CAM’RON & A-TRAK – U WASN’T THERE

Cam’ron and producer A-Trak teamed up to give us a dope new Cam’ron album. Let’s be honest, Cam’ron pretty much never misses with anything he does. His rhymes are Harlem to the core and dope as hell. He is able to secure some of the best beats in the game every single time. The guy can’t lose. This new project follows suit just the same as past releases. His bars are great and flashy as ever. He is confident as hell and his rhymes display that perfectly. He has features from Jim Ones, Juelz Santana, Conway, Mr. Vegas, and more. The production on here is great. It almost sounds like the classic Heatmakerz sound that we all love from the Diplomats. This is a solid album that Diplomat fans will love and put on repeat without any question.

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#camron #cam’ron #killacam #mr_camron #camerongiles #diplomats #dipset #harlem #atrak #a-trak #uwasntthere #uwt

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LOBBY BOYZ (JIM JONES & MAINO) – THE LOBBY BOYZ

Jim Jones and Maino squash any kinds of previous beef and join forces to give us the Lobby Boyz album. This was an interesting album to say the least. As far as the bars go, you pretty much get what you expect from both MCs. You will get street raps as opposed to mind-bending punchlines. Now with the production on here, you definitely get an interesting mix. If you take every popular East Coast sample from the past 20-25 years or so and put them together, you get all the beats for this album. I don’t think that they had very many, if any, original beats on here. Now, one might say that that is a lazy approach musically, while others may praise the way they sound over those classic tracks. I find myself on the fence about it. If nothing else, it does sound great hearing two veteran MCs go back and forth over classic tracks. Jim definitely takes the crown with the lyrical side. All in all, not a bad effort from them Lobby Boyz.

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#lobbyboyz #jimjones #jimjonescapo #capo #diplomats #dipset #eastside #harlem #maino #mainohustlehard #jermaine #brooklyn #thelobbyboyz

JIM JONES & DJ DRAMA – WE SET THE TRENDS

Jim Jones and DJ Drama join forces to drop a pretty crappy mixtape. This is littered with below average artists and a ton of beats that sound the same. There is a good stretch in the middle of the project that just sounds like the same song over and over again. I got tons of respect for Jim Jones. He is usually pretty dope with the rhymes and he is on this one. It’s just that all of these other artists and terrible beats is just way too much. With this album being 25 tracks long, it goes way over what it should have been. A lot of these so-called rappers on here sound like everyone else out there. The only songs that are salvageable are the ones like “Fit Lit (Betty White)” featuring Dave East, Maino, and Fabolous and “Barz” featuring Dave East. When you get veteran East Coast rappers that know what they are doing on the mic, it produces better results. These are the kinds of projects that drag down the excellence of hip-hop music. It’s a quick money grab with no regard for the art. I’m hoping for a better project next time Jim.

OVERALL RATING: 0.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#jimjones #jimjonescapo #capo #diplomats #dipset #eastside #harlem #djdrama #drama #qualitystreetmusic #gangstagrillz #wesetthetrends #wstt

HELL RELL & MARTY BALLER – WOK WORLD

Hell Rell teams up with some guy named Marty Baller for some reason. These two came up with this 5 track project and it is straight garbage. Hell Rell is a good lyricist, so why he choses to work with such untalented people is beyond me. It must be for a paycheck because it certainly isn’t for the artistic vision. Rell’s rhymes are okay throughout this project but they don’t sound as good as he could because of the beats on here. Marty Baller sounds terrible on the mic. He sound as if he is whining in pain most times that you hear him. And that is just what your ears will feel: pain. This is a garbage project and should be thrown away. Skip right over this one.

OVERALL RATING: 0.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#hellrell #therealhellrell #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #martyballer #martyballerr #wokworld

HELL RELL – THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE 2

Hell Rell comes back with another new project for the streets. While it is absolutely refreshing to hear from any of the Diplomat members, Hell Rell falls a little short with this newest project. It sounds more like a trap record than the classic Diplomat sound and that can be disappointing. On the mic, Hell Rell isn’t bad. It’s just that he doesn’t sound as great as he once did. The beats on here are definitely the half that suffers more. It really is more reminiscent of the trap sound than anything else. All in all the record definitely needed some improvement. I think if Hell Rell went back to his roots, he could really create something hard. Until then, we just have to hope for that record.

OVERALL RATING: 2.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#hellrell #therealhellrell #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #thegoldentriangle2 #goldentriangle2 #thegoldentriangle #goldentriangle

HELL RELL – THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE

The Diplomat veteran drops a quick five track EP possibly attempting a comeback. Hell Rell was always dope and always had hard street bars. He brings more of that same heat with this new project. On the mic, he sounds as fresh as he always has with a new batch of some hard, street rhymes. The production on this is decent as well. It sounds like he selected some pretty decent beats. He even gets JR Writer to spit a verse with him on “Baking Soda Bible” showing that their relationship is still strong. The highlight of this short project is “Pandemic” in which his bars are extra focused on getting that money coming through the pandemic. All in all, this was a dope project that hopefully signals the return of Hell Rell.

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#hellrell #therealhellrell #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #thegoldentriangle #goldentriangle

JIM JONES – EL CAPO (DELUXE)

The Capo Jim Jones gives us the deluxe version of his El Capo album. This one boasts 15 new tracks added on which is basically a whole brand new album added onto the previous one. Jim does a great job at piecing together some new music with a theme to it. He enlists the help of singer Marc Scibilia for a lot of the tracks and honestly, the two of them have a knack for putting together some great and innovative new songs. I’m wondering if we will get a joint album out of them one day. There are some other notable features from Juelz Santana, Vado, Dave East, Maino, Nino Man, and the late Fred The Godson. The production on here is pretty decent. We even get an old school sounding Jim over a Heatmakerz track with “Gospel.” That is definitely one of the best highlights of this album. Overall, Jim Jones did a great job with this project and we definitely always look forward to new music from the Diplomat veteran.

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#jimjones #jimjonescapo #capo #diplomats #dipset #eastside #harlem #heatmakerz #theheatmakerz #arsonist #thrilla #elcapodeluxe #elcapo

HELL RELL & FLEXX LUGAR – RUGA & LUGAR EP

Hell Rell teams up with an MC I had never heard of before to give us 4 new tracks on this EP. This EP is not very good at all. Hell Rell basically sounds like he sold out his sound to just sell records. He is trying to appeal to this younger audience instead of doing what he does best. It really is sad. He used to be so good and so hardcore with his bars. Now he is trying to be a sellout? Sad. This MC Flexx Lugar sounds terrible. I can’t imagine someone actually liking his music. His bars are so simplistic and not very good at all. I hope that he takes a look at a newspaper to find a new job. It’s possible that UPS is hiring.

OVERALL RATING: 0.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#hellrell #therealhellrell #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #flexxlugar #rugaandlugarep #ruga&lugarep #rugaandlugar #ruga&lugar

JR WRITER – I REALLY RAP TOO

JR Writer hits us with another re-up with his new album I Really Rap Too. It’s always good to see members of the Diplomats movement still doing their thing, because they all were killing it during their run. JR Writer definitely still kills it on the mic and that is made obviously apparent right from the first track. I don’t think people remember or give credit to how good JR Writer really is. He has some great features from Royce Da 5’9″, 38 Spesh, Fred Money, & Dave East. The production on here is definitely a bit above average. He selects some really great beats by keeping some level of boom bap in here and a sprinkle of classic Diplomats sound. This is evidenced in the track “Levels In” as it is a dope beat with a great vocal sample. Sample heads should definitely recognize the tune used in the track “Don’t Do It.” This is a really good project that plays through pretty cohesively. Diplomat fans and casual rap fans will agree that this one is fire.

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteak

#jrwriter #jrwriter_ #zeus #thunda #dipset #diplomats #harlem #ireallyraptoo

JAY BEZEL – MONEY BAG MOB’N

Jay Bezel releases a brand new mixtape and this one definitely sounds more like a demo than a mixtape. He has always been a dope lyricist and that is still evidenced on this new release. It just doesn’t have that same classic Diplomat sound that his previous releases have had. He definitely took a step backwards with the production side. It really is a shame because Jay Bezel is a beast on the mic. He needs the right beats to bring it out of him. The ones on this project simply didn’t cut it like they should. This one definitely plays through more like an unmixed street demo rather than what we all envision it should sound like. We’re definitely hoping for a better outcome on his next one.

OVERALL RATING: 2 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#jaybezel #bezel #philadelphia #philly #illadelph #diplomats #dipset #moneybagmobn

JUELZ SANTANA – #FREESANTANA

While Juelz Santana remains in prison, he and his camp reignite his status as one of hip-hop’s greatest shining stars and strongly skilled lyricists. The Diplomat veteran sort of fell off the scene for quite awhile. After some failed attempts at some subpar mixtapes and groups like the Skull Gang, I thought it was over for him. This new mixtape is a testament to his strength and to his dedication to represent not only himself, but also the Dipset camp. His bars are definitely reinvigorated on here. His rhyme schemes and flows are back to the way they were which made him great. He sounds like the old Juelz. There are songs where in does try to utilize the new style flow like “EZ Work” and it just fails miserably. At least the whole album wasn’t littered with that though. Keep that to a minimum. The production throughout is very good as he mixes new beats and classic beats to rhyme over. It definitely sounds like a true mixtape. The 2 songs that stand out the most are the beautifully crafted “23 & 1” in which he talks about his jail situation and the Harlem heavy “Pink Eagle” that features Dave East and Jim Jones. This song sounds straight out of the Diplomat catalog and sounds like everyone belongs on it. This is a really great sound for Juelz and I hope he continues to ride this wave moving forward. Everyone loves a great comeback.

 

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#juelzsantana #juelz #thejuelzsantana #diplomats #dipset #harlem #freejuelzsantana

 

HELL RELL & GHOST THE INCREDIBLE – 2020 BEST OF ME

This is an insanely horrible album. First of all, the name Ghost The Incredible is false advertising. There is nothing incredible about this MC. You have to have incredible patience to even get through this entire record. I did not have that patience. I don’t even know why they say that Hell Rell is a part of this. He is featured on maybe 3 songs. What a dumb idea for Hell Rell to even get on this mess. I guess maybe that the money is running low and some low level rapper that managed to get his hands on some cash made Hell Rell hop on this mess of a project. Ghost the Incredible should never ever rap again. Please, for the love of God, hang it up already. Go and get a job mopping the floor at your nearest convenience center. Don’t ever write rhymes again, please. The rhymes are super trash. The beats aren’t much better. The only one that stood out was the reworking of Jay-Z’s “Dynasty Intro” on “Sippin Pain.” Other than that, this album is a complete dumpster fire. Don’t even google this mess.

 

OVERALL RATING: 0 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#hellrell #therealhellrell #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #ghosttheincredible #2020bestofme

 

CAM’RON – PURPLE HAZE 2

The Diplomat general and legend Cam’ron returns with a fantastic new release. It is so refreshing to hear a new record from this legendary MC. He really did his thing on this one. It starts out with a fantastic intro and probably the best song on the album with “Toast To Me.” It has that classic Heatmakerz/Diplomat sound and Killa Cam absolutely rips the beat. Throughout the album, you get more of the same. The beats are slamming for the most part throughout. There really aren’t too many misses on here. Cam hasn’t lost a step at all as he recounts some great stories and gives us some fantastic lines spread all through the album. Other highlights include “Big Deal” and “This Is My City.” Cam has absolutely blessed us with another brick on the mansion that the Diplomats built.

 

OVERALL RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#camron #cam’ron #mr_camron #camerongiles #diplomats #dipset #harlem #purplehaze2 #purplehaze

 

A-MAFIA & TOM GIST – WEST SIDE LEGENDZ

2 Diplomat legends link up for a very quick 6 track EP. This one is almost over before you know it which is a shame. A-Mafia comes out and spits his relentless street bars. He really shines with his rhymes as he almost never seems to run out of rhyming phrases. Tom Gist does a great job on the mic as well with his lessons of real life, pain, and struggle. You can always feel his rhymes in your soul. I just wish he would put out more readily available music. At least a freestyle tape or something. The beats on here are pretty average. You’re not really going to get anything that sounds like the classic Diplomat/Heatmakerz sound, but the beats are still decent. Overall, they did a good job on here, I just wish the project was longer.

 

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#amafia #a-mafia #mafiatheboss #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #tomgist #westsidelegendz #westsidelegends

 

HELL RELL – FORGIVE BUT NEVER FORGET

Hell Rell drops off a new project. Weighing in at 10 tracks, this is a good size project to showcase what the Diplomat rapper has been up to. This is a pretty standard release overall. His bars were decent. I actually think he did a better job than I expected him to do. You can still hear the hunger in his voice when he spits just as he did when he first came out with the Dipset. The production was average on here. A few tracks were a little bit under the standard that I was expecting but, overall not too bad. The highlight of the album is probably “Problem.” It’s a laid back beat where Ruger Rell just spits hard bars like he did in the past. It’s got a good interpolated hook to it as well which was appreciated. Hell Rell is letting all of y’all know he is still a problem for rappers in this game today.

 

OVERALL RATING: 3 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#hellrell #therealhellrell #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #forgivebutneverforget #fbnf

 

A-MAFIA – THE GOOD WITH THE BAD

The diplomat affiliate comes back pretty hard with a brand new project. His rhymes are dope just as he always has been. He has an uncanny ability to never slip up and always deliver dope rhymes with a great and unrelenting cadence. His street rhymes and flaunts just sound great with his powerful voice. The production was decent overall. I think everyone always wishes for more of that classic Diplomat sound back, but nonetheless, the music on here came off pretty good. Diplomat fans will definitely appreciate as it is always good to hear a Dipset affiliate do their thing.

 

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#amafia #a-mafia #mafiatheboss #diplomats #dipset #byrdgang #harlem #thegoodwiththebad #tgwtb

 

JIM JONES – EL CAPO

The Dipset Capo comes back at us in grand fashion with this latest project. This new album was so much better than his recent projects in the past 5 years or so. It’s great that he went back to his roots and got the Heatmakerz to take care of a lot of the production side of things. You almost get that old, classic Diplomat sound. Jim does a great job on the mic. It was evidenced on the Diplomat album that came out last year and he keeps the train rolling on this one. He definitely sounds like classic Jim like he did on his first album On My Way To Church. The production on this album is fantastic for the most part as well. There are a few tracks that I didn’t get into as much as others. They tend to be more towards the front of the album. The end of the album is phenomenal though. There are a lot of fire tracks to finish it out. Great tracks include “NYC” which features Fat Joe, “Cocaine Dreamin” which features Ball Greazy and Dave East which has such a banging beat to it, “Cristal Occasions,” and “Mama I Made It.” Other great songs include “Sports Car” featuring Currensy and “Bread Right” featuring Trav. The far and away best track on this album has to be “To Whom It May Concern” which features Cam’ron, Benny, Conway, and Guordon Banks. The beat is classic Dipset sound and the Griselda camp helps out to absolutely murder the microphone. You can’t go wrong with that track at all. It is such a classic song. Jim definitely comes back strong with this one. I highly advise you to pick this one up.

 

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#jimjones #jimjonescapo #capo #diplomats #dipset #eastside #harlem #heatmakerz #theheatmakerz #arsonist #thrilla #elcapo

 

JR WRITER, HELL RELL, & 40 CAL – THE UPSTAGE

First off, I love the idea of calling this project The Upstage. That is pure brilliance right there. You know that is in direct reference to the Diplomats project coming out on the same day. I don’t know why these dudes were left off of the Diplomat project. They were all integral parts of that whole camp’s success. To have a reunion and just leave them out is just sacrilege. With this project though, I think they honestly may have done what they set out to do and upstage Cam, Jim, and Juelz. Lyrically, they are all spitting that classic Diplomat fire on this project. The lyrics on here are definitely better than the the ones on the Diplomat project. You get top notch bars and metaphors from all of them. They are very clever and well thought-out. This was the kind of spitting we were used to back when they were doing their thing as a camp. The beats on this one were decent. I think over time, they lost a lot of the momentum and aren’t as hot out in the industry as they once were. This doesn’t allow them as easy as access to the hottest beats out there. Nonetheless, there are some dope tracks on here. If nothing else, this project is consistent. That is hard to do nowadays, but they have managed to do it. They showed everyone that they don’t need the big doggs to continue to spit heat. I really hope we see a lot more work from everyone in Dipset and I hope that they can all work together again as they did in the past.

 

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#diplomats #dipset #harlem #jrwriter #jrwriter_ #zeus #thunda #hellrell #therealhellrell #ruga #mrrugadashoota #40cal #fortycal #theupstage #upstage

 

DIPLOMATS – DIPLOMATIC TIES

The Dipset is finally back and they came back in a big way! This album only features the core members Cam’ron, Jim Jones, and Juelz Santana, but they did a pretty decent job overall on it. As far as bars, Jim Jones is noticeably fierce on here throughout. You can hear the ferocity and energy as he is spitting. He definitely stepped his game up for this one. Cam’ron has bars and sounds good, but sounds a little bit older on it. A little less energy is present when he is spitting. Juelz seems to have lost a step or two but overall, doesn’t do too bad on here. The beats was something I was was really concerned with. I was hoping to hear a complete revival of Heatmakerz beats and usher in a new renaissance in rap music, but I didn’t get that. That part of it was certainly a let down, but I think they managed to put together a newer, more updated sound though. You can definitely hear that they tried to dip their toe into the pool of the new sounding beats and flows. While it can be smart to do that sometimes and keep up with trends, I think it would have been better to sound more like the classics on this one. The best track on here is hands down “Dipset/LOX”  which obviously features the LOX. The beat is absolutely slamming and all rappers do their thing on this one. This is definitely the crown jewel on the project. It was also good to hear them end the project with a freestyle from Un Kasa. Although he sound a little dated in his voice, his energy is still there. All in all, this was a dope project and we are glad to have the set back in full force.

 

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

 

#diplomats #dipset #harlem #diplomaticties #camron #cam’ron #mr_camron #camerongiles #jimjones #jimjonescapo #capo #eastside #juelzsantana #juelz #thejuelzsantana

 

WALYO – DIPSET, WE STILL BANGIN

This was a bit of a different release out of the norm from what we normally do here, but a dope listen all around. This producer WalyO did a great thing and took some verses from the Diplomat camp and made some dope tracks for them to be laid over top of. It pretty much goes without saying that the Diplomat members can all spit. So lyrically, you pretty much have to give them all the credit they deserve for dope verses since we have already heard them before on previous releases. The beats on here were pretty dope overall. I think WalyO is definitely working with something here. I’d definitely like to hear more from him. It’s not quite what the Heatmakerz had done for the Diplomats, but it is a fresh and dope sound that serves this creation well.

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#walyo #walyo_ #dipsetwestillbangin #diplomats #dipset #harlem

JIM JONES – WASTED TALENT

Jim Jones comes back a lot stronger with this latest project called Wasted Talent. First off, it was definitely a good move having the Robert DeNiro directed “A Bronx Tale” movie as the backdrop for this project. I think Jim delivers some solid rhymes on this one. He ditched some of the vamp life type rhymes and went back to the essence of Harlem which has made him great. The beats on this project are definitely a lot better as well. There are definitely some classic sounding Diplomats/Heatmakerz type records on here. At the same time, there are a few tracks I could have done without as well. Jim tries to sound like every other mumble rapper out there on some of these trap beats. The absolute highlight of this project has to be “Once Upon A Time” featuring Cam’ron. The rhymes that both MCs trade are FLAWLESS. The beat is FLAWLESS. This is pure Diplomats sound on this one. Honorable mentions go to “Never Did 3 Quarters” and “Dust & Powder” featuring Jadakiss. More Harlem heat for your eardrums. While not a perfect album, Jim definitely got most of the way back to greatness with this album.

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#jimjones #jimjonescapo #capo #wastedtalent #diplomats #dipset #eastside #harlem

HELL RELL & SPUD MACK – C.M.F.R.

This project should have been called S.H.I.T. because that is what it is. I don’t know who told Spud Mack that he can rap, but please, for the love of God could one of his loved ones tell him that this line of work is not for him. Stick to the day job of waiting tables or something. In the classic B.I.G. advice, UPS is hiring. Put that mic down and step away and never touch it again. His rhymes were awful and he even managed to bring down the level of Hell Rell as well. He was always pretty good as a Dipset member but Hell Rell, this was not a good move for you my brother. The beats are all but trash on here. Every song I was thinking, “God I can’t wait for this to be over.” Do yourself a huge favor and hit every fast forward button you can on this one. Straight trash.

OVERALL RATING: 0 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#hellrell #therealhellrell #ruga #mrrugadashoota #diplomats #dipset #harlem #spudmack #spudmackneasy #doncannon #no1cosigner #cmfr

SEN CITY – L.U.P.U.S.

This was a pretty good release from a Diplomat associate. To be honest, I really wasn’t expecting too much but upon listening to this project, you realize that you can really vibe out with this dude. Lyrically, he may not be one of the best out there, but that is not really what this is about. This is more about creating a feeling than anything else. This sets a mood or a tone. He sets the backdrop for some of the Diplomat songs and he shows you that he is able to carry his own weight with this release. The beats are decent as well. There are some songs that are reminiscent of that classic Diplomat sound like the “Intro” or even the flipped Jay-Z track “Glory.” There is even a song over the Warren G “Regulate” sample called “Da BBQ.” There is one track that is absolutely horrible which is “Ball Like Jim Jones.” That song tries to sound like newer trap music and doesn’t really align with the Diplomat sound. Skip over that one all together. Overall this has a laid back sound that is more of a vibe than anything else. Lay back, cool out, and light an L to this project.

OVERALL RATING: 3 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#sencity #sencity730 #lupus #730dips #diplomats #dipset

JR WRITER – I REALLY RAP

This was a lazy release from a Diplomat veteran which is something I didn’t think I would ever type. JR Writer has always been nice lyrically and I don’t think you can ever take that from him. He does have some nice bars on this project also but he just sounds lazy overall. There is no “umph” in his voice at all. It’s almost like he showed up for work and just kind of robotically went through his day. The beats are not great on here either. I think they are maybe distantly reminiscent of old Diplomat beats at best, but nowhere near their great sound. Overall this was just a lazy attempt. I know JR is capable of doing so much better, but it’s almost as if he didn’t try very hard on this one.

OVERALL RATING: 2.5 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#jrwriter #jrwriter_ #zeus #ireallyrap #thunda #dipset #diplomats #harlem

CAM’RON – THE PROGRAM

The Diplomat and Harlem legend Killa Cam is back after a long break with this mixtape The Program. This joint sounds awesome and you definitely need to hear it. This is a must hear. Lyrically Cam is just as good as he ever was. He spits crazy bars over the best beats. It’s as simple as that. You ain’t messing with Cam. There are so many good tracks on this album it’s hard to list them all. The 2 best tracks are the Just Blaze produced “Kiss Myself” and “U Wasn’t There.” These tracks are just amazing. This album is the classic Diplomat sound that you have come to love. This was very much needed and I hope with the return of Hell Rell and of Cam’ron, that we will see more work from the Diplomats very soon. The game needs it badly and there are pretty much no better to give us that classic NY sound.

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Cheesesteaks

#camron #cam’ron #mr_camron #camerongiles #theprogram #diplomats #dipset #harlem