I really don’t know any other way to say this, so I’m just gonna come right out with it…this album sucks. Of course that’s just my opinion, but Relapse leaked to the internet last Thursday, I’ve given it about 3 or 4 listens since then, and I don’t like anyone of the songs None. My issues with the album are: 1) Eminem is rapping about some bullsh!t. 2) These have got to be the worst Dr. Dre beats I’ve ever heard. 3) Em does that freaking high-pitched Slim Slady voice throughout the entire album, and it gets on my damn nerves.

I was having this debate with my homeboy earlier today, and he thinks the album is great. Yeah, Em is a great rapper, I’ll give him that. But the subject matter and concepts on Relapse suck balls. You guys just have to hear it to understand. I can’t really speak about the high points on the album cause I don’t think there are any. But I will speak on the track called “Insane.” The songs starts: “I was born with a d*ck in my brain, yeah, f*cked in the head/My step father said that I sucked in the bed/Til one night he snuck and he said/I want my d*ck sucked, we’re going out back in the shed.” *Blank stare. Confused looked. Baffled. Dumbfounded. Speechless. Pause. Long pause.*

I refuse to go any deeper into that song, but that’s pretty much the theme for the track, and I have to take off a whole chicken sandwich just a gay line like that. Anyways, I could be wrong here (but I’m usually not), Relapse could be a masterpiece. “Maybe I’m buggin’ out, maybe I’m on a spaceship,” (c) Joe Budden. But I seriously doubt that.

Actually, it would be nice if you all left your thoughts about the Em album in the comment section. Lets discuss this. In my opinion, this has got to be the worst album I’m heard since Rocko dropped his debut album. But what do I know. What do you all think?

Fav Songs: N/A

Rating:

Asher Roth’s debut album drops today, so I hope people will go out and cop this, sit back and smoke to it today. I’ve been riding to this Asher Roth album for about a week or so, but I’m gonna go pick it up a physical copy a little later today, just to support good hip-hop. I’m really diggin’ the album, and I’m not going to go into a long review about, because I don’t think people really read anymore and you guys can just listen to the album yourself and give your own take on it. But yeah, I fuxs with it.

Fav Songs: “I Love College,” “La Di Da,” “As I Em,” “Fallin’”

Rating:

A. Roth’s ThisIs50.com interview is after the jump.

Update: I was going back and forth about giving this album a 3.5 or a 4, at first I said 4, then I said 3.5. At first I put 4 chicken sandwiches up on The Block, but I’m gonna go with 3.5 chicken sandwiches. The album is still dope but he needed a couple more bangers on here, instead of the more commercial stuff. The commercial stuff of course was to appeal to a particular MTV audience but I would have liked to hear a couple more edgier tracks produced by Don Cannon.

Bonus Track: Asher Roth ft. Slick Rick (UK Bonus track) props to HIF.

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It’s been awhile since I have live blogged an album review. But since Deeper Than Rap is probably the most anticipated album so far this year, I thought I’d stay up and give you guys a track by track review as I listen to the album for the first time. I don’t really fux with Rawse like that anymore, but I’m still expecting this album to be pretty damn good. So, without further ado, here it goes. My live blogging review of Rick Ross’ new album Deeper Than Rap.

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I actually listened to Flo Rida’s album today. Not because I wanted to, but because I thought I might as well review it for Ozone. Maaaaaaaaaan, that sh!t is gay. I really don’t know how else to explain it. Ya’ll just gotta listen to it for yourself. Either that or take my word for it.

I posted one of his songs after the jump. I’m not sure if it’s on the album, but it doesn’t matter. All of his songs pretty much sound alike.

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I just got back from a private listening party for Asher Roth’s debut album Asleep In The Bread Aisle. Actually, I’m kinda tired, plus I had a few dranks, so I’m a little tipsy, but I wanted to get this up before I lay me down to sleep. First off, I want to let it be known that I was one of the first bloggers to give Asher Roth some shine. My first blog about him was back in May 2008…well the homie Sohh Gyant did put me on first, but I in turn put the homie eskay on, so that’s pretty much how the blogger network works. Not to mention I was one of the first journalist to interview him for a national publication when I interviewed him for OZONE, so I think I played my part in introducing Asher to the public (ok, enough patting myself on the back for now).

Almost a year later, with Asher Roth’s debut album only a few weeks away from dropping, his label gave a few peeps in the A a chance to hear the album before it comes out. See what labels do is get you out to these events, give you some free food and drinks, and by the time you’re liquored up, everything on the album sounds good. It’s kinda like when you wine & dine a chick, it lowers her inhibitions, and you have a better chance of hittin’ it at the end of the night…yeah, it’s pretty much the same concept.

Anyways, I had already heard from various sites that A. Roth’s album was pretty good, so I was really interested in hearing it. Asher wasn’t there himself, but his manager Scott Braun was there, and he was cool as fux (the homie Kenny Hamilton, who’s Asher’s road manager, if I’m not mistaken, was in attendance too), and they made sure we had a good time and really got an understanding of the production process for the album.

And I must admit, Asher Roth’s album is ill. I know people always want to compare him to Eminem, but not one song on the album gave you anything close to a Slim Shady feel (expect maybe one track but I can’t remember the name of it). The production on the album, which was handled mostly by Oren Yoel, is quite impressive. I know what I’m gonna say might sound strange, but Sleep In The Bread Aisle is hella soulful (sounds crazy for a white boy, I know). A lot of the beats on there are full of live bass and instrumentation, so it gives the album a real fresh feeling that’s complimented by Asher slick wordplay. Not to mention Cee-Lo (”Be By Myself”), Keri Hilson (”She Don’t Want a Man”) and Jazze Pha (”Bad Day”) are all on the project, so that helps put some southern swag into Asher’s college boy strut. And there’s a track called “His Dream” that has this new cat from LA named Miguel, and he’s blowing on the hook (*pause just in case*).

“Lion’s Roar” with Busta Rhymes and “La Di Da” produced by Don Cannon (which may be the next single) were bangers too. I didn’t even mention “I Love College,” which has singlehandedly made me miss my undergrad years, or “Lark On a Go Kart” which makes me wanna pick up a chick at a college party, bring her home, and take advantage of her. Plus, the bonus tracks have guest appearances from Beanie Sigel and Slick Rick, that were just stoopid.

I mean, I was eating and drinking while listening to it, but I don’t remember hearing anything that was straight up just wack, so based off what I heard tonight, I must say that Asher Roth has a solid debut album on his hands. Personally, when the album drops on April 20th, (which is national smokers day or something), I’m gonna go pick it up. That’s the least I can do, since they hooked me up with some good food tonight. But no seriously, the album is dope, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being one of the best albums of 2009, and one of the better debut albums to have dropped over the last few years.

Once again, Asher Roth’s debut album Asleep In The Bread Aisle will be in stores and online on April 20th, and I encourage you all to go out and get that.

*R.E. exits The Block and returns to bumpin’ “I Love College.” Oh, the “I Love College (Remix)” is coming soon, too.*

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So, last week I started running “Pump It or Dump It” features here on The Block. Which I really just thought of because I got tired of telling people who emailed me that I wouldn’t post their music because it sucked, so I decided to just post it and let my readers tell people “YOU SUCK!” Well, that and let the constructive criticism come from the comment section, and needless to say everything went as planned. I’m going to continue doing this, so, hopefully all my readers will continue to give these aspiring artists some feedback in the weeks to come. But I just want to quickly recap the artists that were featured last week.

Young Fresh - “A Dime”: This was the first artist and track featured, and I think everyone agreed that his track sucked (sorry, Fresh). I’m not sure if I’m gonna ban artists from The Block that get “dumped” or what I’m gonna do. I’ll figure that out later.
Results: DUMP!!!!

Ntelligence - “Good Morning SC”: This track produced by the homie MIDImarc got pretty good reviews. Ntelligence’s flow wasn’t the best, and it was a little boring, but overall, this shit was cool. If anyone wants to hear more of Ntelligence’s music, his album Black Boy Lost is available here.
Results: PUMP!!!

Rich G. ft. AJ - “I’m Da Sh*t”: And last but not least, thanks to Young Fresh’s song, Rich G.’s song “I’m Da Shit” was saved by his homeboy AJ, who he didn’t even mention when he sent the song over. The track got mixed reviews, but most people seemed to think it was ok, thanks to the kid on the second verse.
Results: PUMP!

Aight, so I got a bunch of emails from cats wanting to get featured, so I’ll post up a new song tomorrow. And I want to thank all the artists for being good sports, and to all the readers and commenters for giving good feedback. Feedback is important. It’s the only way we’ll be able to stop people from making wack music. Until tomorrow. Peace.

The-Dream’s sophomore album hit the internets yesterday, and I must say, this sh!t is a monster. I’m not really surprised because his first album was dope, but this sh!t right here nucca, this sh!t right here…crazy! I mean, everyone knows Dream can’t sing all that well, but that dude can write the hell out of a song.

The nucca wrote a song about beatin’ it up to 12 Play (”Kelly’s 12 Play”). Man, do you know how many times I smashed something to 12 Play? I went FOOL when I heard that song.

Then he got a song called “Put It Down,” where it’s basically about what it sounds like. But Dream is so ill lyrically, he should be writing for rappers, in addition to the R&B artists he writes for. Shawty Lo, OJ, ya’ll might need to holla at The-Dream. That nucca said something like, “If they ask you can I sing like Usher, say, ‘no’, but I can make you sing like Mariah.”

The title tracks “Love vs. Money” and “Love vs. Money Pt. 2,” are so well written and produced, I was on 285 last night thinking I was Jeff Gordon last night. Those tracks go so hard in the whip. And I think he had a couple sneak disses at his ex-wife Nivea on there, too.

But my favorite track has to be “Fancy,” which is a song about the type of chick that chases the glamorous life (there are a lot of those chicks in Atlanta). But it’s the way the production of the song develops as the song goes a long. I just about lost my mind when the drums dropped at the end. But ya’ll just gotta hear it to see what I’m talking about.

But seriously, Love vs. Money is that dope. Let me try to break it down to ya’ll like this: Love vs. Money > 808s & Heartbreaks. Love vs. Money > most rap albums that came out last year (except maybe T.I.’s album). Love vs. Money > Glady Knight’s Chicken & Waffles. Love vs. Money > Chris Paul’s line last night (27 pts, 4 rebs, 15 asts). Love vs. Money > Nivea’s entire career. Ya’ll should get the picture now.

I know most ladies don’t fux wit’ dude because he’s kinda fat, but I think everyone needs to check this album out. The production alone, most of it by Christoper “Tricky” Stewart, makes the album worthwhile. But when you add Dream’s song writing abilities to the equation…this album is damn near a classic. Cop this ish.

This is pretty much the only thing I’ve been listening to since it dropped on Friday. I think So Far Gone is as good, if not better than Drake’s last mixtape Comeback Season. I can really hear his growth as an artist, and his singing is pretty catchy. Actually, So Far Gone is damn near a classic by mixtape standards. Of course, that’s just my personal, professional opinion (and I do mean professional). But I’m not going to get into a long review, because honestly, I’m fuxing tired and I have some other ish to do tonight. So, I’m just gonna post some sandwiches and keep it moving.

But yeah, this mixtape is dope.

In Case You Missed It: Drake - So Far Gone (Mixtape)