"Yellow Album so good niggas thought it was a fluke" Dom Kennedy rhymes over the slowed down beat of "After School", the third track on his long waited sophomore album. A lot has changed for the Leimert Park rapper since the release of last year's breakout mixtape, as features from the likes Kendrick Lamar and Rick Ross has introduced him to a new fan base. On Kennedy's latest project, Get Home Safely, the California ambassador picks up where he left of, creating the same mellow songs that he has crafted a lane for.

Although just missing the summer deadline, Get Home Safely still has the warm weather vibe of previous projects. Always an ode to South Central, Dom gives listeners a look into West Coast living, with topics ranging from the usual women, cars, and partying. It is obvious that subject matter is not Kennedy's strength, Dom's success comes from what he's learned to do best; playing his role. He's not the greatest lyricist, and sometimes he relinquishes substance in order to keep his trademarked repetitive flow in tact, but that is Dom KennedyWhile production varies, long time collaborators Drewbyrd and The Futuristiks, responsible for standouts "Dominic" and the DJ Quik tribute "If It Don't Make Sense" respectfully, handle a majority of the album's production. Songs like "17" and "Erica Pt. 2" continue the trend of using the same cadence for an entire song, but that's what Kennedy has mastered, and is one of the reasons why even though he is still an independent artist he has been able to gain major exposure.

Void of any real singles and famed guest appearances, Get Home Safely acts as an extension of The Yellow Album; a cohesive album that flows together flawlessly. As Kennedy states on the spoken word outro of "Black Bentleys", "Why would you even want to be in a grey area? If you're gonna do it, do it big." With little promotion outside of a Karen Civil produced documentary, Dom is once again doing it on his own. Ever the independent business man, Kennedy lets his music provide all the promotion he needs, and it turns out to be his strongest marketing tool. So while the warm summer nights are transitioning to the cold winter days, Dom Kennedy gives us a soundtrack to keep the party going into a new season, and that's all we ask of the emcee.

"It's much darker this time" as J. Cole addressed the crowd as the What Dreams May Come Tour touched down at Detroit's Masonic Temple late Thursday night. Accompanied by fellow Roc Nation artist Wale, the born sinner gave a performance that rivaled a choreographed broadway show, while never sacrificing the message of his music that fans have come to love from the emcee.

Opened by protégé Bas, the Queens native ran through a quick set of songs from his mixtape Quarter Water Raised Me, all the while keeping the mostly unfamiliar crowd entertained as anticipation for the main acts brewed. 

Following a brief intermission, MMG's own Wale hit the stage to perform a medley of hits. Backed by hype man Black Cobain, the D.C. rapper sang shorten versions of his hits, including singles off of his latest release The Gifted. Halfway through his set, Folarin raced off stage into the crowd while rapping his hit "Pretty Girls, in which the audience responded by circling him, each with an iPhone camera in hand capturing every moment. As radio favorites like "Clappers" and "Bad" kept the crowd on its feet for the duration of the set, the peak came during the encore where street anthem "Bait" had the Masonic Temple at its loudest.

After a drastic set change, simulated rain and thunder alerted the crowd that the main act had arrived. As t.v. screens broadcasted that Cole was involved in a fatal car crash on the way to the venue, the Fayetteville emcee made his grand entrance to the sounds of "Trouble", descending from a flight of stairs that appeared to be coming from heaven's gate. Backed by a live band, it was clear that this would not just be a concert; but it would be a journey through the life of Jermaine Cole, and on that Thursday night all in attendance were invited for the ride.

Cole went through the majority of his sophomore album Born Sinner, while in between pre-recorded phone messages and swigs of hennessy gave the crowd insight into each and every song. With no guests, with the exception of opener Bas to perform the song "Lit", Cole single-handedly gave a VH1 storytellers inspired performance describing his personal purgatory; ranging in topics from the absence of his father to his mother's drug abuse. As songs such as "Runaway", "Rich Niggaz", and "Lights Please" gave the audience access to the personal world of J. Cole, singles like "Work Out" and "Can't Get Enough" lightened the mood and kept the crowd on its feet for the entire show.

Concluding with his biggest hit thus far "Power Trip", the best moment  of the night came when Cole reversed the mic and let the crowd sing the acapella hook as he stood motionless in amazement. As the band played to Cole's exit an ambience of what true hip hop is supposed to be filled the air, showcasing that the genre is safe in the new generation's hands.

On the streets of Baltimore in HBO's critically acclaimed series The Wire, Marlo Stanfield is the new jack who is trying to make a name for himself amongst established drug dealers. Pusha-T feels a similar way in the music industry. Although first hitting the scene a decade ago with brother Malice as a member of the Clipse, Pusha-T, real name Terrance Thorton, still feels like he has yet to become a household name in the world of music. Always one to equate hip hop with drug dealing, Pusha's debut solo album My Name is My Name lets listeners know that even if you are not a customer of his product, you will know who he is by the final listen.

Opening his debut is the intro 'King Push' produced by Joaquin Pheonix. Yes, that Joaquin Phoenix. On the first track the bar is set high for the rest of the disc as the Virginia rapper effortlessly flows over a Kanye West laced sample and soldier inspired snare drums. The track also contains a subtle jab at Cash Money's golden boy Drake, who has found himself in a continuous one-sided beef with the G.O.O.D. music lyricist as the line "I rap nigga about trap niggas, I don't sing hooks" echoes numerous times as a reminder that he does not plan to recant anytime soon.

With production from the likes of Just Blaze, Pharrell, and NO I.D., the instrumentation incorporates a perfect combination of hard-hitting trap beats mixed with hypnotizing melodies. Unlike its mixtape predecessor Wrath of Caine (which was financed personally by Thorton himself) MNIMN has the mastering and engineering that only executive produced Kanye West can conjure. The first official single 'Numbers on the Boards' contains a modernistic drum loop and a vintage In My Lifetime era Jay Z sample that any true hip hop head can appreciate. Songs like 'Suicide' and 'Nosetalgia', the latter featuring hip hop's current controversy king Kendrick Lamar, remains true to the minimalist style of production of the album; never sacrificing the lyricism that Pusha-T has made a career of for overproduced beats.

While production may have been constrained to the "keep it simple" principle, the lyricism and rhyme schemes on MNIMN abide by a different set of rules. Pusha-T's niche for witty wordplay and vivid imagery paints an autobiographical picture of the typical drug dealer turned rapper that is too complex for the average emcee to convey. On 'S.N.I.T.C.H.' we hear a retelling of the classic story of trusted friends turned strangers. "Breaks your heart when the man you called your brother is the same one setting in motion all them undercovers" Push rhymes in the final verse followed by an auto-tuned hook sang by the track's producer Pharrell which gives new meaning to the acronym of the song's title. Label mates 2 Chainz and Big Sean join the rapper on 'Who I Am' as Titi Boi emphatically spits the usual grandiose rhymes that have come to be expected while Pusha-T gives the track life with a vibrant verse littered with his Ric Flair-esque ad-libs. Push keeps the year long Ma$e renaissance alive by borrowing the Harlem emcee's slow flow on the Kelly Rowland aided track 'Let Me Love You' as the rapper breaks away from his coke dealing memoir to cater to the ladies.

To say MNIMN is a debut would be doing Pusha-T an injustice. With over a decade in the game, a certified classic under his belt, co-signs from Pharrell and Kanye West, and three solo mixtapes to his name, Pusha is far from a rookie. MNIMN is more of an introduction to the masses. In the fifth season of The Wire, a jailhouse conversation between Marlo Stanfield and members of his crew not only bears one of the most memorable scenes of the show, but also defines Marlo's character and legend as he proclaims that his name is his name, and that's all he has in the streets. For Pusha-T, he may never gain the fame of a Kanye West, or the recognition of his craft through album sales, but his name is his name, and that can never be taken away. No longer one half of the Clipse, or Pharrell's protege, Pusha-T is on his own two feet, and he wants everyone to know. The world knows the braids, the world knows 'Grindin', and after hearing his album the world will know the name.