1. 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!

the 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 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

Artist: 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 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!

1. Lockdown(Intro)

Intro.

2. Criminal Activity(Celly Cel)

This is a Celly Cel solo track here and he uses some really dope voice effects for the track, the effects sound like the chorus to Funk Season mixed together. G-Man Stan produces the track and the beat sounds like “187 proof”. Short but good song that shows Celly’s ability. Good

3. Ridaz(Spice 1, Celly Cel, & Jayo Felony)

G-Man Stan produces the beat and he uses 2 Pac’s “Ambitionz Az A Ridah” voice samples, pretty dope stuff with some nice guitar & violin riffs added in. Spice 1 starts it off and his verse is easily the weakest, I’m not a fan of post 1998 Spice 1, he lost his dope flow and just rattles off nonsense. Celly Cel with the next verse and it’s really good. Jayo with the best verse on the track and one of his best verses ever, man he rips it here. Great track. Good

4. Puttin In Work(Celly Cel, Spice 1, & Jayo Felony)

Nice hard hitting beat by Doyle. Jayo starts it off with a dope verse, Jayo is really underrated. Speaking of underrated, Celly Cel does a great chorus and second verse, man he shows some anger here, really dope stuff. Spice 1 with a good verse, it’s a lot better than the last track. Great track. Good

5. N***az Like Us(Celly Cel, Spice 1, & Bun B)

Nice Chi Town style beat here, fast paced. Celly Cel starts it off and he raps fast(!) he does a good job rapid spitting. Terrible chorus here as it’s the title said really slow. Spice 1 with the next verse and he does a great job here, man he goes off here rapid spitting. Bun B is next and he takes his time here, he doesn’t rap fast but he does a good job. Good track. Good

6. My Life(Jayo Felony, Celly Cel, & Spice 1)

Slow paced beat here, a little boring if you ask me and way too sappy. Jayo with the first verse and he ignores the beat and just rips it with a dope verse. Silly chorus here with some girl singing, not very good. Spice 1 also ignores the beat as he does a good job with his verse(Man Spice 1 is motivated on this album!). Celly Cel with the last verse and it’s pretty good(Of course because it’s Celly Cel). Beat and chorus suck but the Criminalz did a pretty good job carrying the track. Average

7. Boss Up(Spice 1, Tray Deee, Yukmouth, & Jayo Felony)

Wow and now we have a recycled song. Beat is not good on this song, in fact it sucks and it was produced by Spice 1 but everyone does a good job with their verses. Tray Deee outshines everyone. Decent track. Average(I cannot stand the sloppy beat)

8. Doin It Big(Celly Cel, Spice 1, & Silk-E)

Good beat here, it’s got some bounce to it, yet has some eerie sounds added. Celly Cel with the first verse and I’ll admit this is a terrible Celly verse. Chorus is terrible, with some guy who has no business singing…….well singing. Silk-E with the next verse and it’s pretty good. Spice 1 with the next verse and it’s decent. Beat was good but everything else was painful to listen to. Wack

9. The Real World(Celly Cel, Jayo Felony, & Spice 1)

Ok now we get back on track. Good beat, it’s got a mobbish sound to it. Celly Cel starts it off with a dope verse. Great chorus here, it’s simple but it gets the job done. Spice 1 with a good verse. Jayo with a decent verse. Good track. Good

10. Reminisce(Celly Cel, Spice 1, & Jayo Felony)

Slower paced beat here, it’s good though. They all rap about their homies they miss and do good jobs doing it. Chorus is decent. Good enough. Good

11. What They Hittin Fo?(Celly Cel, Spice 1, & Jayo Felony)

Really good beat here, it has a laid back feel to it. Spice 1 starts it off with a pretty good verse. Celly Cel with the next verse and he outshines Spice 1, man Celly is overlooked. Speaking of overlooked, Jayo has the last verse and it’s pretty good. Good

12. Rollin Wit My Folks(Celly Cel & Spice 1)

DOPE! The best track on the album! Great beat here, it’s a little odd sounding but it’s good stuff. Spice 1 starts it off with a great verse. Celly Cel & Spice 1 do the chorus and it’s really dope, it has that Ice T “Money Power Women” feel to it. Celly Cel with the last verse and it’s really good. DOPE!

All in all this gets a Good rating. This album was overlooked and should atleast be heard. Most def cop it if you’re a fan of Westcoast music……ah hell cop it if you’re a fan of music PERIOD!

I had never heard of K-Os before, but hearing about his daring yet clearly Hip-Hop oriented meshing of genres and his conscious style, I decided to check him out. I don’t know if K plays his own guitar, but I would assume so, and he definitely sings as well; very versatile, very talented.

1) Emcee Murdah

The track begins with Os commenting on the state of the industry and rap music, then becomes a simplistic but organic-sounding cut, a regretful guitar over violins while K-Os spits a nice verse, not very flow-heavy but really quality lyricism. The sung hook is a nice touch, with improvised rapid riffs. (Great)

2) Crucial

Os brings a more reggaeish feel to this one, though still throwing in riffs here and there. He sings the whole track, the gist of which is “I don’t wanna change the world, I just wanna stop descending.” Later goes into a guitar solo. (Good)

3) Man I Used to Be

Back to more Hip-Hoppins, this is a more aggressive beat with heavier drums, sounds very rock-influenced. Has a compelling sung hook, but the meat of the song is some great lyrics (this time with better flow as well). Ends in a nice guitar/singing improv and a little freestyle. (Excellent)

4) Crabbuckit

A Southern-feeling record, very bass-heavy with some hard kicks, feeling bouncy. Os half-sings/raps the lines, still good. Goes into a sax solo in the middle of the song, after which he launches into another verse. A really jazz-flavored track lit with a catchy hook. (Excellent)

5) B-Boy Stance

Taking it back to the old-school late 80’s style, this was the song’s single. It’s a great breakbeat-style track, with K spitting on people biting when they should be paying dues to the early greats. (Excellent)

6) Commandante

As evidenced by the song’s intro, this is a latin-flavored track with Spanish guitars and rapid drums creating most of the background. K-Os goes right into spitting real lyrics. Relieved at points by a Mariachi-style sung-hook, the verses get more and more fevered. (Excellent)

7) The Love Song

The second single from the album, a euphoric violin/piano combination beat has K-Os spitting/singing nicely about love of music. (Excellent)

8) Hallelujah

With a fair bit of Southern R&B influence, this record is one of spiritual devotion. K-Os strums the guitar and sings with an organ and violin softly playing in the background, giving the impression of a life performance. (Great)

9) Clap Ur Handz

Back to the rap style, a simplistic yet catchy early (early) 90’s beat with a short verse like a live freestyle. (Good)

10) Dirty Water ft. Sam Roberts

A very euphoric, 60’s-sounding record, with Roberts singing a Beatles-style hook and Os rhyming in a very meter-oriented way. He and Roberts then proceed to sing out a happy chorus. (Great)

11) One Hood (Jissy Homicide)

Very simplistic, the first verse seemingly a freestyle over a riffing guitar. A very organic record, not the most hardcore rap but his verses are pretty good and the chorus is nice as well. (Good)

12) Papercutz ft. Kamau

Starts off as another Spanish-styled cut, this one with Latin horns with the guitar. Kamau spits the verses, nice lines with a nice flow, while K-Os sings yet another nice hook. It’s a full 15 minutes long, dominated in the middle by lounge jazz-style piano/bass solos with some scratching in the background. There are a few minutes of silence, followed by the album’s outro, the digitally-altered voice of K-Os addressing the listeners, and a final, expectedly nice verse from K-Os. (Excellent)

My Rating: 5/5 (Classic)

I’m not afraid to rate this a classic album, but it’s not for everybody. This is classic in the sense that, it perfectly accomplishes what it set out to do, mesh genres of music around a central base of Hip-Hop. All in all it’s some great music, but don’t run out expecting traditional rap records like Ready 2 Die, for example. Get this if you like to hear boundaries crossed.

My Recommendation: Buy the shit! If you like experimentation (The Roots, Mos Def) as well as some good positive music, this is MOST DEFINITELY your type of thing.

It’s hard to review No Limit’s music, because most people will tell you that it all sounds the same. You have to really be a fan to get their style of quantity over quality. And while most people will tell you that No Limit has a roster of below and average rappers, there are a few that stand out. One of them being C-Murder. It’s not nesecarily his rapping skillz, but the realness that comes with it, and that’s something that his brothers don’t have. That being known, I’m reviewing C’s third solo album, Trapped in Crime.

1) Intro: 

Tight way to open up the cd. A lot better than the piano intros on his two first cds. Just him talking over a beat, but nice way to start out the album.

2) Forever TRU:

This song iz dope. C samples ‘Gimme the Loot’ by Biggie, and comes with sneak disses at Cash Money, and two tight ass verses. Def one of the best songz on the album.

3) Concrete Jungle feat. Snoop Dogg, Kokane, Goldie Loc, Tray Dee: 

This is a west coast track w/ Snoop, Kokane, and Tha Eastsidaz. It’s a good song, but not one of the best. Kokane’s hook getz old after hearing it once. But overall, average.

4) They Don’t Really Know You feat. Erica Fox:

This song is trash. P makes it even worse, and the beat sounds like an alarm clock. What makes it even worse, is this was one of the singles. Skip it.

5) How a Thug Like It feat. Da Brat: 

Not a really good song, but not terrible. It’s better then the songs Silkk did with Mya, but that doesn’t mean its good. Brat and C flow decent over a Jermaine Dupri beat, talkin bout how each other likes it.

6) Want Beef feat. Fat Joe: 

Not a bad beat ( Kenoe for Deadly Soundz did it ), but the song is too short, and once again MP ruins it. Fat Joe and C have some aight verses, but MP reppin the No Limit East drags it down.

7) Ride feat. Samm, D.I.G.: 

One of the better songz on the CD with tight features from all three artists. D.I.G. shoulda definatley put an album out. The beat iz hot, the hook is hot. Overall, good song.

8) Staring at the Walls: 

Another great song. This talks about being locked up and wanting to be free. Not a slow song, but not a hype track either. Everything sounds good though, as far as the beat and the flow over it.

9) On Da Block feat. Young Gunz: 

Average song, over an average beat. Nothing stands out, not the features, not the beat. Just average.

10) What You Bout feat. Mystikal:

Tight song over another Kenoe laced beat. This is right after Mystikal left No Limit, but he came hard on his last song w/ C. Everything about the song is Bout It, Bout It. One of the best songs.

11) Battlefield:

Really boring song ( if you want to call it that ). Skip it.

12) Where Do We Go feat. Mac, Silkk the Shocker, Nuance: 

Tight song with a nice beat. Silkk’s verse is nothin that stands out ( what’s new ) but Mac and C-Murder have two on point flows, as the song talks about the ghetto being home.

13) NL Iggaz feat. Afficial: 

Another Kenoe track, and another great song. If he would’ve produced the whole CD, it would’ve been a def. clazzic. C tears it up, followed by average verses from Afficial.

14) Too Much Noise feat. D.I.G., Master P:

Average song w/ D.I.G. ( who sounds like Magic ) and MP. Not bad, not good. Doesn’t stand out at all.

15) Damned if They Murder Me feat. Mac, Ms. Peaches, Magic:

Once again C-Murder and Mac flow perfect on this joint. It’s deep ( which is rare for a TRU/No Limit song ) and definatley one of the BEST songs on the CD.

16) Hustlin feat. Master P, Krazy:

In my opinion, Master P appeared on too many joints already, but on this song he actually doesn’t ruin it. Krazy ( who many people think sounds like Tupac ) has probably the best verse. C comes average, but the beat is good, and its about Hustlin in the ghetto.

17) That Calliope:

Not really a song, just C representing the CP3. Tight beat, but the original version ( unreleased ) is better. Average song.

18) Young Thugs feat. Popeye, Holloway of the Ghetto Commission:

Another one of the highs of the album, talks about young thugs and the mistakes they be makin in the game. Popeye’s flow goes hard, and C and Holloway come correct. Good song.

19) Otis Commercial:

Commercial where C messes with a girl on the phone for playin Soulja Slim.

20) Interlude:

Funny 40 second song about nuttin in a girls eye.

21) They Want My Money feat. Mac, Mia X: 

It’s good to hear Mia X on a NL song again, and she comes tight as she always did. Mac and C couldve started a group though, with the chemistry they got on the mic. They saved the song, it’s about hoes wantin money.

22) Thug in Yo Life feat. Krazy:

Good song about spittin game at a girl. Krazy and C’s flows are on point, over a nice beat.

23) Down 4 My N’s feat. Snoop Dogg, Magic:

As stated in the NL Top Dogg review, this song is a KLC produced joint with hard verses from everyone, but Magic has the tightest. Good pick for a single.

24) Street Thugs feat. New-9, Magic:

Decent song, not the best way to end the album though, it could’ve been better.

Overall, this cd is a classic to me. It’s not C-Murder’s best album, but it definatley deserves some recognition. I’d give it a 4/5.

Brother Ali is one of the most underrated rappers of all time. He is an underground rapper who posses many skills giving him the ability to rip up the mic with either a prewritten verse, freestyle or a battle. Brother Ali is one of the most coherent lyricists around today and he can rip up most people who are ever on the other side of the mic. Very few people rival his lyricism which he perfectly coats all his tracks with. Brother Ali is one of the greatest underground rappers around today.

A Room With A View 

A simply remarkable track to start off this astounding album with. An astonishing track with tremendous lyrics. :One of the best tracks from the album. A striking narrative laced with shocking lyricism. This track is simply one of the best.

Champion 

The champion flows with a amazing vitality. The only downside to this track is the hook is a bit off. For that sole reason this track may take a while to get into. But aside from that his lyrics are up to speed and it is a great track. Very few rock with this champion.

Star Quality

A softer track lined with lyrics full of reflection. It is slower and extremely steady. Brother Ali comes smoothly with nice lyrics which contain emotions and truth. A great track aside from the slightly annoying chorus.

Prince Charming 

A great track. Brother Ali’s delivery is slightly different on this track. It loses it’s edge and adopts a more playful tone. Ali comes with witty lyrics which make the song an enjoyable one.

Win Some Lose Some 

A good track. His lyrics take a bit of a dip on occasion throughout the track but it doesn’t detract much from the track. His flow is a bit choppy but it manages to sustain some of his usual style. He wins with some lyrics, he loses with some others.

Pay Them Back 

A truly terrific track. Ali comes with some amazing lyrics which come at the listener head on. He showcases his “poetic eloquence” on it with some thoughtful lyrics. One of the better tracks on the album.

Blah Blah Blah (feat. Slug) 

A good track. Considering the artists on it an the potential for brilliance this track was slightly disappointing. Both Slug and Ali came correct but the track on a whole could have been better. It was a still a high-quality track but it had the capability to be superior.

Shadows On The Sun 

The title track does not disappoint. Brother Ali delivers some subtle lyricism. It is all around a good track. The beat may get a bit irritating but at the end, it’s the lyrics which are more important for this artist.

Prelude 

A simple prelude. Nothing good, nothing bad. Wasn’t necessary but it didn’t detract too much from the album.

Forest Whitiker

A great track. Brother Ali lays this track out so simply; his flow, his delivery; basically everything aside from his lyrics. This track is extremely different from the rest of the album. It’s a breath of fresh air amidst originality.

*****slap! 

This is like a battle track. A simple track where Ali lashes out viciously at many unnamed MCs. He basically takes a lot of the rappers around out for a lesson. He gives them a major slap from all quarters. A great track.

Backstage Pacin’ 

A superb track. A narritive on Brother Ali. It’s basically countless thoughts flowing through his head before he goes on stage. On this great track he certainly grasps control on the situation.

When The Beat Comes In 

Brother Ali’s delivery on this track has a slight edge. His self-proclaimed arrogant words on this track describe him almost flawlessly. Ali murders the track with his lyrics and narrative. He rips the mic every time there’s a beat.

Missing Teeth (feat. Slug) 

Yet another Slug featured track, and this one is better than the other. Slug comes nicely on this track. His flow is lazy and unusual. But it is Brother Ali who shines on this track. Together, they make a great duo.

Dorian 

A great track mixed with great lyrics. It’s a great narrative about himself for the most part. The haughtiness on this track is well-fitted for a rapper of his stature. An amazing track as he basically takes the listener on a journey with him.

Soul Whisper 

A short track which contains a few quotable lines compressed within so they can sometimes pass unnoticed. This is one of the weaker tracks on the album.

Picket Fence 

One of the best tracks on the album. A beautiful track with stunning imagery powered by masterful lyricism. Brother Ali relates to the listener no matter what their background may be. This is a tremendous track and almost alters the way of thinking with some of the skilfully played metaphors.

Victory (Come Forward) 

A great track. Brother Ali dishes out powerful lyrics with his amazingly raw flow. Brother Ali spits incredibly on this track. He’s upfront and extremely secure with his well fitted skills. A truly amazing track.

This album is a definite recommendation for the avid hip-hop fan that listens closely to lyrics. His complexity may not be appreciated by all but this lyrical album is a must have to fans of artists such as Slug, Tonedeff, Sage Francis, Canibus, Big L and many others. This jewel may be difficult to find but it is worth scouring CD racks for. One of the best releases of 2003. Brother Ali is a must have for fans of true underground rap fans. There is no doubt about this almost classic being a masterpiece.

Rating:

4.7/5.0

1. “Tha Murder”

Just a short intro, X-raided pretends to be a pizza delivery man and shoots the guy who opens the door N/R

2. “Still Shooting”

Gunshots from the intro leads into this track, X-Raided comes in spittin some of those sicc lyrics “I’m a killa the motha*****in X to the R-A-I-D-E-D L-O-C smokin niggas like some green bud” good oldschool beat, the hook is a bunch of sampling good hook, this is a great track to start off this album one of the best on the album 5/5

3. “Call Tha Guardz”

Tight oldschool beat, no hook on this track just more sampling, hard lyrics by X-raided “lable me insane and a dope dealer, now add this your list of cop killas”, on this track X-raided tells some good stories tight song overall 5/5

4. “Who’s Tha Hoe?”

This track start off with a little talking, X-raided talks about how easy it is to get some hoes, some good lyrics more story telling lyrics here, the hook is good they repeat “who’s the hoe” over and over, another good oldschool beat great song overall 5/5

5. “Crazy Than A Mutha *****”

Starts off with Brotha Lynch doing some talking, X-raided comes in with some more sicc lyrics, great beat on this track, no hook just some talking with scatching, X-raided comes hard on this song is, one of my favorites tight overall 5/5

6. “Every Single *****”

X-raided comes in talking about *****es and hoes and how easy it is to get some hoes, tight oldschool beat, X-raided comes hard on this track, the hook is X-raided talking with some sampling, ends with X-raided giving a few shout outs, great song overall 5/5

7. “*****in Wit A Psycho”

This song is crazy, X-raided comes real hard on this song with some sicc psycho lyrics “i’m looking for a slaughter some jack the ripper shit,so I take a ***** and stick a fat knife in her *****” he tells a story, tight oldschool beat here, the hook is some sampling, overall this is a tight song bump this one load probably my favorite on the album 5/5

8. “***** Killa”

X-raided spits somemore pyscho lyrics on this track “it’s halloween, and i got a treat, i’m dressed like a devil and i’m handing out human meat”, he talks about killing about a *****es” I was squeezing trigger hella tight, Like twenty shells I let her have it to the face, when smoke cleared there wasn’t a mother*****ing trace”tight oldschool, the hook is somemore sampling, crazy lyrics on this track, great song overall 5/5

9. “Everybody Killa”

Good beat on this track more oldschool beat, X-raided comes with some tight lyrics he flows real tight on this track short track with X-raided just flowin tight track 5/5

10. “Shoot Cha In A Minute”

X-raided comes with somemore hard lyrics here “Tha Murder, yeah, I got something to do with it, cause I shoot cha punk ass in a minute” another good oldschool beat, X-raided does the hook pretty tight, great song overall 5/5

11. “That’s How My Trigga Went” (feat. Brotha Lynch Hung, Sicx)

X-raided doesn’t have a verse on this track its just Brotha Lynch & Sicx rippin the mic up with some sicc ass lyrics, Brotha Lynch spits first he comes with some real sicc lyrics i’m feeling his flow more than Sicx, Sicx spits next with some sicc lyrics good flow, hard beat on this track, just a short track with Brotha Lynch & Sicx no hook here,just flowin tight song overall 5/5

12. “That Sickness” (feat. Kaos, Big-O, Brotha Lynch, Young Meek, Cyco)

Starts off with Brotha Lynch doing some talking, X-Raided spits first with some tight lyrics more of the psycho shit, “If I can’t beat cha, the gat will defeat cha” he has the best flow on this track, X-Raided does a little talking before Brotha Lynch’s verse, Lynch has a tight ass verse with some sicc lyrics i’m feeling his flow,everyone else has some good flows, X-raided spits another verse last, tight oldschool beat here, great track overall everyone has a good flow good features here, great way to end the album 5/5

Overall, X-raided’s debut album is a classic, good production by Brotha Lynch a lot of oldschool beats and sampling which was tight and good features as well this is probably X-Raided’s hardest album, his lyrics on then album were used to convict him of murder, if you don’t got this album go and pick it up it’s classic