Originally posted by truck@Nov 14 2014, 02:10 PM
Agreed, he still has great bars. Plus Detroit vs. Everybody coming out the day after builds some massive hype for Shady XV.

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Everyone goes in on this song, Big Sean has a surprisingly great verse. When I saw that Danny Brown was on this song I almost lost it. Nobody can top Em though.

Danny Brown murdered that.

Lana Del Ray owes Em a thank you letter.

Originally posted by EuroCap@Nov 14 2014, 05:14 PM
Reps the D so well. Em and [b]Kid Rock.[/b]

Lmao

Thank you to My boys @Merica and @Ragnar for the lovely sigs!

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Big K.R.I.T. - Cadillactica</div>

Kreation (Intro): 4/5
-A simple one verse intro track with a hook that is not the best track on here, obviously, but dammit if this beat is not nice and his verse not spot on. Overall, a solid intro that shows what is about to come from KRIT's highly anticipated sophomore effort.

Life: 4.5/5
-This one is classic KRIT, as he links up with his favorite producer here (himself) and delivers yet another hard hitting track with pitch perfect lyrics, flow, and delivery, and production. Truly everything you come to expect from a KRIT song here and it really raises the bar for this one early on.

My Sub Pt. 3 (Big Bang): 4.25/5
-My Sub tracks always have some banging production and then, obviously, bars about KRIT's car. This one is no different, but that does not make it bad at all as it is a worthy third part to what is almost one of my favorite tracks on his albums. The production is great, the hook is pretty catchy, and then his lyrics/flow/delivery are perfect as always. Now, this one is not as good as "Life", but it certainly does not let off the gas pedal at all. Tl;dr: shit bumps.

Cadillactica: 4.75/5
-On the track "Mt. Olympus", released as part of the Week of KRIT and then torn to shreds by samples not clearing, people praised KRIT for the amount of hunger he had on the track. That hunger is ever present here as KRIT goes fucking in on this track. Great beat that KRIT absolutely devours and, as if his stomach is a bottomless pit, the hook is fulfilling and his bars undoubtedly deliver. His flow and delivery are also great here as this track stands as a perfect example of who KRIT is; great production and great lyrics. Now, I question the logic of releasing this one as a single, as I think hell will freeze over before this one gets radio play sadly, but all the same, brilliant track that shows how much KRIT wanted to prove critics wrong about his ability to make a great album (though I personally love Live from the Underground).

Soul Food (ft. Raphael Saadiq): 4.75/5
-Classic KRIT here as he follows up what is possibly the best song on the album with another contender for best track on the album. First off, great hook from Raphael Saadiq. KRIT's lyrics are spot on as usual, as are his flow and delivery as he rides the beat perfectly which, on that note, is also very good. Really, everything here is on point again. I would give the slight edge to "Cadillactica", but this a great, great song.

Pay Attention (ft. Rico Love): 4/5
-In stark contrast to "Cadillactica", this track does make sense as a single, which is why it was released as a single. The hook from Rico Love is good and I really like the verses, flow, and delivery, from KRIT here. For a song that is clearly trying to be a bit more commercial, KRIT does not really compromise his artistry at all to do so, which is nice. As a whole, this is certainly not the strongest track thus far, but it works very well and is overall, an easy listen.

King of the South: 4.75/5
-If anyone had an argument that KRIT was not the King of the South, their argument got obliterated on this track. Great production from KRIT himself as usual and, as is expected, he took his own beat and killed it. Great flow, lyrics, and delivery, here, as he runs up and snatches the crown while dudes like T.I. and Jeezy just stood by and watched him take it. KRIT is the King of the South right now, without question..

Mind Control (ft. E-40 & Wiz Khalifa): 3.75/5
-Maybe it is because the first seven tracks went as well as humanly possible, but this one certainly feels like a step back. Great beat here thanks, again, to KRIT. Great verse from him as well, as everything is on point as expected. Solid hook and E-40's verse is good. Wiz also does not ruin the song at all, as KRIT always seems to get the best out of him. However, it all feels...eh, I guess.

Standby (Interlude): 4.25/5
-A track that is simply going in on some stellar, jazzy production. Just a little shy of two minutes, this one shows how great KRIT is honestly. If it was longer, I would give it a higher rating.

Do You Love Me For Real (ft. Mara Hruby): 4/5
-I do have to wonder why this one was not also released a single. I guess that stylistically and musically, it is similar somewhat to "Pay Attention", but still, way more of a single than "Cadillactica". As a whole, this one got a lot of hate, but I love the hook from Mara Hruby and KRIT's on point as usual. The beat is also very good. Overall, this ode to his car fits his M.O. and works as a good KRIT song.

Third Eye: 3.5/5
-Another softer track, I am not feeling this one as much as the last one, though it certainly is not horrible. The hook is not amazing, but the production is good and KRIT is good as usual. Overall, the exact opposite of a standout track, but far from being a bad one.

Mo Better Cool (ft. Devin the Dude, Big Sant, and Bun B): 3.75/5
-No KRIT project is complete without a Big Sant feature. Ok hook from Devin the Dude, good verses from KRIT, Bun B, and Big Sant. Overall, however, this one is rather unremarkable. This is pretty much KRIT Lite. It is not bad, but it is lacking the energy of the first few tracks that was truly infectious.

Angels: 4/5
-Another softer track, but luckily, it is better than the others. Good production and a very enjoyable hook elevate this one above the others like it. It is far from the best track here, but KRIT does his thing and the beat from Terrace Martin works perfectly for this. Not stellar, but a step up here in the second half.

Saturdays = Celebration (ft. Jamie N Commons): 4.25/5
-In a second half that has met its share of criticism, this track is the stand out. Great hook from Jamie N Commons and killer production from KRIT and Alex da Kid, coupled with KRIT showing some serious hunger and energy here, allow this one to stand as a great example of KRIT and how good he truly is. As a whole, not the best track here for sure, but a good entry on this one that has kind of slacked off a bit towards the end.

Lost Generation (ft. Lupe Fiasco): 4/5
-Overall, another good track on KRIT's sophomore effort. Not the best production here admittedly, but I do not hate it. Probably the only time where I was not in love with the beat here. KRIT's verse is good and I do enjoy Lupe's verse, though he is on his soapbox a little bit, which can always be tiring. The hook is enjoyable, but I do think it is a bit long. I prefer hooks to be a bit shorter and snappier and this one is anything but, though KRIT's flow/delivery of it is certainly good. The bridge is not stellar, but I do not hate it, I guess. Overall, I expected more from this one, but all the same, it is good.

62.5/75 -> 4.17/5

As a whole, Big KRIT's sophomore album is a success, though maybe not as much as it should have been. I think a lot of the criticism of this one is due to the sour note is leaves you on, as the first half of the album is so great with brilliant tracks such as "Cadillactica", "Soul Food", and "King of the South", but then the second half dips significantly thanks to tracks like "Third Eye" and "Mo Better Cool", which are not bad, but are far cries from the tracks in the first half. Overall, the production here is great, the features are good, and KRIT is on point in every track in terms of lyricism, flow, and delivery. The difference between the great tracks and the ok ones here is undoubtedly his energy. The ones where you can feel his hunger and charisma shine, while the ones where it feels more lifeless are undeniably dull. While a great album to me with one of my favorite album covers ever, it is very difficult not to come away from this one thinking of what could have been if the individual tracks here were as consistently good as his projects are.

I still fucking love Royce da 5'9.

Flashback to when my username was Royce. :lol:

I don't like either of those tracks lol. Em's still got bars, but has no fucking clue how to deliver them (though his delivery on the cypher is way better).

Originally posted by Ochocinco@Nov 14 2014, 11:48 PM
I still fucking love Royce da 5'9.

Flashback to when my username was Royce. :lol:

He absolutely goes in here. Best part of the song, really.

Don't love the hook on Detroit vs. Everybody. Big Sean and Danny Brown have good verses, but their voices are annoying as fuck and don't work as features for me usually. Eminem's verse is good, but I'm just not feeling his delivery or his voice here either. Only Royce works here, honestly.

Originally posted by Spangle@Nov 14 2014, 10:12 PM


He absolutely goes in here. Best part of the song, really.

Don't love the hook on Detroit vs. Everybody. Big Sean and Danny Brown have good verses, but their voices are annoying as fuck and don't work as features for me usually. Eminem's verse is good, but I'm just not feeling his delivery or his voice here either. Only Royce works here, honestly.

I actually haven't listened to it yet. I will now.

Originally posted by Spangle@Nov 14 2014, 10:12 PM


He absolutely goes in here. Best part of the song, really.

Don't love the hook on Detroit vs. Everybody. Big Sean and Danny Brown have good verses, but their voices are annoying as fuck and don't work as features for me usually. Eminem's verse is good, but I'm just not feeling his delivery or his voice here either. Only Royce works here, honestly.

Not a fan of Danny Brown. Big Sean's verse picked up at the end but his lyrical style just doesn't fit. This is a great track for Royce and Em does a great job as always.

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Future - Honest</div>

Look Ahead: 3.5/5
-It took me almost seven months to psych myself up to review this one. As you might assume, I am not Future's hugest fan, though he does not completely suck all the time. This happens to be one of those times. Really good beat from The Runners and really good use of the sample on the hook here. Now, when I say Future is not that bad here, it is all relative to how bad I know he can be. Here, his lyrics are not much to behold, but that do not detract significantly from the positive elements of the track and, at times, really click. As a whole, this is an encouraging intro.

T-Shirt: 2.75/5
-Solid beat and Future is not horrible here, but this attempted banger ultimately falls flat, as it leaves me notably unhyped. The hook is fine and all, but this one is trying to hype the listener up and I am just not really feeling that at all.

Move That Dope (ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino): 4/5
-Dope beat and Future is actually pretty good here. Where the other one fails at being a hype track, this one succeeds. Solid hook and great features from Pusha T and Pharrell here, especially Pharrell who really shows that he's got bars on this track as he goes in on this one. Overall, a strong entry to this album here

My Momma (ft. Wiz Khalifa): 1.5/5
-This hook makes me borderline suicidal. It was almost as if Future sought out to make the most annoying hook ever and, I have to say, he was successful. His delivery on this one is also terrible as the screaming reminds me of Meek Mill here. I do not know why he is so pissed, but I feel bad for whoever he is pissed at because they are likely in for a world of hurt. Wiz is not horrible here and, honestly, practically saves this one from being rated even lower.

Honest: 3.5/5
-Honestly not horrible. I realize I should hate this one more than I do, but I honestly do not mind it. Good beat and Future does just fine on it, though I would love to see a better artist take a stab at this beat. If I am being honest, this one could have been far worse than it wound off being. As it stands, it is a worthy entry on this album.

I Won (ft. Kanye West): 4.25/5
-Now, I am a Kanye stan and all, but this one is incredibly dope. Future does great on this beat in terms of flow and delivery and the hook works very well here. The beat itself is all very good. However, it is all about our Lord, Yeezus. This may not be his best verse ever, but it is certainly show stealing here and I am just thankful to be graced with another verse from Kanye. I feel truly honored.

Never Satisfied (ft. Drake): 3.75/5
-Drake does great on the hook as expected and I have to question the decision to make it just two minutes long, as this one had all of the makings of a great Drake ft. Drake type track. Future is fine on here, but I can just tell that Drake was set to embarass him if he got a verse himself. As a whole, this one is solid, but would be well served by being longer, even if Drake did not get a verse to himself.

I Be U: 4/5
-This one is...not that bad...? Wow, I am surprised. Overall, Future's vocals on this one are not all that off-putting and the beat from Detail sounds pretty good as well. Future's verses are solid and he flows well over the beat. As a whole, this one is enjoyable and a pretty good song.

Covered N Money: 2.25/5
-Ah, this is more of what I expected. Horrible hook and mediocre verses from Future here as this one has nothing but your run-of-the-mill hype track beat going for it. While not as horrible as "My Momma", all of the goodwill accumulated by Future entering this one has vanished as I have returned to my skepticism. Dammit Future.

Special (ft. Young Scooter): 2.5/5
-Solid, smooth hook on this one and an enjoyable first verse set you up for a big disappointment once Future starts rapping. Why he thought that was a good idea I do not know, but allow me to assure you all; it was not a good idea. A horrible idea, in fact. His rapping truly ruins what had the chance to be an ok song. However, as it stands, this one sucks.

Benz Friendz (Whatcutola) (ft. Andre 3000): 3.25/5
-So Andre 3000 will collab with Future, but has not been on a song with Big K.R.I.T. yet? Why rap music why? His hook here is just fine and all, but I always seem to hate repetitive hooks and I am not loving it here either. Though, it is not terrible. His verse is also good, which is why it is such a shame that Future is on this song and the hook is not stellar. Andre easily upends Future and steals his song from him, but cannot save it entirely. I wish I liked this one more because of Andre, but I simply cannot.

Blood, Sweat, Tears: 4.5/5
-As I was writing this review, I looked up TheNeedleDrop's review of the album and he had this as his least favorite track, which I found to be odd, because in every listen for me through this album, this was undoubtedly the standout. I love Future on this track, his singing is perfect and his rapping actually does the track justice. The hook is very good and the beat works perfectly. Everything here truly clicks and shows the heights that Future can actually reach at times. The dude is typically the definition of mediocre to bad, but at times, like this one, he can reach some heights nobody thought possible. On his last album, that height was on "Truth Gonna Hurt You", but here, it is this track.

39.75/60 -> 3.31/5

Future's sophomore effort is significantly better than his debut album, but it is still a far cry from being any good. There are good tracks, such as "Blood, Sweat, Tears", "I Won", and "Move That Dope", but then tracks like "My Momma" and "Covered N Money" are so bad that they ruin the good tracks. Overall, the production here is good, the features (in particular Andre 3000) work well, and ultimately the deciding factor for most tracks are the hooks (which are spotty) and Future. At times, he can be good, but at others, he can be absolutely ear splittingly terrible. I wish there was more good than bad here, but sadly there is not.

New J. Cole album on the way! 2014 Forest Hills Drive is dropping on December 9th. Hyped.

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Logic - Under Pressure</div>

Intro: 4.25/5
-Overall, a solid intro track. I always question the creativity when artists just name the intro track "Intro", but regardless of that, Logic's bars here are good and his flow and delivery on what is a good beat is very good. Honestly, when I think of a good way to start off an album, tracks like this come to mind, as it gets me hyped to listen to more work from the artist. It is not an overly complex track, but the intro does not necessarily need to be.

Soul Food: 4.75/5
-This track is very good without question. Logic's bars are on point and, as expected, his flow/delivery are on point here over both beats. The first beat is very good and I love the second beat personally, though both are very well done and very complimentary to Logic's skills on the mic. Hard to listen to this track and not come away impressed by Logic.

I’m Gone: 3.5/5
-I like the slow, silky smooth beat and Logic does well on it in terms of flow/delivery. His verses are also good as well on this track. However, this one dies with the hook. It is not the worst hook I have ever heard, but it really does damper the quality of the verses and the beat. The intro piece, which is also used as the pre-hook, is also sub-par at best. Not the worst track ever, but definitely a step down.

Gang Related: 4.5/5
-Dope production here and an ominous voice in the background serve as the perfect backdrop for this track where it is undeniable that Logic dominated his verses. Great lyrics, flow, and delivery, from him here, on a track that really paints a perfect picture of where he lived and the gangs who operated in his neighborhood.

Buried Alive: 4/5
-Not the best track here, but overall, another good entry on what is shaping up to be a good album. Good lyrics again, complimented nicely by Logic's flow and delivery here help to deliver what is ultimately a very satisfying track on a very easygoing beat.

Bounce: 3.75/5
-My main complaint here is, shockingly, the hook. It is just overly cluttered. There are like three things happening during the hook, which is ultimately very hard to listen to. However, the beat is good and his verses/flow/delivery are on point as expected. While a step down, it is not a major one in the least.

Growing Pains III: 3.75/5
-This is one of those weird tracks where I can tell it is undeniably good, but I just...never really feel it, ya know? It never really clicked. Good beat and Logic is good here as usual, but I don't know...just never truly did it for me, which I find odd, but it is what it is I guess.

Never Enough: 3/5
-Did not love Logic's verse here, though his flow and delivery were predictably good on the track. The bridge is also very good, however, when track has, I think, the pre-hook and hook going on at the same time, there is simply too much going. As with the previous track where this was a concern, there is too much sometimes and this is definitely one of those times. The most redeeming quality here is his flow/delivery, but the disappointing verse is the nail in the coffin.

Metropolis: 3/5
-The voice accompanying the beat is very annoying here, but Logic's verses are definitely better than on "Never Enough". The occasional use of background vocals here is also done poorly during his verses, as they too are distracting and, annoying. The last two tracks here are highlighting a disappointing second half.

Nikki: 5/5
-A return to form as this one is bolstered by the great, dark production. His verse, flow, and delivery, over this beat is also perfect. Honestly, I am loving this track and while I am not down with smoking, this is a great track about his smoking addiction and dependence on nicotine. Also, this track follows the interesting pattern of other tracks like "I Used to Love HER" by Common, "Homecoming" by Kanye West, and "25 to Life" by Eminem. Though, instead of actually being about his hometown or hip hop, it is about smoking. Not overly unique, but I really enjoy this whenever I see it and this is a great example of this type of track.

Under Pressure: 5/5
-Shiiiiit. Logic goes absolutely in on this track and I feel weird giving two tracks on an album a perfect score as I rarely if ever give a perfect score, but this track is honestly just too dope. Logic goes absolutely in on this track over a pitch perfect beat and a perfect hook. Really, this is the definition. Every debut album from a new and up and coming artist that is very good has a defining track. In recent times, this would be tracks like "Jesus Walks" by Kanye West, "HiiiPower" by Kendrick Lamar, and (for me) "Soundtrack 2 My Life" by Kid Cudi. Now, is this album great? I do not truly believe so, but it certainly has its major highs and it is hard to imagine this not being the defining track of those highs. When people think back to this album, this track should stand the test of time.

Till the End: 4.5/5
-Very dope ending here as Logic goes in on a good beat and really leaves this album on a high note. As I alluded to, on every listen through this album, the first half always seemed to be setting me up for disappoinment in the second half, but every time without fail, these final three tracks proved to be successful in saving and even bolstering this album. Overall, a top-notch closer.

49/60 -> 4.08/5

Ultimately, it is tough to gauge this album. The debut album from Maryland rapper Logic, I came in with tempered expectations. I had limited listening experience when it came to him, though I did listen to and enjoy his most recent mixtape, Welcome to Forever: Young Sinatra. This album is ultimately at its best at the beginning and the end, with the middle representing a slump in quality and ultimately the most sour note of the album. Tracks like "Under Pressure" and "Nikki" are top-notch and show just how talented Logic truly is, while tracks like "Never Enough" and "Metropolis" leave you largely unimpressed. The production throughout is solid, but truly, the real star here is Logic who ultimately delivers on his debut LP thanks to great lyrics, flow, and delivery.

<div align="center">Run The Jewels 2 by Run The Jewels (Killer Mike & El-P)

</div>

Jeopardy - 5/5

Album is set perfectly with this song. "I'm bout to bang this bitch the Fuck out." It has this dark tone and then the bass line comes in and Mike just rides this shit. Killer Mike is just so in your face. Personally, I get so grimey when I turn this album on. I just wanna get violence. El-P comes in after Mike and is much more subtle in his approach as you will see through out this album. Great start.

Oh My Darling (Don't Cry) - 5/5

The opening sounds like some Death Grips... But then the drums kick in. I think the word to describe this album is, "Agressive". "You can all run backwards through a field of dicks." So many quotables. The dichotomy between El and Mike is why I love this shit. Mike talking about beating the pussy up... El does that too but in a way that you have to sit down with the lyrics. The hook is great too and the eerie 808s really add to it. Another great song.

Blockbuster Night Part 1 - 5/5

"I deal in dirty work, do the deed and then dash, ditch 'em." "I Jake the Snake them. DDTs in moseleums." The word play and vivid imagery is fucking bananas. I just bounce through this entire song. The beat though.... Holy fuck the beat. The biggest knock from a lot of people on the first Run The Jewels was that El-P didn't change them up. Can't say that here.

Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) ft. Zach De La Roche of RATM - 5/5

Best song on the album for some many reasons. Mike comes in first and is a monster. Not ficticiously but the dude literally scares the shit out of me. "We killin em for freedom cause the tortured us for boredom/And even if some good ones die, fuck it, the Lord'll sort em". God those bars get me every time. El is once again the smooth antithesis and it plays really well. The ZDLR hook is a looped hook but it just adds to that firey agression you get from these two. The Zach comes in. Yes Zach, the guy from Rage Against the Machine. The guy that hasn't done much since the 90s. Dude spits his ass off. He has the best line on this track: "My battle status is burnin' mansions from Dallas to Malibu/Check my resume, your residence is residue."

All My Life - 4/5

The beat is kind of a let down here. It is a bit too sweet for guys like this. But damn does Mike spit his ass off. Yes he spits on every song, but the way he rides a beat that isn't suited for him is amazing. Once again El-P has some great bars. "I'm so high, you're a hobbit." Mike calls him one half of the greatest tag team... And I am inclined to agree. Could have done without the excessive use of "Go" at the end.

Lie, Cheat, Steal - 5/5

I didn't even realize it was El-P at the start. He was so smooth and southern on it. He also has the funniest line, "Teabag a Piranah tank". This is the most southern track on here and yet El-P does better on it than Mike. It is pretty weird when you think of the fact that Mike is from the A. Mike does his thing though. El-P had the knockout blows.

Early ft. Boots - 4/5

Mike's story telling is mad underrated. We view El-P as the story teller and he has earned that right, but don't sleep on Mike. The hook is great and a change of pace for this album. El comes in and actually picks up on the story Mike was telling which is really cool. It shows just how well they play off eachother. I think this track pales a little bit but it is still good. The beat near the end... Holy shit.

With All Due Respect ft. Travis Barker - 5/5

This is the best beat of the year. Easily. Barker's drumming is great but it is that African Bambata sample shit that goes on. Mike murders this shit. Like I know I have been sucking the mans dick here, but he is a top 5 MC right now and it isn't even a debate. At this point of the album I don't need to talk. The music does the talking for you. If you like rap and are not feeling this album by this point... Re-evaluate your life. There is this little back and forth about El and Mike talking to some kid about how they are banging is mom. It is hilarious.

Love Again ft. Gangsta Boo - 4.25/5

The beat is great, but this track is disgusting. It is all about fucking and sucking dick and what not. It serves a purpose and it fits Gangsta Boo of 36 Mafia perfectly. But it just isn't my thing. It is still a good song, but one I could do without on this album.

Crown ft. Diane Coffee - 4.25/5

Is it weird to say at just over 30 minutes, this album seems too long? I say this as a good thing and not that I am bored at this point. But this album takes alot out of you. The good thing is this track is a little calmer. Another track that El-P slaughters and Mike leaves a bit to be desired. These kind of tracks aren't meant for him. It was a nice cool down though....

Angel Duster - 5/5

The album starts off dark and it finishes off dark. Honestly just listen to the song and you will understand why it is a masterpiece.

Total: 51.5/55 = 4.68/5

This album is a classic. Pure and simple. It took two men from the opposite Meccas of rap (ATL and NYC) and they find a way to come toghter and sound so in sync and in tune with each other. Killer Mike is the mercenary. He comes in hot and leaves quick. He gives you those uppercuts every time and you feel it. El-P is the ambiguous mastermind. He makes you think about what he does and it takes you a while to understand. This blend of polar opposite styles lends to why it is a classic. This is also better than RTJ in the sense that, this sounds more like an album. The beats on the first RTJ were throwaways that El-P was already working on and so they just rapped on em and released it. This time El-P made beats for this album specifically and this time they sound like songs. They picked the best features to come on and they all served a purpose with Zach being the star of this entire project. The beats are amazing. El-P is the best producer currently in the game and he saved his best shit for this album. I love this shit so much and I listen to it twice a day at least. It is a top 10 rap album of all time. It is fucking crazy. Finally I just want to point out the Mike and El have been running the rap game since 2012:

Cancer for Cure by El-P = Amazing
R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike = Top 5 of the year (2012)
RTJ by RTJ = Top 5 of the Year (2013)
RTJ 2 by RTJ = Top 3 of the Year (2014)

This shit bangs.

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Shady Records - Shady XV</div>

Shady XV (Eminem): 3.75/5
-Here, Eminem's lyrics are fine (not great, but fine) and his flow is great. His delivery is also very good here (which exceptions, namely the line where he mentions JonBenet Ramsey and others). His comments here on "Fack" are great and I am just glad he realizes how bad that song is. Overall, I enjoy this track, but it certainly is not the amazing track I saw some people hype it up to be when it first got leaked.

Psychopath Killer (Slaughterhouse ft. Eminem & Yelawolf): 4.25/5
-Man does this beat ever have a great beat. Completely sets the dark tone for this one perfectly and, even better, it works perfectly for everyone on it. I also love the hook, especially the singing portion and Yelawolf's part. I wish Yelawolf got a verse here, but it is ok because he was great on the hook. In terms of the verses, Royce and Crooked I both go in here and drop very good verses both lyrically and flow/delivery wise. For Eminem's verse, he has good bars here, but I just do not enjoy his delivery at all. It hurts me as an Eminem stan to say this, but this is certainly not his best output. In spite of the lackluster Em verse, I still really dig this one.

Die Alone (Eminem ft. Kobe): 3.25/5
-Certainly a very meaningful track for Eminem as he seemingly discusses his relationship with Kim, but other than the hook from Kobe, I am truly not feeling this one. His verses are fine and all, but I still just cannot dig his delivery here again. I feel bad, because I want to love this, but I just cannot. Where is that old Eminem with great delivery? Hell, I'd take Relapse Eminem at this point.

Vegas (Bad Meets Evil): 2.75/5
-Controversial for the lines about raping Iggy Azalea, this one is a disappointer. Eminem's lyrics are eh at best. His flow and delivery are mixed. At times, they are great and at others, it is just not great. I really wish I could consistently love his verse, but I just cannot. Royce's verse is good, however, though it certainly not great. In terms of the beat, it is nothing special and is actually pretty lackluster at times.

Y’all Ready Know (Slaughterhouse): 4.75/5
-Produced by DJ Premier. /review

Nah, but really though incredibly dope beat from one of the best producers around. Cannot wait to see his collab with Royce da 5'9". Great verses from everybody in Slaughterhouse as well. This one stands tall as one of the best songs on this collab album.

Guts Over Fear (Eminem ft. Sia): 4.5/5
-Musically very similar to "Legacy" and "Headlights" off of his last album, this one has some great verses from Eminem, along with a great delivery. The production is smooth and effective and the hook from Sia is great. It may be a little much and I would have enjoyed having more time spent with Eminem here, but it is what it is. As the good stan that I am, this restores my hope in Eminem and will make me dutifully wait for his next album despite all the evidence that he simply lost it. At the very least, he is not going for that edgy teenager shit here that he is doing on other tracks, which I like.

Down (Yelawolf): 4.25/5
-If it is true that this one missed the cut for Yela's next album, Love Story, then I am definitely looking forward to that album, because this is dope as fuck. Good production, good lyrics from Yela, as well as good flow/delivery. Good hook here as well. Overall, everything is clicking in this track and certainly serves as good promotion for Yelawolf.

Bane (D12): 1/5
-When I am thinking of hot garbage, this one comes to mind pretty readily. Terrible beat overshadowing any other positives this track could have. Solid lyrics and all, but Mr. Porter's production career needs to be taken out back and shot clearly for making this beat. My God this was bad.

Fine Line (Eminem): 3/5
-Eminem's flow and delivery here are iffy at best, but I really enjoy the lyrics, which makes me really conflicted in terms of his performance. The hook is ok and the production is nothing spectacular. Overall, this track screams of being a track that was left off of MMLP2 or was recorded for whatever album Eminem is planning next and he decided it was not good enough for it. The sad part here is that he thought it was good enough for this.

Twisted (Skylar Grey, Eminem & Yelawolf): 4.5/5
-Ok, this one is dope. I love Skylar Grey and this track is no exception. Her singing is on point here and her lyrics are also very strong. Eminem on the hook here is great, even with his singing. His singing actually works very well on this production and he kills it entirely, which is nice. Yelawolf also goes in here and comes away as being one of the stars from this record label album. Damn.

Right for Me (Eminem): 3.25/5
-Great lyrics and decent flow/delivery here from Eminem. The production is alright, I guess. The one major plus is I love the hook, but it feels awkward here and does not really flow well with the Eminem verses or the production. Not loving this track either. Other than Guts Over Fear, these Eminem solo tracks are largely underwhelming.

Detroit vs. Everybody (Royce da 5’9”, Danny Brown, Big Sean, Eminem, DeJ Loaf & Trick-Trick): 3.25/5
-While everybody was claiming this track was dope, I was sitting here all disappointed. Why? Dope beat from Statik Selektah? Check. Dope hook from Dej Loaf? Check. Dope verse from Royce? Check. After that, everything falls apart. Medium Sean is not as bad as people thinks he is, but he is not very good here, though is verse is fine. He seems very much out of place thanks to his voice. I sound very petty on that, but his voice does not work here and does work well with everybody.. I hate Danny Brown when he uses this weird ass voice, so there goes his verse for me. His last album was good though, thanks to him not using this annoying voice too much. Eminem's verse is fine lyrically again, but his flow/delivery are off and ruins everything yet again for him. Overall, this one had a lot of potential and left me entirely underwhelmed.

42.5/60 -> 3.54/5

As a whole, Shady XV is both disappointing and what I should have expected. These record label collaboration albums are always a mixed bag and this one is no exception. Thus, I will focus on individual artists. Royce da 5'9" and everyone else in Slaughterhouse were great. Lyrically on point with great flow and delivery. Their track "Y'all Ready Know" is the best on the album. "Psychopath Killer" is also great, while Royce has the best verse on "Detroit vs. Everybody". Yelawolf is also a winner here as his hook on "Psychopath Killer" is perfect, while his solo track "Down" is my second favorite here. He is also very strong on "Twisted". In terms of losers, Eminem lost here. "Guts Over Fear" is good and "Shady XV" is pretty good. However, "Die Alone", "Vegas", "Fine Line", and "Right for Me", are all incredibly weak and scream of him trying to recreate old Eminem and falling flat on his face. As an Eminem stan, it kills me to say that, but is is entirely true. He is the weak link on all of those tracks thanks to terrible flow and delivery, in spite of his lyrics being strong throughout (except on "Vegas", where they are incredibly juvenile for a 40+ year old man with a daughter almost in college). D12 also lost here as "Bane" is absolutely putrid. As a collective, "Y'all Ready Know", "Down", "Psychopath Killer", "Guts Over Fear", and "Twisted", are the best tracks here. Meanwhile, "Vegas" and "Bane" stand out as the worst, though none of the Eminem solo tracks (other than "Guts Over Fear") and "Detroit vs. Everybody" are good and certainly hold this album back from being better.

Originally posted by Spangle@Nov 29 2014, 11:43 PM
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Shady Records - Shady XV</div>

Shady XV (Eminem): 3.75/5
-Here, Eminem's lyrics are fine (not great, but fine) and his flow is great. His delivery is also very good here (which exceptions, namely the line where he mentions JonBenet Ramsey and others). His comments here on "Fack" are great and I am just glad he realizes how bad that song is. Overall, I enjoy this track, but it certainly is not the amazing track I saw some people hype it up to be when it first got leaked.

Psychopath Killer (Slaughterhouse ft. Eminem & Yelawolf): 4.25/5
-Man does this beat ever have a great beat. Completely sets the dark tone for this one perfectly and, even better, it works perfectly for everyone on it. I also love the hook, especially the singing portion and Yelawolf's part. I wish Yelawolf got a verse here, but it is ok because he was great on the hook. In terms of the verses, Royce and Crooked I both go in here and drop very good verses both lyrically and flow/delivery wise. For Eminem's verse, he has good bars here, but I just do not enjoy his delivery at all. It hurts me as an Eminem stan to say this, but this is certainly not his best output. In spite of the lackluster Em verse, I still really dig this one.

Die Alone (Eminem ft. Kobe): 3.25/5
-Certainly a very meaningful track for Eminem as he seemingly discusses his relationship with Kim, but other than the hook from Kobe, I am truly not feeling this one. His verses are fine and all, but I still just cannot dig his delivery here again. I feel bad, because I want to love this, but I just cannot. Where is that old Eminem with great delivery? Hell, I'd take Relapse Eminem at this point.

Vegas (Bad Meets Evil): 2.75/5
-Controversial for the lines about raping Iggy Azalea, this one is a disappointer. Eminem's lyrics are eh at best. His flow and delivery are mixed. At times, they are great and at others, it is just not great. I really wish I could consistently love his verse, but I just cannot. Royce's verse is good, however, though it certainly not great. In terms of the beat, it is nothing special and is actually pretty lackluster at times.

Y’all Ready Know (Slaughterhouse): 4.75/5
-Produced by DJ Premier. /review

Nah, but really though incredibly dope beat from one of the best producers around. Cannot wait to see his collab with Royce da 5'9". Great verses from everybody in Slaughterhouse as well. This one stands tall as one of the best songs on this collab album.

Guts Over Fear (Eminem ft. Sia): 4.5/5
-Musically very similar to "Legacy" and "Headlights" off of his last album, this one has some great verses from Eminem, along with a great delivery. The production is smooth and effective and the hook from Sia is great. It may be a little much and I would have enjoyed having more time spent with Eminem here, but it is what it is. As the good stan that I am, this restores my hope in Eminem and will make me dutifully wait for his next album despite all the evidence that he simply lost it. At the very least, he is not going for that edgy teenager shit here that he is doing on other tracks, which I like.

Down (Yelawolf): 4.25/5
-If it is true that this one missed the cut for Yela's next album, Love Story, then I am definitely looking forward to that album, because this is dope as fuck. Good production, good lyrics from Yela, as well as good flow/delivery. Good hook here as well. Overall, everything is clicking in this track and certainly serves as good promotion for Yelawolf.

Bane (D12): 1/5
-When I am thinking of hot garbage, this one comes to mind pretty readily. Terrible beat overshadowing any other positives this track could have. Solid lyrics and all, but Mr. Porter's production career needs to be taken out back and shot clearly for making this beat. My God this was bad.

Fine Line (Eminem): 3/5
-Eminem's flow and delivery here are iffy at best, but I really enjoy the lyrics, which makes me really conflicted in terms of his performance. The hook is ok and the production is nothing spectacular. Overall, this track screams of being a track that was left off of MMLP2 or was recorded for whatever album Eminem is planning next and he decided it was not good enough for it. The sad part here is that he thought it was good enough for this.

Twisted (Skylar Grey, Eminem & Yelawolf): 4.5/5
-Ok, this one is dope. I love Skylar Grey and this track is no exception. Her singing is on point here and her lyrics are also very strong. Eminem on the hook here is great, even with his singing. His singing actually works very well on this production and he kills it entirely, which is nice. Yelawolf also goes in here and comes away as being one of the stars from this record label album. Damn.

Right for Me (Eminem): 3.25/5
-Great lyrics and decent flow/delivery here from Eminem. The production is alright, I guess. The one major plus is I love the hook, but it feels awkward here and does not really flow well with the Eminem verses or the production. Not loving this track either. Other than Guts Over Fear, these Eminem solo tracks are largely underwhelming.

Detroit vs. Everybody (Royce da 5’9”, Danny Brown, Big Sean, Eminem, DeJ Loaf & Trick-Trick): 3.25/5
-While everybody was claiming this track was dope, I was sitting here all disappointed. Why? Dope beat from Statik Selektah? Check. Dope hook from Dej Loaf? Check. Dope verse from Royce? Check. After that, everything falls apart. Medium Sean is not as bad as people thinks he is, but he is not very good here, though is verse is fine. He seems very much out of place thanks to his voice. I sound very petty on that, but his voice does not work here and does work well with everybody.. I hate Danny Brown when he uses this weird ass voice, so there goes his verse for me. His last album was good though, thanks to him not using this annoying voice too much. Eminem's verse is fine lyrically again, but his flow/delivery are off and ruins everything yet again for him. Overall, this one had a lot of potential and left me entirely underwhelmed.

42.5/60 -> 3.54/5

As a whole, Shady XV is both disappointing and what I should have expected. These record label collaboration albums are always a mixed bag and this one is no exception. Thus, I will focus on individual artists. Royce da 5'9" and everyone else in Slaughterhouse were great. Lyrically on point with great flow and delivery. Their track "Y'all Ready Know" is the best on the album. "Psychopath Killer" is also great, while Royce has the best verse on "Detroit vs. Everybody". Yelawolf is also a winner here as his hook on "Psychopath Killer" is perfect, while his solo track "Down" is my second favorite here. He is also very strong on "Twisted". In terms of losers, Eminem lost here. "Guts Over Fear" is good and "Shady XV" is pretty good. However, "Die Alone", "Vegas", "Fine Line", and "Right for Me", are all incredibly weak and scream of him trying to recreate old Eminem and falling flat on his face. As an Eminem stan, it kills me to say that, but is is entirely true. He is the weak link on all of those tracks thanks to terrible flow and delivery, in spite of his lyrics being strong throughout (except on "Vegas", where they are incredibly juvenile for a 40+ year old man with a daughter almost in college). D12 also lost here as "Bane" is absolutely putrid. As a collective, "Y'all Ready Know", "Down", "Psychopath Killer", "Guts Over Fear", and "Twisted", are the best tracks here. Meanwhile, "Vegas" and "Bane" stand out as the worst, though none of the Eminem solo tracks (other than "Guts Over Fear") and "Detroit vs. Everybody" are good and certainly hold this album back from being better.

REVIEW RTJ2

Also, almost time to come up with our joint top 10 :->