Abuela Coca - 2010 - Vos

La pared
Veo Veo
Voy a Buscar en Mi
Tanto Tiempo
Respeto
Ozono
Oxígeno
Y a la Abuela También
Paso a Paso
Brillar
Ya Está Siendo
Vos

¡Aquí!

Abuela Coca - 2006 - El Cuarto De la Abuela

El empleado del mes
Mala herencia
A eso voy
El artesano
Nada es como me lo imaginaba
El alquimista
El pez por la boca muerde
Se duerme otra vez
San Felipe & Santiago
Curo mis heridas
El penitente
Derrocha
Angel de la guarda
De allá

¡Aquí!

Abuela Coca - 2000 - El Ritmo del Barrio

El ritmo del barrio
Walking
H20
Santa soledad
Templo
Para ver las estrellas
007
Nega
Quién lo diría
Ta'salao
Cable (mira dentro tuyo)
Cría cuervos

¡Aquí!

Abuela Coca - 1998 - Despues Te Explico...

01. Que pasa
02. Afoxe
03. Sexy Girl
04. Roberto
05. Toda menina Baiana
06. Chicos ricos
07. San Pedro
08. Himno de mi corazón
09. Pulgoso
10. Asesinos son
11. Che bo!
12. Coco claro
13. La ley

¡Aquí!

Jurassic 5 - 2002 - Power In Numbers

Like a few other notable sophomore records from hip-hop acts (De La Soul Is Dead, The Low End Theory), Jurassic 5's Power in Numbers is darker than their first full-length; not as fresh and exuberant, but much more mature and intelligent. Granted, fans may not be happy to hear they've changed the formula so soon, or that the production doesn't play a starring role as it did on Quality Control. Instead, DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist play it close to the vest, setting off the rhymes with a few well-placed beats and split-second samples (as well as the usual flute loops). Of course, allowing more room to hear four of the best rappers in hip-hop twisting tongues and telling tales has to be welcomed, and Jurassic 5 prove up to the added responsibility. Displaying a focus and intensity basically unseen in rap music during the past decade, the group practically bursts with message tracks; the skeletal first single "Freedom" finds Chali 2na and Akil delving into the concept as it relates to everything from Third World poverty to the American penitentiary system. "Remember His Name" and "Thin Line" (the latter with Nelly Furtado) are dark tales of urban passions, and they're a step forward in that it's not just the raps that are intricate, but the storytelling also requires a few listens to understand. The group still has plenty of time for a few old-school anthems like "What's Golden" and "A Day at the Races," with Big Daddy Kane bringing his alliterative ammo to the track. And the instrumental jam "Acetate Prophets" shows DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist refining their skill for merging turntablism and excellent productions. Perhaps the best statement of Jurassic 5's purpose comes from the group itself, on "If You Only Knew": "What we do is try to give you what you ain't used to."

1 This Is Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 0:53
2 Freedom Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 3:19
3 If You Only Knew Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 3:51
4 Break Burt, Givens, Henderson, Macfadden… 3:16
5 React Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 0:56
6 A Day at the Races Givens, Hardy, Henderson, Macfadden… 4:02
7 Remember His Name Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 3:44
8 What's Golden Akil , Chali Twona, Givens, Henderson… 3:08
9 Thin Line Furtado, Givens, Henderson, Macfadden… 4:45
10 After School Special Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 2:41
11 High Fidelity Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 3:07
12 Sum of Us Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 3:28
13 DDT Kool Keith 0:42
14 One of Them Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 3:18
15 Hey Givens, Henderson, Husayn, Macfadden… 4:25
16 I Am Somebody Gamble, Givens, Henderson, Macfadden… 4:05
17 Acetate Prophets Givens, Henderson, Macfadden, Potsic… 6:31

¡Aquí!

Cube, Ice - 1990 - Amerikkka's Most Wanted

When Ice Cube split from N.W.A after the group's seminal Straight Outta Compton album changed the world forever, expectations were high, too high to ever be met by anyone but the most talented of artists, and at his most inspired. At the time Cube was just that. With AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted the rapper expanded upon Compton, making a more full-bodied album that helped boost the role of the individual in hip-hop. Save the dramatic intro where a mythical Ice Cube is fried in the electric chair, his debut is filled with eye-level views of the inner city that are always vivid, generally frightening, generally personal, and sometimes humorous in the gallows style. Ripping it quickly over a loop from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog," Cube asks the question that would be central to his early career, "Why there more niggas in the pen than in college?," while sticking with the mutual distrust and scare tactics N.W.A used to wipe away any hopes of reconciliation ("They all scared of the Ice Cube/And what I say what I portray and all that/And ain't even seen the gat"). "What I'm kicking to you won't get rotation/Nowhere in the nation" he spits on the classic "Turn Off the Radio," which when coupled with the intoxicating Bomb Squad production and Cube's cocksure delivery that's just below a shout, makes one think he's the only radio the inner city needs. The Bomb Squad's amazing work on the album proves they've been overly associated with Public Enemy, since their ability to adapt to AmeriKKKa's more violent and quick revolution is underappreciated. Their high point is the intense "Endangered Species," a "live by the trigger" song that offers "It's a shame, that niggas die young/But to the light side it don't matter none." This street knowledge venom with ultra fast funk works splendidly throughout the album, with every track hitting home, although the joyless "You Can't Fade Me" has alienated many a listener since kicking a possibly pregnant woman in the stomach is a very hard one to take. Just to be as confusing as the world he lives in, the supposedly misogynistic Cube introduces female protégé Yo-Yo with "It's a Man's World" before exiting with "The Bomb," a perfectly unforgiving and visceral closer. Save a couple Arsenio Hall disses, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted is a timeless, riveting exercise in anger, honesty, and the sociopolitical possibilities of hip-hop.

		1		Better off Dead	Holt, Ice Cube	1:03
		2		The Nigga Ya Love to Hate	Ice Cube, Sadler	3:13
		3		AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted	Ice Cube, Sadler, Shocklee	4:08
		4		What They Hittin' Foe?	Average White Band ...	1:22
Composed by: Average White Band, Ice Cube
		5		You Can't Fade Me/JD's Gaffilin'	Ice Cube, Sadler	5:12
		6		Once Upon a Time in the Projects	Ice Cube, Sir Jinx	3:41
		7		Turn Off the Radio	D., Ice Cube, Sadler, Shabazz	2:37
		8		Endangered Species (Tales From the Darkside)	D., Ice Cube, Sadler, Sir Jinx	3:21
		9		A Gangsta's Fairytale	Ice Cube, Sadler	3:16
		10		I'm Only Out for One Thang	Flavor Flav, Ice Cube ...	2:10
Composed by: Flavor Flav, Ice Cube, Sir Jinx, Wonder
		11		Get off My *** and Tell Yo ***** to Come Here	Ice Cube, Sadler	:56
		12		The Drive-By	Shocklee, Sir Jinx	1:01
		13		Rollin' Wit the Lench Mob	Ice Cube, Sadler	3:43
		14		Who's the Mack?	Ice Cube, JBs	4:35
		15		It's a Man's World	Ice Cube, Sir Jinx, Yo Yo	5:26
		16		The Bomb	Ice Cube, Sir Jinx	3:25

¡Aquí!

Zipera - 2004 - Druga Strona Medalu

¡Aquí!

Ladd, Mike - 2000 - Welcome To The Afterfuture

After a decade of underground recognition, New York-based producer/lyricist Mike Ladd has emerged since 1998 as the hip-hop scene's prime genius. Easy Listening 4 Armageddon put him on the map, the all-star Infesticons album put him over, and Welcome to the Afterfuture is the articulation of a musical vision. Whether it will pan out in the real future is another matter, but at least it stands a chance. Welcome to the Afterfuture is a blender of sounds and styles and epitomizes the search that is leading cutting-edge hip-hop further into avant-garde and non-Western musical traditions. "Airwave Hysteria" has a sweet Bollywood sample with a tight chorus broken up by some hypnotic scratching. The ring mod and time-stretched vocals on "Planet 10" are reminiscent of a Kid 606 album. There's a number of good tracks, but a few stand out, particularly "5000 Miles," where Ladd gets to display his lyrical skills ("I'm 5000 miles west/Of my future/Where's my floating car/My utopia") against fuzzed bass and organ figures. He gets props for entering the sci-fi realm without sounding like another Kool Keith carbon, although you might argue that it's simply more futurist than sci-fi per se. The most out track is "I Feel Like 100 Dollars"; it would be difficult to create more chaos at a slower tempo, for sure. There's some nice Air-esque jamming on "To the Moon's Contractor," and the title track features a crunked funk dissection of contemporary ills via Nova Express. Not so successful is the cut "No. 1 St.," which falls into all the pitfalls of trying too hard, with self-important rhyming. It's not often that album reviews name check Ezra Pound, Mogwai, and Run-D.M.C., so buy this album. If hip-hop should have a tradition, then this is it -- experimentation.

		1		5000 Miles West of the Future	Ladd	3:48
		2		Airwave Hysteria	Ladd	4:09
		3		Planet 10	Ladd	4:25
		4		Takes More Than 41	Ladd	3:01
		5		Bladerunners	Ingleton, Ladd, Meline, Smythe	6:17
		6		No. 1 St.	Ladd	3:52
		7		To the Moon's Contractor	Ladd	10:36
		8		I Feel Like $100	Ladd	3:45
		9		The Animist	Ladd	5:52
		10		Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga)	Ladd	3:50
		11		Welcome to the Afterfuture	Ladd	3:34
		12		Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon	Ladd	4:15
		13		Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops) [For All Killed by Cops]	Ladd	5:15

¡Aquí!

Q-Tip - 2002 - Kamaal The Abstract

A personal, unique project compared to Amplified (Q-Tip's first under his own name), Kamaal the Abstract fittingly sounds more like a solo album; whereas Amplified merely built on the digital soul of the last Tribe Called Quest album (The Love Movement), this one is wide-ranging and diverse, a relaxed, loose-limbed date. Q-Tip lays way back on these cuts, rapping in a quick, low monotone for the opener, "Feelin'," even while the song breaks into some restrained guitar grind on the choruses. Guitars, in fact, crop up all over this record. Setting aside comparisons to the contemporary record by N.E.R.D. (the rock side project of hip-hop super-producers Neptunes), Q-Tip crafted a record that pays homage to the last gasp of organically produced mainstream pop in the '70s and '80s, paying a large compliment to Prince and Stevie Wonder, even as he proves himself far more talented than D'Angelo (if not quite as soulful). The beats are pointed and clipped, to be expected on a Q-Tip record, but he allows plenty of space for the arrangements to speak, like the trim trumpet lines pacing "Even if It Is So" or allowing plenty of room for extended blowing from a flute on the warm, pastoral "Do You Dig You." The former is one of the best tracks here, Q-Tip introducing his story song with a fluid, ten-second speed-rap that says more about the plight of the single mother he adores than any other rapper could with an entire album. This wasn't the kind of record that lights up the charts -- which could account for the reason it didn't appear on the shelves in late April 2002, as expected, and only earned an official release in 2009 -- but in many ways it's superior to the released Amplified. [The 2009 release via Jive included a bonus track, "Make It Work."]

		1		Feelin'	Fareed, Sholar	04:32
		2		Do You Dig U?	Fareed, Kats, Sholar	07:19
		3		A Million Times	Fareed, Kats	04:16
		4		Blue Girl	Barrett, Fareed, Sholar	05:20
		5		Barely in Love	Fareed, Kats	04:03
		6		Heels	Fareed, Sholar	03:07
		7		Abstractionisms	Fareed	05:19
		8		Caring	Fareed, Sholar	01:40
		9		Even If It Is So	Fareed, Kats, Sholar	05:30
		10		Make It Work [*]	Fareed, Rosenwinkel	03:59

¡Aquí!