#KissTheRing is bringing reviews to the site.
You know this by now: FMHipHop is dedicated to keeping you updated on hip-hop music and culture. We want to give you even more.
So, we’re introducing our #KissTheRing review series. In this series, our writers will be voicing their opinions on the biggest releases in rap.
There’s going to be three types of reviews.
New Release Reviews: Of course, these will be on the freshest albums to the hip-hop scene. We’re aiming to review the biggest albums within a few days of dropping.
Retrospective Reviews: This category will focus on impactful releases in the past few years. When an artist is gearing up to drop something new, we may go back and give some thoughts on some of their previous projects.
Classic Reviews: It’s self-explanatory — we’ll be looking back at classic albums!
How will we be grading these albums?
We’ve got a specific rating system set up to judge these albums. Each project will be reviewed based on a ring grade.
Bronze: These albums are not necessarily a bad work, but aren’t particularly anything special. (Ex. Culture II by Migos)
Silver: The projects with this grade are pretty good. They’re not grade-A works, but still unique and fun. (Ex. My Turn by Lil Baby).
Gold: To earn gold, an album has to be a great, thoughtful work. It may not be transcendent, but demonstrates great artistry. (Ex. Born Sinner by J. Cole).
Platinum: As the second-highest grade, these albums need to be leading works of their time. They set the standards for their contemporaries. (Ex. Yeezus by Kanye West)
Diamond: The best of the best. A diamond album is not just a hip-hop classic, but a classic to the entire world of music. (Ex. Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City by Kendrick Lamar)
Naturally, most platinum and diamond grades will only be awarded to retrospective and classic album reviews. When it comes to new releases, gold will typically be the highest standard.
We’re looking forward to putting you on!
Andrew “Jetlag” Preisig | IG @ThankYouJetlag | Twitter @ThankYouJetlag
with help from Jason Heilbronner