Rap & Order

Case 068: The Massacre

This week, the guys revisit 50 Cent's sophomore album, The Massacre. The release was fueled by beefs with the likes of Jadakiss, Fat Joe, and Ja Rule at the time, and was a huge commercial success, moving more than 1.1 million units in its first week. But how has it faired over time, and does it measure up to his monstrous debut?

Case 067: Nostalgia, ULTRA

This week the guys discuss Frank Ocean's Nostalgia, ULTRA. It was the introduction for many, to Frank Ocean's music and sound, and is still praised as one of his finest releases. Everyone seems to have personal stories from this era of Frank's mixtape release. Does it get the heralded classic ranking?

Case 066: If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

This week, the guys are focusing on Drake's mixtape release, If You're Read This It's Too Late. Although his beef with Meek Mill took away some of the focus on this project, many Drake purists consider this to be his best release. Now that we're well past this era of his music, where can you comfortably rank it?

Case 065: Late Registration

This week, the guys revisit Kanye West's second album, "Late Registration." Seen as a more polished version of his debut, the album fulfilled Kanye's goal of being respected as not just a top-shelf producer, but also as an MC. How do you rank it in his catalog?

Case 064: Hustler’s P.O.M.E

This week, the guys revisit Jim Jones' third studio album "Hustler's P.O.M.E. The album not only had his biggest single to date with "We Fly High," but also set new eyes on Jim as a consistent rapper. The guys attempt to break down this release's impact and lasting power.

Case 063: The Warm Up

For this episode, the guys are joined by Suzanne Biello to discuss J. Cole's second mixtape, "The Warm Up." Released in 2009, it was praised for highlighting Cole's hunger for recognition, his strength as a producer, and his impending rise to the top. Now that he's a superstar, how has our outlook changed on this release?

Case 062: N.O.R.E

This week, the guys run through N.O.R.E's self-titled debut. Released in 1998, one of the biggest years in Hip-Hop, it still managed to stand out thanks to hits like "Super thug," "I Love My Life," and one of the greatest posse cuts of all time, "Banned From T.V." The guys can agree on the nostalgic value, but is it a classic?

Case 061: No Way Out

This week, the guys revisit Puff Daddy & The Family's "No Way Out." It was the debut studio album from Puff, and most notably, was released a couple of months after Biggie's untimely death. The guys breakdown the release's importance to the culture, Biggie's involvement, and of course, have an in-depth discussion about each song.

Case 060: Acid Rap

In this episode, the guys breakdown the making of Chance The Rapper's second mixtape, "Acid Rap." The tape was certified diamond on DatPiff for garnering over 10 million downloads, and was the beginning of Chance's takeover. Though it was met with universal acclaim, the guys dig into how this release helped define Chance as a rapper, and where it stands today.

Case 059: Control System

This week, we focus on Ab-Soul's second studio album "Control System." The album received critical acclaim upon release, with Soulo's topics of choice, which included politics, corruption, rebellion, and religion, being the highlight for many. Has this aged well with audiences?