Videos

In a bonus episode, B.Cox looks back on what he thinks may be the greatest R&B release week of the 1990s: September 16, 1997. During that release week, four classic and essential albums graced the store shelves and stereos everywhere: *Mariah Carey* 's Butterfly , *Usher* 's My Way ,…

B. Cox commemorates *The Vault: Classic Music Reviews Podcast* on its third anniversary. It's been a long journey in the three years since the first episode posted highlighting Mobb Deep's Murda Muzik. He gives a basic history on how the show became into existence, the challenges through COVID and his…

B. Cox looks back at Virginia rap duo *Clipse* 's major label debut album Lord Willin' as it turns 20. The group, made up of brothers *Gene* " *Malice* " and *Terrence* " *Pusha* *T* " *Thornton* grew up in Virginia Beach and were close associates of producer *Pharrell Williams*…

B. Cox reviews Brooklyn and Diggin in The Crates (DITC) emcee *O.C.* 's second album Jewelz as it turns 25. After his critically acclaimed 1994 debut album Word...Life , O.C. took to the road to tour exclusively for almost three years. When he returned to the booth to record his…

B. Cox reviews Scarface's classic 7th album The Fix as it turns 20. After leaving long time label Rap-A Lot, the Houston veteran emcee moved to Def Jam South as their president, but was coaxed into releasing first and only studio album while on the label. Assisted by an all-star…

B. Cox reviews *EPMD* 's fourth album Business Never Personal as it turns 30. After three successful albums that carried them through the peak of hip-hop's golden era, EPMD released their fourth album and seemed primed for success well into the 90s. The album is packed into less than 40…

B. Cox is joined by NaturallyAlise and JR of the R&B Representers to review SWV's debut classic album It's About Time as it turns 30. The crew is also joined with a very special guest appearance by Brian Alexander Morgan, one of the album's principal producers and co-writers. As R&B…

B. Cox looks back at *Mary J. Blige* 's debut classic album What's the 411? a s it turns 30. As the youngest signee of *Andre Harrell* 's Uptown Records, the New York-born singer was brought under the tutelage of producer and executive *Sean "Diddy" Combs* for debut album. Utilizing…

In a bonus episode, B. Cox looks back at the impact and legacy of *Company Flow* 's debut studio album and underground classic Funcrusher Plus as it turns 25. After negotiating a group friendly deal with Rawkus Records, the Brooklyn trio of *Bigg Jus, El-P* and *Mr. Len* crafted a…

B. Cox looks back at *Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott* 's debut album Supa Dupa Fly as it turns 25. After spending the beginning part of her career with Devante's Swing Mob Records with her girl group Sista (which never materialized an album), she linked up with childhood friend and producer *Timothy…

In a bonus episode, B. Cox looks back 20 years ago to the Summer of 2002. It was a summer packed with hit songs that would become classics. Among the memorable tracks that would populate this soundtrack would be *Nelly* 's two massive #1 Hot 100 hits: "Hot In Herre"…

*B. Cox* welcomes back in *Charlee D* of the *Word To The Mutha Podcast* to the show to review the original soundtrack to the black romantic comedy Boomerang. The film starring an all-star cast of *Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Robin Givens, David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock* and the…

B. Cox commemorates *Capone-N-Noreaga* 's debut album The War Report as it turns 25. In the midst of an identity crisis for New York rap, the two Queens natives arrived on the scene - unheralded, yet determined. After appearing the "Unsigned Hype" section of The Source Magazine in 1995, the…

B. Cox & J. Owe look back on *Pete Rock & CL Smooth* 's debut album Mecca and The Soul Brother as it turns 30. After jumping on the scene the previous year with their EP All Souled Out , the producer-emcee duo made their splash into the mainstream with…

B. Cox and J. Owe look back at rap super group's *Wu-Tang Clan* 's second album Wu-Tang Forever as it turns 25. In the almost four years since they burst on the scene with their classic debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the collective of emcees continued to have an…

B Cox reviews *Eminem* 's fourth album The Eminem Show as it turns 20. On the heels of two massively successfully albums in The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP , Eminem sought to take a different approach on his latest effort. Taking over the production reins in…

B. Cox is joined by *Kahlil Wonda* of the *Reggae Lover Podcast* (and *Highlanda Sound System* ) to review dancehall deejay *Super Cat'* s major label debut album Don Dada as it turns 30. After mixing it up in Jamaica in the sound system scene and growing "dancehall" scene in…

B. Cox reviews hip-hop duo *Gang Starr'* s third album Daily Operation. After their critical and commercial breakthrough with their sophomore album Step In The Arena the year before, *Guru* and *DJ Premier* sought out to capitalize on their notoriety and recognition within hip-hop circles while staying true to the…

B. Cox and Domo review *Mary J. Blige* 's pivotal third album Share My World as it turns 25. After a three-year hiatus from her sophomore album My Life and a split from producer, manager and mentor Sean "Diddy" Combs, the annointed "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" reemerged on a new…

B. Cox reviews R&B singer *Adriana Evans* self-titled debut album Adriana Evans as it turns 25. The daughter of jazz singer Mary Stallings, Evans emerged in the mid-90s featuring on her future collaborator and producer (and also future husband) Jonathan 'Dred' Scott's 1994 album Breakin' Combs. After starting with Capitol…

B. Cox and J. Owe review *Das Efx* 's innovative debut album Dead Serious as it turns 30. After meeting as students as Virginia State University in the late 80s and being discovered by *EPMD* during a talent show, the duo of Dray and Skoob set out to make a…

B. Cox briefly looks back at *En Vogue* 's second album 1992's Funky Diva s. On the heels of their successful debut 1990s' Born To Sing , the Oakland based R&B quartet ( *Dawn Robinson, Maxine Jones, Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron* ) came out blazing with their 2nd album…

The crew looks back on the *Notorious B.I.G* 's final album Life After Death. Released as a double disc two weeks after his murder in Los Angeles, Biggie's final studio is a sobering triumph of one hip-hop's greatest emcees. Contining on the excellence from his iconic debut Ready to Die,…

B. Cox and Domo review *Brandy* 's 2002 classic third album album Full Moon. After two wildly successful albums and taking a break after her second album which was followed by a nervous breakdown, a relationship breakup and before what was soon to be the birth of her daughter, the…