Category: Uncategorised

4 stars
Each time I realize Proof is gone for ever, an immense pain is overwhelming me and I feel like if a knife cut my heart off. I’m still bleeding and there’s no remedy to it.
Six months ago, some mean people decided to put a definitive end to a brilliant and young emcee’s life. For all those who knew Deshaun Holton personally or simply for those who used to appreciate his music to the fullest, the pain and the feeling of emptiness is still present. Proof was the voice of the D town. He was unique in the world of rap with his genuine style and the raspy voice that characterized him. He mastered freestyle sessions like nobody else.
Scarchild’s moving song is there to revive Proof’s memory and to remind us of the wonderful artist and person he actually was.
Built on synthesized vocals, rapid piano notes, rhythmic drum beats combined with soft violins. The whole instrumental structure of the song will make you feel the run, the anxiousness, the regrets.
Like Scarchild states it, who could imagine waking up and hearing about the tragic news on April the 11th? It is like a nightmare that left the D with an open wound. Listen to Scarchild when he goes down on his knees, begging God to keep the D strong.
Detroit is the theater of a crime scene that has lost many valuable soldiers. Detroit City is hurting, Detroit City is bleeding, but will it ever learn from its mistakes. Six months after Deshaun Holton’s death, the hatred, the bitching and the bitterness are pretty much alive on the Detroit scene and it looks like Cutthroat City will never learn from its mistakes.
The NYC emcee’s song sounds like an insisting prayer, a call for humbleness and awekening of consciousness.
May God have mercy on the kids who are growing in the hood, because they are predestined to a hard life.
« Stay humble, because our only certainty in life is death » summarizes the philosophy of the wise and anybody should definitely apply to it.
Scarchild flows with ease and shows some good lyrical skills on a very touching song dedicated to a man who always kept it real.
Listen to Scarchild’s song here.
Copyright 2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Compton has made history in the world of gangsta rap. Not only has the NWA group brought in the world of hip hop and changed the way black men in the hood would be looked at, it has also influenced a lot of talented artists (among them Dresta and his brother BG Knocc Out, Lil Eazy E etc…).
Today I’d like to introduce you to a skilled emcee who carries the same Compton spirit with pride: Nutty Blocc Compton.
Although the talented emcee has only two tracks available on his my space account, the songs will give you a precise idea about the artist’s capabilities.
Nation Wide Criping starts on soft instrumentals combined with crazy scratches and rhythmic beats. Nutty Blocc Compton shoots his lyrical bullets with a great dose of offensiveness. Feel the creepy atmosphere of the streets of LA. Nice vocals mixed up with scratches will allow the listener to enjoy the ambience of brothers chilling out together, before it turns a little bit harder. Nutty Block’s lyrical skills and flow are highly enjoyable and the song is handled from the hand of a master from the beginning to the end.
Nbccq is built on a beautiful G Funk sound combined with catchy beats. BG Knocc Out and Nutty Blocc Compton unite their talent for a rhythmic duo that is made of a chill out atmosphere. Let them brothas roll their joints and spend some good time together.
Explore Nutty Blocc Compton here.
The artist is definitely worth your listen. Put him on your headphones and enjoy his reps!
Copyright2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

interview of a very skilled hip hop artist I reviewed a while ago: Libretto. Stay tuned, folks:)

can be found on the following e-Bay site.
Check it out if interested.

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

He is Dr Dre’s recent discovery and has been signed to Aftermath Records recently. Some people say he sounds like Big Pun…You will be able to judge by yourself…his name? Joell Ortiz…stay tuned, folks:)

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

and it is definitely worth your attention: Kinfolk straight outta Saginaw, Michigan…another Saginaw artist, V Sinizter, had attracted my attention a while ago…stay tuned, folks…the music promises to be hot as hell!

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

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