‘Run The Jewels’ is a victory lap for rapper Killer Mike and rapper-producer El-P. Released with little fanfare, it has been hailed by critics as a modern masterwork. Does Vivoscene writer Ben Bengtson concur?

Forget Kanye West’s ego; his work on ‘Yeezus’ surpasses that. However, Jay-Z is the Al Capone of egomaniacs. And that has a toxic effect on ‘Magna Carta’, reducing the jams to frantic self-affirmations.

The Vivoscene Interview: Classified’s newest album, Handshakes and Middle Fingers filled me with the impression that he confronted life with honesty, wit and humour, and like all good Canadian role models is extremely and genuinely down-to-earth. This was confirmed several times over upon meeting him where he was every bit the candid, thoughtful, and sincere man he projects in his music. Here is the exclusive Vivoscene interview with Classifed.

There’s a relentless funk on Cut Chemist’s ‘Sound of the Police’ allbum because you’re permitted to get deep inside of each groove, and just before it gets stale a new one is offered that’s all the richer for being fresh.

The second self-released mixtape, Thursday, from Canadian R&B singer-songwriter Abel Tesfay aka The Weeknd doesn’t quite live up to the minor masterpiece that was House Of Balloons, but it’s a very satisfying follow. This dude possesses one of the best R & B voices around, and his producers, the Canadian duo of Doc McKinney and Illangelo who worked on HOB have once again created a new space in modern music, and space is exactly the right word for this eerie blend of glam-dram sex-infused sampled life.

Watch the Throne isn’t the greatest rap album of the decade. It’s not even the best rap album of the year. Accepting this truth is the key to your enjoyment of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s mega-hyped, megawatt collaboration.