Hip Hop Lives (2007)

When Nas named his 2006 album Hip Hop Is Dead, he ruffled feathers — especially graying ones. Respected vets KRS-One and producer Marley Marl team up to dispute the claim on Hip Hop Lives, but as life affirmations go, theirs is weak. While KRS, now in his 40s, still wields a walloping, spartan flow, he employs it mostly to boast of his own relevance. Marley's tracks thump but don't escalate. Where are the surprises demonstrating genuine vitality? Without innovation, hip-hop still lives — but boy, does it show its age. DOWNLOAD THIS: Kill a Rapper

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