Five years after Album II, Kem releases Intimacy: Album III. The twelve cut cd is full of songs that are bound to sell to R & B fans who enjoy good music that is both sophisticated and cool. Opening with "When I'm Lovin You," a jazzy and mellow quiet storm beginner, Kem delivers a superb track that is bound to hit urban radio. Kem has a way of making you take note of his range and this is especially evident on the first five songs on the cd. "Love Never Fails," which although sounds like a rework of his current single "Why Would You Stay," is a profound declaration of love that notes why Kem's first two albums have made him a known name in the R & B world.

Admittedly, I've never been a Slum Village fan. They've released some good music, but i've never taken time out to listen to a whole album, at least not until now. Villa Manifesto is the group's 6th and final album. It is a reunion album featuring all five members of the group of the group's up and down run. This is the first time all five members appear on an album.

Joey Crack has a long enough resume to make anyone acknowledge him as one of the best rappers to have repped NY in the last couple of decades. I still get excited by a new album from the Don because even as his mainstream popularity may have taken a hit over the years, he never lets us down musically. His latest album, The Darkside Vol. 1, his first as part of E1 (formerly Koch) Entertainment, proves to be no disappointment to a true Hip-Hop fan and a testament to continue to release great music, while keeping his legacy relevant.