Looking for MIXTAPE reviews??? Head over to Mixtape MashUp, a review section by Rex Stone to review the growing number of mixtpaes coming out!

The sophmore album can either make you or break you. In this case with “Boy, Girl, Whatever!” by Foxx Jazell, it’s a definite win for this artist. OHH music can be so many things and Madame X has made sure that her impression is felt with Last Offence & Ashley Breathe on her team.  The album makes a good look for someone who thinks their nitch in this game is to be an entertainer. Every song might not be a number one hit but Foxx has done some nice work on this CD…

All of U – cool track , hook was okay, rap needs work!

Boy, Girl, Whatever – track is fire, delivery is no good, has potential!

F.I.S.H.Y. – lol, utter nonsense, but this style of homo-hop is good on you!

Hate Me – Nice song, I get the point!

Hook Up – loved the chorus, cute song!

I Fall – me too…like asleep!

Insecure – the song did need that extra boost of someone else, you pulled it off!

Madame X – WoW! Well I never…!

Reece – This is the shit, great song!

Ride or Die Boy – It was cool

Ride or Die Boy (Remix) – this was a fire song, I’m feelin it!

Split Enz – one of the best on the CD!

Foxx – Overall this CD was much better than the first probably 10 times over but it still isn’t the best thing I ever heard.  You really need to work on your delivery because it is the biggest thing holding you back. You fixed the beats, the lyrics were better(but they should have all been 100%) but you can deliver the product and that is where I think your talent lies. For future reference , perfecting your craft should be the number one goal for you!!

I am giving this 3.5 Stones because of the improvments and I enjoyed some of it!!!

Review by Rex Stone

When you mix Creative Writing, Linguistics, Comedy, and a complete understanding of Music Theory, you get Soce (The Elemental Wizard) and his latest album Master of Fine Arts! Once you enroll into this college of hip-hop you begin with the basic, Lyrics 101, Delivery 102, and Ability 103, the problem with most rap students is that they begin to get cocky when they get into their sophomore year and Substance 202 requires the prerequisite Introduction to Emceeing 201. Striving for a 4.0 on a CD is a lot but the stellar production on this album is worthy of magna cum laude honors.

With songs like “Not Ready, “Break”, “Slippin Away”, and “You Know The Deal”, this artist has developed a personal and professional attitude toward his album through creative involvement. Master of Fine Arts seems to be one of the best albums put out this year but there is a major flaw…the subject courses don’t have any relevancy. The fact that Soce is also an entertainer doesn’t help the fact that the songs seem more comedic than thought out and skillful. It makes you wonder if all the hype about this artist is truly deserving of a master’s degree or is he really still working on a rap certification.

Whether or not you like the information that the “elemental wizard” is spitting to you, you have to respect that this artist has lyrics, delivery, and ability! Master of Fine Arts is a true representation of all the different genres and styles that out hip-hop has to offer. This CD has truly created a masterpiece that any emcee would be proud of and the movement should be proud of to. This rapper, producer, blogger, actor, and activist has definitely marked his own niche’ in homo-hop and it is definitely worthy of an A+!

I give this CD 4 out of 5 Rainbow Mics!

Review by REX STONE

Drew Mason - "The Paradigm Shift"

Not since Eminem has the hip-hop game seen a white rapper that can hold their own with the big boys of rap. Then in the homo-hop game along comes Drew Mason. An incredible lyricist with a swagga all his own, reppin San Diego with pride. His first album on Big Milo records "The Paradigm Shift" is a melodic joy ride in the land of out hip-hop. Drew is a true navigator through beats and flows that coast down a west coast groove on this CD.

"The Paradigm Shift" goes through the hills and valleys of each track with the greatest of ease. Although sometimes it seems that it's too easy for this emcee and he starts to yell to get his point across. The volumes and the production on this album are solid on each joint. Stellar hits are "The Music's in My Soul", "In A World All Alone", "G-R-I-N-D", and "With A Motivated Mind". Even with the lackluster collaborations on this album by two of homo-hops elite, it's obvious from the beginning of this CD that Drew really doesn't need any help with making a hit!

Mr. Mason has proven that not only is he one of the best in the game! He truly is an incredible talent that deserves a shot with the big boys. His true talent shines through on each cut and you can hear the struggle that this texas native has gone through to make it to "Hollywood" status. His lyrical skills spill out onto the microphone and laces his audience with a spit game so cold, they should call him the ice-man. "The Paradigm Shift" is a great 1st album by a rookie. a true homo-hop classic that all hip-hop heads can ride too.

I give this CD 4 out of 5 rainbow mics!

 http://www.drewmasonraps.com

 Review by REX STONE

In the game of hip-hop you certainly have to do a lot to be original because there are so many artist that think outside the box. If Mack Mistress was able to hit the mainstream then Missy Elliot better start looking for a new job. This San Francisco Bay Area native is the answer to the age old question can female emcees spit just as hard and deliver like the boys, well with the release of “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” we definitely have an answer. This west coast representative is not playing any games with her quick delivery, ability to change style from one song to the next and then spit a hot 16 that would make Source Magazine want to post them!

From the beginning to the end of the CD you know that Mack Mistress is a well-developed artist that has taken time to put together a solid product. This album goes from hip-hop to rock-hop while all at the same time keeping its California style. It almost feels as if you were at Lake Merritt in Oakland on a Saturday in ’93! Not since Yo-Yo has the west put out a female that could represent like this. The lyrics, delivery, tracks, and production quality on this album are on point and rival most homo-hop releases to date.

Filled with street anthems, bay area hyphy songs, ladies sing-a longs, and hip-hop bangers this CD has it all. Mack Mistress has laid the foundation that will stand the test of industry time. Check out the killer tracks, “If You Want Too”, “Where My Girls At”, “Go Crazy”, and “Stand Up”. This is one album that has opened up the game for all of the other female rappers in the out hip-hop movement! Finally a rapper that has taken time to please the audience and not themselves!

I give this 4 out of 5 rainbow mics!

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mackmisstress
http://www.mackmisstress.com/music

Review by Rex Stone

The Good:

Trying to build a foundation for a whole group of people in a small homo-hop community is hard but achievable if you have all the tools you need. “White Lesbian Rapper” by homo-hop activist Alicia Leafgreen is definitely a place to start looking when you are trying to find a home in this game that we call out hip-hop. Check out the cuts “Touche’d” (Remix), and “I Got My Sawed Off” definite club-hop songs.

The Bad:

The problem with “White Lesbian Rapper” is that if this is the best that the community has to offer then it is in desperate need of government assistance. The tracks were okay, the production was good compared to the some competitors but the lyrics were soft as cardboard. There was no true substance in what was being said and at times it was even mediocre at best. This house is not a home for true hip-hop fans.

The Truth:

This EP is not what you would want as a representation of yourself, white lesbian rappers, or a direct reflection on homo-hop without major repairs being done. Alicia Leafgreen needs to take time to get her lyrics together or at the very least just be a club-hop rapper and flip the script. But the honest truth, this is hip-hop and you need to respect that with bringing 100% every time you step to the microphone or leave it alone.

The Recommendation:

Trash It! You have to do better than this to make it in this game!

1.5 Rainbow Mics

by Bellson and Chuck Alfred

If Outkast's "Dungeon Family" and Eminem’s "D12" had a baby, it would sound like Lester Greene and his debut CD "No Bush, Straight Dicks". A CD that certainly takes you deep into the world of LG as he bounces from electro to hip-hop. Mr. Greene has no issue with taking chances and going "left field", musically but he still delivers your standard hip-hop banger for the heads. On "No Bush...", Lester shines most on the up tempo jams and seems very at home with blending the electro and hip-hop for the dance floors. Stand out tracks are "Money", "Move It Around", "Wow",  the Daft Punk flavored "Regular Person" and "Stand In Line (Interlude)" which I'd have to vote to be the best track on the album.

One thing that is interesting about this CD is that lyrically most of the songs don’t hit you over the head with anything that would indicate Lester Green is not a heterosexual male (although “Regular Person” literally spells it out). This is a hip hop CD by someone who happens to be gay/bisexual, not necessarily an “out hip hop” CD, which is fine by me and just thought it was worth noting.

All in all, "No Bush, Straight Dicks" has some songs that lean to the more abstract, some to the more pop side that you hear on top 40 stations. Some of the songs have a definite old school vibe in their beats and delivery. This CD may not appeal to all of the hip-hop heads but then neither does Outkast, Dungeon Family or D12 and it sounds like that's the way Lester Greene wants it.

Definitely worth a listen.

3 RAINBOW MICS.

Review by REX STONE

I am going to go out on a limb and say that “Celebrity” by Baron is one of the best produced CD’s in the homo-hop game right now. Every song sounds well put together and the volumes are perfect on each track. You can tell that Baron took his time to make sure that he had a quality product to put out. The choice of tracks is the main reason that this album has some high points.

The problem is that this CD should have been called “Seinfeld” because it had nothing to do with anything. I found myself bored with the music about time I got to song 10 on this 15 track CD he calls “Celebrity”. He wastes a lot of time trying to find himself as an artist (going from punk, to pop, r&b, rap, and dance and sometimes all in the same song). He needs to really think about what he wants to portray as an artist and then perfect that.

Baron is talented and he does have some skills. If you’re looking for a lyrical masterpiece you are not going to find it here. Besides that the CD production wise is on point, you might find yourself asleep by the time you get to song 11. Okay cuts on this CD are “Crushin”,”Robin Hood”, and “Grown Ass Man”. Baron is worth a listen as an artist but I don’t know if “Celebrity” is worthy enough to blow people’s mind.

I give This CD 2 out 5 Mics.

Review by BELLSON

Old School vs. New School? That's not even a question on "In Security: The Golden Era", the latest release from Tim'm T. West. Indeed a seasoned out hip-hop vet and a gifted emcee none the less, In Security offers up a solid blend of New School and Old School hip hop. Which is a surefire guarantee that all of "the heads" will be good and satisfied. Not only that but Tim'm enlisted a proper handful of guests from Last Offence, Twizza and Bryn't to the soulful Tim Dillinger and Deadlee to add to his arsenal and it gives In Security plenty of additional flavor.

Now solid hip-hop albums are hard to come by but this one does the job start to finish. Such stand out tracks are "Hit song", "You Tell Me," "What We Have" and "Stutter" just to name a few and the dope rhymes and punchlines flow through and through. Indeed I am a Tim'm T. West fan from way back but for those who aren't, I am sure that In Security: The Golden Era will change your mind. My only complaint is that there really is no "club banger" on this record which was clearly intentional but by the end of the record I still can't resist the urge to want to hear this dope emcee lacing a beat we can shake our asses to like when he dropped something for the "house heads" on both Red Dirt Biz and Blakkboy Blues. Still In Security: The Golden Era has enough swagger to hold it's own and to get 4 mics.

Review by REX STONE

“The Godfather” is back giving us something that we can be proud of. True homo-hop by an out hip-hop artist. Tim’m‘s latest album “In Security: The Golden Error is a classic that will go down in history for the movement. I must say that I personally think Tim’m is an okay rap artist but a great spoken word artist. I like this CD and have had the chance to see Mr. West perform and I must say that he is a true entertainer.

The production on the CD is well done and there is a definite studio quality to the tracks. Each song could stand alone as a decent cut when just listening for the production in each song. He knew how to put together a track using different beats, flows, and styles to make each song sound fresh and new.

The CD is a great work of art by Tim’m but I think that he should have maybe rethought the collaborations and maybe used people that made him stand out. On “3” you’re overtaken by one artist and the other sounds like a true novice. The other collabs don’t really fit your style, they just get on and do their thing. You are best alone or with artist that showcase your talents.

Overall the CD is great. The lessons that are taught are well remembered. The fact that Tim’m puts out all of his flaws in all on “In Security” lets you know that he is truly down for this thing we call hip-hop. It’s his genuine truthfulness into his life and lyrics that make us all see his worth. Tim’m has got flow, and delivery and one of the best lyricist out in homo-hop.

I give this CD 4.5 out of 5 mics.