What's New In Dart's iPod #97 AKA When Worlds Collide...

This week was nuts. The Patriots got their sorry asses kicked by the shit talking Jets which I finally posted about on Armchair Linebacker. Expect my thoughts about the game versus the Falcons to appear there on Sunday after the game airs. I'm going to continue posting guest blogs on Nerd With Swag (Get used to it, NWS readers!). On top of that, the Boston Red Sox have all but tied up a spot in the postseason, right now they're playing the Yankees in New York in the final series of the regular season in hopes they clinch the Wild Card soon. Hopefully, Jon Lester is okay.

We buried Grandmaster Roc Raida of the world famous X-Men/X-ecutioner this week and I continue to pray for the quick recoveries of Hex Murda, Kon of Kon & Amir, Kutfather & DJ Hideo. Will Slaughterhouse sign with Shady/Aftermath? Will the Patriots actually show up this week? Will my brother & I do anything this weekend besides play "Fallout 3", "Madden 10", the new "Lost Planet 2" co -op demo or scream at the TV? Only time will tell. Props to JC Poppe of Wilwaukee, WI. Check out his album "Sleep Therapy" on CD Baby as well, you won't be disappointed.

This week I'll be reviewing five new projects that recently hit the 'net/bloggerverse and/or will be landing on store shelves soon in the following order: Apathy "Wanna Snuggle", Crown City Rockers "The Day After Forever", Dizzee Rascal "Tongue N' Cheek", Ghostface Killah "Ghostdini: Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City" and Mr. J. Medeiros "Friends Enemies Apples Apples". For those of you new to this blog, I don’t rate albums on a scale or assign them a numerical value out of 5 or 10, instead I merely answer the all important question of “Is it worth buying or not?”. Here's how my recently revised "Cop It Or Not" ratings system breaks down below:

Opinions be damned. This particular project has no redeeming qualities whatsoever and should come with a Surgeon General's warning and/or a biohazard sticker. It should only be handled by hazmat teams or bomb/demolitions squads. To quote Common & Canibus, this album is your worst nightmare squared.


Oh No! This CD is a drink coaster/table balancer/doorstop/gerbil/hamster room divider/frisbee/discus/makeshift shield/last ditch choice for a visor/alternate shuriken choice. Sell this shit to whoever is dumb enough to buy it from you.

Maeby (Maybe)! Depending on your own set of personal preferences you might like this joint. Give it a listen first to see if it's in your lane or not.


Mos Def! Cop the album when it drops...'Nuff said.

I originate/They duplicate! © Greg Nice



Best Joints: Hell's Angel, Money Orientated, Gov't Cheese, On And Off The Mic, Back In L.A., Shoot First, I'm A Demigod, True Love, Mind Ya Business, Thinkin', This Is The Formula, Guys & Girls, Anyday, Candy, Run, Run Away, No Sad Tomorrow, Rhode Island, What Goes Up, Hard Times On Planet Earth, Slave and Victim

Hot Garbage: N/A

Dart's Take: This album wasn't going to get reviewed until next week, then I checked the blogs & Hip Hop messageboards worldwide (then Google searches) and discovered that the album leaked last night overseas. Since I policy is to review albums when they leak or the Friday closest to the Tuesday it releases I had to retool my reviews and write one for Apathy's "Wanna Snuggle". I'm pissed because this album doesn't drop until October 6th!

Apathy produced the overwhelming majority of the tracks himself but occasionally Teddy Roxpin and Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park & Fort Minor) got behind the boards to lend a hand to their fellow Demigodz member. The project's title might be derived from the fact it uses a great amount of Soul/R&B samples from love songs but turns them into songs that go in the opposite direction from the original recordings.

Apathy's production bangs and brings that necessary head nod element to the album. Not only that but quite a few tracks will make you rewind (Money Orientated, Back In L.A, I'm A Demigod, True Love, This Is The Formula, Guys & Girls, Anyday, Rhode Island, Hard Times On Planet Earth & Slave) so you can get your scrunchface on again.

Guest appearances verses from J-Live, Phonte, B-Real, Ryu (Styles Of Beyond), Celph Titled, King Magnetic, Emilio Lopez, Dose, Chip Fu, Mike Mass, Holly Brook & Blacastan also help round out an excellent second effort from Apathy. On the album he address the layoff between projects, his signing to Atlantic and the fallout from it. I give "Wanna Snuggle?" a highly recommended maybe. Get ready to part with some dough on October 6th and support quality Hip Hop.






Best Joints: Break, Soul, Kiss, Go On, Astroshocks, Go Away, Cruisin', Let's Love, Clap Your Hands, Make It Hotter, That's Life and Forever Song

Hot Garbage: N/A

Dart's Take: For some odd reason I've never really been able to get heavy into Crown City Rockers. I can't exactly put my finger on why, though. They don't make my head nod or evoke any kind of excitement from me though I don't think they're wack. I have friends that love all of their output, especially Rashaan Ahmad's music (his new album "Soul Power" dropped a few months ago...I posted it in my Late Passes rather than review it) but once again I just find their joints to be good but nothing I wanna rewind or feel the need to put in my iPod Touch because I know I'll never play it.

If you played "The Day After Forever" in it's entirety as background music I could easily ignore it and not once feel the need to ask "What's this playing?". I give it a maybe knowing I read like a complete asshole right now. I have to write the truth otherwise I can't sleep. Sorry.




Best Joints: Road Rage, Freaky Freaky, Can't Tek No More, Chillin' Wiv Da Man Dem and Leisure

Hot Garbage: Bonkers, Dance Wiv Me, Dirtee Cash, Money, Money, Holiday and Bad Behaviour

Dart's Take: I love Grime. I just don't love this. I wasn't feeling Dizzee's last album, either. If I go back through the Grime albums I reviewed over the past year or so it's clear that I enjoy the albums that manged to keep it somewhat Grime sounding while still having those songs that'll get on the radio and become hits. It's possible to OD on the potential singles/chasing club or radio airplay and Dizzee Rascal has done it.

On Kano, Sway, Skepta, Wiley, The Streets, Newham Generals & Bashy's last albums they were all able to somehow toe the line between commercial and street. The things that really turned me off about Tinchy Stryder's album seem to have been amplified by this one. I just couldn't get into "Tongue N' Cheek" past about only 3 songs I'd actually care to want to hear ever again. I give it an oh no and I'll just continue listen to "Boy In Da Corner" & "Showtime" instead. Fuck!





Best Joints: Not Your Average Girl, Do Over, Baby, Lonely, Stapleton Sex, Stay, Paragraphs Of Love, Guest House, Let's Stop Playing, Forever, I'll Be That, Goner and Back Like That (Remix)

Hot Garbage: She's A Killah

Dart's Take: I actually really like this album. All of the songs with the exception of "She's A Killa" sound like they could've fit on previous Ghostface Killah albums without anyone even batting an eyelash. This project did a great job of mixing it up so you have tracks like "Do Over", "Baby", "Paragraphs Of Love", "Lonely", "Goner", etc. on one side and jawns like "Stapleton Sex", "Guest House" and"Forever" on the other.

If you listen to these joints none of them sound like a stretch for Ghostface to make and he solidifies himself as one of the greatest to ever pick up a mic. Since I was pleasantly surprised that the album worked even better than I'd hoped it would and the production was pretty good I give "Ghostdini: The Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City" an overall recommended maybe.





Best Joints: Children, Last Stars, My Own, Target Market, Holding On, K38, Apples Apples, W.A.N.T.S., Left Me, Brutus and The Balance

Hot Garbage: N/A

Dart's Take: Yet another dope Mr. J. Medeiros project that flies right under the radar this year. The first jawn was the dope collabo between himself and Boonie Mayfield "The Art Of Broken Glass", this one is produced by Stro The 89th Key (remember the name). This is a great listen from beginning to end. If you were to play this somewhere I would feel compelled to find someone and ask "What's this you're playing?". The vocals of Tara Ellis fits J. Medeiros' bars (Procussions) & Stro's production perfectly. I give "Friends Enemies Apples Apples" a highly recommended maybe.





Late Passes (For Doz Dat Slept):



Projects I'm Looking Forward To Reviewing Once They Leak...I Mean Drop in 2009:

Rhymefest-El Che

Jay Electronica-Act II: Patents Of Nobility
Jay Electronica-Abracadabra: Let There Be Light
Royce Da 5'9"-Street Hop
Big Boi-Sir Luscious Leftfoot, Son Of Chico Dusty
Pac Div-Grown Kid's Syndrome
Magnif & J Dilla-Detroit Royalty
Blu-God Is Good
Drake- Thank Me Later
Alchemist & Oh No are Gangrene
Eternia & MoSS- At Last
B.O.B.-The Adventures Of B.O.B.
Billy Danze-Behind Gatez
AG & O.C.-Oasis: Together Brothers
Lil' Fame & Termanology Are 1982
Baatin-Titus
Phat Kat and Elzhi are Cold Steel
The Beatnuts-The Planet Of The Crates
Ski Beatz-Half Man, Half Amazing
Evidence-Cats & Dogs
Statik Selektah-The Hangover

I'm still praying for the speedy full recovery of the big homie Hex Murda. This year has, to quote Hex: "sucked donkey phallus".

One.