MIXTAPE REVIEW: WIZ KHALIFA: KUSH & ORANGE JUICE

When Wiz Khalifa took to his Twitter page early last week to announce the arrival of his latest mixtape, Kush & Orange Jucie--the response was more than well recieved. It's really no surprise that Wiz a.k.a. Mr. Spacely is in high demand. Over the past couple years the Pittsburge native has created an impressive-cult-like-following. His fans--better known as "the Taylors" have supported the kid in such a way that most of his rap peers could only dream of obtaining. The success of his mixtapes, i.e. Burn After Rolling, his collaboration with Curren$y on How High, and his middle-finger-to-the- music industry- indie album, Deal or no Deal made it almost impossible to overlook him. Wiz got major kudos from XXL magazine when they named him one of their 10 Freshmen for '10. Now with all eyes focused on him, Wiz returns with his new offering the aforementioned, Kush & Orange Juice. The mixtape album cover pays homage to Motown legend David Ruffin's 80's album Gentleman Ruffin, and throughout the 20-track disc, one theme remains constant--and that's soul. The album is soul on steroids, as the Taylor Gang general grabs listeners ears and take them on a lyrical journey. Tracks like the mythical "Mezmorized" and "Visions" find Khalifa at his best, as he preaches his paper-before-pussy moto to fellow peers. "Niggas be pressed for pussy, it ain't nothin'/ Instead of worryin' about who that bitch fuckin'/ Why don't you get you some money" ("Mezmorized"). The reggae -influenced-ode to weed can be found in "Still Blazzin", and "The Kid Frankie" will have you two-stepping as Wiz reps his Taylor Gang while stunting on haters and hoes alike. The latter samples 80's group Loose Ends biggest hit "Hangin On A String". The song "Glass House" reunites Khalifa with his How High co-star Curren$y, and the hypnotic "Up" will have you lifted out your seat. While some tracks don't have that rewind factor---those tracks come few and far in between. Young Wiz still manages to "roll up" yet another stellar project. It's Taylor Gang or Die. I rate this: 4/5

KEYSHIA DIOR

Video Vixen

*Timbaland feat. Drake "Say Something"

* Birdman feat. Lil' Wayne & Drake "4 My Town (Play Ball)"

* Young Money "Bedrock"

10 MOST ANTICIPATED HIP HOP ALBUMS FOR '10

1. Drake- Thank Me Later

2. KanYeWest- Good Ass Job

3. Eminem- Recovery

4. T.I.- King Uncaged

5. Jeezy-TM103

6. Lil' Wayne-Tha Carter IV

7. Lupe Fiasco-Lasers

8. Rick Ro$$-Teflon Don

9. Game-The RED Album

10. KiD CuDi-Cudder: The Revolution of Evolution

(BONUS)

Common- The Believer

J-Cole- TBA

ALBUM REVIEW: USHER: RAYMOND VS. RAYMOND

Usher is no stranger to revealing his inner-most feelings, and deepest secrets (whether it be his or someone else's). On his 2004's diamond-certified Confessions, he talked about infidelity and all the drama it could bring. Then, Usher took the world by surprise when he married his stylist Tameka Foster. The new Usher returned to music after a brief hiatus. The result was Here I Stand, an album which was supposed to be his coming of age tale, but the project flew over fans heads, leaving people confused. Also more confusing was in June 2009, when Usher filed for divorce, ending a marriage that ended as fast as it started. Now on his sixth album, entitled Raymond Vs. Raymond, Usher prepares to battle his demons again and sets the record straight. The 31 year old father of two sons, begins the album on the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis-assisted "Monster", an uptempo record, which sets the tone for the album. Aside from the singles "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home) " and "Lil' Freak" that feature rappers Plies and Nicki Minaj--respectively, Raymond Vs. Raymond has a mixture of different sounds unlike anything heard on an Usher album before. The reggae-inspired "Pro Lover" finds Mr. Raymond confessing that loving him is a "No-No" and that he's only trying to "add girls to his Hall of Fame". Usher finds his inner Tupac on "Foolin' Around", which could have been called "Confessions Pt. 3" Standout tracks like the smooth, laid back "Okay", and the soaring Jim Jonsin "There Goes My Baby" are classic Usher. The disappointment comes from areas that should be considered undeniable hits. Cameos from fellow ATL counterparts T.I. and Ludacris give forgettable performances. The latter features a reunion of Usher and Ludacris as they try to recreate the magic of "Yeah!" (the song that sent Confessions to the top of the charts), but they fail horribly. The will.i.am track "OMG" is something that sounds like a leftover from a Black Eyed Peas' album. While the album has it's bright spots, it's still has its downside. Better than Here I Stand, but not in the same league as Confessions, Usher still manages to give fans a moment of his truth, while still serving up just enough uptempo flavor to keep our ears glued to the radio. What more can you ask for? I rate this 3.5/5

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ALBUM SEQUELS: GOOD OR BAD IDEA?

Hip hop is built on trends,and the current trend today seems to be album sequels. Over the past few years, we've seen an increasing number of sequels. Last year, Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3 completed the trilogy of the popular series, and Raekwon finally gave die-hard Wu fans the second chapter to his mafia-influenced, game-changing opus Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Part 2. Also who can forget Lil' Wayne's multi-platinum Tha Carter III? While some sequels go on to reach success, they still fail in comparison to its predecessor. Sure, Weezy's CIII was the biggest album of his career, but judging from rap critics and fans alike, the original Carter was still his best body of work. Rappers these days seem compelled to recreate the magic of their most praised album, but some things are better left untouched. When a trend becomes a gimmick (autotune anyone?) the ending result is a brick (Fat Joe's JOSE 2). This year promises to be no exception as more rappers promise to release sequels, i.e. Eminem's Relapse 2, Jeezy's TM103, Fabolous' Loso's Way 2, Lil' Wayne's Tha Carter IV, and Lloyd Bank$ just annouced the sequel to his debut with The Hunger For More 2. Rappers are better off taking the Kanye West route, when keeping the central theme, but changing the album titles. That way an artist would not be judged if the new album does not meet the expectations of the first installment (or second installment). Each album should be given the right to stand on its own, and not an expansion of another disc, especially if that disc is a classic. Kanye continues his "college theme" with Good Ass Job later this year. I'm just waiting for Jay-Z to appear at the next Summer Jam concert and debuts his new song "D.O.A. 2 (Death Of Album sequels)"--well maybe that's stretching it a bit, but I promise this is the first and only story I'll make concerning this topic. No sequels here folks.

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