Broccoli Sprouts, or baby broccoli, are a so-called Super Food, meaning they’re one of the healthiest you can eat. They’re “nature’s best source of” Sulforaphane, perhaps the safest way to fight or prevent cancer.
What I like about Sunny Creek’s, which you can find at North Carolina grocery stores, is that it’s ready to eat; no cooking or prepping. The taste is also tolerable; probably the best I can say for any plant sprout.
my rating : 3 of 5
I appreciate the Tender Style; tough jerky can be a nuisance to eat; and smoke (barbecuesque) flavor. Still these Beef Steaks, which may as well be belt steaks by the looks of them, are nothing to write home about. That’s perhaps unless you’re stranded on an island or lost at sea, in which I imagine they’d be a godsend.
my rating : 3 of 5
Sadat X apparently considers this an official album, but it comes across as a mixtape of sorts in celebration of “the world opened back up” from the (ridiculous) hoopla of Covid-19. Though I certainly disagree with his boneheaded views on race and religion; he compares Niggas To Gods; I remain a fan of his odd word-emphasizing rap style, especially over raw soul-bap beats like these.
my rating : 3 of 5
2022
The 1996 Resurrection of the Geto Boys didn’t last long. Bushwick Bill, the only member there since the beginning, is nowhere to be found. As far as this album is concerned, the group is down to just Willie D and Scarface backed with a gang of guest rappers, including, randomly enough, Caine from Menace To Society.
Dawn 2 Dusk, which also features DMG and Yukmouth, is one of Da Good songs. Others include Eye 4 An Eye, on which Willie D goes off on an angry and epic rant against racist white people, Gangsta and Thugg Niggaz. I also like Bitches And Hoes. None of the rest is particularly Bad nor Ugly, but most is middling.
my rating : 3 of 5
1998
The best song here is about a talkative girl named Elizabeth Einstein. It’s a “love” ballad that stands out for its vocal melodies and harmonies. “We could be a good idea some time,” a smitten Adam Schmitt thinks to himself as she blathers on. It’s a good song on an album that, despite its title, is mostly a dull affair.
my rating : 3 of 5
1991
Why R Kelly would put out a song entitled I Admit while being publicly accused of, and potentially investigated for, real-life sex crimes; a song at least partially about said allegations; is beyond me. He stops short of confessing to an actual crime; in fact he strongly implies his innocence; and a song, even a long-ass rambling one, is just a song, but it’s not a good look.
“I admit it,” the ill-advised hook goes, “I did it.” His detractors (“haters”) will isolate those words and use them as weapons, but his sentiments aren’t lost on me. This is, from the prolific R&B artist whose album titles include Love Letter and Write Me Back, an open diary entry in which the singer; a famous one on the verge of becoming infamous; laments his life struggles.
You can say he’s playing the victim, but, in some ways, he is one. A lot of celebrities are. They’re often taken advantage of for the sake of fame and fortune and Kells is no exception. I think that’s him in “the tape”. I saw it before deepfakes. I also think he’s being falsely accused by lying-ass groupies. Don’t get me started on Jim DeRogatis and the biased news media.
my rating : 3 of 5
2018
Mount Westmore should be the album title. There’s no need for a group moniker. Stating each rapper’s name; Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40 and Too Short; doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it’s better than cramming them together for what ultimately makes for an awkwardly self-titled debut. That’s if you don’t count the obscure NFT version; Bad MFs; released a few months ago.
The songs are about what you’d expect. All four Californians are, as the farcical cover picture suggests, gods of the rap game. They’re also long past their creative slash stylistic primes, though E-40 remains the most unique and interesting character of the bunch. His verses and the beats are the best parts. The worst are the hooks, most of which are, despite claims to do their Best, half-assed.
my rating : 3 of 5
2022
MC Shan must’ve been on that Rock Stuff when he decided to include on his third solo album a song by M And M. Their “groove”; a chorusless demo; is easily the worst here. The best, which, true to the liner pictures, ends the set on a romantic note, is How I Feel About You; the heartbreak beat of which is quite beguiling. Ain’t It Good To You? Yeah, it is. I also like Ran The Game and Funkin.
Shan, with his sneakily clever rhymes and charismatic vocal inflections, is fun to listen to. It’s when nothing interesting’s happening during the breaks that the album falters. The vocal samples on Time For Us To Defend Ourselves, which protests police brutality, are quite effective, but the Richard Pryor bits on Death Was Quite A Surprise and Music You Can Dance To won’t induce any encores.
my rating : 3 of 5
1990
Strawberry Pocky is better. This Cookies And Cream version, the Cream coating of which looks darker than it does on the box, is a little too chocolatey for my taste. Even the sticks are chocolate, which is a tad overwhelming.
my rating : 3 of 5
The title suggests a game of basketball, but it’s the rap game KRS-One plays best. He’s The MC of MCs; a hip-hopper in perhaps its purest form. He’s also The Teacha, so, if we’re using the sport of basketball for comparison’s sake, he’s a former star player turned coach. The big difference is that, while arguably past his prime, he just can’t stay off the court.
There’s even a song entitled Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, but it’s not about his love for rap music. It’s a tale, told from the first-person perspective, about a drug dealer who, in order to avoid going to prison, makes a deal with the police. The story, enhanced with dramatic sound effects where applicable, fits snug into the BDP canon, alongside Love’s Gonna Get You.
It’s the ridiculous abundance of skits and bits, tracked in place of full-length songs, that serves as KRS-One’s foulest offense. There are two back-to-back intros at the start, for example, and three Halftime interludes in a row, which collectively come across as album filler, especially when you find yourself skipping them for the umpteenth time.
Only about half of the tracks are actual songs. Even if you ignore the rest of the album, only about half of those songs are of any notable quality. Step Into A World works in an off-beat kind of way and Real Hip-Hop is just that, but Blowe sounds silly and the Heartbeat beat; the song features Redman and Angie Martinez; is wack. So much for the Playoffs.
my rating : 3 of 5
1997
It wasn’t a good idea to start this album with samples from Purple Rain because they only remind listeners how much better Prince’s music used to be. That’s not to say this new album is bad; the OX song, June and Fallinlove2nite are worthy additions to his Hit list; just that it pales in comparison. That’s despite a consistently “fun”ky soundscape from producer Joshua Welton.
my rating : 3 of 5
2015
Morris Day concludes his supposed final album like Billy Joel concluded his; with a song about it being the end. The metaphor of that title song has him in a club, at the bar, as it’s about to close for what’s left of the night. The Time frontman takes the opportunity to say thanks, and goodbye, to his longtime fans.
Last Call, the setting of which conflicts with the “morning” song before it, is probably the best cut here, but nothing jams like Babylove. The album, which features a surprising amount of guest rappers, stays Funkin; Girls will like dancing to these beats; but leaves much to be desired in the way of vocal melody.
my rating : 3 of 5
2022