Shatter the Standards

Album Review: Hooke’s Law by keiyaA keiyaA bends back against every pressure that tried to flatten her: label demands, self-doubt, the myth of composure. Hooke’s Law is the resistance that keeps a Black woman’s world from collapsing.

keiyaA bends back against every pressure that tried to flatten her: label demands, self-doubt, the myth of composure. Hooke’s Law is the resistance that keeps a Black woman’s world from collapsing.

Milestones: Come to My Garden by Minnie Riperton At a time when psychedelic soul and heavy funk dominated, Come to My Garden offered something different: an elegant fusion of soul, jazz, and classical elements that people now hail as a masterpiece.

At a time when psychedelic soul and heavy funk dominated, Come to My Garden offered something different: an elegant fusion of soul, jazz, and classical elements that people now hail as a masterpiece.

Album Review: Haunted by Fame by Offset Despite the spooky timing, Offset’s fourth solo project arrives with a Halloween release date, two months after his introspective Kiari. The mood is less camp and more cathartic.

Despite the spooky timing, Offset’s fourth solo project arrives with a Halloween release date, two months after his introspective Kiari. The mood is less camp and more cathartic.

October 2025 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month With releases from Mobb Deep to Sudan Archives, here are notable releases in October that stood out to us as the best albums of the month.

With releases from Mobb Deep to Sudan Archives, here are notable releases in October that stood out to us as the best albums of the month.

Album Review: Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King by Big L Twenty-six years after his death, Big L’s voice returns—restored, re-spliced, and surrounded by living giants trying to prove they still remember how sharp his tongue was.

Twenty-six years after his death, Big L’s voice returns—restored, re-spliced, and surrounded by living giants trying to prove they still remember how sharp his tongue was.

Milestones: Stankonia by OutKast Stankonia remains celebrated as a masterpiece, partly because it captured the last time André and Big Boi’s visions fully connected.

Stankonia remains celebrated as a masterpiece, partly because it captured the last time André and Big Boi’s visions fully connected.

New Music Drops: October 31, 2025 Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on October 31st, featuring Florence and the Machine, keiyaA, Jai’Len Josey, Saint Harison, and many others.

Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on October 31st, featuring Florence and the Machine, keiyaA, Jai’Len Josey, Saint Harison, and many others.

Wednesday Roundups #125: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time With Yazmin Lacey, Mike Shabb, Debórah Bond, Keithian, Ré Lxuise, Sophia Galaté, Storm Ford, Elle Eliades, Sadistik/NOWHERE2RUN, and others, hit play on these projects released last week.

With Yazmin Lacey, Mike Shabb, Debórah Bond, Keithian, Ré Lxuise, Sophia Galaté, Storm Ford, Elle Eliades, Sadistik/NOWHERE2RUN, and others, hit play on these projects released last week.

Anniversaries: Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God by Busta Rhymes An epic by design, ELE 2 invites comparisons to the disaster movies that inspired Busta’s imagination. There are quiet scenes of introspection, ensemble monocles, ups and downs, and eerie interludes.

An epic by design, ELE 2 invites comparisons to the disaster movies that inspired Busta’s imagination. There are quiet scenes of introspection, ensemble monocles, ups and downs, and eerie interludes.

Anniversaries: On Top of the World by 8Ball & MJG Eightball & MJG built an album that both celebrated and challenged the G‑funk template. It is a blueprint that informs how Southern rappers approach production, storytelling, and collaboration.

Eightball & MJG built an album that both celebrated and challenged the G‑funk template. It is a blueprint that informs how Southern rappers approach production, storytelling, and collaboration.

Do You Miss ‘90s R&B, or Do You Miss Being Told What to Love? The nostalgia feels righteous—until you realize it’s mostly a performance. We keep mourning a Golden Age we could rediscover at any time if we actually listened instead of scrolling.

The nostalgia feels righteous—until you realize it’s mostly a performance. We keep mourning a Golden Age we could rediscover at any time if we actually listened instead of scrolling. Read over at Blackpolitan.

Anniversaries: Stone Jam by Slave The album’s title couldn’t be more appropriate: this was a stone-cold jam, set in stone for posterity, and it continues to shine as a gem of funk music.

The album’s title couldn’t be more appropriate: this was a stone-cold jam, set in stone for posterity, and it continues to shine as a gem of funk music.

EP Review: 30. (EP) by Queen Naija Queen Naija enters her thirties with a project that looks back while pivoting forward. Over eight tracks, she deals heartbreak diaries for a balanced mix of self‑care, sensuality and ambition.

Queen Naija enters her thirties with a project that looks back while pivoting forward. Over eight tracks, she deals heartbreak diaries for a balanced mix of self‑care, sensuality and ambition.

Album Review: Goldfish by Hit-Boy & The Alchemist Hit-Boy and The Alchemist challenged what a producer‑driven rap album can be. The mixture of liberation, craftsmanship and vulnerability makes it one of the most interesting hip‑hop records of 2025.

Hit-Boy and The Alchemist challenged what a producer‑driven rap album can be. The mixture of liberation, craftsmanship and vulnerability makes it one of the most interesting hip‑hop records of 2025.

Anniversaries: Dogg Food by Tha Dogg Pound When considered alongside the two West Coast classics, Dogg Food is an homage and transition. It pays respect to the G‑funk architecture, yet it marks a divisive entry in the West Coast canon.

When considered alongside the two West Coast classics, Dogg Food is an homage and transition. It pays respect to the G‑funk architecture, yet it marks a divisive entry in the West Coast canon.

Anniversaries: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia by JAY-Z JAY‑Z was transitioning from rapper to executive, and Roc‑A‑Fella was morphing from a boutique label into an empire. The Dynasty offers a snapshot of early‑21st‑century Black music culture.

JAY‑Z was transitioning from rapper to executive, and Roc‑A‑Fella was morphing from a boutique label into an empire. The Dynasty offers a snapshot of early‑21st‑century Black music culture.

EP Review: PHOLKS (EP) by Leon Thomas PHOLKS isn’t as sweeping as Electric Dusk or as immediate as “Mutt,” but that’s the point. It’s an experiment in restraint from an artist who’s spent years perfecting maximalism.

PHOLKS isn’t as sweeping as Electric Dusk or as immediate as “Mutt,” but that’s the point. It’s an experiment in restraint from an artist who’s spent years perfecting maximalism.

Album Review: The Boy Who Played the Harp by Dave Dave’s third album trades the high‑stakes bravado of his earlier work for a quieter reckoning. It feels like watching a gifted storyteller learn to sit with faith, grief, and masculine complicity.

Dave’s third album trades the high‑stakes bravado of his earlier work for a quieter reckoning. It feels like watching a gifted storyteller learn to sit with faith, grief, and masculine complicity.

New Music Drops: October 24, 2025 Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on October 24th, featuring Daniel Caesar, Miguel, Tyla, Tiana Major9, and many others.

Here’s your upcoming rundown of albums/singles releasing on October 24th, featuring Daniel Caesar, Miguel, Tyla, Tiana Major9, and many others.

Album Review: Love?… or Something Like It by Halle Halle’s debut is ambitious and emotionally honest. The album’s imperfections feel human rather than careless, making this an impressive step for a singer whose voice remains her greatest instrument.

Halle’s debut is ambitious and emotionally honest. The album’s imperfections feel human rather than careless, making this an impressive step for a singer whose voice remains her greatest instrument.

Album Review: Son of Spergy by Daniel Caesar Son of Spergy is Daniel Caesar’s most candid and conflicted project to date. Its highs are deeply moving, but uneven pacing and over‑reliance in spots keep it from being the definitive statement.

Son of Spergy is Daniel Caesar’s most candid and conflicted project to date. Its highs are deeply moving, but uneven pacing and over‑reliance in spots keep it from being the definitive statement.

Album Review: CAOS by Miguel On CAOS, Miguel honors his eclectic past while carving a new space where vulnerability and swagger coexist. Its willingness to sit with pain and joy makes it the most complete portrait of him to date.

On CAOS, Miguel honors his eclectic past while carving a new space where vulnerability and swagger coexist. Its willingness to sit with pain and joy makes it the most complete portrait of him to date.

The Ten Best Mannie Fresh‑Produced Albums, Ranked Here is a ranked list of Mannie Fresh's ten best-produced albums—each entry linked to one of his projects, highlighting how his writing and musical choices shaped those records.

Here is a ranked list of Mannie Fresh's ten best-produced albums—each entry linked to one of his projects, highlighting how his writing and musical choices shaped those records.

Wednesday Roundups #124: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time With JMSN, PARTYOF2, Sudan Archives, Boz Scaggs, 7xvethegenius, Bryant Barnes, WILSN, Isaiah Falls, Pynk Beard, Charlotte Dos Santos, and others, hit play on these projects released last week.

With JMSN, PARTYOF2, Sudan Archives, Boz Scaggs, 7xvethegenius, Bryant Barnes, WILSN, Isaiah Falls, Pynk Beard, Charlotte Dos Santos, and others, hit play on these projects released last week.

Anniversaries: Groove Theory by Groove Theory Unlike the explicit world‑building of their peers, Groove Theory plants its imagery in everyday moments—commutes, stoops, first kisses.

Unlike the explicit world‑building of their peers, Groove Theory plants its imagery in everyday moments—commutes, stoops, first kisses.

Album Review: Teal Dreams by Yazmin Lacey Teal Dreams reimagines freedom not as a grand statement but as a series of small, deliberate gestures. In doing so, Yazmin Lacey continues to carve out her own space—teal, tender, and defiantly hers.

Teal Dreams reimagines freedom not as a grand statement but as a series of small, deliberate gestures. In doing so, Yazmin Lacey continues to carve out her own space—teal, tender, and defiantly hers.

Anniversaries: All Balls Don’t Bounce by Aceyalone Though it flew under the radar in 1995, the album became a bedrock for the Los Angeles underground hip-hop renaissance. Aceyalone inspired countless artists who followed.

Though it flew under the radar in 1995, the album became a bedrock for the Los Angeles underground hip-hop renaissance. Aceyalone inspired countless artists who followed.

The Quiet Revolution, From There’s a Riot Goin’ On to Black Messiah Both artists, across eras, translate collapse into communion. They show that when utopias fall apart, music can offer refuge; when slogans lose their power, groove can carry the weight of protest.

Both artists, across eras, translate collapse into communion. They show that when utopias fall apart, music can offer refuge; when slogans lose their power, groove can carry the weight of protest. Read over at Blackpolitan.

Album Review: The BPM by Sudan Archives Sudan Archives has done it again with her third album. The strengths—muscle‑building loops, hybrid production, and a cohesive narrative of self‑transformation—make The BPM a standout release.

Sudan Archives has done it again with her third album. The strengths—muscle‑building loops, hybrid production, and a cohesive narrative of self‑transformation—make The BPM a standout release.

Anniversaries: Soulife by Anthony Hamilton Soulife holds space in Anthony Hamilton’s catalog not simply as a curiosity or a compilation, but as an alternate axis. It stands beside his later work as both precursor and companion.

Soulife holds space in Anthony Hamilton’s catalog not simply as a curiosity or a compilation, but as an alternate axis. It stands beside his later work as both precursor and companion.