Swindoe

Arizona rapper SwinDoe’s self-titled effort is a sure and exciting debut suggesting that hip-hop’s seldom heard cactus league deserves more time in the spotlight. Opening with a Game-like story of struggle (“God is a blacksmith/Look how he pounded me”) called “I Knew It,” the album struts like a major-label release right from the start, gaining momentum with club tracks like the party-time “Blkberry 2.0” and tempering all the street fury with well-placed bedroom numbers such as the second-half highlight “Victim of Desire.” The guest list might be unknown but it is talented, and the man at the center of it all is a versatile mix of Plies and Jay-Z with an unique Arizona twist. Check the moving closer “That’s Why” for the best example of his insightful writing style. – David Jeffries