Killa is back! Not to say I’m too excited. Cam’ron finally comes out of hiding and breaks his silence in the next issue of XXL. Two back to back Diplomat covers? I guess it seems only right since Jim Jones, Juelz, & Zekey are in this month’s issue talking about the internal problems in DipSet (See that cover here). I guess Cam is trying to make a push back to the spotlight since he just released a video for his new song “I Hate My Job”.

Jay-Z/ Roc-a-fella
Bleek, Freeway, and Beans never really made it over the hump, but I’ll give you Kanye.

Eminem/ Shady
D-12 were looked at as a novelty, and Obie had the lyrics, but was catering to the wrong audience.

50 Cent/ G-Unit
Curtis and the Unit are more popular than the Set, but 50 always was at the top, never on the side.

Fat Joe/ Terror Squad
Come on, Joey was barely even making it. Cuban Link and Remy are irrelevant now.

Check out some of these videos and tell me that the Dips were not the hottest crew out at the time:

Let’s not forget the best performance at The Source Awards.

Check out Cam in this video

After seeing the response of my last column, I decided to bring it back again. This time we are discussing why Hip-Hop needs Cam’ron. I know a lot of you are shaking your heads right now, but trust me, WE NEED CAM! That is what has been missing over the last year. A lack of Cam spells a lull in Hip-Hop, and he might just be what the doctor ordered to get the game going back in the right direction.

1. Swagger is at an all time low. With all these rappers talking about “Swagger Like Us”, no one has swagger like Cam! We all know Cam invented “Swag Rap” so how can they have swag if they don’t have Cam? Maybe Jay needs to holler at Cam for his version of “Swagger Like Us” if he really wants to do big numbers. Cam used to rock seven chains at any given time with a purple mink coat, with some fur lined Air Force Ones, and driving a purple Lambo! Now who has swagger like that?

2. Rappers need a makeover. Look at the current trend in Hip-Hop, you have the “Rockstar” look, the “Hipster” look, and you got that “80’s” look, but neither one of these styles can compare to the style that Cam brings to the table. Who else had the hardest dude on the block wearing pink? In fact, who is the reason that pink became fashionable for guys? Cam is the answer to both of those questions. Dudes wasn’t wearing purses when Cam was the “epitome” of fashion in Hip-Hop!

3. There isn’t any comedy in Hip-Hop anymore. You people remember when Cam was beefing with someone. Why was that some of the funniest material you ever heard? “How is a camel riding another Camel?” Or this one: “you look like a gorilla with rabbit teeth!” Say what you will about Cam and his rhymes, but the guy comes with straight comedy to his foes. Remember when he had O’Reilly all hot under the collar on his own show. “You mad…you mad…you mad!” The game needs this humor again.

I gave you my reasons why we need Cam’ron, and I hope he is reading this and gearing up for his big comeback. After hearing some of his latest material, I hope he takes it back to the blueprint on what made him a household name in the first place. Cam if you are listening…WE NEED YOU BACK! COME BACK AND SAVE HIP-HOP!

It’s funny. I never particularly liked Dipset but for some reason it seems like I’m always the one who gets stuck reviewing their albums (And believe me, those dudes stay putting out albums). But hey, you do what you must right? Hey, at least it an album from my favorite Dipset member, Hell Rell. I actually reviewed his debut album, For The Hell Of It, last year and although it wasn’t all that good, it still showed flashes of promise. To me, the thing that makes Ruga Rell stand out for other 2nd tier Diplomat members (Like 40 Cal, JR Writer, etc.), is his voice. He may style like Cam, Juelz, and Jimmy, but he don’t sound just like them. It the last few years, he’s also has gained a reputation of being one of the hardest rappers out. With all that said, let’s take a look at Rell’s sophomore outing, Black Mask Black Gloves (The Ruga Edition).

1. Intro (Black Gloves)
Produced by A. Raab Muzik
“I ran through thousands, I need a couple millions”. Ruga Rell gives you more of that gangster style he’s known for. I’ll give him that; on his last album he started out with a good intro also. The beat is something is you’d expect from a Dipset member.

2. Get Ready
Produced by A. Raab Muzik
The feeling of the track reminds me of something you would of heard in the early 2000’s; that not a bad thing. Over a heavy electric bass heavy track, Rell talks about ways he’ll get money; “I’m living by the mafia rules like Gotti would/I go broke do a sex tape with Megan Good/And sell it to Hollywood”. Funny, I would too.

3. Take An Oath
Produced by Manti
I guess it’s good to hear Rell talk about how money is not everything. Don’t think he didn’t cut the flossing talk though; “My birth certificate is a hundred dollar bill! My social security card is an ATM card!” He goes on the rap the not snitching rule and putting family and friends over everything else.

4. Think Of A Problem
Produced by A. Raab Muzik
This is Ruga at his best. Over a grimy New York beat, Hell Rell is materialistic and misogynistic as ever. But it’s a well done materialistic and misogynistic song. The hook is hard, the lyrics are hard,  and so is the track.

5. Come On Baby Girl
Produced by Hassiditty
With a title like “Come On Baby Girl”, you know this is a song for the ladies. The production sounds like something 9th Wonder would do. I think for Rell’s voice may be too pverpowering for the sample they use here also. When we get to the weak hook thought, that’s where he lost me at.

6. Realest Nigga Doin’ It
Produced by MGI
I don’t wanna sound like a broken record, but this sounds like something straight from Killa Season. Nothing really stands out here. I know more rap dudes lie about there reputations, but when you talk about shooting cops in the head or riding through the hood in a “’08 armor truck”, it gets to be a little much.

7. True Colors
Produced by Kajmir Royale
Erase my last statement abut the last track, this track sounds like something straight from Killa Season. But, with all my hating (Your words not mine), I can’t hate on the sample. It’s on some Rocky Balboa shit. One question though: Is every brother from Dipset a blood now? “Me and cash are like the Blues Brothers, but we play on the red team”. Just a question.

8. I Luv Stuntin’
Featuring Sen; Produced by Kajmir Royale
It’s funny; this song is supposed to be about stuntin’, but most of the verse is about fucking somebody up. The carnival beat is okay, but the song just has something missing. I could of done without the Max B impersonation on the hook though.

9. What Up
Featuring JR Writer; Produced by Hell Rell & Hassiditty
With all the questions surrounding the Dipset’s unity, I guess it’s good to have a collaboration with a member. Too bad the song is boring. The beat has a generic feel and the lyrics aren’t anything we haven’t heard before.

10. Push ‘Em Back
Produced by Goodwill & MGI
I guess this is Rell’s attempt at a club track…or maybe it’s an attempt to get ringtone sales. I swear if you combine “Lip Gloss”, the Beastie Boy’s “Paul Revere”, and dumb down lyrics, you’ll have what Hell Rell tried here, Not a good look at all.

11. Rumors
Produced by A. Raab Muzik
Just like JR Writer did earlier this year, Rell tries to clear the air about his crew’s current status. I applaud him for actually admitting that there was a problem. But at the end of the song though, you realize he really didn’t put any rumors to rest. The beat and the lyrics sounded kinda thrown together too.

12. Million Dollar Plan
Produced by Kajmir Royale
Hey, at least Rell didn’t end the album with an obligatory “I know I just killed a 100 niggas on this album but thank God for helping me make it” track. He sticks with what works for him and at the end he has a solid track. The horns on this one and the loop work well.

Bottom Line:
Hey, I won’t shit you here. Most of the Diplomats affiliated albums released in the last 2 years have not been groundbreaking and the same can be said about this album. Not saying it wasn’t good. Ruga Rell definitely had some good parts. The one problem here is that Rell has yet understand that the outstanding rappers rhyme about more that just guns, sex, and money. Rell has style, reputation, and talent. But until he stretches outside his comfort zone, he’ll never get past where he is now.

nappyPicks: “Get Ready”, “Think Of A Problem”, True Colors”, & “Million Dollar Plan”

Download: Hell Rell – “Think Of A Problem”

When I reviewed Jim Jones’ Harlem’s American Gangster album in February, I honestly thought that I had filled my Jim Jones quota for the year. Not to say that I don’t like Jimmy; he a charismatic fellow. With all the flack the South gets for not having intricate lyrics, it’s funny that a guy who is currently in the fore front for New York is lacking in that category. With all that bullshit aside, I think everyone is waiting to see what Jimmy does next. Well, for one he’s bringing in his own crew that’s not called Diplomats; ByrdGang. Its members consist of Jim Jones, Mel Matrix, NOE, Freekey Zekey, Chink Santana, Sandman, as well as recently deceased Stack Bundles (R.I.P.). After being a capo in the Diplomats, can Jim Jones lead this team to a successful official debut? We’ll see…

1. I’m The Man
Featuring Jim Jones, NOE, & Mel Matrix
The album starts off the album with an electric guitar laced track. Jones is first and gives you the standard ad-lib heavy verse. After him is NOE then Mel Matrix. If you haven’t heard or read about NOE, it’s they guy that sounds just like Jay-Z (In voice and flow). No lie. The song is average to me and does what it supposed to.

2. Mobbin’
Featuring NOE, Mel Matrix, Juelz Santana, & Sandman
The beat is hard on this one; the simple piano makes it sound menacing. Julez jumps on the hook and does his thing. And just to be clear, the Sandman here is not the same one down with The Clipse’s Re-Up Gang.

3. Only 17
Featuring Jim Jones, Stack Bundles & Mel Matrix
I really wasn’t feeling it at all when I heard how terrible the hook was. The beat has an annoying quality to it also. I will say this; Stack Bundles may have delivered the line of the album: “We don’t get breaks like 2 15’s and an hour/We sell 2 for 15 and move powder”. When you think about, it’s ironic to have Stack on a track about getting killed at a young age.

4. Blasphemy
Featuring Mel Matrix, Stack Bundles, Jim Jones, & Sen
The production on this isn’t really bad or anything; it’s actually good. It isn’t that the subject matter is old (Drugs, thugs, flossing, & sex is but I’m already over that). The problem I have is when you do something to death but don’t do it creatively. That’s the problem here.

5. Money Right
Featuring Jim Jones, NOE, & Sen
NOE begins talking in the beginning of the song and I’m still having a problem getting past the Hova impersonation (“I got my money right!”). Jim Jones tries out a faster rapping style that surprisingly wasn’t half bad. Sen sings his verse and NOE does the hook.

6. Throwin’ Bg’s
Featuring NOE, Sandman, & Chink Santana
When I first saw the title of this album, I wondered; what the hell was “throwin’ bg’s”? Well, the answer to that question is…I guess it’s some sort of ByrdGang gang sign (Correct me if I wrong though). This is another track that I feel suffered from an annoying hook. As far as lyrics are concerned, nothing much more than banter about having bottom bitches and money. Eh…

7. She So Gangsta
Featuring Chink Santana, Jim Jones, NOE, Oshy
The sad thing about this song is that in the beginning, it tells you what the “ideal bitch” is. Besides using the word bitch, I actually agreed with most of it. Now, that’s the good part. The bad part is the hook, the generic and derivative ass lyrics, and the fake ass southern accents.

8. Splash
Featuring Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, NOE, & Chink Santana
This was the first single for the album and I’ll have to admit that at first when I heard it I hated it. But after you hear that hook a few times, that shit gets stuck in your head (Seeing the video adds to this). The beat is simple and is probably one of the best on the album. Juelz feels like he wasn’t even trying hard but still easily outshines everyone on this track by leaps and bounds.

9. Hustle
Featuring NOE & Jim Jones
I know I should let this go, but even NOE’s ad-libs sound like Jay-Z’s; it’s crazy! More to the point, Jim Jones does the hook in a higher pitch for some reason. It’s sad because the beat really wasn’t that bad.

10. Oopsy Daisy
Featuring Jim Jones, NOE, & Mel Matrix
What’s up with Dipset members and funny words (You all remember “Holey moely”)? The song subject matter is actually more serious and deals with having an absente father; It’s like when you father threw you up in the air and didn’t catch you; that’s where the title comes from. The song has a deep message but it suffers from another silly hook and uninspired lyrics (And I feel like I’m repeating myself).

11. Heartbeat
Featuring Jim Jones, NOE, & Hell Rell
After you looked past the common R&B singer on the hook, the beat is okay. The song deals with repping for your hood/crew. Hell Rell (probably my favorite Dipset member) turns in a good performance; “It don’t looked cool with you the coup/Riding around the hood your whole crew on the stoop.”

12. ByrdGang Money
Featuring Jim Jones, NOE, & Mel Matrix
This song also appeared on Jim Jones’ Harlem’s American Gangster that was released earlier this year. I thought it was irritating then too. Skip!

13. Gizzang
Featuring Chink Santana & Jim Jones
Over a slow minimalist beat, Jones goes at it all alone (Chink Santana just does the hook). It works a little but then you realize that Jimmy really isn’t saying much. With a beat like this, it works better with a lyricist because all the attention is on his delivery and word play; you see why this might not work with Jim Jones.

14. We Flying
Featuring Jim Jones, NOE, & Mel Matrix
The bass line as well as the whole production on this one is pretty good. At first I thought it was the sequel to “We Fly High” (I still don’t know if that would have been a good thing). It had something that made me not really want to get into it though.

15. So Cold
Featuring Chink Santana, Jim Jones, & Sandman
We close the album with an ode to a chick that “suck a bomb ass dick”? Okay. I just didn’t think they would end this album with a song about a “down ass chick”. Well, the beat is a better quality but nothing that stands out (This is true for the lyrics too).

Bottom Line:
After listening to this album a few times, I realize what’s wrong with this crew (As well as a lotta crews in Hip-Hop/Rap). No one really stands out. I didn’t see any star quality in NOE, Mel Matrix, Chink Santana, or Sandman. I know most rapper wanna put on their homies and become moguls, but come on, it’s just too much of that shit. At the end of the day, this is a side project for Jim Jones and Dipset fans to buy until a main or more popular Diplomat member releases an album (Juelz, Jim, and maybe Cam’rom). Back to the drawing board Jimmy.

nappyPicks: “Spalsh”

Download: ByrdGang featuring Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, NOE, & Chink Santana – “Splash”

The Dipset crew drops a new album titled More Than Music Vol. 2. While Jim Jones has seen a meteoric rise in the past year, the other guys in the crew haven’t tapped into the mainstream. Some names may not be recognized outside of the mixtape circuit; guys like Hell Rell, Dukedagod, and 40 Cal are trying to bring one home for the team. Can the Dips bench players step up and really make this a movement?

The “Intro” kicks off with Duke talking smack and 40 Cal spittin over a sick beat, 40 bringing the heat on it, good way to start it off. The next cut is “Gladiators” featuring Hell Rell, J.R. Writer, 40, Bezel, and Santana. The production on this song is pretty good. Check it out. “Still More Than Music” follows and the Dips rip the track! Santana spits “I was built for ballin’ like the Staples Center” and “I’m rock and roll like Guns and Roses, the consequences of my guns is roses!” Damn! “Street Pharmacist”is next and it sounds like some bullfighting music! But Hell Rell rips it. You know what it’s about, how Hell Rell is a beast on the block. But it will have the streets buzzing. Jimmy makes an appearance on “Dipset City”. I’m a little upset the beat wasn’t gutter like the other tracks. It seems a bit bubblegum to me, so you know what it is..SKIP! “Suga Duga” is next and the beat sound like Dipset City! This is the first song that Cam is on and he says Soo Woo, but he spits some Curtis aka BOO BOO! How are you going to beef with 50 spittin’ these kinds of rhymes! SKIP! Now“Anniversary”brings that gutter music back and guess what? Jimmy’s on the track! Mel Matrix and Max B accompany Jim on this one, the beat sounds hazy, but Jimmy bought it home. Check it out. A skit is next about some guys trying to stick up Duke, kind of comical. “The Corner” is after that skit, the hook is kind of annoying. The beat is not all that hot, see where I’m going..SKIP! 40 Cal and Jha’Jha jump on the next track “Sometimes”. She, yeah she kind of sounds like Shawna, but she spits some real hood rhymes. The beat is commanding and 40 uses a faster flow, I appreciate showing your versatility, but stick what got you here. Still worth checking out. 40 Cal jumps on the next one by himself. “Getting By” is the tale of how hard it was for me coming up. The beat is okay and 40 puts out a positive song; well that is what he said. Now “Get That Money” is the track I was waiting on with Katt Williams and J.R. Writer. I wondered was Katt rapping or just being a comedian. But I found out he was rapping. He is a funny comedian however, he is a terrible rapper! They wasted a beat on this one. “It’s Over Part 2”follows that experiment. The Dips jump on the piano laced beat. The Dips flourish on beats like this. Check it out. The beat on “The Gun Shop” might be the best one! The boys deliver a solid song that is pretty hot. Fresh out the pen Freekey Zekey jumps on “Feelin Myself” with Hell Rell. Now Rell’s verse was hot, but Freekey didn’t help the cause. But check for Hell Rell on this one. A-Mafia and Tom Gist are featured on “Show & Tell”, the hook mentions, “I know the streets and I know them well, I brought a triple beam to my show & tell.” The track is basic, but it sounds good.

Bottom Line:
Overall this album was pretty good. It had some slip-ups, but it did have some good moments. This will surely keep their fan base happy until the next offering. But it also shined some light onto the other members of the crew that nobody knew even existed. With an album that barely featured Cam , Jimmy, or Santana, the bench players definitely put in some heavy minutes.

nappy Picks: “Gladiators”, “Street Pharmacist”, “Still More than Music”, & “It’s Over Part 2″

Download: DukeDaGod, Juelz Santana, Hell Rell, & J.R. Writer – “Still More Than Music”