Joell Ortiz: keeping it real and lyrical

Global rating of the artist: 4.5 stars
No wonder notorious Dr Dre signed Joell Ortiz to Aftermath Records: the talented artist is a pure fire spitter who manages to communicate his enthusiasm to his listeners. The Brooklyn native has a real passion for his art.
Big Pun Tribute introduces you into the hostile universe of the NYC hood. Feel the hustle, the constant struggle of street life while Joell Ortiz flows with ease on rhythmic and rich instrumentals. I recommend the song to all of you hip hop heads.
Trumpets, rhythmic piano sounds, keyboards, drums will introduce you into a very intense atmosphere. Countdown will totally underline Joell Ortiz’ extraordinary flow delivery and his lyrical skills.
Joell Ortiz’ verbal creativity comes to shine in Countdown. Don’t sleep on that track!
Hip Hop is built on nostalgic piano notes combined with rhythmic drum beats and keyboards sounds. Feel the passion of an emcee who lives out hip hop every day making the statement « rap music is something you do, hip hop is something you live » a reality.
Hip hop is definitely a way of life, a path that Joell Ortizz has chosen to follow with passion; It is precisely this intense passion for the music and the culture that makes the beauty of Joell Ortiz’ songs, because it will talk to your heart through each word and each single sound.
Humble is constructed on hammering synthetizer sounds, scratches and soft violins. Again Joel Ortiz flows faster than the wind and his positive spirit will take you into his world in no time.
Don’t miss this incredible artist! Check his my space account and his official website.
Copyright 2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Kinfolk: a delicious hip hop taste, straight outta Saginaw, Michigan

Nate The Great, Ciszko Da Menace, Mr K-OS, E-Macc and Corey-D form the group called Kinfolk. The group is one of my new discoveries and I am very enthusiastic about sharing it with all of you.
Hip hop becomes enjoyable to a higher degree, not only when the artists possess the qualities required to make a good emcee (skills, flow, beats and instrumentals), but also when it bridges other black music genres.
This is exactly what seduced me with Kinfolk’s 989 track: repping their city with confidence, the emcees intelligently mix up catchy beats, electric guitars, basslines and piano sounds. The rhythmic has some very beautiful jazz and soul accents. The delightful gangsta flavor of the track is enhanced by the beautiful piano and keyboard sounds in the background. I highly recommend you 989 that is available for download on the artists’ my space account.
Nate The Great will allow the listener to fully appreciate his lyrical skills in Soundcheck that is built on siren sounds and rhythmic beats. Electric guitar sounds combined with keyboard sounds punctuate the 911 state of emergency. Nate The Great will bless the mic to the listeners’ greatest pleasure, making them feel the tension.
Midwest Playas combines rapid violin notes with xylophone sounds. Enjoy the emcees’ beautiful flow delivery. The electronic voices in the background might remind some of you of the  « California Love ».
You could barely stay indifferent in front of the verbal hurricane coming from the rapper’s mouths.
What U Like left me more indifferent, since the track seems to be destined to a more commercial use.
The group is nevertheless worth your full attention, because you have some artists of real talent in front of you. Check them out here.
Copyright ©2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Jokes On You, another hit at the prankstas in the Detroit scene, by Selfcentered (song review)

Rating: 4.5 stars
It looks like Pace’s Die Bitch song brought a lot of heated speech and controversy on the Detroit local scene. It is funny how one single song can make people show their true colors and it is amusing to watch them try to hit the song reviewer more than the artist.
However one could barely fight against the light of the truth, nor are people ready to combat the sword of honesty. It is an emcee’s duty to expose and to rip the fakes, should the whole world be against him.
The truth will march on anyway. Pace’s bigmouthed rival has found a new skilled enemy in Selfcentered‘s person. Not only does Jokes On You expose the fakeness and the two faced attitude of an hypocritical emcee, it is also a must hear.
Selfcentered shoots his lyrics and lets the bullets flow right into his enemy’s chest, like a soldier on the front. Keyboard sounds are combined with powerful trumpets that will announce victory.
Selfcentered flows with ease, in a raspy tune. The atmosphere becomes gradually more offensive and overheated. The young emcee takes shit from noone and exposes the fact in a very straight manners: the many lies, the actions of the man pretending to be somebody he is not, the N bombs and the numerous manipulations I won’t mention in order to protect a friend.
The truth is, some weak emcees are running their mouth widely, but don‘t have the balls to put their words into actions. Their chances to make it in the music industry tend to zero.
Selfcentered give a fatal shooting at the clown. Jokes On You is incisive, surgical and leaves no place for fakeness and two faced games.
Get on your knees, admit your demise and learn the real meaning of raw, because you found your master.
Jokes On You is beautifully handled, lyrically and instrumentally. Selfcentered has a confident flow delivery that spices up the overheated track.
Download Jokes On You from here.
Detroit has some valuable soldiers that will bury the fakes and the weak ones. If you love hip hop, give this song a listen.
Copyright2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Proud of my accomplisments, despite the snakes in the business!

As far as I can look back, I have always had a passion for music and for writing. I just didn’t know that I should combine both in order to enlighten my writing capabilities. Gavin Sheridan was the first to notice me and to believe in me as a writer. Since then I have kept writing and improving my skills.
I know that many of you readers enjoy my writings on a worldwide scale and I want to thank you all for reading me, no matter where you come from.
Today, I’d like to share a quite sad story that happened to me a few days ago. A few years ago, some people who are involved in the rap business discovered my reviews and other writings.The same people started enjoying them, praised them, rating them as « excellent » or « very good » and encouraged me to post on a frequent basis on their forum for promotional purposes. A few days ago, the same people who once praised me, turned against me, qualifying me as a « garbage writer ». All of a sudden, I became a « person from abroad » who had nothing to do with their musical scene ».
You might be curious to know why people who pretended to like me and who considered me as « important to their business » were stating that they couldn’t stand me.
Let me enlighten you about what happened. A local artist I happen to know quite well had a beef with another local artist; He simply asked me to make a review- which I did.
In my review, I was delicate enough not to mention the other artist. I simply put the music into words, using my talent as a writer to express artistic intentions. On the musical website I mentioned, most people were taking sides in favor of the person mentioned in the musical beef. Not only did they criticize the artist who wrote the song, but those people went that far to question my writing abilities.
After three years of full dedication to your local musical scene, after using my time for free, you decide to kick me out like the worst criminal without even a « thank you »? It is ok.
You know what, good people? Don’t bother yourself with my presence. Before you even started bashing me and spitting your venom against me, I took the wise decision to cancel my account.
I happened to be tired of the « white pride » mentality that was highly encouraged there among local emcees. Yes, I happened to be sick and tired with some racist mentality. I’m not like you: I consider talent and personality, not people’s skin color.
Also, I happened to be sick and tired of the backstabbing, the bitterness and the hatred that were prevailing on your message board.
Let me tell you what: with that mentality, you snakes will never advance. Within 10 years of time, I promise you that you will stay at the same level.
You got rid of me? Good for you. I really don’t give a flying fuck about it.
You point your fingers at me saying « You’ve just run a blog »? Yes, I’ve run a blog and I am proud of it. My Eminem blog is read worldwide, from the USA to Japan, Nigeria, European and many other countries!
For your info, I have worked with several magazines,been published on hip hop websites and ezines interviewed many interesting artists including Big Proof (I did it for Detroit’s ILL mag, just in case you were tempted to doubt me)…in other words, I am DEDICATED to my passion, so keep trashing me, I don’t care!
I know that my love for the music is genuine and that I do possess some creative writing skills. With or without you, I will succeed.
Copyright2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Die Bitch/ a murderous Pace-ReRun collaboration

Rating: 4 stars
Local Detroit emcee Pace is back with his accomplice Rerun. Both men are determined to cut fake people’s necks off. The killah track is aimed at another emcee who showed fakeness and two faced attitudes all the way.
In front of somebody who has a two faced attitude, the light of the truth shall always prevail. The song is beautifully introduced by some verses of the Quran. You wanna play it with your devilish ways? God’s sword will cut you off and expose you in your nudity. You might be able to lie to other men, but not to the Creator of mankind.
Numerous violins, dope ass drum beats, a dark bassline in the background will portray the listener the offensive atmosphere.
You like it raw? Pace and Rerun will give it to you, sending a local emcee to hell with no mercy.
While numerous violins are intelligently mixed up with some gunshots, Pace attacks where it really hurts. He will nail his rival’s coffin and draw a realistic picture of a gangsta wannabe filled of self pride, claiming a crown he never owned. The same rival called Pace- who is known as a straight person and a believer of Islamic faith- a « fake Muslim ».
The first verse is murderous and leaves him no chance of survival:
« 
DIE BITCH!!!
DIE BITCH!!!
DIE BITCH!!!
DIE BITCH!!!
YOUSA JOKE BITCH
YOU WALK LIKE YA BOOTY GOT POKED BITCH
(sing)dont lie
AND YOUSA FAGGIT BITCH
I BET YA DADDY PLAYED WITH YA BALLS BITCH
(sing)dont lie
I KEEP EM BUMPIN, I KEEP EM GRINDIDN
IM RUNNIN DIS GAME/
YOU WAS A BITCH BEFORE I MET YOU
AND BITCH U STILL THE SAME//
YOU TALK DAT SMACK LIKE YOUSA GANGSTA
BUT YOUSA BIATCH/
FIRST TIME I MET YOU. I SEEN IT IN YA EYES
DAT YOUSA BIATCH//
ITS IN YA EYES
THAT YOUSA UNDERCOVER FAGGIT/
I PUT MY NINE UPON THE TABLE
BITCH I SEEN YOU WANNA GRAB IT//
TALKIN BOUT YOU A KING
MOE LIKE A THREE LEGGED QUEEN/
I SMOKE L’S , SELL V’S
SHIP YOU TO DA E.R. BIA……….//
IM A ONE MAN FUCKIN ARMY
A HUNDRED OF YOU CRIPPLE BITCHS COULDNT HARM ME/
THUGS DONT ALARM ME
AND DAT WACK SHIT WONT DISARM ME//
FOLLOW DA SUNNA
BOY, I CUT YA NECK TO DA BONE/
TAKE YA WOMEN AND ALL YA CHILDREN
RAISE EM AS MY OWN// »
The second part will leave the victim bleeding. The words are incisive destructive, surgical. ReRun attacks with no mercy, ready to stomp his enemy.
IM BARBARIC AND VISCIOUS
WHEN IM MAKE DAT SOUND/
I SEARCH DAT DOPE SHIT
LIKE IM A K-9 HOUND//
WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!
WHEN I ENTER DIS BITCH/
POP POP POP POP POP
NOW IM LEAVIN DIS BITCH//
CALL ME DA CHEDDA BOY YEAH
CAUSE IM GONNA BE RICH/
YOU CATS DONT WANNA BE UP TO BAT
WHEN IM THROWIN THIS PITCH//
GOT DAT CURV BALL, FAST BALL,
YES BIG BALLS/
CALL ME COOLAIDE MAN
WHEN I BUST IN YA WALLS//
IMA SHARK EMCEE
WHEN IM USING DESE JAWS/
ONLY WAY YOU CAN BATTLE ME IS IF
YOU PUT IT ON PAUSE//
IM ADDICTED ASK YA GIRL
CAUSE IM HURTIN HER JAWS/
CALL ME ME BEAVUS AND BUTHEAD
I LOVE BREAKIN DA LAW//
FUCK WIT ME
AND ILL CHASE YA WIT A CORDLESS SAW/
RESPECT ME IN DIS BITCH
LIKE IM YA GRANDPA//
ILL GIVE IT TO YA MOMS,
YA SIS, AND GRANDMA/
THEY CAN GET NAILED , THE WOOD
WITHOUT A HAMMER!//
The last verse will take Pace enemy’s breath. The listener will enjoy the lyrical stabbing of a fake gangsta.:
« 1,2,3,4,
WHAT THE HELL ARE WE TALKIN FOE/
5,6,7,8,
YOUSA A HOE SO LETS GET IT STRAIGHT//
9,10,11,12,/
KEEP FUCKIN WIT ME
AND IMA SEND YOU TO HELL//
13,14,15,16,/
16 IN DA CLIP IF YA KNOW WHAT I MEAN//
I SEE EM WATCHIN ME
DATS WHY IM WATCHIN DEM/
DEATH IS KNOCKIN ON MY DOOR
BUT HE AINT MY FRIEND//
SLIDE ON UP
RIDE ON UP/
TRY AN TEST ME
LOSE YA LIFE BOY//
KEEP IT STEADY
BOY I KEEP IT READY/
BREATHE , SQUEEZE,
PUT YOU ON YA KNEES//
FASCINATED BY THE GAME
VICTIM OF A TRIPLE BEAM/
JUST A HOOD THUG
WIT BIG MONEY DREAMS//
I KEEP A STACK A BAGGIES
WIT A TABLE FULL A PRODUCT/
KEEP A STACK A LOADED CLIPS
CAUSE IM A FUCKIN RYDA//
IM A RYDA FOR MY BROTHERS
CAUSE MY BROTHERS RIDE FOR ME/
CLICK CLICK
BITCH I SET YA SOUL FREE//
AND IF YOU WANNA MEET GOD
KEEP FUCKIN WIT ME/
I SAY IT AGAIN
BITCH I SET YA SOUL FREEEEEEEEE………….//
U THINK U BIGGER
IMA HUSTLA PULLIN TRIGGERS/
YOU AINT NO GANGSTA
YOUSA FAKE ASS.. »
Sometimes we happen to get fooled by people who play it nice in front of our face, but whose hidden intentions come to surface as soon as those people show their true colors. When snakes drop their masks, you have no other choice left than exposing their lies and make them public. Die, bitch, don’t even ask why!
Globally, Pace and Rerun united their talent to work on a lyrically colored track with some good beats and instrumentals. I recommend this track to all of you. Download it here.
Copyright2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Endough Coleone: a Texan flavor of hip hop

Talking Down is a rhythmic track based on incisive keyboard and numerous violin sounds that are intelligently combined with a bad pimping spirit. Talking Down allows you to appreaciate Endough Coleone’s fast flow. The background for the song is dark: picture a hustler in his everyday life, pimping, selling drugs, driving big cars…globally the song is well handled.
Purple Dro starts with soft melodic vocals while Endough Coleone invites you to smoke purple dro. Enter into a drug ballad universe and enjoy the artist’s ode to marijuana. Picture the intense smell of the smoke that takes you away into a relaxing universe and enjoy Endough Coleone’s lyrical skills. Trumpets brighten the festive atmosphere of the track. Welcome to the world of artificial paradises and underground kings. Well done.
Change Gone Come is built on slow grooves and melodic synthesizers’ sounds. Listen to an artist who is constantly grinding and hoping for change to come in his life. Even in front of adversity, a true soldier won’t give up and work with faith for his dreams to come true.
Again Endough Coleone shows nice lyrical skills and a good flow delivery.
I Still Love Ya will allow the listener to discover a softer side of Enough Coleone. The track is aimed is at the artist’s daughter. Light guitar sounds, sweet vocals contrast with the emcee’s raps. I liked it less than the other tracks exposed on his my space account, though.
Discover Endough Coleone here.
Copyright2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

We Want Eazy mixtape review

Rating: 5 stars
The Eazy-ECPT.com website owners found an original way to wish Eazy E a happy 43th birthday: they posted the We Want Eazy mixtape, a compilation of different artists’ remixes and work with or around the regretted Compton legend for download.
Maybe my own way to pay tribute to the artist of immense talent is to write a review on Eazy’s birth date.
So let me introduce you into the world of the Cpt thanks to many artists’ contributions.
We Want Eazy is beautifully enhanced by another variation on the Boyz N Tha Hood theme. Deep bass sounds, hard drum beats fully enlighten Julio G’s tight and rhythmic work. I really enjoyed the dark atmosphere that totally fits into Eazy E’s overheated speech.
Track 4 is a beautiful tribute from a daughter to her daddy (Eazy E) on Tupac’s Dear Mama sample. Eazy’s daughter’s thoughts pour from her heart and she shares with us how much her dad meant to her. Let the emotions take your into this amazing love letter. Not even death can erase the love we feel for our loved ones.
DJ PJ will lead you into track Nr 5 that is built on heartbeat alike beats combined with intense violin sounds. Guitar notes sometimes mix up with the hasrh violin sounds that appear to be surgical. The combination of both instruments lead you in the world of the unsafe.
Just To Let You know is beautifully handled and allows the listener to fully appreciate Eazy E’s lyrical talent.
I highly recommend you Ghost ‘s Eternal G track Nr 7.
Instrumentally, the song is very well worked on: rhythmic and dope ass beats, rapid guitar sounds that drop into your ears like heavy raindrops while lyrical bullets are ready to shoot you. I got hooked immediately. Don’t sleep on it.
Song Nr 8 is another Eazy E tribute that will allow you to enjoy flow combined with lyrical talent. It shows respect to a true OG.
Luv Them Gangstas is one of those good Ruthless sounding remix produced by Roop G. Welcome to Compton City. Enjoy the thuggish atmosphere of the track.
Hip Hop heads, nod your heads to Dirty Red ft Eazy E’s Any Last Werdz song and get passionate about the beautifully handled old school gangsta style. The dark bassline contrast with the lighter keyboard notes. Very rhythmic beats point out the typical gangsta track. You gotta love the dope ass beats, the good instrumentals and darkness and offensiveness of the lyrics.
The We Want Eazy is rich of 29 tracks. As the gangsta rap lover I actually am, I can tell you that I fully enjoyed each of them. I particularly recommend you Eternal G, Dear Daddy, Any Last Werdz, Tha Muthaphuckkin Real.
Trust me: We Want Eazy is an excellent piece of work. Download it from here.
Spread the word about it!
Copyright2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved