Rap Radar

Oh sweet irony. The largest selling rap album of last year is also the most disappointing. While Carter 3 solidified Weezy’s position as an all-time rap great, its floundering follow-up is filled with hit-and-miss bars, poor production choices and a plethora of guests who outshine the Young Money boss on the album’s best moments. “She Will” is all Drizzy Drake in all his hookman glory. Rick Ross remakes his own song on “John”. And Tech 9ne and Nas steal the scene on the “Interlude” and “Outro,” respectively. Sorry Bussa-Bus but this is far from classic material.

Previously: #5 Wu-Tang Legendary Weapons | #4 Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Ferrari Boyz | #3 Wiz Khalifa Rolling Papers | #2 Lupe Fiasco Lasers

Yelawolf signed at the right place (Shady Records), but his debut album Radioactive, fell at the wrong time. From the backwoods of Gadsden, Alabama, Yela’s All-American charm shines on (“Made In The U.S.A.” and “Let’s Roll”). He successfully goes against the grain with unlikely collabos (“Hard White”, “Throw It Up”) while challenging programming directors everywhere (“Radio”). And oh yeah, he makes songs for bitches too (“Good Girl” and “Hardest Love Song In The World”). Recognize game and pick up Radioactive now.

Previously: # 5 Tech N9ne All 6”s And 7′s | #4 Killer Mike  Pl3dge | #3 Saigon Greatest Story Never Told | #2 DJ Quik The Book Of David

It took a minute for Lupe’s Lasers to occupy stores. But to hear fans tell it, it wasn’t worth the wait. Unlike his previous efforts, Lupe ditched his lyrical wizardry for Top 40 appeal. Most of the backlash started from “The Show Goes On” and ended with the Trey Songz collaboration, “Out Of My Head”. But who are we kidding? Fans are fickle. So it’s hard to dismiss standouts like, “All Black Everything” and “Words I Never Said”. Lasers is Lupe’s most successful album to date, so really, who’s the biggest LOSER afterall?

DJ Quik is in the muthafuckin’ house. Unfortunately, only a few took notice with his latest CD, The Book Of David. Quik stayed true to the Left Coast and repped for the hometown on “So Compton”. He kept the party popping with (“Nobody” and “Boogie Till You Conk”) and then aired out personal grievances (“Ghetto Rendezvous”, “Killer Dope”). Needless to say, The Book Of David should’ve been a bestseller.

Coming off the heels of 2010’s terrific blend, Kush & Orange Juice, a lot was riding on Wiz Khalifa’s major label debut, Rolling Papers. Although the disc spawned a few chart toppers (“Black & Yellow,” “Roll Up”), Wiz abandoned his signature haze for commercial pastures (“Cameras). All isn’t lost though. He shows signs of life on “Star Of The Show” and “On My Level”, but overall, the album is hit or miss. The Taylor Gang shall rise again.

They say patience is a virtue and I don’t know anyone who has more than Saigon who waited four years to release his debut album the way he intended. Sorry Atlantic, this is uncompromising boom bap rap with a message. Anchored by the amazing production of Just Blaze, GSNT is a conceptual album that is better served in one complete listen. Still there are plenty of standouts like the one-two punch of “Enemies” and “Friends”, the Marsha Ambrosius-aided “It’s Alright” and the outstanding “Oh Yeah (Our Babies)”. Without a doubt, Giddy had a story to tell and thankfully he finally got to tell it. Salute!

This arrived on the day Watch The Throne dropped and needless to say it made way less impact than Jay and ‘Ye. On paper, this should’ve worked. Gucci, fresh off his latest stint in the pokey, pairing up with his protege. But nah shortie this lacked pomp and and deserved to flop. Fresh off Flockaveli and murderous mixtape material, I expected more from Waka, who surprisingly coasts here as La Flare’s Robin. Ah well, his upcoming Triple F will probably rectify things but looking back, this Ferrari caught a flat.

Somebody musta told Killer Mike he fell off and he needed that ’cause he came back like a man possessed on his potent Pl3dge. The soul sample stirring opener “So Glorious” sets the tone as he blazes through the tantalizing “That’s Life II” and the riveting “Ric Flair”. Woo! This ATLien can still snap. Whether dolo or with his hometown brethren, Grand Hustle boss, T.I. (“Ready Set Go”), Young Jeezy (“Go Out On The Town”) and Gucci Mane (“Animal”)—the satisfying results are there. It’s never too late to bear witness. I hope you promise to give the Pl3dge a listen.

The Clan weren’t nuthin’ to fuck with back in the 90s but every time they join forces to release a subpar compilation like this it stains their legacy. Can a Shaolin collective stan get a proper follow-up to 2007′s 8 Diagrams? It’s been 5 years and recent work from Raekwon, Ghost and Meth prove that the talent is still there it just has to be honed in properly together. This rocky E1 release is laced with the familiar kung fu samples but each tune uneventfully bleeds into the next. No need for outside connects like Sean Price, AZ, and Action Bronson, I wanna hear the RZA connect with his brothers one more time. A final W for the Wu? I haven’t lost hope.

Tech N9ne rose from underground obscurity to mainstream consciousness last year with his 13^th solo album, All 6’s And 7’s. He took a gamble with his brand and collaborated with household names like, Lil Wayne (“Fuck Food”), B.o.B. (“Am I Psycho”), and Busta Rhymes (“World Wide Choppers”). He also took care of business on his own (“He’s A Mental Giant” ,“Strangeland”). No matter where you place him, Tech can’t be confined. You can bet on that.