does best especially when he spits lyrics like these:
Five #1 albums the dogs got his swagger back, We dont bark no more we bite,20 million records sold while you are struggling to go gold".
You have a cluster of songs together that really do not get you too excited like, its personal, Come thru, and wrong or right. These are all too distorted with background music that drowns out X. At times it almost seems like they were recorded in someone's basement. Then there are glimmers of greatness once again with songs like Give em what they want a fast upbeat track where X is in his element, and Walk these dogs where flashes of the old DMX come out but he is not quite there. Then there are two songs for the ladies Baby mother and Dog love where X just isn't convincing where as Tupac could hit it hard and slow it down if needed and be convincing at both. Blown away is another good song on the CD where we get to see the inside of DMX and what he is going through. DMX is at his best when he is real. Lord give me a sign the 1st single off the CD is good but not great. X is talking to the lord in the song asking for advice and help and once again he bears his soul and this is why we love DMX. We want him to keep it real, take us back to Ruff Ryders Anthem. Overall the CD isn't up to its potential everyone expects more from the man who did bring us five #1 albums afterall.