Album Review: brandon* - Rainbow In The Dark

Blending genres has always been a tough trick to master, no matter your roots.  Many have tried, few have succeeded.  Every style of music has its traditionalists who believe that nothing should touch their beloved genre or run the risk of forever tainting it and its history.  But to really gain mass appeal and acceptance, an artist has to learn to walk the line that pleases both the idealists of every area and the less strict fans of multiple styles.  Enter brandon*, an award-winning composer, musical arranger and multi-instrumentalist, who delivers his debut album, Rainbow in the Dark, a mixture of hip hop, electronic, jazz and soul.  Will his debut gain him widespread success or universal alienation?  

Best Of: Hip Hop's Ode to Mothers

Souce: djjudgemental.com

Hip hop carries a stereotype along with it that parenting isn't one of the most widely used practices on rappers.  But while that may be true, there are just as many moments in hip hop that pay tribute to those mothers that have raised children in often less-than-ideal circumstances.  Hopefully this list will let you see just how deep emotion runs in hip hop; it's not as shallow as you think it is.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there, new and old.  Take a moment to listen to this collection of hip hop highlights giving thanks for all that you do.  In the now timeless words of Tupac, "You are appreciated."

Album Review: Che Flo - Reading Day

Fresh off their previous effort, Booksmart Idiots, Carnegie Mellon University alumni duo Che Flo are back at it with their sophomore offering, Reading Day.  While it's apparent that the two are filled with energy, Reading Day arrives with higher expectations than they faced with their debut.  Have they progressed enough to piece together a complete project?