The first half of this year has been very weak in terms of good new rap music;  however, I am happy to report a lot of good new rap music from artists young and old has hit the internets in the past week. Here is a run down of the tracks:

1. The biggest is the new Jay Z single "Run This Town" with Kanye West and Rihanna on the hook. Jay Z's verses are pretty good but  can't compare with his classic stuff. The beat bangs out of the speakers, Kanye murders it the song. (does he murder Jay on his own shit the way Nas claimed Em did?hmmm)  Overall a very good radio single.
2. Kid Cudi comes out with "Call Me Moon Man" which despite the title of the song is not about him being an MTV Video music Award. The song has an interesting, quirky, minimalistic beat and continues in the being not from this earth motif that Lil Wayne started a few years back with all his talk of being a Martian.
3. Rakim's new single "Holy Are You" may be the best song ever by a rapper who has reached their 4th decade. Musically it is built around a kanyesque religious/soul sample that is used to perfection . Rakim's voice is as strong as ever his flow/presence still puts 99 percent of all other rappers to shame.
4. A long long time ago (ok the mid 90s) there was a Harlem rap crew called Children Of The Corn that featured Mase, Big L, Cam'ron, McGruff and Bloodshed. Since then Big L was murdered, Bloodshed died in a car crash, McGruff fell off the face of the earth and any rap fan can tell you the story of Cam'ron and Mase's career and their subsequent beef with each other. Well, Cam'ron and Mase have apparently ended their beef about the royalties off "Horse And Carriage" or whatever the hell it was about and now are on a track together (possibly more). The song is called "Get It" and while it is nothing amazing it has an interesting bounce to it, a good hook and Cam and Mase on the same track will bring a smile to any 90s head. Plus, you gotta love the Mase line " Mase you'll come back if you get 50 percent? I am like nah, if I come back I need Diddy percent"
5. Speaking of Bad Boy's from a by gone era, Black Rob is apparently out of jail. I always though Black Rob was underrated as an MC. He was a great story teller (see songs like I Love You Baby and Jasmine) His new song "Big Guns" may not be the best legal strategy since he was locked up for gun possession, but it kicks ass as a street single. It has an ominous beat that sounds vaguely familiar with Rob threatening anyone who has been running their mouth, thinking he lost his clout, or that we won't smack the shit out of someone just cause he is own parole. He even manages to get a Star Wars reference in there saying he is the Return Of The Sith.