This Rhyme & Reason soundtrack was released back in -97 and I was bumping it heavily for a while there. It’s not 2003 and I’m gonna try to do a fair review of it.
1. Mack 10 & Doggpound – Nothin’ but the cavi hit
The soundtrack starts of with a track done by a legendary west coast group mixed with one third of another legendary west coast group. Daz Dillinger’s producing and mixing the track, and if you’re a Daz fan, you’ll hear this. Mack 10’s coming out hard and even tho the Kurupt parts sounds lazy everyone’s doing their fair square on this track. A very good way to start off the album.
2. Busta Rhymes & A Tribe Called Quest – Wild hot
A Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes is the first East Coast contribution to this soundtrack. The first thing on my mind when hearing this is how Busta changed his style. This is the style that got him famous and this is the style he should stick with. The beat is kind of dark, and it’s a tight track overall.
3. Eight Ball & MJG – Reason for rhyme
œReason for rhyme is a Dirty South contribution for the album. Eight Ball and MJG. The beat is kind of slow but both rappers are giving it lil hype, making your pulse go up. If you ask me, it’s a very western influenced production.
4. Ras Kass, Helta Skeltah & Canibus – Uni-4-Orm
Ras Kass, Helta Skeltah and Canibus on a track will mean a lyrical orgy with blazing metaphors and tight flow. This is no exception. Unfortunately they’re doing it over a beat not fitted for doing so.
5. Crucial Conflict – Bogus Mayn
œBogus Mayn from Crucial Conflict is a nice track with a tight rapper over an arcade kind of beat. The hook’s very catchy, and the baseline is really cool. Overall an above average track.
6. E-40 – Every year
We all know E-40 is a West Coast legend. On this track right here he’s showing his original flow and style over a really nice, slow beat. I like it! The track is enjoyable and the hook’s perfect for it too.
7. The RZA – Tragedy
Okay. First thing I have to say here is… this track is a classic! I don’t know how many times I’ve been bumping this at home, at parties, when playing basketball or whatever. RZA is coming out super-tight over a very tight beat with an extremely tight hook. There’s no need to write more about this. It’s very extremely super-tight!
8. MC Eiht – Represent
Many consider West Coast artist MC Eiht a legend, and he’s done a lot of tight tracks in my opinion. However, this is not one of them. The production’s wack, make’s me feel bad for MC Eiht who had to rap over this.
9. Lost Boyz – N*ggaz don’t want it
If you ask me, Lost Boyz is a legendary group. I’m a huge fan of them and Freakie Tah is in my opinion one of the worst losses in the rap game. He was giving the tracks that little extra to make them tight. This track is not one of the best Lost Boyz tracks I’ve heard… It’s actually one of the worst I’ve heard. It can’t be easy being a rapper when you get beats like these to rap over.
10. KRS-ONE – Bring is back
Krs, you’re tight and all, but how about making a track about something new? ANYTHING but how raps from New York or how it’s so unfair how you don’t go multi platinum. I still like KRS-One, tho, and this track is a good one.
11. Master P – Is there a heaven 4 a gangsta?
This track made a lot of people notice Master P. It’s a nice track and if you’re a No Limit fan but didn’t hear this track, you should. UUUGHH
12. Volume 10 – Liquor store run
I’m sure there was something different to put on the album than this. It’s a quite wack track with a below-average rapper. I guess the executive producers found the hook catchy, cuz that’s all there is.
13. Guru, Kai:Bee & Lil’ Dap – The way it iz
This is another of those classic tracks! Guru on the production really did it this time! The beat is tight and the fluit is completing this masterpiece! That’s not all there is. The flow’s amazing from all rappers and the lyrics are tight down to the last word. This is an absolute classic!
14. Nyoo & DeCoca – Buisness first
Classic track œThe way it iz is followed by a funky cut by Nyoo and DeCoca called œBuisness first . I really like the beat and as for the rapping part, it’s good too. Very nice, funky, track.
15. Delinquent Habits – No identity
This cut is a bump friendly, head moving’ song with club-friendly gangsta style and a nice hook. It’d be a nice way to finish of the album, if there weren’t any bonus tracks.
BONUS TRACK: Mack 10 & Doggpound – Nothin’ but the cavi hit (remix)
This bonus track is a remix of the first cut of the album “ œNothin’ but a cavi hit . It’s basically the same track with some mixing changes. I used to like the original better, but now I’m having a hard time changing my mind about it, so I bump both.
Rhyme & Reason is a soundtrack, and soundtracks usually have a few tight tracks, a few wack tracks and a few average tracks. This one had a few classic tracks, a few not so good tracks and then some above average tracks.
The album is also a personal classic, so for me personally it’s a 5 out of 5 grade. However, if I was forced to pretend I didn’t hear it before I’d grade it: 4 out of 5.