this review was pointless, and im not saying to like say the music is wack, because the music is good, this time my issue is with the writer, tell me what insight you gave anybody about this project. you say the mixtape was hit and miss, but the review was exactly the same. What was the point in even mentioning a "Tony Bosco", nobody likes his music. Nobody knows Duece ur hynest. The Bossman track is Garbadge, why even bring it up and have people hate the whole cd behind his one track? Blue and Rockwell are the LESSER of the lesser knowns so categorize them as a "highlight"? I read alot of your stuff AL and wether good or bad, and I never once read any of your stuff and went to myself "so whats the point here?", and I can tell you must have wrote this half asleep or something AL. Thumbs down buddy, erase that please...Tony Bosco...you gotta be fukkin kiddin me...COME ON AL
 

Haha damn, man, tell me how you really feel! Honestly when a CD has almost 30 songs all by different artists you can't mention everything, but obviously what I did find noteworthy and you didn't comes down to personal taste more than anything else. I'll definitely listen to it again more closely before I put up the GN post about it, though. What songs did you like best, what should I have mentioned?
 

Im ah about to tear this whole mixtape apart limb from limb...if i dont mention a joint, just assume its BULLSHIT....

I would have simply stuck behind saying "this cd is wack" or not write about it all. I would not have have said in so many words "ok this cd is kinda OKAY, because atleast it has Tony Bosco and Bossman on it", because thats pretty much what that whole review sums up too in the end. The DJ's involved did a dam near awful job with tracklist, that duece ur hynest track should not have been added too this mixtape PERIOD, its not like he absolutely murdered that Kia Shine track, so its just one more oppurtunity for a listener to skip a track and give up the mixtape as a whole, the Bossman track is not worth a mention, im not tryna down play his grind, Bossman by some magic manages to stay on top of the game as far as noteriety and buzz is concerned, how he does with such mediocre lyrical ability is beyond me, maybe its just that undeniable delivery of his that gets him over, aside from his beast of a promo team. Now the Tonio from the top track, altho it pains me too admit, that shit is FIRE, them Bloc niggas have a hard time pulling off a good solid SONG, but they succeeded with one, well maybe not FIRE, but very very close, its worth mentioning. The Ogun track, that one is mention worthy, Ogun is not particularly my taste in music, but I will never deny the fact he makes way better overall MUSIC than the majority, the songs makes sense, the lyrics are crispy and make the point, its HOT, I would mention that joint. TONY BOSCO IS ASS, PERIOD, he shouldnt even be on a mixtape with sponge bob square pants. For the record Tony Bosco is not known because he makes good music, Tony Bosco is well known because he really lives what he raps about, that much I can vouch for personally, but far as rapping HELL NO. Barnes, you must just not like Barnes music at all cause you never write about him in anything, but bottom line is, Barnes is THEE BEST rapper in Baltimore PERIOD, besides that annoyin "Aye Aye" Barnes is all around flawless where this street music is concerned, im sure if Barnes had the right people around him, Bossman would quickly be forgotten.
 

(continued)

Now when you mentioned "highlights" or "known rappers", who is more talked about in our hip-hop community than Barnes? Even the rappers you brag on love Barnes and big him up above themselves. Dont get me wrong, that "Hustle Man" track aint nothin mind blowing, I personally wouldnt have used it, but its not terrible either. If I were starting a sentence like "some of the more known rappers on the mixtape..." a sentence like that is gonna end with "Barnes", not "TONY BOSCO" (yes im super pissed you went there AL, so im ah keep sayin his name lol). Oh and lets not forget the boy 100 Grand Man, he aint lyrical at all, but got dammit we all love 100 Grand Man, "These Lambo doors, im killing myself", come on man, how was he NOT a highlight? The COMP track is cool, Dave The Barber....COME ON DJS, wtf was the the point in..... putting that shit on this mixtape? leave the "cant really rap" shit too 100 Grand Man please, he does it well, Dave the barber is all around BOOTY, yall must want free shape up or something. Tay ft Smash "I Am" , I dont really dig that shit, but I could see a bunch of hood niggas fukkin wit that so I would keep that one, which is exactly how I feel about the R.I.C.O joint, except I would probably be quicker too listen to R.I.C.O joint, he's more sensable. Blesst "Nooo", thats good shit right there, people will listen too that. Haz = Trashz. Savage Da Beast "haters", I was actually starting to vibe with that joint till THEY CUT IT OFF, man you DJ niggas are rediculous, why not cut Bossman shit short and let this rock????? Do yall even listen to the joints yall put on these mixtapes?? smh. Hunit Stackz "gotta get my money", I like that joint. Joe Delux "shut it down", great production, decent vocalist considering your underground, but them verses lackin, you keep missin the rim tryin to make a punchline, you reachin too hard, mixtape could do without this track, shit is real rookie-ish, 10 times better than that Haz shit tho. Paula Campbell, you can do better, thats all im ah say. Talal, sorry try again sir, you tried, but you sooo fucked that idea up. Blue & Rockwell "Big High", I like that a lil somethin somethin, I would have definatly used this on the mixtape. Mr. Popularity....BOOOOOOOOO, that hook shoulda went like "yea they know me, but I dont know why". The Smash joint "Gettin Money" im tired of hearing that joint, but I guess its new to the rest of the world, so OK. I prefer BarrS over Barrz...the one with the Z we could have done without, i like KG music but come on man, he rapping over top of producers tags, and thats not a track u open up a mixtape with, should have bumped that down bout 7 spots, its a cool song tho i guess ...for a lifetime, try again sir.
 

oh and that "for a lifetime, try again sir" was for the "Barrz" comment was saying we could without that cat for a lifetime and too try again
 

Haha OK, thanks for the detail. If you're gonna keep leaving long-winded quality comments anonymously, you need to pick an alias or something so I know when I'm talking to the same person and when I'm talking to some other anonymous. I'm gonna call you The Beacon Of Truth unless you have any other suggestions, because that's what you seem to think you are.

I don't really know much of Tony Bosco or his music or have any strong feelings either way, but I liked his track on here and wanted to give it a quick mention, don't understand why that's so offensive to you or what your issue with him. But you misread the review, I said Bosco is "lesser known," which renders half of what you're complaining about irrelevant.

I really liked Barnes's first album, but the recent stuff just hasn't grabbed me in the same way, been meaning to go back and give it another chance. I never got the impression that he was miles ahead of anyone else in terms of skills or buzz, but maybe I haven't been listening hard enough. Still, if even you admit that his track on here wasn't anything special, then maybe you shouldn't blow a gasket that I didn't see the need to bring it up. As for the rest of your comments...some good points, but ultimately it doesn't seem like you disagree with me that much on the quality of most of the songs! Thanks for humoring me, though, Beacon.
 

See how I really WENT IN on these niggas tho. See how I how didn't chop it down and make it less harsh. Thats what I mean, because when you play nice, niggas just repeat the same shit, hoping you kinda let that shit slide too. Plus I wanted to be extra detailed, because im sure Architects will read this shit, so I wanna throw it out there that them niggas need to step it up if their gonna take on such a responsibilty. You as a normal human being look at your review and read between the lines easily. These rap niggas have a different kind of mind that will read what you wrote and get a whole different meaning out of it. For example i'm ah just be Duece Ur Hynest for example. That nigga goin read what you wrote and say to himself "well he aint say it was wack so, maybe I should do that next time they have a mixtape dropping". Then he will probably post a blog or something trying to give people the impression that you support that track, probably titled something like "Al Shipleys mentions my song..." and will feel like he made a great career move. But if YOU had said something like what I just said, that nigga would say to himself one of two things. "Dam I knew I should have sent something else, Ill do better next time" or "fuck this rap shit I quit"...(hopefully the second one)
 

I see what you mean, but man you can GO IN all you want anonymously. As harsh as people say I am, I've been tactful enough that I can still go out to shows and not get my ass kicked, so I must be doing something right. And trust me, when I'm value neutral on something or don't offer much in the way of commentary, artists tend to take offense to the lack of praise more often than they appreciate the lack of criticism. It sucks if it means that I might write a review here or there that feels like I'm not saying anything or wasting space, but a lot of times I'm just throwing music or names out there to give others a chance to form an opinion, whether I've had a strong reaction myself either way. I could name so many artists who I thought were wack the first time I heard them, but I'm glad I was polite or held my tongue about it because they either ended up doing great music, or being a cool person, or both. Obviously I'm not just out to make friends and flatter people, but I'm not out to burn every bridge before I know what it even is, either. Deuce Ur Hynest has a stupid name and it was pointless for him to showcase a freestyle over a wack song on this mixtape, but I honestly can't say based on that song whether he's a good artist or he's got some good music in him in the future, so why say more than that?
 

Beacon Of Truth you need a blog homie. Call that shit "Critical Breakdown."
 

Barnes is THEE BEST rapper in Baltimore PERIOD,aaaaaaahhhhh no!oh BTW i know who this beacon guy is,I Know from your writing style Mr.M
 

This is hilarious!

I have been here before with my no holds barred review of that MD Hip Hop Alliance mixtape.
 

Okay after reading all of this and taking it in, this is FUNNY!!!!

Now, the mixtape itself IS on the half, I've said before, 85% of local unsigned music is garbage, and when it comes to rap/ hip hop, it's more like 90%. So any mixtape you get like this is going to be spotty at best.

To me, Al does a great job and his review was pretty much the same as yours sans the insults. Yes, there is wack stuff there, but as a journalist you have to be somewhat diplomatic, even just as an effort to be readable.

But yeah, B-more could use more coverage, you should try it out. If you have the time to listen to this mixtape and write your review, you surely have time to do it a lil more often.
 

Sh!t, I forgot, i wanted to speak on Bosco, too.

Now, Bosco, being NOT a great emcee, does do a decent job on the song. It comes together well and is a hi lite of the Carnegie Records mixtape. He's also good when guesting with a 16 on other folks songs. He kills his verse on Profound's mixtape.

And THAT is what I wanted to speak. I was VERY dissappointed with that mixtape. There is not enough EJ at all, nothing but Bosco and it is evident that he can't carry a disc by himself. Big Stee is no help at all. After West Side Hustle I was so anxious to hear this and it pales in comparison.
 

Ok taking in the statement made that journalist have to be "diplomatic" then I will agree in saying that AL did what he was suppose too. Let me be a lil more clear in what I meant by saying his review was bad. I guess I'm what you call an "all or nothing" and/or "tough love" kinda person. So I prefer somebody go ALL THE WAY in on topic or not say nothing at all, because when its kinda in the middle and undetailed, its almost like giving me peanut butter with no jelly, its like "wtf am I gonna do with this? choke to death?". I think AL does a GREAT job with this blog, thats why I come here daily and even bothered to throw my two cents in, so I guess I just have to respect his position, and I will personally take on the "Go Hard" part of it, treat these rap niggas like my kids. And as for you Anonymous person who claims to know my Identity, I promise you do not, there is no M in my name and nobody calls me by anything with an M in it, I dont want you going at the wrong person behind something I said. If you want to know who I am, post your show dates and I will come and introduce myself buddy