Spurned by his former patrons, gangsta rapper the Game has carved out a musical niche that isn’t aligned with Dr. Dre’s West Coast or 50 Cent’s East Coast dominions. Unfortunately, this style, as exemplified on his new album, is little more than a star-sponsored imitation celebrating gangsta-rap’s golden age. Continue reading
Ten years after they peaked with the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning “Tha Crossroads,” the members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony hope to regenerate their career with a brand-new disc, “Strength & Loyalty.” To cinch this comeback, the group called in favors from a string of star guests and first-rank producers. Continue reading
The Game is hip-hop’s hottest property. Sponsored by Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, the West Coast rapper has a debut album that soared to the top of the charts and he’s compiled an impressive list of headlines on MTV.com for the verbal scuffles that he’s had with some of rap’s biggest names. Soundbytes clues you on whether his record is worth the accompanying hype. Continue reading
Soundbytes Music Column 