Today’s album of the day is Joell Ortiz’s debut LP, The Brick: Bodega Chronicles. When I met Joell at Hot 97 a few months ago, we had a great conversation about the state of hip-hop.  Although we disagreed on much –he was defending much of the violence and drugs that pervades the music– I found him to be an intelligent  and insightful brother. Still, I was reluctant to listen to his CD because I assumed that it would be filled with the same sub-par lyricism and cliched subject matter that marks most of contemporary mainstream rap music.

To my surprise, I found an album that was much different than the stuff he was defending. Although this is undoubtedly a street album, Ortiz adds a level of critical insight and sophistication that pushes him ahead of his peers. Even more important, this dude can rap! From the album’s “125″ intro track to the instant classic “Night In My P’s,” Ortiz shows that it’s possible to be gully and good at the same time. Without question, this is one of the best hip hop albums of the year.

BARBERSHOP RATING: 4.5/5.0 CLIPPERS