Meta Month: Catch-Up Part 3: Diamanda Hagan and the Rap Critic (2017)

Diamanda Hagan is honestly the person I have to thank for me doing this whole catch-up thing in the first place. Back in November, Hagan sent me this tweet:

Hey @SentinelM have any eps done since this list been good enough to be on the list? https://t.co/Rx3UyWDDc8 (wondering if Iv got worse:P)

— Diamanda Hagan (@Diamandahagan) 21 November 2016

Top 20 Rap Critic Videos

While I’ve been trying to broaden my musical horizons over the last few years, getting into more metal and electronic music as best my eardrums can manage, I freely admit that the majority of the music I listen to nowadays is hip-hop. Now, I would normally attribute this to parental influence, with my mother playing a lot of NWA and Public Enemy when I was growing up and my dad showing me the angry white kid faves of Eminem and the Beastie Boys. However, as potentially weird and unsettling as this tidbit may come across as, I can easily put the blame(?) of that squarely on a single person. That person is who we’re looking into the work of today. So, as tribute to the guy who has forever altered my musical tastes, here are the Top 20 Rap Critic Videos.

Starving Artist, Hungry Emcee (2009) by Masta Artisan - Album Review

A phrase that I’ve seen thrown around when it comes to the very idea of media criticism is “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, criticise.” Now, while I can kind of understand what would lead someone to such a conclusion, the fact that a large number of the critics that I’ll be covering for this month (and have indeed already covered) do work in the fields that they riff on on a regular basis would hopefully put the brakes on that ultimately narrow-minded line of reasoning. Hell, if nothing else, I still hope that all of this has led some more people to check out Brad Jones’ Freak Out for proof positive that these guys aren’t all talk. But what about when it comes to something like music, for instance? Can someone who makes a living out of putting poppy rap to task for their lyrics be able to hold his own in the same department? Time to find out as we delve into my first ever music review of Starving Artist, Hungry Emcee by Masta Artisan, better known online as the Rap Critic. Oh, and apologies in advance for the track-by-track breakdown approach as I try and find my sea legs with this new-ish format.