Since the early '90s, when Black Moon first entered the scene with their now classic Enta Da Stage, Buckshot's Boot Camp Click,\ proved that they all could hold their own with full length releases. Then with the emergence of North Carolina's Little Brother (and their crew the Justus League), it was obvious that there would be comparisons. And it wasn't a surprise when 9th Wonder got to collaborate with Buckshot. Their second effort together is entitled The Formula.

It seems that with regular ailments such as bills, stress at work, frustrations with family, it becomes easy to not notice the things that are going well in your life. It's no different with the music world. After all the complaining about inconsistent artists and crappy material on the radio, it's absolutely refreshing to find an artist that you can count on for great quality material. These are some of the praises that I reserve for Akrobatik as he once again comes with top-notch boom bap hip-hop music with his latest effort, Absolute Value.

For the un-initiated, The Fugees are (were!) a New Jersey based trio consisting of; lead rapper and producer, Wyclef Jean; MC and singer Lauryn Hill; and MC Pras. Following their solid if unremarkable debut album Blunted on Reality they blew the music world away in 96 with The Score.

Once upon a time, there was a rapper named Fat Joe who dropped a noted verse on the Diamond D album Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop. Joe and Diamond were part of an underground elite New York group called D.I.T.C (Diggin' In the Crates). That was in the 1990's, when some of the grimiest and grittiest of New York rap music was churned. Whether it was the passing of fellow member Big L or just the industry going downhill, the supergroup seemed to have an unofficial disbanding as Joe started claiming The Terror Squad.

It's very rare in today's popular music to hear a song that you think may be one of the greatest you've ever heard. Gnarls Barkley -- that's Goodie Mob vet Cee Lo and Gorillaz producer Danger Mouse -- accomplished the feat with their smash hit Crazy. Now, about a year and three Grammy trophies later, the dynamic interracial duo is at it again with the appropriately titled The Odd Couple