Procyse of Soulfficial is finally releasing his first solo album “Follow The Leader” and this project is produced entirely by Stephen Herrera and let me tell you he’s fresh on the beats so I definitely suggest you pick up this project when it comes out 2/21/12. Here’s the tracklisting which has me even more amped for the release.

1. INtroduction
2. ALLright
3. Everything You Got
4. Losing Myself feat. Griffin & Raging Moses
5. Streets of Fool’s Gold feat. MizLogik (cuts by DJ Aktual)
6. Follow the Leader (spoken word by Ad3pt)
7. Rest Of The Night
8. Lookin’ To Who feat MizLogik & Ruslan
9. Restore My Soul
10. The Calling feat. Erick Dayz & John Givez
11. Outro

Imperial was signed to Illect a while back and now we get his debut single “Raw” coming in a few weeks. The joint features, Sivion, muzeOne, sintax.the.terrific and JustMe, I also have no idea when Imperial’s album is coming out, but you should peep this single, I’ve heard beats from this dude and he’s nice with it!

Now this single was actually released early and you could listen to it if you pre-ordered The Battery’s “One”. Jaq is the newest member of Scribbling Idiots and he actually has a lot of production under his belt with the group. This time around Jaq teams up with JustMe for his single “Holster”. Jaq is working on his solo album “Escape From Radio Prison” and I have no idea when it comes out but keep it locked here and I’ll keep ya filled in.

You’ve seen DJ Ishine on here before well this time he has a real nice project coming out soon I’ll let the trailer speak for itself. Keep it tuned here for more.

Brief Description: “Coming from the Washington DC/NOVA, DJ iShine’s debut album “Suite 11 The Registration” is due out this year. For now check out his trailer produced by Swag 100 Entertainment (@wtf_is_swag100) which will give you a good vision and impression of what to expect from this upcoming album. More information on the album coming soon.” – 1SIDE Music Entertainment

Link to Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OgVznC2uJ4

Research is one of the most criminally slept on emcees not just in hip hop but the Christian hip hop world also. The emcee is part of three crews, ShadowFacts, Vision1 and drop.sci.GIANTS yet ya’ll are still sleeping on him! In 2008 he released “Identity Theft” which was Part I in a two part series (it could be three I’m not sure). And Research said that “Identity Theft” was the darker album and this project “Cerca Trova” was on the lighter side. Let’s see if the “light” side was as good as “dark” side was.

The album “Cerca Trova” starts off with “I Am” which I think is the perfect introduction to this album. In my eyes this intro track was almost like a response to the darkness and problems that Research faced in “Identity Theft” making claims of triumph over these worldly problems that we’re faced with every single day. This track sets up the album nicely.

“Another Day” I believe is the statement track on the record, it’s the track that summarizes what this album is about. Enjoy the little things in life, be thankful that you woke up to see another day. I keep going back to this but to me this track was the opposite of “Weary” from “Identity Theft”. “Weary” was really the low (sad) point on the album, Research expresses the hurt and exhaustion from said hurt in that song. In “Another Day” he’s overcoming it by remembering God’s grace and motivation to effect the world around him.

With “Cerca Trova” we get more just straight rap tracks “We Do” is the perfect example. I have no idea who made the beat but Research and his Vision1 partner in crime Details straight body this beat and I repeated this track a couple times. Another track that does the same thing is “Rock The Spot” which features the drop.sci.GIANTS crew and all of them rip the track. Which makes me wonder when the group is going to drop another project!

“Crying Angels” was one of my favorite tracks on this album and it covers a multitude of topics in just one track. Research speaks on the impact of one life, in our society, in this world there are billions of people and I think we take the fact that there are so many lives for granted. It just takes one person to make a change in this world. Research tells stories of those who lost their lives and what was lost with that life. In the first verse he speaks on a girl who lost her life who was meant to become the first female president. In another story a person dies who was supposed to find the cure to cancer but all those endeavors were lost along with the life. This is a very powerful song with a strong message.

As the project starts to come to a close “By My Side” is an anthem dedicated to all the people in his life that stayed by his side through the thick and the thin. The first verse is dedicated to Details the other half of Vision1, the second verse is to his wife and the last is for everyone else. It’s definitely nice to see the emcee give credit to everyone who’s helped him on this journey.

“Cerca Trova” is a great project and definitely worth picking up, if you listened to “Identity Theft” you’ll enjoy the contrast on this album and probably make the same connections that I did while listening. This album is one that gives hope in a world that is filled with darkness, feeling down definitely pop in this album. It’s a positive, uplifting album with a little bit of “Identity Theft” sound and content sprinkled in and it balances the record out perfectly. Go buy “Cerca Trova” now.

http://shadowfactsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/cerca-trova

RATING: 4/5 (Dope Release, Pick It Up)

Jean P x LAKIM “Opposites Attract”- Easily was one of my favorite projects this year, I had been waiting for this album for almost a year and when it dropped it was definitely worth the wait. This is a free download that I would’ve easily have dropped $13 for a physical copy. LAKIM proved that he will be a household name here in the next couple of years (I promise you that) and Jean P showed that he has clever lyrics that can outrap some of the game’s supposed “greats”.

http://jeanpxlakim.bandcamp.com/

Praverb the Wyse “The Professional Hobbyist”- I was waiting for the homey to drop this EP and with the lose concept and Praverb showing his frustration and perseverance throughout the whole project makes this one a must have. With beats from producers that you probably haven’t heard of that bring the heat, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t have this.

http://praverbthewyse.bandcamp.com/album/professional-hobbyist

Procyse and Fo Chief “Nothing Else Matters”- I had been waiting for music from Procyse since the Soulfficial mixtape release. It was rumored to be a mixtape at first, but what we got was a EP with some mixtape bonus tracks and it did not disappoint. The project featured some producers and other emcees that you probably have heard of.

http://procyse.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-else-matters

Michael Manasseh “Gradient Skies”- This is Michael Manasseh’s sophomore album and after selling it for $10 on the release date, he’s now offering the album for free. Featuring beats from Playdough, Michael Manasseh and more, with on point lyrics from the emcee, Download this now!

http://manasseh.bandcamp.com/album/gradient-skies

King Mez x Khrysis “The King’s Khrysis”- This was one of the early releases of the year and I think a lot of people have been sleeping on the project since. But King Mez and Khrysis came together for a real solid project. People appear to be sleeping on King Mez, but you’ll know his name by next year when his album drops if you don’t already.

http://www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/king-mez-kings-khrysis

Die-Rek “The Die-Version Project”- The Canadian emcee literally dropped a bomb on us out of nowhere. One minute I was waiting for the next Humble Beast album next thing you know I was bobbing my head to “Grown Man Biz” off this project. This was more or less an audition for the emcee and there’s no reason you shouldn’t have it.  

http://die-rek.com/album/the-die-version-project

The Breax “Breax Over Series”- TheBreax went hard this year, releasing three different mixtapes filled with mixtape joints and original joints. Releasing over 50 free songs in preparation for their EP “Parting Gift” and their album “Never Arrive” (which just came out).

http://www.thebreax.com/

Citizen Aim “A Music Manifesto”- This project is filled with Citizen Aim’s best work and some unreleased work that no one ever got. Featuring verses and production from the emcee. RIP my friend.

http://humblebeast.com/downloads/

Heath McNease and Playdough “Wed, White and Wu”- This was definitely a project that came out of nowhere but generated a lot of buzz. On the day of the release it was the #2 release on the bandcamp site. This mixtape is done over all Wu Tang beats and the two rip the mike. The project features, Sintax, Manchild, Propaganda, Goldin Child and more.

http://wedwhiteandwu.bandcamp.com/

A.L Laureate “Closed Eyed Insomnia” – This project is from The Brainstormers emcee A.L Laureate and it’s a 7 day excursion in the mind of the emcee. All spectrum of emotions are shown on this joint. “Wait Gain” is still my joint on this EP.

http://traditionandrealitymusic.bandcamp.com/

Honorable Mentions

Jean P- Will Rap 4 Food

Xperiment and B. Lewis- Seesaw Kids

Theory Hazit- Extra Credit (Deluxe Edition)

LAKIM- Angels With Flithy Souls

yU- A Garbage BeatTape

Lyriz, the first time I had the guy was on Cas Metah’s “Providence Road” and his verse was one of my favorites on the record. I’ve been building with the homey for a while now and he even dropped a verse on my mixtape “The Psych Ward”. After bugging the guy for a minute Lyriz finally released his debut album called “Stepping Stones”. It’s a perfect title for this being his debut Christian Hip Hop album let’s go in.

After the intro we’re given “Dealt My Hand” and it’s production is solid and kind of sets the bar as to where this project is going. Lyriz is determined to get your attention with this track and perk your ears for the rest of the project.

A couple tracks later we get “Ridin’ Wit Me” which is where I start to have some problems with the project. I have no problem with bangers, but I feel like some of them didn’t really have the content that some of the other tracks had. “Push” was a track that had a bit of content, but it was a track that wasn’t feeling too much. I did like “U Ain’t Built Like That” because it’s a battle rap track and all three emcees (Lyriz, Cas Metah and oRv ill) go hard.

As the album comes to a close that’s when I really start to enjoy the project, “Lovers and Friends” is nothing but that “grown man rap”. The track features Sham and YSG-Timothy and all three emcees rap about the topic of one-night stands and hook ups as an artist. They all speak on how these opportunities with a one night stands aren’t worth messing up their marriages with their wives. Everything with this track is good from the beat, to the hook to the respective emcees verses.

My absolute favorite song on this track is “Never Tell A Soul” and this is kind of what I wanted to hear more of throughout the album. Lyriz bears all on this track and it allows him to connect himself with the listener. He talks about his past problems and even talks about some things I didn’t see coming, but the listener should be able to relate to something that Lyriz says on this track. I was really hoping to hear more tracks like this on the rest of the album but this one was on repeat for a while.

Lyriz’s debut album is actually somewhat balanced in terms of content, but I think that some of the tracks started to sound the same. The last four tracks were the best four tracks on the album because there was a good balance of banging hip hop, introspective and reflection tracks. There’s no excuse for listeners not to pick up this album because it’s free. This album is a nice introduction to Lyriz and I know for a fact he’ll continue to grow as an artist. And from what he’s told me he’s got a lot coming up for 2012 and I promise he’ll be on my new project too. Pick up “Stepping Stones”!

DOWNLOAD HERE!!!

Rating: 3.5/5

yU- Working off of the success of his debut album “Before Taxes” yU released a dope beat tape called “The Garbage Beat Tape” and right after that followed up with his sophomore album “The Earn” which is easily one of hip hop’s best releases this year.

Has-Lo- Has-Lo released his album “In Case I Don’t Make It”  that we haven’t really heard in hip hop for a long time: a dark opus where the emcee bears pain. The emcee also produced the entire album, for his debut album Has-Lo set the bar high.

Paradox- This was the emcee’s breakout year and I’ve been waiting for this ever since I got my hands on his “called to mind” album. This year the emcee upped the ante when he did a project produced entirely by DJ Sean P and the emcee brought amazing content with his album “Mending”.

Propaganda- 2008 aside from some guest verses was the last time we had a solo project from the Tunnel Rats emcee. With his album “Art Ambidextrous” Propaganda did something we haven’t really heard on a hip hop album a half hip hop, half poetry album and killed it in the process.

Phonte- Finally, finally we got what we had been waiting for a hip hop solo album from Phonte. Phonte did a lot of work even with guest features this year, working with Median, 9^th Wonder and The Roots. “Charity Starts At Home” was a one of the best albums of the year and was the best out of the trio that came out that Tuesday.

Sintax- We had all wondered where in the world Sintax had been these last couple years and I thought the Carmel Skillington project was the next LP we would get from the DeepSpace5 emcee. But out of nowhere comes “Prince With A Thousand Enemies” and let’s face it he murdered the project.

Elzhi- Elmatic…..need I say more?

Producers of the Year

LAKIM- LAKIM grinded real hard this year releasing numerous beat tapes of really nice beats. His catalog continued to grow with one of my favorite projects this year that he did with Jean P called “Opposites Attract”. I’m telling you if you don’t know about this guy yet, you need to get learned now, he will be one of the best to do it.

Oddisee-  “Rock Creek Park” was in my opinion the best instrumental project this year and one of the best ones I’ve heard in a long time. The live instrumentation just kicked up the bar for instrumental projects.

Will Sessions- If you don’t know yet, Will Sessions was the band that handled the production on Elzhi’s “Elmatic” they replicated the sound of Nas’ “Illmatic” to perfection while adding their own little spin to the beats. I’m interested to see what the band comes up with next.

Apollo Brown- Brown’s production shined to start off the year with his instrumental project “Clouds”. Follow that up with his gritty production on the Hassaan Mackey project “Daily Bread” and there’s no way that you can’t consider him to be one of the best.

Has-Lo- “In Case I Don’t Make It” was one of the better produced projects this year. The dark sample heavy production was unlike anything that we heard this year. The emcee/producer also handled some remixes this year also.

Kno- Produced one of my favorite projects this year in the Cunninlynguists “Oneirology” and the slept on project he did with MarQ Spekt where both gems and add to Kno’s already epic catalog.

DJ Kurfu- The producer of Sintax’s “Prince With A Thousand Enemies” Kurfu chopped some tight samples for the project and produced a very diverse project for the Illect Recordings release. Do not sleep on Kurfu.

Albums of the Year

PWTE- Sintax and Kurfu

Cunninlynguists- Oneirology

yU- The Earn

Undun- The Roots

Has-Lo- ICIDMI

Oddisee- Rock Creek Park

Phonte- Charity Starts At Home

Song of the Year

Theory Hazit- Conceal Sorrow (remix)

Has-Lo- In Case I Don’t Make It

Oddisee- The Carter Barron

Paradox- Here Lies

Theory Hazit- Here I Come

#30: L.A Symphony “Disappear Here”: The Symph crew had been cut down to just five emcees, Flynn, Cookbook, Uno Mas, Sharlok Poems and Joey the Jerk. A lot of people thought that this album wouldn’t work out. But I think this was the group’s best album. They didn’t stray from the original sound that the group started with but at the same time I believe this album was more mature than all their other efforts.

Key tracks: Rise, Pops Song, Put Up Or Shut Up

#29: Sareem Poems “Black and Read All Over”: Sareem Poems is definitely my favorite member of the Symph crew from a solo standpoint. For this project he enlisted the help of Theory Hazit (of Scribbling Idiots) to produce the majority of the joint. He also brought along a slew of guests to accompany him on the mike. The project was banging on every level and Sareem brought the heat.

Key Tracks: Shake It Up, Come Get It, Hard Labor

#28: Cas Metah “Guest Room”: I always used to tell people that if you were just getting into CHH the one album you need to listen to is Ohmega Watts “The Find” but now I tell people it’s Cas Metah’s “Guest Room” album. Everybody and their mom is represented in this album from SI, DeepSpace5, Lightheaded, Future Shock, The Tunnel Rats, everyone is represented on the mike, some of CHH’s best producers are on the beats too, from Vintage, Dust, Theory Hazit, MattmaN and more. Don’t sleep.

Key Tracks: Gravity, Laying the Foundation, Told You So (remix)

#27: Stephen the Levite “To Die Is Gain”: I have to thank Sphere for introducing me to The Levite, I don’t know too much about the production behind the album but the lyricism on it is on another level. Levite will challenge the Christian listener to look inward and examine the life they’re living with Christ.

Key Tracks: To Die Is Gain, Night Light, The Legacy

#26: Sho Baraka “Lions and Liars”: Considered one of the classic albums of last year, Sho Baraka put Reach Records and that kind of sound on the map for boom bap lovers such as myself. Front to back this album was dope!

Key Tracks: A Word From Propaganda, Shut Us Down, Feel So Alone

Thanks for all the love you show me and my crew. 2012 will be a big year, and don’t do drugs. HOLLER!