Reviews

Sometimes the hardest thing to do when you look back at a unique situation is to assess its true impact. It is possible to mould the evidence to fit in with whatever narrative you ultimately choose. Such is the case with the L.A. Riots of 1992: you either believe it was a turning point in [...]

The Warner Music stable Maybach Music Group may very well be the next great powerhouse in Hip Hop to be acknowledged alongside the likes of Roc-A-Fella, Bad Boy and Death Row. The reason for this isn’t the magnitude of hype/output that its leader Rick Ross possesses, its the crew’s supporting cast who potentially will bring [...]

Best known for his much-sampled dance floor funk bomb “Soul Makossa” [that Michael Jackson got sued for unauthorized use of in “Wanna Be Starting Something"], Manu Dibango is among a small illustrious group of musicians who’ve managed to sustain their career into a fifth decade. The Cameroonian saxophonist and vibraphone player blends Afrobeat, jazz and [...]

Previously on The Adventures of B.o.B aka Bobby Ray, Atlanta rapper/singer B.o.B was busy claiming the many plaudits for what was a superb year for him back in 2010. Emerging from under the tutorship of DJ Drama and southern kingpin T.I., Bobby Ray broke away from the limited expectations many had of his career and [...]

A region with a distinctive culture, the music, food and language of New Orleans, Louisiana clearly influenced the title of local native Jeff Bradshaw sophomore album, Bone Appétit. The French rooted phrase Bon Appétit was created as a way to say enjoy your meal, and an album title referencing this phrase would suggest that the [...]

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s probably going to be the best album of 2012…” Detroit producer Apollo Brown boasted at SXSW about his new collaborative album Trophies, with legendary emcee OC. “I’m not being cocky,” he continued,” but from a fan standpoint and stepping out of myself and not [...]

At last year’s corresponding residency at the Jazz Cafe, Dwele had a more than apt tribute for the late, great Nate Dogg. At the time I couldn’t help but think that this was a nod to a trailblazer in the industry who, through his success, allowed a crossover artist like Dwele to exist. Nate Dogg [...]

It can be difficult to determine the start of the summer in this part of the world. One obvious clue is the clocks going forward by one hour and the other slightly more obvious hint is the sudden emergence of superhero movies made with gargantuan budgets in multiplexes all over the Northern Hemisphere. Fortunately, with [...]

Loyal fans know Estelle as a vibrant female rapper who started her musical ventures in 2004 with The 18th Day and went on to release her second album, the gold-certified Shine, in 2008. Both albums received a great response, making the British singer/occasional rapper a force to be reckoned with. Having already made her mark [...]

2011 saw a busy year for Delilah; after supporting British drum’n'bass/dubstep producers Chase & Status on their nationwide tour, the single “Time” (which appears on their album, co-written by Delilah) was released, after which the London singer joined Maverick Sabre as main support act on his UK tour. Following the September release of her first [...]