Rating: 3.75
While the last album started off wit a bang ("Best Kept Secret") track #1 onthis album is the mellow "Flowin" makes you feel like you are limin' in tha sun wit a cool ocean breeze gently blowin' over your body. Two tracks later is tha bangin' "No Wonduh" where Diamond gives a run down on tha goins-ons of tha PJ's , wit a predictable De La Soul sample. The Bouncy "Can't Keep My Grands To Myself" reminds me of "Niggaz Night Out" by Royal Flush , and would be better if the beats (not tha drums) were more prominant. An eerie posse cut , the Kid Capri produced "Five Fingas Of Death" , blessed by Big L , AG , Lord Finesse adn Fat Joe , sounds like it should be on tha soundtrack for Scream 2! The best pun-gettin song of tha year could go to "This One" , if it weren't for Busta's rantings.
For most of tha album , there's a good mixture of hard and mellow tracks to have you foamin at the mouth , but towards the end songs likre "Cream n Sunshine" will make you wonder why this beat was used for tha 56th time this year. It's just an attempt at a commercial jam but don't worry , this album no doubt will become an underground gem , like his debut is. Meanwhile , these tracks will once again have you chanting ,"Yo , That's That Shit".
HOSS FUNK
Rating: 4.0
The first track features RA The Rugged Man with 'Flipside' , and also on 'Till My Heart Stops' , a solid track featuring 8-Off. Company Flow , one of the accomplished groups on Rawkus has already released their LP , Funcrusher Plus , which was rated in the Source and XXL. The Source gave them 3.5 mic rating and XXL gave them 'XL' rating , for this CD which I have been told is lyrically monsterous but lacks much in production. Anyways you gotta hear it and judge it for yourself. Their track 'Population Control' was labelled as being "LUNE TNS', a song that I think is dope overall. Production by Bigg Juss was phenomonal w/ some tight verbals. Producer Hi-Tek (not rapper Hi-Tek) threw in two gems 'Fortified Live' and '2000 Seasons' for which you don't need to go and buy the record.
New comers such as Shabaam Sahdeeq ('Arabian Nights' p/Nick Wiz)and Sir Menelik ('Nightwork' and the self-produced 'So Intelligent' f/Kool Keith) light up the mic with their skillz. Of course I can't forget the hip hop phenomenom Mos Def who , in the past year or so , has sparked himself a flame in the underworld. You can find Mos Def with two back to back tracks both produced by Shawn J Period ('If You Can Huh...' and Universal Magnetic'), as well as on 'Fortified Live(w/Kweli and Mr.Man) and a bangin freestyle with Kweli which is backed by BlackAttacks 'Correct Techniques'. Speakin of BlackAttack , he's got his amazing new single 'My Crown' which is just crazy! Also returning to the scene is B-One , who some might remember from his first single 'Verbal Affairs'. This time round he's got Chuckie Madness producin' the deep 'Empire Staters'. I think there's one last kid I forgot to mention , L-Fudge. Unmatchable production by Rich Boogie gives this guy an underground hit with 'Show me your Gratitude' and he's back with the second track later on called 'What If'. This is another solid track which has the Rawkus all-stars (Kweli , Shabaam , Skam and Mike Zoot) having their say about the'way we be living our lives'.
Basically , you don't got this , get it , and fast. Best underground compilation I've seen yet.
KUMAR
Rating: 3.75
With an abundance of well known and respected producers (Premier , Pete Rock , Clark Kent) layin down tracks for an MC like Rakim , you'd expect to have a hip hop classic. While some of Rakim's best classics are uptempo , such as "Know The Ledge" , the only really uptempo track is "Guess Who's Back" which is too easy to get sick of. Most of the beats are nice but with Rakim's flow and lyrics , he just comes off better when the beat is more hardcore , kinda eerie sounding. "New York" and "The Saga Begins" are good examples of this and will have you checking your pants after a listen. But there's not enough songs that do this , actually there's not enough songs period. Only 10 tracks plus the worst fillers I've ever seen on an album; the Suave House Mix of "It's Been A Long Time" and the alternate mix of "Guess Who's Back" , who asked for them?
Also , songs like "Stay A While" with it's cheezy beat and chorus that sounds like some Michael Jackson shit , detract from the album. But thank god Rakim is a supurb lyracist and he doesn't let us down. Although not as fiery as he used to be , the 18th letter's lyrics are nothing less than what's expected of this decorated veteren. On songs like "The Mystery (Who is God)" , he spits more science then my fuckin physics and chemistry text books. Like I said , the beats are nice , but they won't have you bouncin off tha walls.
Fortunatly , this is a doulbe album which features Eric B. and Rakim's greatest hits on the second CD. With songs like my personal favorites " Microphone Fiend" , "Know The Ledge" and "Mohagony" , this Cd's enough to liven up a party (of old school headz). I just wish "Don't sweat The Technique" was on there. Hoss Funk
In Tha Beginning
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