Cormega – The Testament

Cormega - The TestamentBack in 1996, Nas was shaping up a pet project he called “The Firm”–a four-MC, one-producer project which involved Cormega. However, shortly after announcing the album, Cormega was replaced with another Queensbridge native, Nature. After being released, Mega went through more label trouble; Def Jam Records shelved his recorded debut, The Testament, made in 1997. Now, eight years after leaving the label, Mega can finally release the never-publicly-heard album which should have announced his presence in the rap game.

 

1) Intro

A lethargic piano accompanies Cormega as he recites a verse in the form of spoken-word poetry.

2) 62 Pickup

Mega is in a courtroom, about to hear his sentence; the judge asks him if he’d like to say any words, and he launches into the track. This beat was produced by Cormega himself; mostly a slow, sympathy-inducting piano. Mega’s lyrics are nice, maybe the flow not as developed but overall a good track. (Good)

3) One Love

A reply to the famous One Love track by Nas; Mega ‘writes’ back, ironically showing Nas love. The beat is nice, an aural flute over a thumping drum. Mega’s lyrics are nice; if they’re to be compared to Nas’ on the original One Love, I’d say the track is about as good. (Great)

4) Interlude

Mega lists the ‘greatest’ aspects of life–the greatest victory, defeat, etc.

5) Angel Dust ft. Havoc

Over a slightly gothic, haunting compilation of strings, Mega spits scorching verses about himself and his street tendencies. His lyrics are sick to say the least; Hav comes on for the chorus, lending it that bleak, Mobb Deep-type feel. (Excellent)

6) Dead Man Walking

Over a bleak piano chord, Mega spits a vivid story about going against a street rival. Proof his storytelling skills can rival the best–Nas, for instance. (Great)

7) Montana Diary

Another haunting string track, done masterfully; this sounds like it was orchestrated. Mega’s lyrics over the shuffling drums are some full-out fire; clearly meant to signal the start of a rap titan. (Excellent)

8) Testament

A dark and disjointed piano/accordion(?) track, Cormega once again spits some great, complex lyrics. (Great)

9) Testament

The beat here doesn’t flow as well as the newer version; otherwise, the track is about the same.

10) Every Hood ft. Fatal Hussein

A lighter, more hopeful beat sees Cormega and then-Outlaw Fatal Hussein rhyme about connecting through hoods. Fatal’s kickoff verse is nice; so are Mega’s follow-up lyrics. The hook is okay, but mostly serves to be over quickly so Fatal and Mega can return to trading verses. (Excellent)

11) Coco Butter

Using a muted version of the same sample that AZ would later use for his song “Seems That Way” off of Final Call, Mega rhymes to a woman; he’s not at his best here, but he still manages to hold the track up; the song itself, however, sounds out-of-place on this particular album. (Decent)

12) Killaz Theme ft. Mobb Deep

This sinister, Havoc-produced soft-violin cut sees Prodigy, Cormega and Havoc rhyme some of their best verses respectively, giving it that real dark Queensbridge sound that Mobb Deep manifested at the time. A nostalgic look at what Mobb Deep once was as well as a great song in itself. (Excellent)

13) Love is Love

Using what seems to be same sample used in GZA’s Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (however used in a very different way), Mega kicks advice to a younger thug and other hoodlums about watching one’s back in the streets. (Good)

14) Dead Man Walking (Remix)

Using a revamped version of the original beat, Mega forsakes the narrative format and kicks it straight to his enemies, Friend or Foe style. (Excellent)

 

My Rating: 4/5

This album has already come under light fire in regards to Mega’s then-undeveloped flow. However his lyrics are still top-notch, and this solid debut album should serve as a Testament to his improvement since then and his determination to make it in the rap scene. If he’d only been able to release it when it was ready (on a major label such as Def Jam), followed by his next two acclaimed albums, maybe his career would have been a bit different.

My Recommendation: B…U…Y.

Mr. Hyde – Barn Of The Naked Dead

Mr. Hyde - Barn Of The Naked Dead1. Intro 

Intro

2. On The Prowl 

Nice Necro beat here, it’s abrasive and has a nice distorted sound to it, I can’t really describe it. Mr. Hyde rips it, he really worked hard to improve his flow, he sounds much more crisp and very vicious. The lyrics? Well it’s gore but Hyde does it in such a manner that it doesn’t become redundant. Dope track. Good

3. Say My Name(Little Brittany) 

Nice dark beat by Necro, it’s really eerie and sets the tone for the track. Brittany “sings” a decent chorus, it’s a little corny but hey who cares? Hyde raps are vicious and piercing here. Great track. Good

4. The Crazies(Feat Necro, Ill Bill, & Goretex) 

CIRCLE OF TYRANTS!!!! Great dark piano beat here, has a grimey Queensbridge type sound to it with a nice flute like sound thrown in there. Hyde starts it off with a good verse, then GORETEX rips it, then Ill Bill throws in a vicious verse where he uses his psycho deep voiced out of control flow, then Necro finishes it off with a dope verse, I think Necro is overlooked on the mic, he’s perfectly acceptable on the mic and he does a good job painting mental pictures. Crazy track with no chorus just verses. DOPE!

5. Barn Of The Naked Dead 

Crazy Necro beat here, sounds like a psycho is on the loose and well Hyde is rapping so it’s true. Hyde gives some bugged out goon lyrics here as he kidnaps women and takes them to his barn, this was inspired by a B-Gore Movie so keep that in mind when you listen to the track. Good track. Good

6. Spill Your Blood 

Necro produces a dark Chinese type beat here. Hyde flows vicious here giving some gore type lyrics, good track. Good

7. Knife In Your Spine(Feat Necro) 

Eerie beat by Necro. Necro starts off with a good verse using a ton of multi’s and using some dope wordplay. Hyde next and he outshines Necro, man he’s working hard on this album, that’s good to hear because I’m sick of rappers half assing their flow and lyrics on tracks. Good track. Good

8. Malignant Messiah 

Eerie sample in the beginning and then a hard organ type beat kicks in. Hyde flows vicious on here, really good track. Good

9. Street Veterans Part 2(Feat Ill Bill & Necro) 

Nice funky type beat by Necro here. Part 1 was on Brutality and was just a Hyde solo. Hyde starts it off and flows perfectly on this track. Necro does a good chorus here. Ill Bill up next and he rips it. This track is dope! DOPE!

10. Weapons Of Mass Destruction 

Nice hard hitting beat by Necro and some nice Necro voice samples. Hyde raps about hitting you with different weapons. Good track. Good

11. Bums Intro(Kid Joe) 

Kid Joe explains that he’s a bum, Kid Joe is great.

12. Bums(Feat Necro & Uncle Howie) 

DOPE! Necro produces a more light hearted beat with several “Bum” voice samples throughout, really clever track as Hyde raps about being a bum with some hilarious yet true lyrics. Necro then raps about how bums live, smell, etc etc. Uncle Howie even gives a semi verse, really funny stuff. Great track. DOPE!

13. Death Sentence(Feat Sabac) 

Pretty clever track as Sabac plays a guard and Hyde plays the part of a prisoner on death row who gets executed. Good track. Good

14. Married To Pain 

Interesting beginning as Necro wed’s pain. Hyde raps about…well dishing out pain. Good track. Good

15. Beesh(Malaki Skit) 

Skit.

16. Buggin Out(Feat Kid Joe) 

Kid Joe just gives psycho lines. Hyde tries a new rhyme style here, not bad. I like the crazed piano beat by Necro. Good

17. Them(Feat Goretex, Ill Bill, & Necro) 

Nice dark piano beat here by Necro. Necro starts the track off with a good verse. Ill Bill with the next verse and he has a good verse. Goretex gives a vicious verse. Hyde finishes it off with a pretty good verse. Another great track by the Circle Of Tyrants. No chorus just all lyrics. DOPE!

18. Outro

Outro.

19. The Crazies(86 Metal Mix)(Feat Necro, Ill Bill, & Goretex) 

Same track but with a pretty good heavy metal sound to it, nice guitar playing but it sounds weird. Good

 

All in all this gets a Good rating. This was an album that got overlooked, Mr. Hyde worked his ass off here rhyming and Necro provided the great beats, worth a listen.

Master P – Only God Can Judge Me

Master P - Only God Can Judge MeOnly God Can Judge Me was made post Beats by the Pound era, and after No Limit’s success really wore off. After going 4x platinum with the Da Last Don, Master P came out of ‘retirement’ to release Only God Can Judge Me. The twist on this cd is that by this time ( late 99 ) most of the soldiers had left the tank, including BBTP, which gave it a new style. Along with the new production, came a new style from P. It’s an experiment, and not everybody liked it. With that being said, here’s the review for OGCJM.

 

1) Only God Can Judge Me

P talking over a Daniel Kartell laced guitar solo, about why he’s a soulja and how he’ll always be TRU 2 Da Game. Not really recomended.

2) Ghetto Prayer feat. Magic

This is a song that was really critiqued when it first came out as a shallow, meaningless wannabe 2Pac song. I wouldn’t say it’s that bad, but it does get a lil repetitive. Not the worst, not the best.

3) Step To Dis feat. D.I.G.

One of the best songs on the album, also released as a single. D.I.G. has a flawless flow, and Master P comes correct. What more to say?

4) Return of Da Don feat. Silkk the Shocker

Unfortunatley, this song doesn’t live up to it’s name. Silkk’s accent is complete garbage, and the beat is mafiaso, but without BBTP, it sounds terrible. Nothing stands out.

5) Say Brah feat. Mac

This is a club bangin track with Mac. It’s almost like whenever Mac is on a song, it can’t be bad. This is a good song, with an uptempo beat also featured on 504 Boyz’s ‘Goodfellas’.

6) Boonapalist feat. D.I.G., Ms. Peaches

This is a slow song that has no relation to anything good at all. D.I.G. has a tight verse, and that’s about it. Nothing special about this track at all.

7) Where Do We Go feat. Mac, Nas

This is probably one of the best songs on the entire album. Master P definatley has his best verse I’ve heard in a long time. It’s about staying positive even when life getz tough. Tight verses from all three artists.

8) Ice on My Wrist

Cash Money’s success obviously influenced this song, because P never used to rap about cars, jewels, etc. Not really worth listening to unless you like songs about diamonds, and Cash Money does it better anyway.

9) Stop Playing Wit Me

One of the highlights of the album. It’s a rowdy joint that stays on point through the whole song detailing P’s come up in the game. Worth a listen.

10) Ghetto in the Sky

Much like Ghetto Prayer, this song is criticized for being a cheap version of songs from the likes of 2Pac, Biggie, etc. I don’t really look that deep into it, but it’s worth a listen if you like slowed down jamz.

11) Ain’t Nothing Changed feat. D.I.G.

Another one of the best songs on the album, as whenever D.I.G. touches the mic, the song is gold. Everything about the song is good; the production, the chorus, and the verses from P and D.I.G.

12) Commercial feat. Young Guns

A ‘commercial’ which is on here for whatever reason, is not that bad. The Guns lace the track with a smooth flow over a tough beat.

13) Oh Na Nae

I’m not sure why this song is on here. It’s another watered down Cash Money type song. P’s change from ‘Da Last Don’ is most obvious here, as he continues to rap about Benz’s, 20’s, and basically Big Tymer type raps.

14) Ghetto Honeys feat. Mac

The beat is hard, couldn’t be any better. The title of the song could’ve been better though, because just looking at it, made me want to skip it. Overall, a good song with Mac and P layin it down.

15) Y’all Don’t Want None feat. Mystikal

Despite saying that he’d never beef on wax, Master P takes shots at UNLV and Pastor Troy on this song. Over basically the same beat that UNLV used to diss Mystikal, P and Mystikal use it to diss them subliminally. A good song though, one of the best.

16) Life Ain’t Easy feat. C-Murder: 

Finally a track featuring C-Murder, and although it’s less than two minutes, it probably couldn’t be any better. Definatley one of the best songs on the album, and bout it bout it.

17) Who Down To Ride feat. D.I.G.

As you can see, D.I.G. is obviously all over this album. Promotion paid off, because he once again steals the song from P, and lays down the chorus on point. Too bad ‘AfterLife’ never dropped.

18) Y’all Don’t Know feat. Ghetto Commission

P goes back to his ‘Last Don’ style to talk about his 2Pac-influenced-penetentiary-chances theme. It’s good to hear Ghetto Commission again ( because they were always good ). Overall, not a bad song, not the best, but not bad.

19) Nobody Move feat. Magic, Silkk the Shocker

Bottom line, this track is a hard track that gets you hyped. Silkk does not do good on these type of tracks, and basically ruins the end of the song. However, if you want a tight two minute track, peep the first two verses from Magic and P, and you won’t be dissapointed.

20) Da Ballers feat. Jermaine Dupri

P and JD go back and forth talking about their lifestyles and where they’re from. Not a bad track, but don’t expect much. JD produced it.

21) Crazy Bout Ya feat. Mercedes, Ms. Peaches

Slow song ( which P doesn’t do good with ) about being crazy bout ya girl. It’s not recomended. Skip It.

22) Intro to Get Yo Mind Right

P talking in the background, and introducing the following song.

23) Get Yo Mind Right feat. C-Murder

Tight song w/ a catchy hook. Not a bad way to close out the album, but definatley could’ve been better.

 

Overall, after hearing this experiment I wouldn’t say this a bad Master P album. Due to his limited rapping skills, it’s probably one of his better solo efforts. There are worse ( Ghetto Postage, Gameface ) and there are better ( Da Last Don, Ghetto D, Ice Cream Man ), but if you are a No Limit fan or just a P fan in general, it wouldn’t hurt picking this up, because it’s not as bad as everyone says.

J-Zone – A Job Ain’t Nuthin’ But Work

J-Zone - A Job Ain't Nuthin' But Work1. The Zone-ettes

Intro to the album, it’s pretty funny as J-Zone introduces his own female back up group, then he fires them afterwards. I can’t rate this but for comedy it was great.

2. $poiled Rotten(Feat Celph Titled)

DOPE! The beat by J-Zone is really heavy, it hits pretty hard and has a hint of electric guitar thrown in. J-Zone & Celph show some great chemistry together. Great track, we’re off to a great start. DOPE!

3. A Friendly Game Of Basketball

What a clever track, this track is about how J-Zone would crush any music artist in a game of basketball. He goes after Bow Wow, Ice Cube, & Master P, of course this is not meant to be mean spirited so J-Zone is not trying to beef with any of them. I like the beat here, it’s heavy hitting but has pretty good singing samples. This is one of Zone’s greatest tracks. DOPE!

4. Edit These

Clever track, see J-Zone can’t get a track played by the radio because his music is too “dirty”, so he edits it with the cursing edited(In fact it’s edited to go backwards) so you get a hilarious second verse. Really clever track. Good

5. Greater Later(Feat Devin The Dude)

Oh yea DEVIN!!!!! This is not the type of beat you’d expect Devin to rap over but that’s not a bad thing, in fact Devin does a great job and the J-Zone beat is really good as well. This is a surreal track. Devin does the first verse and it’s really good. J-Zone with the second verse and it’s also pretty good. You have to hear this track. Good

6. Xactly

Beat is ok, it’s got a funky feel to it. J-Zone sounds like he’s using echoes for a voice effect. The lyrics and concept are pretty funny(It’s about bad breath and poor hygiene). Good enough. Good

7. Kill Pretty

The beat here is great, it may sound a little odd during the first listen but once you hear the track more you get used to it. J-Zone raps about how ugly he is and how he needs alcohol to get girls. Pretty funny track. Good

8. Baldylocks

This track reminds me of Willie D’s “Bald Headed Hoe’s” and really anything that reminds you of WILLIE D! is dope. Track is about how women are bald one day and then the next day they have a full head of hair. Hilarious track, really good as well. Good

9. Crutches

Skit.

10. Disco Ho(Feat Dick $tallion)

Nice semi disco-ish beat by J-Zone, it’s got some funk in it as well. J-Zone raps about not dancing, pretty funny stuff. Chorus has some bad singing which J-Zone says “Sound better than Pharrell…for half the price!”. Great track. Good

11. Flight 212

Skit.

12. Bulls**t City

Nice funky type beat, it’s almost Premo-ish. Track is about New York, I like the scratching on this track. Great track. Good

13. Heavy Metal(Starring Al Shid)

This is an Al Shid solo track, J-Zone does the beat here and it’s nice and dark. Shid does pretty good on this track. Good

14. Oops!(I’m Sorry B*tch)

Nice bouncy type beat. J-Zone tries a different style of rapping on here, really dope stuff. Track is pretty funny as well. Good

15. Sleazy Listening

J-Zone makes some porn background music here with numerous sex samples. I can’t rate this.

16. Lightweight(Remix)

Nice beat here, there are some different styles going on here, some guitar’s and bouncy type bass here. J-Zone raps about not being able to hold his liquor, pretty funny stuff, good track as well. Good

17. The Zone Report

DOPE!!!!! This may be my favorite J-Zone track ever and he even mentions ICE T!!!! J-Zone raps about his entire album catalogue. It’s pretty interesting to hear him give his honest opinion on his own albums. You have to hear this track, the beat here is really funky and has a really good electric guitar type riff mixed in. DOPE!

18. Old Maid Theme/Biscuits II

Nice shout out type track, J-Zone gives a great shout out to Devin. Nice way to end this though I really can’t rate this.

 

All in all I give this a Good rating. This may be J-Zone’s greatest album, this smokes his old stuff easily. The skits were kept to a minimum and J-Zone was more focused here. Most def cop this album.

J-Zone – Pimp’s Don’t Pay Taxes

J-Zone - Pimp's Don't Pay Taxes1. Model Citizens

Intro.

2. Q&A

Pretty good beat by J-Zone (J-Zone did all the production on this album by the way), it’s a different beat sounds a little goofy but it’s great. The track is about an interviewer who asks J-Zone questions about his life, career, etc etc etc. Pretty dope track. Good

3. Live From The Pimp Palace East(Feat Huggy & Al Shid)

Long song title name, but that’s not a big deal. Pretty good beat, has a bass like guitar plucked in there, I can’t really describe J-Zone beats. Huggy starts it off with a dope verse, then a dope chorus consisting of scratching occurs, J-Zone uses voice samples which is dope. Al Shid with the next verse and it’s pretty good. J-Zone with the last verse and it’s pretty funny, he even mentions bumping Bushwick Bill(CHUCKWICK!) which gets points. Good track. Good

4. Stroke happy

Hilarious skit.

5. The Trojan War(Feat Thug Penis(AKA Huggy))

Well that’s an interesting character name. I like the beat here, it’s got several voice samples throughout. This track is about safe & unsafe sex, decent message at the end. Good track. Good

6. The Bum-***** Ballad

Beat has a cheesy Italian(No offense to the Italians) feel to it, it’s pretty good and the chorus consists of “*****” scratches, one from Too Short. J-Zone raps about women in a hilarious manner. Good track. Good

7. 190(Feat Al Shid)

Pretty good beat by J-Zone, it’s sort of bouncy but maintains that J-Zone sound to it. Al Shid raps about drinking alcohol and getting hung over. Pretty good track. Good

8. You Block You Bleed

Hilarious skit about some aspiring nerd rapper who bothers J-Zone, classic skit here but I can’t rate it.

9. Block Itch

Pretty good guitar type beat, it has a South West type feel to it. Song is great, it’s about J-Zone who meets a woman and she says she’s going to bring her cousin and J-Zone thinks it’s another girl and it turns out to be a guy and he’s some wanna be rapper who bothers J-Zone, I saw it coming but it still was hilarious. Great track. Good

10. No Consequences(Feat Huggy Bear)

DOPE!!!! This track is great! Nice chants in the beat, nice dark feel to it. Track is about causing terror in a world where police are off duty, I can’t do it justice. Hilarious lyrics by J-Zone(“Roll through the ghetto bumpin ‘Ice Ice Baby'”). Huggy does a really good job as well. DOPE!

11. A Word From Our Sponsor

Skit.

12. County Check Pimpin

Really goofy type beat, it’s pretty good albeit totally out of left field. Track is about J-Zone selling his time, pretty funny stuff. Good

13. Zone President

Great beat here, classic J-Zone. Hilarious lyrics by J-Zone(“Backpackers wave while I pump that Trick Daddy”). The chorus has a pretty dope beat change in it, then J-Zone starts dissing internet rapper wannabe’s. Great track. DOPE!

14. I’m F*ckin Up The Money(Feat Huggy)

Huggy solo track with J-Zone on the production. Nice voice samples throughout the track and Huggy does a great job rapping here. Good

15. Old Maid Legal Aid

Skit.

16. Jailbait Jennifer(Feat Al Shid)

This will offend some people, I don’t really like this track. Wack

17. S.H.I.D. Chapter 5(Feat Al Shid)

Al Shid solo track with a great J-Zone beat backing it. Great track, Shid’s a pretty dope rapper. Good

18. Ms. Platonic Part 2

Original was on “Bottle of Whup Ass EP” and this version is much better. The beat is a pretty guitar type heavy with a pretty dope accordion thrown in. J-Zone raps about platonic friends, pretty good track. Good

19. The J-Zone Fan Club

Skit.

20. Invisible ink(Feat Huggy)

DOPE!!! This is a Huggy solo track and it’s really good. Nice weird guitar like beat. There’s a different beat that kicks in during the second verse that is great, it needs to be heard. Great track as Huggy raps about society. DOPE!

21. Metrocard Millionaires(Feat Al Shid & Huggy)

DOPE!!! One of my favorite J-Zone tracks. Beat has a great electric guitar type riff added in there. J-Zone starts it off with a funny verse, then Shid with a great verse, then Huggy with a great verse, and J-Zone finishes it off with another funny semi short verse. Nice chorus that is full of scratches. DOPE!

22. Billionaire Theme

Short instrumental, I can’t really rate this.

23. Fan Club President

Outro, nice beat though.

 

All in all this gets a Good rating. This was something different and it worked, J-Zone isn’t your typical producer or rapper for that matter, most of his lines are filled with sarcasm and humor(Which is great). COP THIS!

Madvillain – Madvillainy

Madvillain - Madvillainy1. The Illest Villains

Intro.

2. Accordion

Nice beat by Madlib, he samples from Daedelus(“Experience” is the song). Really good track, and Doom flows well over it, this whole concept is great because it has Madlib doing all of the production and Doom doing all of the rapping(Well except for a few tracks). Great track. Good

3. Meat Grinder

Great starting before the real beat kicks in, I wish Madlib used the first one instead of the second. Nice dark beat here with some old 1950’s type beach sound that kicks in. Doom’s flow here fits the beat perfectly. Great track. Good

4. Bistro

Great little skit here, great beat by Madlib here, I wish there was some rapping over it. I can’t rate it though.

5. Raid(Feat Medaphoar)

I like the beginning as it sounds like Lootpacks “On Point”, but then a different beat kicks in, it’s a lot more bouncy. I dig the chorus here as it’s just weird voice samples piling up on each other. Doom & Medaphoar come tight, I like Medaphoar a lot, he did a great track called “Listen To This”. DOPE!

6. America’s Most Blunted(Feat Quasimoto)

Weird intro but it works. This track is great because it shows great chemistry between Doom & Quas. You know what this track is about so I’m not going to get into it. Doom starts it off with a great verse, then QUAS!!!!!!! with an even better verse! One of my favorite tracks on the album. DOPE!

7. Sickfit(Instrumental)

Yup this is an instrumental, it has an Asian feel to it with a heavy bass line, pretty good. Good

8. Rainbows

Eh, I’m not big into Doom’s singing, nice old school 70’s cop show beat by Madlib though, overall this track is average. Average

9. Curls

Pretty good track, the beat isn’t that great but Doom carries it well. Good

10. Do Not Fire(Instrumental)

Nice sinister type beat by Madlib, it has that evil Arabian feel to it. Good stuff. Good

11. Money Folder

Nice eerie type beat by Madlib. Doom does a good job, about 35 seconds into the track it cuts to some weird beat and no rapping very crudely, that was weird. Good

12. Shadows Of Tomorrow(Feat Quasimoto)

No Doom on here, it’s a Quas and Madlib track. Quasimoto starts it off with a pretty good verse, it’s not like your average run of the mill type verses. Madlib with a pretty good verse. Great track. DOPE!

13. Operation Lifesaver AKA Mint Test

Great track name. Beat sounds like something that Doom would produce. Good but short track. Good

14. Figaro

Nice bass heavy type beat by Madlib, beat is very low and semi dark. Doom does a great job on here as well. Good

15. Hardcore Hustle(Feat Wildchild)

A Wildchild solo track, you know I usually find Wildchild to be boring but he does a great job on here, in fact this is his best track ever. Madlib does a great job with the beat as well. Track is only about a minute 30 seconds but it’s great. Good

16. Strange Ways

I don’t really like this track, the voice samples just annoy me here. Doom does a good job on here though. Average

17. Fancy Clown(Feat Viktor Vaughn)

Well this is a Viktor Vaughn solo track(In case you didn’t know Viktor Vaughn is to Doom how Quasimoto is to Madlib). Nice beat here, has a nice laid back feel to it. Great track. DOPE!

18. Eye(Feat Stacy Epps)

Great track here, this is a Stacy Epps solo track and she does a great job singing the repeated lines over and over and over again. Madlib produces a really good beat here, it’s pretty relaxing, man Madlib is such an overlooked producer. Great track. DOPE!

19. Supervillain Theme(Instrumental)

Pretty good Madlib beat here, it has a sinister feel to it, like an evil villain is fighting a super hero(Stupid description I know). Short but good. Good

20. All Caps

This was the single to the album and the video to this track is amazing. The beat is so Doom-like it’s not even funny, sounds just like an old school super hero theme. Doom does 2 verses here with a nice chorus consisting of heavy bass & piano’s. Very original track. DOPE!

21. Great Day

Doom sings and I cringe, but he finally starts rapping and it gets really good. Nice beat by Madlib, it has a good jazz feel to it. Great track. DOPE!

22. Rhinestone Cowboy

Great beat by Madlib here, it has a nice singing sample on here. Doom does a great job here, nice way to end the album. DOPE!

 

All in all this gets a Good rating. Wow such a brilliant album, and the concept was pretty clever, have Doom rap and Madlib produce. Madlib tried to go for a Doom feel here with the production which was really interesting, he did a good job as well. Doom of course did a really good job on lyrics. You have to get this album!

Sex, Money & Gunz – Repossession

Sex, Money & Gunz - Repossessionthe album cover: 8 Tarentinos out of 10

This is the first thing you notice when coming across an album so it’s important that the artist makes some sort of statement or at least gives you some damn near nekkid hoes. No hoes to be found here but the cover is dope regardless, looking like a bootleg version of Reservoir Dogs, you see an image that recalls the infamous ‘stuck in the middle with you’ torture scene. With a cover like this and a name like Sex, Money & Gunz this we’re certainly of to a very promising start. Seriousely who’s going to ***** with you when you have this sticking out of your backpack at bandcamp?

the album booklet: 6 Calvin Klein rejects out of 10

Nothing special about this one right here. A couple of pictures of the groupmembers. Seems like Smooth is so bummed out these days his drug of choice has become some sort of horse laxative, or maybe it’s supposed to be a metaphor for “yo, look at me ma, I’m shittin’ on the game!”. Whatever the case may be I didn’t feel the need to see a rapper sit on the toilet and I’m guessing neither did you. There’s some info on who produced what and so forth, plus an add for the next Body Count album.

the actual record: 7 jhericurl gangsters out of 10

 

1. Intro 

“one two..this is Ice T, you’re about to listen to the SMG record..” The Iceberg kicks a little game for street soldiers and suburbanites alike about “those two types of niggas and those two type of *****es”. Just a spoken intro but if you’re a longtime Ice fan it’s enough to bring a smile to your face just the same.

2. Repossession 

The first real track sets things of nicely. The whole idea behind the Repossession album is explained by Ice who talks over a solid beat with a nice piano loop behind it. Every emcee spits an alright verse, nothing that’ll guarantee you a cultfollowing on the internet but you get the general idea: gangsta rap is back, repossessed from all those faking the funk.

3. Radio Play 

Remember the Power LP? Of course you do! Ice already told you how he felt about those radio cats and guess what? Sixteen years down the line and Radio Programmers are STILL suckers. The track is driven by a pounding drumbreak and, once more, some piano sounds. There’s also a nice, albeit slightly generic synth line that should appeal to those who are still bumping The Chronic album on the daily. I like this track, the lyrics are funny enough to make a tired concept work.

4. Bang Bang 

Bang Bang is…a Banger. A simple but highly effective chorus and a pulsating beat. Smooth absolutely kills his verse, reminding you why he was one of the best rappers out there in the nineties.

5. Get it Going 

SMG knows a thing or two about momentum cause if Bang Bang had you hyped then this joint won’t bring you down. Another aggressive gangsta joint. Ice says that if you ever meet someone colder than him he’s moving over but as far as I’m concerned I don’t see anyone moving in on the premier pimp position just yet. Smooth comes even nicer than he did on the previous track. Trigger and Deuce Fever spit alright verses, actually Trigger has a couple of lines that bring a smile to my face…something about throwing pitts in the basement where he’s holding your kids…what can I say I’m a sick *****er.

6. Did That 

Not really impressed by the beat on this one, a chopped up drumbeat and and a little piano line. The verses are alright even if they’re a notch or two below what we’ve heard so far. The hook is horrid though, yeah they did that but maybe they shouldn’t have done this.

7. Compton Brooklyn

Ah, the lads redeem themselves with this one. Maybe not completely but we’re back on track all the same. Smooth and Ice spit verses in a way that brings to mind the chemistry Run and DMC had, talking about the differences between Compton and Brooklyn. If you’re from either city you’ll like this one even more I guess.

8. My Gun 

You’ve heard this one before…but odds are it had a different title, “I gave you power” or maybe “me and my girlfriend”. It sounded better when you heard it back in the day as well. There’s the requisite soulsample in the background and a crooned hook that goes nowhere.

9. Mama Say A Prayer 

Okay we’ve got a bunch of kids on the chorus and they sound so worried about life that they’re bursting into song! I guess this is Sex, Money & Gunz with a conscience. Not a bad track but…not stellar either, I guess tolerable is the best word for it but then again that doesn’t seem to do justice to Smooth the Hustler who spits that fire once more. ***** it, Smooth’s verse makes this a dope track.

10. Hustler/Player/Gambler 

I feel like throwing a barbeque and inviting all my friends from high school. That’s the vibe this one delivers. The typical “it wasn’t all bad back in the day though, was it?” fare but no matter how many times you’ve heard this before it won’t hurt hearing it just one more time.

11. Please Believe Me 

How to talk game to a chick 101. Tracks like these really give way to the fact Ice was once a pimp. The hook is brought to you by some undistinguished R&B cat but it actually adds to the overall effect of the track. The content is sleazy and cheap too after all.

12. Swazy 

Once I bust a nut I’m out, all the real niggaz know what I’m talking about, we might take you out to dinner buy you shit it’s crazy…but once I bust a nut I’m swazy. Unadulturaded funtime fire. Every verse is on point but the Hustler comes of the nicest all the same. Your girl might claim to hate this but she’ll have a hard time hiding her smile cause this one is just too contagious to ignore.

13. Hangout Hustle

Finally Smooth gets a well-deserved solo. The hook consist out of a Naughty By Nature sample and the Hustler kills it once again with some crazy alliterations and multis. Great stuff.

14. Stop The Talk 

This one wouldn’t have been out of place on Ice’s VI album, but to be honest it would’ve been filler on that one as well.

15. Rush the Coatroom

Imagine Grindin’ getting a Phantom of the Opera treatment by fleshing it out a little. Again, it doesn’t suck but it’s just too mediocre to make much of an impression.

16. The Game’s Real 

Ice still knows how to tell a story but the only problem is that we’ve heard him telling this particular one before and the Victory sounding beat doesn’t really help the cause.

17. Ya Got Me Open 

Okay, we’ve made this hardcore gangsta joint. We threatened a lot of nameless rappers, and we were very graphical about it. We praised our guns and told the hoes that ones we bust that nut we’re out. So where do we go from here? How about….a LOVE song! yeah that could work! This is actually the song that might have some radio rotation and piss off some kid to the point where he decides to record a song blasting the radio for playing some bullshit. The irony.

18. Would You Love Me

Rapper meets girl, girl isn’t true to rapper, rapper makes song about it, reviewer reviews it, you remain bored.

19. Outtro 

Smooth putting a lid on it…there you have it

 

the bottom line: Granted, a record like Repossession isn’t groundbreaking and on a worse day or when heared by someone who doesn’t get nostalgic when hearing Ice T or Smooth the Huslter it might even be called redundant or generic. And up to a point it is just that. But nobody went out trying to change the face of hip-hop with this release either. If the aim was to make a solid old fashioned gangsta rap record then SMG more than succeeded. All parties involved manage to make listening to this album feel like taking a trip down memory lane…even if that leads you to places you regretted visiting in the first place, kind of like the hardcore Duran Duran fan being confronted with his eighties hairdo twenty years down the line. Is this record worth buying? I’d say so: if you’re an Ice fan you’ll want this and if you’re a hip-hop fan you’ll want to hear some more of NY’s forgotten son Smooth the Hustler who rips virtually every track he spits on. Sometimes Sex, Money and Guns still manage to impress..even after all these years

Diamond D – Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop

Diamond D - Stunts, Blunts & Hip-HopDiamond D is one of the more underrated rapper in the Diggin’ In The Crates crew. When one thinks of the legendary DITC crew one mostly thinks of Big L, Lord Finesse, OC and Fat Joe. Diamond D, is also a great rapper from the distinguished crew. This album shows just some of the extent of his tremendous talent. A hip-hop album which incorporates the true spirit of rap. Diamond D, is truly a rap and production superstar.

 

Intro 

A simple, short intro track. A voice comes on and gets the listener ready.

Best Kept Secret 

From the beginning of his track, Diamond D starts with some metaphors and introduces his style. His delivery is a bit dry but if one looks past that, they can see his lyrical skill, which is highly underrated.

Sally Got A One Track Mind 

This track is a narrative one about a girl named Sally. It basically takes the listener on a journey through Sally’s slightly disturbing life. Her lifestyle is that of a whore and Diamond D tells the entire so well.

Step To Me 

This is truly a great track. Diamond D spits some incredible lyrics. His lyricism are astonishing and this track is full of discreet great lyrical acts. It’s an arrogant track which is very much in keeping with basically a “DITC Tradition” But, he has every right to be arrogant. A great track.

Shut The ***** Up 

A little interlude. It has some random, unnecessary singing. This album could have definitely done without this.

***** What You Heard 

Diamond D clears up many misconceptions on this tremendous track. D comes up with some venomous lyrics which are put so softly, they tend to pass unnoticed. This is one of the better tracks on the album.

I’m Outta Here 

Diamond D slows down on this style and switches up his delivery a bit. This is a narrative track about different events in the life of Diamond D. Once again, Diamond D shows that he’s a great rapper with diverse styles. One of the best tracks on the album.

A Day In The Life 

Yet another narrative. Another great track after consistently good ones. Diamond D raps about “a day in the life of three black men” Diamond D comes up with some witty lyrics and shows that he is a law-abiding citizen. Not apart of the stereotype often tossed on the people of his colour.

Last Car On The 2 Train 

Another interlude which has little reason behind it.

Red Light, Green Light 

A good track with some nice, unique production. A great track where Diamond D tells a series of great stories. This is definitely one of the better tracks on the album. Word to Big Bird.

I Went For Mine 

Lyrically, this is a excellent track. D raps with great skill one a background of good production. It seems slightly in the style of A Tribe Called Quest yet extremely unique at the same time.

Comments from Big “L” and Showbiz 

Two members of the DITC crew, Big L and Showbiz, simply state how real hip-hop is back on the map. Some of the truest words on the album.

Check One, Two 

A great track on a backdrop of great production. Diamond D comes with the “dope sound” with his rawness and his far from commercialized flow. D is incredible on this track and successfully makes it one of the best on the album.

What You Seek 

A great track. Diamond D spits some great lyrics with his terrific flow. D comes extremely strong on this track. He raps the truth on this track, lacing all the information with tremendous skill.

Lunchroom Chatter 

Another interlude amidst this long album. It’s decent, as interludes go.

Confused 

Diamond D’s organic flow is evident on this track. This track is all about confusion in the stories told in this outstanding track. D flows with his regular narrative but his unusual style which ensures his stories don’t tire.

Pass Dat Shit 

A superb track where Diamond D is slightly more aggressive. The production, the lyrics and everything in between gain a slight edge to them. An extremely original track and among the best on the album.

Freestyle (Yo That’s That Shit) 

A pretty decent freestyle. He doesn’t spit much fire but his talent is natural. D chooses to come with a more laid back style which suits the beat. A sufficient track.

K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid) 

A good track with some nice wordplay. D delivers this track in dedication to the Zulu Nation and he seems to slightly incorporate some of the many styles which were apart of that crew, making it a completely distinctive track.

Stunts, Blunts, and Hip-Hop 

A great track where he raps about each word: stunts, blunts and hip-hop. Each of them being a mans best friend. An extremely creative track where Diamond D has a nicely paced flow.

Wuffman Stressed Out 

Another interlude. Pretty weak.

Feel The Vibe 

A great track which definitely captures the essence of hip-hop. This track is exceptionally because of its combination of everything. Wordplay, lyricism, beats and everything. The only thing a bit off is the chorus but aside from that, it’s a great track.

A View from the Underground 

An outro track which schools the sell-outs. To hell with them!

 

This is organic hip-hop. Hip-hop at its finest. Diamond D definitely sticks to the roots of the broad genre and delivers some of his best lines. A terrific album which has too long been slept on. D is on point on this album. Aside from the interludes, this is a magnificent album. Near classic, this album lives up to the little hype it received. A truly great album. It is by all means worth digging in the crates for. Real rap is back!

Rating:
4.2/5

Redhead Steve – Red Rum

Redhead Steve - Red RumArtist: Red Head Steve
Title: Red Rum
Year Released: 2004

 

1. “RedRum” 

Just a short intro, tight beat, Redrum being repeated over & over N/R

2. “At Tha Door” 

Starts off with a little talking, Then Red Head Steve comes in spitting real fast with some tight ass flows, great beat gets your head moving, Red Head Steve does a tight hook, very tight overall great way to start off the album
5/5

3. “We Some Killaz” (feat. Lock N Load) 

Another tight beat, Red Head Steve starts off with some tight lyrics talking about killin, he spits pretty quick on this track, Red Head does the hook great hook, Red spits another tight verse and the hook, Lock N Load spits last and has a great flow he spits his verse fast, tight song overall
5/5

4. “On A Mission” (Remix) 

Red Head Steve’s comes with more of those sicc lyrics, great beat, Steve does the hook again and its perfect, good remix, great song overall
5/5

5. “Keep It Crackin” (feat. Half-Sane, T-Nutty) 

Starts off with T-Nutty talking, good beat, Red Head Steve spits first and another tight ass verse , Steve does the hook and its tight, Half-Sane is next to spit and he comes with a pretty good verse, T-Nutty spits last, he rips up this track, another tight song one of my favorite on this album
5/5

6. “Operation Getback” (Half-Sane, Young Vicious) 

Another tight beat, Red Head starts off with a tight hook, Half-Sane is first and has a great verse, Young Vicious is second and has a tight flow to, Red Head spits last another sicc flow spits with quickness again, good song overall
5/5

7. “Game Locked” 

Good Beat, Starts off with the hook by Steve again, Steve flows two tight verses another good track overall
4/5

8. “Smash Down” (feat. 151)

Track starts off with some talking by 151, tight ass beat, Red Head Steve starts off with a great verse, Steve does another tight hook, 151 is second to and has a tight ass verse I’m feeling it, Steve comes back for the third verse and its straight fire, this song gets me hyped TIGHT song overall one of my favorites
5/5

9. “Get Punked” (feat. Clockwork)

Clockwork starts off with the hook its pretty good, Steve spits first and he start flowing like crazy, Clockwork is next and has a nice verse, a good beat here, another solid track
4/5

10. “Til The Day I Die” (feat. Mo-X, Lil G)

Starts off with Steve talking about Seattle, an alright beat on this song, Steve starts off with another good verse, Steve does another good hook, Mo-X is next and has a alright verse not feeling it that much, Lil G is last to spit and has a pretty good verse, ends with the hook, good song overall
3.5/5

11. “Hard Times” (feat. Skuntdunanna)

Starts off with a little skit, ends with Steve killin some guy, good beat, Steve does the hook, another good hook, Steve is first and does a little slower flow, but still tight, he talks about hard times good verse, Skutduanna is next and has a decent verse, Steve does another verse and its tight again, probably would been a better solo track but its still tight
4/5

12. “Beyond Hurt” (feat. Young Bop, Half-Sane) 

Young Bop starts off with some talking, Red Head Steve starts it off with a tight verse, Steve does another tight hook, Young Bop is next and spits with the quickness a tight ass verse, Half-Sane spits third and has a good verse, Steve comes back with another tight verse I’m feeling it more than his first one, great beat, a tight song overall
5/5

13. “Killaz 4 Tha Payroll” (feat. Mak One, Greedy B.D., Half-Sane)

Starts with Steve doing the hook, Steve flows first with a tight verse, Mak One is next a has a decent verse, Greedy B.D. is next with a tight verse he comes with a different style, Half-Sane is last and has a good verse, good beat on this track, i’m feeling Red Head Steve the most on this track, another solid track
4/5

14. “Invincible Man” (feat. Half-Sane, H-Bomb) 

Tight beat on this one, Steve does the hook, Half-Sane is first to flow and has a good verse, Steve spits second and has a great verse, H-Bomb spits last and comes with a cool verse, another tight song
4/5

15. “In Tha Wind” 

Good beat, Starts out with a tight hook by Steve, Steve comes with some great lyrics on this track, he flows a little slower than usual, definetly another one of the best one on this album
5/5

16. “Unsaved Rats”

Starts off with a phone call, Steve comes in with some hard murderous lyrics, Steve does a good hook, a pretty good beat, a tight song overall
4/5

17. “True Blue Killaz” (feat. Prozax, Lock N Load) 

Starts off with some talking, Prozax has the first verse and comes and comes with some gangsta lyrics, Steve does the hook talking about true blue killaz, Lock N Load is next to and has a great gangsta verse, Steve is last and has a tight verse, tight laid back beat, tight song overall i’m feeling this one
5/5

18. “Ain’t No Tellin”

Start off with some lady doing the hook its pretty good, Steve comes hard on this track with a laid back style some sicc lyrics here, good beat, ends with some singing, another solid track to end this TIGHT ass album
4.5/5

 

Overall this is a tight ass album 18 tracks of straight fire, I was feeling every track on this album, Red Head Steve comes with some tight ass flows, he spits real fast on some of the songs, tight beats and features, if you don’t got this you need it simple as that don’t sleep on this album one of the BEST of 2004, you have to check this one out

Chino XL – I Told You So

Chino XL - I Told You SoChino XL is reverred as one of the best lyricists of all time. KRS-One and Kool G. Rap consider him the metaphor and punchline king. He is often compared to only Ras Kass and Vakill. His debut album in 1996, called Here To Save You All surprised everyone, with amazing battle raps and incredible lyrics and delivery. It is also said he has never lost a battle. Hes been on the Wake Up Show Anthem. This his second album out in stores, and supposedl;y theres two other albums, Kreep and Poisen Pen (i think, not exactly sure), that have been held back due to label issues. This album came out in 2001, and he is now workin on a new one.

 

1. Rude Awakeing

Just and Intro, Done by someone named AZIZ, basically just states how Chino came and destroyed.

2. What You Got

Great start off song. The beat is dope, very hard hitting. Chino comes very hard in this, great delivery, unbeatable rhyme scheme, the punchlines and metaphors are very on point. The chorus basically states he has way better things than you. Just the beginning line states “Don’t start me/or you’ll be the only entertainer with less groupies than Biz Markie/”
Rating:8/10

3. History (Skit)

4. Nunca

This track is straight dope. The beat is dope, starts off with some lady talking how there will never be another Chino XL. His flow is dope, his delivery is untouchable again. The first verse is very, um, amazing maybe, and the second verse is much better. Punchlines and wordplay is amazing. Probably one of the best songs on the album. “im sick of yall fake drug dealin tales/the only time yall Sea-Grams is when you drink them gingerales/
Rating: 10/10

5. Concert Skit/ Asshole Intro

Funny ass skit basically saying how everyone sucks and hes the greatest.

6. Asshole

Pretty dope beat, not the best on the album. Chino rips in in every aspect again. Chorus is pretty funny, basically states how much he’s a “*****in asshole”. He has some pretty dope lines in here tho like “hes wack, slow down the pace/im wack? then ill retire and blame it on God, like Ma$e/” and “they tell me to kill it every time i write a rhyme/ but how many murders can i commit in one lifetime/”. Overall, beat isnt bad, could be a little bit better, these ratings are gunna start being based on beats, cuz he never comes wack.
Rating: 9/10

7. That Would Be Me

The beat is pretty dope, could be a little better, but it fits it well. this song is basically how you can recognize him. Dope delivery, lyrics, and concepts. He says “ill kill a handicapped man for parking in a regular parking space” and “try me metal detectors goin off the rest of your life”. Overall pretty dope track.
Rating: 8/10

8. Last laugh feat. B-Real

This track features B-Real from Cypress Hill. B-real comes pretty dope on this, I don’t personally like is voice a lot, but he did pretty well in this. no comparisson to Chino tho. Chino is again unbelievable on this. the beat is dope, i like the beat, pretty cool. there are a lot of dope lines in this song, so i can’t do it justice by showing a couple.
Rating: 8.5/10

9. Let em live feat. Kool G rap

Featuring Kool G. Rap, this is a dope track. They both come very dope in this song. The beat is one of my favorites on the cd. Basically about how “they let you cowards to live”. one line from Chino that stands out is “im top notch/the only thing y’all outline in chaulk is a game oh hop skotch”. Overall one of my favortie tracks on the album.
Rating: 10/10

10.Baby Mama ( skit )

It is just a skit, but its funny as hell.

11.Sorry

this is featuring some chick named Shaunta. This song is basically about a relationship about two people, they are apologizing to eachother about what they’ve done. Chino shows his story telling skills on this one. Beat is dope, kinda retro like, very cool and chilled. They both come pretty well on this. Overll pretty ill song.
Rating: 9/10

12. Chino XL

Straight Dope Song. One of my favorites. Beat is straight hard. Chino is flawless on this track. “lets gte it on/ birds fly over your head upside down cuz you ain’t worth shitting on”, “put your money where you mouth is make my crotch a millionaire”, ‘***** smoking weed im smoking Bob Marley’s ashes”, and “Jesus’s tears couldnt dampen me, horses could barely trample me, you bite me so much why don’t you just sample me” are just a few of the dope lines in this song, straight fire.
Rating: 10/10

13. Chinophone Part 1

Funny ass skit. Mark brodi has won a spot on MTV’s show Fanatic to meet Chino XL. but chino had soemthing else in mind with a arsenal of weapons and a 6 inch wide louisville baseball bat, now watch as Chino gives new meaning to the phrase “Fan Club”. LOL

14. You Dont Want It With Me

Pretty dope. Beat is pretty cool, not the best. Chino comes exceptional on this. Has some dope one liners in here, “get beat and boxed like Dougie”, “Been God on earth so long the one in heaven’s pissed off”, “the only hot cats ive seen were on plates at chinese food resteraunts”. Overall pretty dope.
Rating: 9.5/10

15. Chinophone Part 2 (Skit)

16. I Told You So

I like this beat a lot for some reason. This is different though. Chino doesn’t come very hard in this, only for like 7 really dope lines, it’s not as good as his other songs. The chorus says Chino is a “fly nigga”. I mean, its good enough to be the title song, its still a lot better than most of the other songs from other artists, but it’s not as good as other Chino songs. Overall I don’t really feel like posting the dope lines, cuz it would ruin the song.
Rating: 7.5/10

17. Don’t Say A Word

This is a really slowed down beat, something to chill to. It’s a real slowed down song for Chino too, it’s toned down, not metaphor wise, but something is toned down. One line that really stood out in this is “Looks like being a fake me is better than being a real you”. No really dope lines, but every line is almost a metaphor or simile. Real chill song though, I like it personally, One of my favorites.
Rating: 10/10

18. Chino Fans (Skit ) 19. It’s My World

Dope beat, dope as hell. Hard hitting. Very nice battle track. Chorus states “Chino make the world go round” Chino is again flawless on this track, saying some very dope lines like “I got the world hemmed up my daddy should have named me Taylor”, “ill resurrect Hannibal to show Italianos how African they are for thinking of us as Animals”, and “You wish for death like Princess Di wish she wore a seatbelt”. Overall dope track.
Rating: 9.5/10

20. Ass-in-an-instant (Skit)

Pretty funny skit about what a girl should do on a date with Chino XL

21. Chianardo DiCaprio

Dope beat. This is on of the more commercial songs on the album, but its still dope. Chino tries to sing in the chorus, but he doesn’t do all that bad, his voice does change pitches a little. This is about the lifestyle of him being a sex symbol, kinda funny. Ladies and sex is the main thing in this. Metaphors are there and everything, he comes well on this.
Rating: 9/10

22. Outro Skit

23. How It’s Going Down feat. Saafir

Dope beat, another more commercial track, but even if it is commercial, Chino makes it dope, because the wordplay is still all there. Saafir spits on this, and comes well on it. He comes good with the wordplay and everything, flows well. Chino tries to sing again after the second verse, and again doesn’t do that bad. Chino does the first & fourth verse, Saafir does the 2nd and 3rd verse. Overall pretty dope track.
Rating: 8.5/10

24. Be Here

This is a dope track, one of my favorites. Beat is straight dope. Has a commercial twist to it, but the storytelling is amazing, which makes it better then any commercial songs I’ve heard. It’s about how he decided to go to this bar one night, and meets this woman. The woman is married but wants an affair with him. She helps him get a record deal, and then she doesn’t want him to blow up. The ending also has a twist I might say, and it’s like, wo. Overall great song, not just one of my favorites, but one of the best on the album.
Rating: 10/10

 

Overall
For an overall rating this got a 9/10, or 136.5/150. It really comes out to 9.1/10, but the amount of skits brought it down, but the humor in the skits helped that out. So, this album was dope, I guess the first one, Here To Save You All, is better, but this is different, more commercial, but everything was there. There were so many ill lines that i was able to quote a lot, and that was just a few. This was very ill album. You have to keep listening because you don’t know what Chino is gunna say next, you can never be sure, and this doesn’t get boring. I think you should go out and buy it now!