You can say a lotta things about Jay-Z, but one thing you can’t say is that he didn’t shut down The Garden on Friday night. Fuse had been heavily promoting this concert for a minute and I think it lived up to the hype. Hova performed everything from “Jigga My Nigga” to “Venus Vs. Mars” to “Public Service Announcement” to “Where I’m From”. With Memphis Bleek playing hypeman, Jay-Z didn’t slack on the guest appearances either: Santogold, Kid Cudi, John Mayer (Who killed on the guitar during “Death Of Autotune”!), Rihanna, Kanye West, Beyonce, Pharrell, Swizz Beatz,Mary J. Blige, & Diddy. I think it’s things like this that reminds people of who Jay-Z is. I thought I was assed out on seeing this because I wasn’t gonna make that trip up to NY and I definitely don’t think my cable company carries Fuse (The channel the concert was shown on). But then again this is the internet. Shout out to youraudiofix.com for the USTREAM. Check out the video of the concert below.

This was probably the most difficult album review that I’ve had to write during my tenure at nappyafro. Having previously written this album review in full with what I thought was an unbiased view led me to revisit it and start anew. Even though the initial review I composed offered a detailed view of the album, I needed to further distance myself as a Jay-Z fan before I would really be able to fairly judge its value and significance. Distancing myself as a Jay-Z fan in being able to properly review this album, which meant forgetting my adoration for classic albums (Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, The Black Album) and overlooking my distaste for disappointing albums (The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse, Kingdom Come, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life). I had to go into this album review with a fresh mindset clean of all of Jay-Z’s successes and shortcomings, and view this album on its own terms without comparison to any previous albums. Enter The Blueprint 3, an album that has recently been the most anticipated by listeners since Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter III and Eminem’s Relapse. It’s easy to understand the reasons for such anticipation, as it has been almost two years since Jay-Z’s previous release (American Gangster) and this album follows undoubtedly one of the best albums in his catalog (The Blueprint). Being the final album in the Blueprint trilogy, Jay-Z has gone on record in saying this album is the definition or blueprint of the “new classic” and should be viewed as such in being the new model for rap’s younger generation of rookies and stars, and being focused on the music and instrumentation side of things. It shouldn’t be compared or viewed in the same light as the original Blueprint album, which is labeled the “old classic” but viewed in the perspective of the digital, Auto-Tune heavy music industry we reside in during today’s times. The world “blueprint” as defined by Webster’s dictionary is something serving as a model or providing guidance. In terms of Jay-Z as an artist, few could argue that his career doesn’t meet the criteria of said definition. Over the years his superior and classic status albums have served as models and sources of inspiration for countless artists (both up-and-coming and established). The Blueprint displayed his life foundation and development from soul music being present in his childhood, The Blueprint² showed his exploration of various genres and musical taste… So where does The Blueprint 3 stand?

1. What We Talkin’ About
Featuring Luke Steele (of Empire of the Sun); Produced by Kanye West & No ID
Jay-Z has always been known for having strong opening tracks (“The Prelude”, “Can’t Knock The Hustle”, “A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More”, “The Ruler’s Back”) that set the tone for the rest of the album and the rest of the tracks that follow. He seemingly understands the importance of making a good first impression in knowing that it’s important to catch the listener’s attention at the start, which will hopefully encourage them to listen until the end. Immediately you notice the change with the lush, advanced sounding production provided by duo of Kanye West and No ID who handle a majority of the album’s production and set the tone. The song initially grabs the listener’s attention but soon wears thin in terms of production value becoming dull and boring after a while. Most people are familiar with some of the lyrics on this track from the acapella “freestyles” Jay had been performing at shows in the past two months, which garnered some hate and ruffled the feathers of The Game and Jaz-O (“Talking ‘bout gossip, I ain’t talking ‘bout Game…Even Jaz made some scraps, he could’ve made more but he ain’t sign his contract”). It’s kind of contradictory though as by even mentioning you’re not talking about insert name here, you’re ultimately still talking about them by referencing their names. Sure diss tracks and harsh words towards Hov have come from Jaz, Game (The Game), Dame (Damon Dash), and Jimmy (Jim Jones), but at this point in Jay’s career and the success he’s seeing it’s rather pointless to even acknowledge the fact. None of these individuals could really greatly affect his career and he’s just playing into their hand to bring attention to their dismal careers from being mentioned by a bigger star. Other than this Jay stays true to the song title in explaining why he’s still one of the most talked about figures not only in the genre of Hip-Hop but around the world (just ask Oprah, lol). This is a passable opening track to the album, but it’s far from the level of some of previously mentioned opening songs that truly did the job of capturing the listener’s attention.

2. Thank You
Produced by Kanye West & No ID
Listening to this track you get the feeling that it should have been placed towards the end of the album possibly as the final track in closing out the album. This song could be thought of in the same light as the Mary J. Blige collaborative effort “You’re Welcome” in possibly being a concert show closing song, which sees Jay thanking fans and listeners for their continued support over the years as well as boasting and flaunting his financial stability and lavish lifestyle. Jay delivers some well-crafted verses, but the most intriguing has to be the third verse in which he compares the dismantling of his rivals and competition to the destructive events of 9/11. While some have called foul and claimed he was out of line for making the comparison to such a tragic event, I don’t think what he did was done in a disrespectful manner but said rather creatively. Not too many other artists could have presented and broken it down in the same manner that Jay did in this verse. The sampled production provided by the Chicago duo has finale type of feel to it but at the same time I sounds similar to Dr. Dre’s production heard on the Kingdom Come album. The drums and horns presented in the song are comparable to those in the song “30 Something” while the audible sampled voice/talking in the beat’s background give it a similar feel and sound to “Gold Watch” off Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool. While it’s a good track that can start to get boring after a while from the lackluster beat and Jay’s casual flow, but I still find this to be one of my favorite tracks on the album as I did when I first listened to it.

3. D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)
Produced by No ID
This is the well-known first official single of the album that has garnered both praise and criticism from critics and listeners alike. No ID hooks up Jay with a creatively sampled beat that allows him to lyrically attack Auto-Tune users and enthusiasts alike while keeping the listener’s heading nodding along the way. This was one of my favorite tracks when it was first released as it built great anticipation for album and showed Jay getting back to the aggressive style that many thought he veered from. People have been saying this song shows Jay “bullying” or “hating” on younger artists and those using the software plug-in for all the wrong reasons (Ron Browz, Webstar, etc.) but as he stated in defense, once something becomes a gimmick (i.e. Wendy’s Commercials) it’s time to move on and I think this song and his way of thinking are justified. While Jay isn’t the first one to speak out against the ills of Auto-Tune, it’s good to see a song like this being pushed and played on a mainstream level. Commend him and Kanye (of all people) for thinking up a song idea like this and following through with it against the popular trend.

4. Run This Town
Featuring Rihanna & Kanye West; Produced by Kanye West & No ID
The second official single of the album has brought along both praise and controversy (Freemasonry, the Devil, etc.) similar to “D.O.A.”. When this song was initially released I was a bit disappointed in comparing it to the previous single, and once the video leaked the accompanying visuals decreased my disappointment level. The song embodies the topic matter and complement the rebel marching production from Ye and No ID. Jay delivers braggadocio lyrics about how he, his record label, and label mates are running the industry, which is nothing new and has been recognized by now. Kanye does the same with a punch line heavy verse filled with comedic and intense lines that sounds like the Kanye of old from The College Dropout days. Rihanna provides a simple yet effective chorus much to the degree of T.I.’s “Live Your Life” that does it’s just job and nothing more. The more recent focus of this track has been listeners claim of Kanye outdoing Jay on his own track, but honestly I don’t think that happens here. Sure Jay’s verses aren’t spectacular and mind-blowing, but Kanye’s verse doesn’t really shine that much greater. I think the punch lines present in Ye’s verse (“She got an ass that’ll swallow up a G-String/And up top, uh, two bee stings”) are reason that people think he murders Jay on this track, but ultimately he just comes off in having a more clever and cunning verse, not one that’s better. When it comes to murdering Jay on his own track that position is still one solely owned by Mr. Mathers on “Renegade” and this track doesn’t see any of that type of lyrical homicide taking place.

5. Empire State Of Mind
Featuring Alicia Keys; Produced by Shux, Co-Produced by Jane’t “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic & Angela Hunte
“Hey ref SUB… come on out Nas, you’re in Alicia” (boos and jeers from the crowd among the angry and puzzled faces). If this song was a Monday Night Football game or the NBA Finals that would be the scenario that played out upon the release of this album. The original plans for this album called for the third collaboration effort between Jay and Nas (“Black Republican, “Success”) and it was one that many people were looking forward to but unfortunately for unknown reasons Nas was replaced by Alicia Keys on the final track listing. Does the song suffer from the replacement? Not at all! As the song title indicates (a nice play on “NY State Of Mind”) Jay tells you about the city he loves and call home. If you couldn’t recognize by the New York Yankees fitted over the years (“I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can”) Jay reps his city to the fullest and knows it quite like no other in speaking about his time in the drug game running through various boroughs, how he has become one of NY’s most historic figures and the influence the Apple (city) can have on a young Eve (woman). This song basically serves as an ‘ode to his city much like Kanye’s “Homecoming” and Alicia provides the soulfulness on the track’s chorus and bridge that take this track to the next level in their first collaboration together (hopefully not the last). Nas would have fit perfectly on this track along with Alicia Keys and it would have served as a nice homage to the classic Illmatic track, but you certainly can’t be mad at the final results from the applied change. The song essential becomes one of the best on the album and posses the stadium status necessary to make it a New York anthem.

6. Real As It Gets
Featuring Young Jeezy; Produced by The Inkredibles
In listening to this track it feels like one that was intended for a Young Jeezy album and comes off as Young Jeezy featuring Jay-Z instead of the other way around as if Jay is reaching to appeal to a Southern audience that is currently infatuated with the likes of Jeezy, Gucci Mane, OJ Da Juiceman, and others who have the draw. The Inkredibles provide some epic but undistinguished sounding production that caters more towards Jeezy than Jay, which sees them speaking about how they’re some of the realest rappers in the game and how listeners shouldn’t look further than them to find it. I don’t know if that’s an accurate declaration when looking at others rappers that span the entire genre and the jaded rhymes at times from the two don’t do much to convince the listeners otherwise. While this song sounds like it’s on the wrong album, it’s still a good one that delivers and serves its purpose.

7. On To The Next One
Featuring Swizz Beatz; Produced by Swizz Beatz
The first time I listened to this song it gave me a “Really Jay??” expression on my face. Being the first time in since Kingdom Come (“Dig A Hole”) that Jay and Swizz have linked up for a track and about 10 years since the last time it was successful (“Jigga My Nigga”, Vol. 3: Life And Times Of S. Carter), it comes off as disappointing. The production provided by Swizz Beatz is in typical fashion as it has that signature bounce that he’s known for but given his history in knowing what he’s capable of he could have came a lot better. In terms of lyrics Jay holds up his end of the bargain in speaking about how he’s always forward moving and never caught being in the same light as everybody else. With a better beat the results could have been better and matched the track’s potential from these two collaborating.

8. Off That
Featuring Drake; Produced by Timbaland & Jerome “Jroc” Harmon
This was the track that started it all in regards to the leaked BP3 tracks produced by Timbaland and saw people’s interest and promise for the final album decrease. I’ll admit that when I heard this song after it leaked I was with the majority of listeners who felt that this track was real disappointing for Jay’s standards and limiting Drake to just hook duty was a big letdown. Timbaland provides Jay with some of the Techno-infused production that he has recently become known for and while it’s catchy it can becomes dull over time. Timbaland can be hated for his production on this track but credit is due as he’s one of the few music producers that isn’t afraid to try new things that eventually see others following months and years later. This is Jay’s track to address current trends (Audemars Piguet, Cristal, Rims, Timberlands, “Making It Rain”, Oversized Clothes/Chains, etc.) that he feels a “R.I.P.” is necessary. Topic wise it’s very similar to the previous track where Jay states the facts about how stays ahead of the game and boasts that he’s still proficient in his “trend killing” abilities. We’ll see how many of these get added to the list with Throwback Jerseys and such (Probably a good majority…but I don’t know about Timbs Hov, that’s so NY). This track had the potential to possibly better with a verse from Drake instead of just featuring him on the hook, but we’ll have to see if that collaboration happens on Drake’s Thank Me Later debut album. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being the third single from the album (Since it was rumored to be the 2nd before “Run This Town”) as it would work well in the club.

9. A Star Is Born
Featuring J. Cole; Produced by Kanye West & No ID
Even more anticipated than Jay working with Drake was his collaboration with his label signee J. Cole. So many people were ready to be disappointed when it was initially seen that Cole was nowhere to be found on the album but feelings changed when the official track listing was released. Kanye and No ID provide some subtle production that doesn’t overpower the emcees and allows the lyrics to shine for the listeners. Jay’s uses his verses to commend and celebrate those in Hip-Hop music who have become stars over the years in their careers (Eminem, DMX, Wu-Tang Clan, Kanye, T.I., Outkast, Mobb Deep, Snoop Dogg, etc.) and who are due to become stars in their own rights (Drake, Jeezy, J. Cole, etc.). He also talks about his rise to fame from the corner to the crown of the rap game while figuratively passing the torch to the rookie who delivers an effective verse and holds his own on the track with Jay. This song and J. Cole’s verse remind me of Kanye’s track “Touch The Sky”, which introduced the world to Lupe Fiasco and stands as the defining moment in his career from which it took off from. J. Cole is destined to become a major force in the music industry in some years and stand as one of the top figures of the new generation of rap music, this track further solidifies that point and shows that Jay knew what he was doing when he made him the first member of Roc Nation.

10. Venus Vs. Mars
Produced by Timbaland & Jerome “Jroc” Harmon
The final leaked Timbaland track that featured more laid-back production from Timbo this time around compared to his other two offerings. As the track title implies, Jay goes men vs. women (read: Jay vs. Bey) on his verses in using some clever play on words for the comparisons (Biggie/Pac, Blackberry Bold/Sidekick; “Me I’m from the apple which means I’m a Mac/She’s a PC she lives in my lap”). This is Jay’s “grown folk” track seeing as how there hasn’t been one on the album until this point and it’s one that could see some play in the clubs for its relaxing, laid-back feel.

11. Already Home
Featuring Kid Cudi; Produced by Kanye West
This is another collaboration that people were anticipating in seeing Jay hook up with another one of rap’s next generation stars on the rise. Kanye goes for dolo on this track in handling the production by himself, providing a lush beat that sounds like it could have had a home on his College Dropout or Late Registration album. Kid Cudi is left to the same fate as Drake in being brought on to just handle hook duty on this track and he does so in fitting fashion with it being not too much but just enough. Even though this track seems more fitting for Kanye or Cudi, Jay is able to make it work for him to a successful degree.

12. Hate
Featuring Kanye West; Produced by Kanye West
On this track Kanye goes solo again on the production side of things but provides some rhymes along with it this time around. The beat on the track sound like something that was done in the style of 808s & Heartbreak and for that fact fit Kanye more than it does Jay. This song isn’t too much stronger than “On To The Next One” in that it was one that could have been left off the album for better results. An average track and at best it just doesn’t work as a Jay track as much as it does for a Kanye track in looking like Jay was just following suit to Yeezy’s style and technique. The lyrics on this track basically follow suit to the song title with Jay and Ye talking about the topic of hate and haters with them copping a similar flow to LL Cool J’s “Going Back To Cali” in the first few bars of their verses respectively. This is the shortest track on the album so it’s one that listeners don’t have to sit too long through.

13. Reminder
Produced by Timbaland & Jerome “Jroc” Harmon
When Timbaland’s tracks leaked people were asking where the “bounce” was from him that he provided for Jay on tracks like “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” and “Big Pimpin’”, well this track is the track that they were searching for. Compared to the other two Timbaland produced tracks on this album this stands as one of the better ones as the bouncy beat allows Jay to spit lyrics that basically remind listeners of who he is and what he has accomplished in the industry (10 #1 albums in a row… make that 11 with BP3). At this point in his career a reminder of these facts isn’t really necessary and if so you need to go back 13 years and catch up. This is a good track that brings the level and tempo of the album back to a steady pace.

14. So Ambitious
Featuring Pharrell; Produced by The Neptunes
Thought we weren’t going to hear from The Neptunes on this album, but you know that’s mandatory since The Blueprint². The subtle production provided by The Neptunes on this track has a similar sound and feel to Common’s “Punch Drunk Love” heard on Universal Mind Control and ultimately it’s sort of lacking for The Neptunes’ production value. However Jay utilizes it to deliver a motivational track about how he never gave up his dreams and ambitions when others said he couldn’t and the opposition was stacked against him… and a little sneak jab to Mr. Dash (“Old buddy, oh buddy!”). Pharrell supplies the chorus on this track in his usual falsetto style and if you know him this track’s topic is one that he is familiar with.

15. Young Forever
Featuring Mr. Hudson; Produced by Kanye West
As the title implies you should have guessed that you would hear Alphaville’s “Forever Young” in some shape and form and it appears courtesy of a sample in Kanye’s production work. Serving as the album’s closing track, this album has a similar feel to “Beach Chair” on Kingdom Come with its spacious production and Jay’s lyrics of reflection. Jay’s lyrics talks about staying young and never growing old, and how he will forever be Jay-Z (A play on his nickname “Young”) and won’t change from who he is regardless of the years that past. The chorus sung by Mr. Hudson basically takes from the original Alphaville track as he gives off a similar feel to hearing Chris Martin of Coldplay (You know Jay wasn’t going back to that after Ye accused him of biting on “Big Brother”… but we know the real story). While this track has a similar to feel to “Beach Chair” it is unfortunately not as strong production wise or lyrically. However it does a nice job of closing out the album on a calm and peaceful note.

Bottom Line:
15 tracks later and 8 years since the original, The Blueprint 3… is a really good album. Leading up to the 9.11.09 9.8.09 release there was much anticipation for this album in seeing how it ultimately would fare against the now classic The Blueprint album and in that regard it falls short of what that album achieved with classic status. But as Jay stated with this album he wanted to create the “new classic” and refrain from it being compared to the “old classic” (The Blueprint) in allowing it to stand on its own apart from the rest of the Blueprint trilogy. With that being the focus of creating something “different” and diverse from the rest of the albums in his catalog he achieved that as The Blueprint 3 is unlike any other album he has released lyrically and production wise. That doesn’t mean the results are a total successful from it being different. With this album he showed more diversity sonically in terms of production value and provided a platform for the rap’s next generation to be ushered in. By now it is understood that Jay-Z has matured/grown older, moved away from the street life that he used to be involved in, and isn’t the same Hov that was once heard on Reasonable Doubt. In working to present an album that’s diverse I think it succeeds in doing that while it might be a little too different for hardcore Jay-Z fans’ standards. Some songs on this album sound as if they were intended or would be better placed on other artists’ albums, which kind of shows Jay as reaching to appeal to other audiences and what’s deemed popular by Hip-Hop’s younger audience. But this album offers a good mixture of tracks with something to be found enjoyable by listeners of all types. In regards to its ranking with the other two albums in the Blueprint trilogy, it tops The Blueprint² but fails to surpass The Blueprint. Some mediocre tracks prevent this album from being labeled a classic but it still warrants a purchase from casual listeners and hardcore fans alike. Whether physical or digital, make sure you pick up a copy of BP3 when it’s released cause when it comes to bootleg copies… we Off That!

nappyPicks: “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)”, “Run This Town”, “Empire State Of Mind”, “A Star Is Born”, “Reminder”, “Already Home”, “Venus Vs. Mars”, “Thank You”, “Real As It Gets”, “Off That”

This week we’re going way back. No really. I mean way back to 1970. This week I wanted to do something different and feature a song that has been sampled numerous times in Hip-Hop. “Hard Times” by Baby Huey & the Babysitters. I re-discovered this song while watching the opening sequence of JCVD (Dope movie by the way). The song is just made to be sampled and is dope just by itself. Some of the rappers who have sampled this particular song: Ice Cube (”The Birth”off Death Certificate), A Tribe Called Quest (”Can I Kick It?”off People’s Instinctive Travels & The Paths of Rhythm), Ghostface Killah (”Buck 50″of Supreme Clientele), and most recently Swizz Beatz (“School Of Hard Knocks”).

Baby Huey & the Babysitters worked with such artists like Donny Hathaway & Curtis Mayfield. I wish I could say that Baby Huey (Real name James Ramey) lived to make more classic music like this but he and the Babysitter only released one album (Well, one that you can find). Huey had problems with drugs as well as a weight problem and died at the age of 26 by way of a heart attack.

Check out the song and tell us what you think.

Download: Baby Huey & The Babysitters – “Hard Times”

It’s Jadakiss. I don’t need to give you a big build up to this review. A lot of folks have Jada in their top 10 lists and about the same amount of folks put him in the “talented but” category. On the heels of one of the hottest mixtapes, Jada drops the last in his Kiss trilogy. Let’s get it in.

1. Pain & Torture
Produced by Buckwild
You can lead the troops with this battle themed track. Buckwild goes hard on this track and gives us some mean instrumental drama here. Jada…look….”Me vs. any rapper is slaughter”. Jada is doing his thing on this one, and if this is any indication of the rest of the album, I don’t know if I can disprove that statement.

2. Can’t Stop Me
Featuring Ayanna Irish; Produced by Neo Da Matrix
Familiarity doesn’t always breed contempt, this one being all Ruff Rider’d out. Neo provides a head nod for Jada to lyrically step to, and he does a great job. Ayanna’s vocals do well, but I think it may be overused on this track, but this is still a good song.

3. Who’s Real
Featuring Swizz Beatz & OJ Da Juiceman; Produced by Swizz Beatz & The Individualz
No surprise about how this one sounds….it’s Swizzy with horns, clap, and chant, all in tow. Why is OJ on here though? Not feeling his verse at all…it doesn’t even fit the song. Jada doesn’t falter though, “We ain’t hustlin’ no more we doin’ gymnastics/couple’a flips then stash it, bastid”.

4. Grind Hard
Featuring Mary J. Bilge; Produced by The Inkredibles
This will probably be the next single unless “Smoking Gun” is, more on that later. Typically, I don’t get down with Mary J. singing the hooks, it’s so cliché nowadays with everyone trying to catch that feel from “All I Need” with Method man…but I can’t front on this song. The Inkredibles hit us with an anthem style beat and Mary laces the hook on this one. Jada, seemingly unstoppable at this point, does his thizzle once again.

5. Something Else
Featuring Young Jeezy; Produced by Don Cannon
Damn Cannon, this track is nice. So far it seems like this roster of producers is serving the purpose. I don’t really dig Jeezy’s flow, but the lyrics weren’t bad. This is another dope song on the album.

6. One More Step
Featuring Styles P; Produced by Poobs
The track is simple, but Hip-Hop personified. Very minimalist, but the little things and the layering make this track pretty catchy. Styles and Jada trade bars in this lyrical tango and handle business.

7. Stress Ya
Featuring Pharrell; Produced by The Neptunes
No shock, I don’t think Jada has done an album without at least one Neptunes song. I don’t think this one is nearly as successful as the last collab from Kiss of Death, matter of fact….I don’t like this one at all. Jada’s lyrics keep this one from being skipped.

8. What If
Featuring Nas; Produced by Chophouse
We get a decent track for this one; Chophouse does ok. I think some songs are better left alone. This is basically “Why Pt. 2”. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad song at all, but it doesn’t move me. I think the hardest line from the song is “What if Peyton was fighting dogs instead of Mike Vick”.

9. Things I’ve Been Through
Produced by Mr. Devine
SON. They got Loofah (Luther Vandross) singing on a Jada song. This sample and simple loop job is fantastic. Kudos to Mr. Devine. Just like the song says, Jada gives us some storytelling on his-story in the game. This is one of my favorite songs on the album.

10. I Tried
Featuring Avery Storm; Produced by Baby Grand
Normally, I don’t rock with extra synth tracks but Baby Grand laces us with a pretty good one this time. Per usual, Jada melts this track verbally. I’m not such a big fan of Avery Storm on this track. I think he could have used a different singer here.

11. Rocking With The Best
Featuring Pharrell & Bobby Valentino; Produced by The Neptunes
I’m trying to be open, but I don’t have a natural aversion to Neptune tracks…just happens that a lot of the tracksI end up not feeling are made by them. This one is boring to me from tracks to lyrics. I think I will delete this song from the iPod. SKIP.

12. Smoking Gun
Featuring Jazmine Sullivan; Produced by Denaun Porter
As I mentioned before, this may be the next single….should at least be up for consideration. The story is one that is all too familiar in our community, abuse and the issue of our lost young black girls. The track reminds me of “Where Is The Love” by Black Eyed Peas and has the same operatic sensibilities in it. Jasmine, my boo, blesses the hook and I wonder how she would have sounded in Mary J. Blige’s place earlier in the album. This is another one of my faves on the album.

13. Cartel Gathering
Featuring Ghostface Killah and Raekwon; Produced by Swiv B & DJ Eddie F
DJ Eddie F has been in the game damn near since there has been a game to get into, and he’s still good. I don’t have to go into too much detail outside of that. This shit is pure heat and one of my favorite Hip-Hop songs this year.

14. Come & Get Me
Featuring Sheek Louch and S.I.; Produced by Neenyo
From track to verses, this is probably the grimiest song on the album. Sheek & Jada keep it dark and murky on this one, but alas, the hook is TERRIBLE. I’d rather there was no hook, just music. The song is otherwise, dope as hell. It doesn’t fit the album at all though.

15. By My Side
Featuring Ne-Yo; Produced by Eric Hudson
You can try and deny this track if you want, but some radio friendly/ready tracks are actually good, and this is one of them. Ne-Yo & Jadakiss are at their best on this offering. I really dig this one and can see some real commercial appeal for this song as well.

16. Letter To B.I.G.
Featuring Faith Evans; Produced by Needlz
We’ve all heard this song, no need to go into detail. This is another solid song from Jada.

17. Something Else (remix)
Featuring Young Jeezy, Snype Life, Bully, AP, Boo Rossini, & Blood Raw; Produced by Don Cannon
I thought when you do a remix, there should be something different. There are a lot of rappers I don’t know and that are, at sometimes, indistinguishable. It’s essentially the original with a few more bars. This could have been left off the album.

18. Death Wish
Featuring Lil’ Wayne; Produced by Alchemist
Another darker, grittier track for the album, this one is produced by Alchemist. I’m not in love with it, but it’s not bad, just not my thing. You know how Jada does, but Weezy…I don’t have a CLUE what he was talking about on this one. I’ve always said that 90% of Wayne’s appeal is his delivery. As far as I can tell on this one, he proved me right…he didn’t say anything, but it sounded like he was.

Bottom Line:
The main criticism about Jada is his ability to make an album. This is a business, so as much as we’d like to see him get a grip of Premier tracks and sit down and go at it, he has to sell music to eat, and the majority of us that want to hear that kind of album, don’t buy albums. So, you get some radio songs, the required song to the ladies, the cameos, etc. My issue with this is that some of these cameos are useless or could be greatly improved. Lyrically, he stands his ground. Like he said, “I’m an impeccable lyricist, and with the right mechanics, I can take over, be clear of this.” Well, the mechanics on this one stop it short of its greatness. A closer eye to selection and sequence and we’d be looking at a classic.

BONUS – Some reader is going to say “You said it would be classic, but you only gave it a 4.” More specifically, he could easily cut 5 songs, change some of the cameos, etc. That amount of work a 4.5 doesn’t make. He has some solid material here, damn good even, but there are some modifications that need to be made to get to a 5.

nappyPicks: “Pain & Torture”, “Smoking Gun”, “Cartel Gathering”, “By My Side”, & “Things I’ve Been Through”

Download: Jadakiss feat. Ghostface Killah & Raekwon – “Cartel Gathering”

If you’ve seen my columns on the site, you know I kind of talk Bow Wow up a lot. I don’t know why, but growing up as a kid, I always saw him as a good rapper. Well, maybe not a good rapper, but at least above the average new rappers that comes into the game with a ringtone worthy song. He’s been in the game since he was 13 years old (rapping since 6), and has been coming out with albums at a steady pace since then. Now, it’s 2009, two years since his last album and almost three since his last solo project. This album, New Jack City II, can arguably be called a comeback for Bow Wow. Let’s see if the album lives up to the title.

Get That Paper
Produced by Nitti
This intro reminded of Soulja Boy’s intro from his last album, which I also reviewed. This song is better than that one though because the beat is bare bones and it lets you listen to what Bow Wow is saying. Unfortunately, he isn’t saying much, and nothing that he rhymes here really jumps out at you: it seems like he dumbed himself WAY down from the last time I listened to him. Maybe it’s just me. Last time I really listened to a Bow Wow album in depth was ‘05. This song is good, the hook is infectious and the beat works well.

What They Call Me (Big Time)
Featuring Ron Browz & Nelly; Produced Jermaine Dupri & Ron Browz,
The beat sounds good from the jump and I’m feeling it. To be honest, I’ve gotten sick and tired of Ron Browz though. His singing just sounds like a poor man’s T-Pain. I was sure that Nelly would beat Bow Wow on this track, but I probably gave him more credit than he deserved; he did horrible on this track. When Bow Wow beats you in rapping, you know it’s time to stop. Not saying that Bow Wow did well either, just better. The singing is kind of catchy, but this song is just aiight.

Roc The Mic
Featuring & Produced by Jermaine Dupri
This song shows Bow Wow’s growth. It’s just two friends rapping on a track together, reminiscing about past times and how similar the two of them are. The hook is weird at first, but it gets catchy with the samples after a little bit. The two are utterly tied rapping; you can’t really declare a winner here. I think this was the street single off the album? It’s sounds good, but I can’t picture it doing well right now. Good song.

Been Doin’ This
Featuring T.I.; Produced by DJ Toomp
Bow Wow on a Toomp track? And with T.I. as a feature! Oh snap! Wait a second, what is this bullshit!?! OK, I have a couple of problems with this track. T.I. didn’t even drop a verse! I repeat: no T.I. verse. All he does is act as Bow Wow’s hype man. What? I was expecting T.I. to just rip this track to shreds and body Bow Wow on it. Instead, where his third verse should be, there is a long speech from T.I. a la Paper Trail. That brings the song down a lot, because Bow Wow does nothing on this track. He repeats rhyme strings he already used in earlier parts of the song! That shows me he’s running out ways to rap, and on the fourth song? Damn. Still, the beat and the hook help it to be only so-so.

You Can Get It All
Featuring Johnta Austin; Produced by Jermaine Dupri, No I.D., & Brian Michael-Cox
This beat is smooth as hell, but I don’t know about this song. Don’t get me wrong: it’s a good song, but it’s just I don’t know. Bow Wow’s been getting some good beats so far, but he hasn’t been using them. Even on this song, while his singing on the hook works, his voice fails when he tries to sing for the verses. You can actually hear his voice crack! Overall though, it’s a good song that isn’t brought down by Bow Wow’s missteps.

Sunshine
Produced by Jermaine Dupri & Brian Michael-Cox
What the hell!?! Who co-signed this? The beat on this is okay at first, but it gets really repetitive. Bow Wow’s rapping has gotten tiring at this point because he’s been using the same lines over and over. SKIP!

Like This
Featuring Johnta Austin & Dondria; Produced by Jermaine Dupri & J.R. Rotem
The beat on this one also gets repetitive, and by now Bow Wow has just gotten annoying. The hook’s weird at first, but it grows on you a little bit after a couple of listens. It’s just, this is the third track about girls in a row, and all these songs sound the same.

She’s My
Featuring & Produced by T-Pain
Looks like I made that comment a little too soon. T-Pain is here to make another song about the ladies. Bow Wow justifies this by calling himself “Mr. Do-it-For-The-Ladies”. This song sounds the same as the others too, but the T-Pain feature makes it better than the others. Bow Wow is still repeats lines, I still can’t point out any notable lines.

I Ain’t Playing
Featuring Trey Songz; Produced by Jermaine Dupri & Brian Michael Cox,
Don’t get me wrong, I dig Trey Songz (NH), but this track is almost EXACTLY the same as the previous four! And guess what the topic is on? Hint: Bow Wow calls himself: “Mr. Do-It-For The-Ladies” again. That’s right, the ladies again! Damn, this is the fifth song in a row. I’m sorry, but I gotta skip this one. SKIP!!

Pole In My Basement
Produced by Drumma Boy
Drumma Boy delivered the beat for sure right here, but what the hell? Bow Wow, again, at the start of the song proclaims himself to be “Mr. Do-It-For-The-Ladies”. The fact that he keeps reusing this gimmick (the third consecutive time…) proves how unoriginal he is. This is the SIXTH song about the ladies in a row! And what the…oh lord, he went and got the damn auto-tune! SKIP SKIP SKIP!!

Shake It
Featuring & Produced by Swizz Beatz
Alright, this song I can’t hate on. Swizz Beatz pretty much murders this track, making another club banger and Bow Wow doesn’t screw up on here, so it’s all good. This is probably one of, if not the, best song on the album. I’m actually feeling this one a lot.

Bottom Line:
This whole album is just a disappointment. 2-3 years can be considered a comeback, but Bow Wow blows it here completely. I’d go so far as to say this album is one of the worst he’s ever put out. It’s short, has no variety, and Bow Wow spits ABC lyrics like it’s his job. I feel ashamed that I even considered him as a possible future King of Hip-Hop. This whole album feels rushed. It in no way lives up to the title, has 7 songs on the same topic, and sounds the same. Still, while Bow Wow doesn’t reinvent the wheel, he shows some really rare glimpse of skill. Granted, I had to listen to this album like 3 times to find it, but it’s there. He’s been in the game so long, you’d think he’d be better. Technically, he should be at like Tha Carter II level (Lil’ Wayne started at 15 after all) by now, but here he is, retreading over the same shit. I guess if I was somebody’s little sister or under the age of 14, this would get 4 stars, but because I know talent and ability, I can’t let Bow Wow off that easy. You 21 man, you ain’t gotta make raps for the teeny-boppers anymore! Until he learns that, Bow Wow will never be a contender in the rap game.

nappyPicks: “Roc The Mic”, “You Can Get It All”, & “Shake It”

Download: Bow Wow – “Get That Paper”

How do you label Ludacris? Is he a southern rapper? Is he a Hip-Hop mogul? Is he a rapper-turned actor? To me Luda is all of these, and none of these. When you think southern rap, you think of guys like Shawty LO, Soulja Boy, & Gucci Mane. I hope everyone can agree that Ludacris is on another level compared to those dudes. When I think of the word mogul, I imagine Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, & Suge Knight. These are people you can clearly associate to a record label. When I say Russell Simmons, you instantly think of Def Jam, Jay you instantly think of the ROC, and Suge you (hopefully) think of Death Row. When you think of Luda, DTP isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Sure it’s a successful label, but Chingy is the only artist most people will recognize (and that’s saying something). As an actor, Ludacris has chosen great roles, but always gets stuck in a supporting role. Look at the movies he’s been in: Crash he plays the thief, Hustle & Flow he plays the successful rapper, and in Fred Claus he plays a DJ. 2 Fast 2 Furious is the exception. But as a recording artist, Luda has earned his place among Hip-Hop royalty. Theater Of The Mind has the potential to go Gold (maybe platinum) before the end of 2008. After that long-ass intro, you’re probably asking how is the album? Well…

1. Intro
Produced by The Runners
I was scratching my head for the first 40 seconds. But once the beat kicks in, this transforms from your average Intro to “Ultimate Satisfaction Part II”. Same slow beat with the strange loop, and the same Luda with the rapid-fire flow. I was pretty impressed with Luda’s lyricism until the last 30 seconds which is just filler. At the same time it’s an above average rap-intro, what more can you hope for?

2. Undisputed
Featuring Floyd “Money” Mayweather; Produced by Don Cannon
Floyd Mayweather is the first of four random celebrities to pitch in with a vocal sample. Didn’t really add anything to the song. This was a sick-ass track though. The beat was nice, I can see this being the new Don Cannon beat to freestyle to. But when it comes to the wordplay, my jaw dropped: “And if you sittin’ on chrome/I’ll call up my boys and have you stripped of ya medals like Marion Jones”. “Luda leaves intruders stretched out like gymnastics/And acrobatics I’m superstar status/The mouth of the South like Gangsta Grillz you bastard” This is a fucking banger!

3. Wish You Would
Featuring T.I.; Produced by DJ Toomp
Like Luda said “It was bound to happen sooner or later”. The two real “Kings of the South” sound real good over this bouncy Toomp instrumental. And they spit some straight crack for almost five minutes. And for once I can honestly say, I was really feeling the hook on this track.

4. One More Drink
Featuring T-Pain; Produced by Trackmasters
After the two songs above this track fucking sucks. It’s not a terrible track, but it’s clearly a single. You might hear this one in the club, but I’d advise you to skip it. It’s featuring T-Pain; that should already tell you something.

5. Call Up The Homies
Featuring The Game & Willy Northpole; Produced by Clinton Sparks
Not bad. Game and Luda exhibit some good storytelling here, over Clinton Sparks’ Dr. Dre-esque beat (with the heavy funk instrumentals). Willy Northpole’s verse seems out-of-place, but it was weak to begin with. I’m guessing Luda just stuck him on the track to improve the youngn’s sales since he’s signed to DTP. This might be one you will have to repeat.

6. Southern Gangsta
Featuring Rick Ross, Playaz Circle, & Ving Rhames; Produced by StreetRunner
Ving Rhames’ handles all the rapper’s introductions. Sounds like an MC introducing boxers before a fight, which is funny considering Ricky Ross is on this track. Luda turns in a good 16. I’ve never been a Rick Ross fan, but this is one of his better verses (from what I’ve heard anyway). And for the second track in a row Luda gives his DTP weed carriers a guest spot to bolster there sales. Still the same result, Playaz Circle sounds just as awkward on this track as Willy Northpole sounded on “Call Up The Homies”.

7. Everybody Hates Chris
Featuring Chris Rock; Produced by Don Cannon
Don Cannon is a much better producer than he gets credit for. DJ Drama doesn’t hold a torch to this dude, and I’m glad Luda realized it. Another sick beat, but Luda didn’t really hold my attention on this one. His lyrics fluctuate from generic to sick after every bar. And the hook…. Come on Luda!

8. What Them Girls Like
Featuring Chris Brown & Sean Garrett; Produced by Darkchild
This was the first single if I’m not mistaken and it’s nothing you should ever check out. Ever! Not saying it was downright terrible, but why waste your time?

9. Nasty Girl
Featuring Plies; Produced by Swizz Beatz
Another one for the ladies. This song left me wondering who actually bought Plies album? Really? You can enjoy that shit? Really?…Proof that anyone can be a successful Rap artist these days. Who needs flow and lyricism when you can loudly babble into a microphone? That’s what I want to hear! Smh.

10. Contagious
Featuring Jamie Foxx; Produced by Scott Storch
Yet another song for the ladies. This album has really taken a downward turn. On a random note, you’ll probably never guess that Scott Storch produced this track. It’s almost nothing like any of his previous work.

11. Last Of A Dying Breed
Featuring Lil Wayne; Produced by Wyldfyer
And we now return to the album called Theater Of The Mind. You can tell Luda saved his best lines for this track. Even though this wasn’t a single, this is probably the track everyone will skip to once they cop this album. Lil’ Weezy on one of your tracks is a bonafide way to sell records these days. As for the track, Wyldfyer provides a perfect instrumental for this head-to-head face-off. To me this was the song where Luda shows the world that he can flow with Weezy and hold his own. The first verse set the mood, and set up Wayne’s verse perfectly. I’m no Wayne stan but I’ll admit he came with a pretty sick verse too, even though his voice sounded hoarse as hell (lay off the lean homie). On a sidenote, it’s pretty fucking funny to hear Ludacris make a song declaring himself to be “One of the last lyricists alive”, when that’s nowhere close to realistic. And how do you possibly feature Lil’ Wayne on this song when he was partly responsible for the death of the MC? Aside from that hypocrisy this song was pretty good.

12. MVP
Produced by DJ Premier
Damn. Who would have ever thought Ludacris could secure a Primo beat? At the same time, who really wants to hear Luda over a Primo beat? No one. Even though I’m a fan of both artists, they don’t really sound too good together. I doubt this song will have much of a fanbase, aside from heads wondering how Luda got this beat. Seriously, first Termanology, now Ludacris. What’s next, DJ Premier producing Soulja Boy and 50 Cent?

13. I Do It For Hip Hop
Featuring Nas & Jay-Z; Produced by Wyldfyer
I was really disappointed with this track. Everyone came with their C game. Besides Wyldfyer (the producer) who came with his F game, this instrumental is terrible. Add Luda’s obviously hypocritical lyrics to Jay and Nas’ uninspired lyrics and you get this mess of a song.

14. Do The Right Thang
Featuring Spike Lee & Common; Produced by 9th Wonder
This is a pretty soulful send-off. It took me a few listens to fully appreciate 9th Wonder’s optimistic contribution and I’m still not really feeling the beat here. But it’s a good track, decent way to end this album.

Bottom Line:
I felt that Ludacris tried way too hard to make everyone happy on this album. He made a few bangers, a few songs for the ladies, and a few songs for the heads. I’m sure his fans will gobble up this album and tout it as a classic, but for people new to his music this may not be the best place to start. Just by looking at the musical features you can tell how different the songs are. T.I. & Nas, Common & Lil’ Wayne, DJ Premier & Plies… those names just don’t sound like they would ever be together. And that is what makes this album hard to listen to at times.

I got one thing to get off my chest. I don’t always agree with the ratings on this site. I don’t think Theater Of The Mind is an amazing album or even in the top 10 of ‘08, but it is better than Paper Trail & The Recession in my book, so that’s why it got the rating it got. And because I know y’all would leave angry comments.

Update: Okay, maybe it was a little high

nappyPicks: “Undisputed”, “Wish You Would”, “Call Up The Homies”, & “Last Of A Dying Breed”

Download: Ludacris feat. T. I. – “Wish You Would”

Bonus: Ludacris feat. Nas & Jay-Z – “I Do It For Hip-Hop”

Reppin’ Brooklyn to the fullest and wearing his hate for rich rappers as a badge of honor, The Madd Rapper is quite frankly hilarious. As the creation and alter ego of producer Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie, The Madd Rapper first got major exposure on the intro of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Kick In The Door” off Life After Death (The best Biggie song of all time in my opinion). He epitomized the hating, strictly east coast rappers that filled the scene at the time of his debut. After popularizing the verb use of “John Blaze”, The Madd Rapper then went on the pop up on most of the then preceding Bad Boy releases via skits and a few rare guest spots here and there with other artists (Who can forget him on the chorus of 50 Cent’s “How To Rob”). He most of the time was accompanied by his partner, The Madd Producer, who also had a lot of hate towards successful producers. This all culminated in the release of his very own album, Tell ‘Em Why You Madd. The album didn’t really live up to standards in way of comedy and beats (D-Dot was on Puffy’s Hitmen crew who had a big hand in the label’s early success). So then, we heard nothing. But then this year, The Madd Rapper started to turn out some new material. He first reappeared on DJ Drama’s official Gangsta Grillz album by way of an interlude. Then he appeared a song of his own called “Brooklyn Lets Go” featuring Brooklyn bred rappers like Red Cafe, Maino, Wais P, Papoose, & Joell Ortiz. The Madd Rapper also recently did a freestyle over Mikey Factz’s “Incredible”, but that really wasn’t notable. So you ask, why all this rambling about a fictional rapper that has received minimal recognition? Well, let me show you…

Download: The Madd Rapper – “Roll With The Cat”

Tell ‘Em Why You Madd (2000)
Yea this was by far the best track of Madd Rapper’s album. The beat, provided by Swizz Beatz (I think), was hot and the lyrics/delivery was surprisingly good. Even though the Madd Rapper creation was basically a big joke he sometimes surprised you with talent: “Crazy Cat, mic or gat/Hoes, I like ‘em phat/Shows I like ‘em pack screaming like Michael Jack/Whether is rolled or inna pipe I’m lighting that/Whether is guns or fistfights we fighting back”.

Download: Jermaine Dupri feat. DMX & The Madd Rapper – “Get Your Shit Right”

Life In 1472 (1998)
This is a really overlooked track. The funny thing here it that DMX was in his prime and surprisingly got outdid by The Madd Rapper. I guess with all of Jermaine Dupri’s flossing and X’s ruggedness, it all looks kinda ridiculous beside Madd Rapper’s funniness: “That’s why my women ain’t dimes/Not even close to 9’s/Sorta like 5 and 6’s with scares and stitches/Type of bitches/That spit in your face like Alomar/Broke hoes without a car/stashing fruit from a salad bar”.

Download: The Madd Rapper On Biggie, Puffy, & Mase

Life After Death (1997), Harlem World (1997), & No Way Out (1997)
At first I was gonna post The Madd Rapper’s verse on Black Rob’s mega remix of “Whoa”. Even though the verse was funny, I thought it would be also good to post some of the earlier Madd Rapper skits off Life After Death, Harlem World, & No Way Out (Especially you youngsters out there). Maybe this time D-Dot should bring The Madd Rapper back on some Gorillaz shit; who knows?

Alright, like you all know, T.I. has claimed several times to be the “King of the South”, which has caused a lot of beefs in his career, including with Lil’ Flip (Pardon me: I had to laugh at that…), and more prominently, Ludacris: I’m still waiting on a full-out lyrical war between those two; it could be a southern throwback to the Nas vs. Jay-Z thing. Anyway, beyond King of the South, T.I. has been known to be the only famous rapper from Bankhead, while the rest of his group, the P$C (Pimp Squad Clique) were playing second fiddle. Then when T.I. got caught with firearms in October, many people thought that was it: he faced up to 10 years in jail! I guess everyone else thought that was it too, because Luda announced another album, and Shawty LO (also from Bankhead) began taking shots at T.I. from his debut album (which got less than 3 stars here at nappyafro).

A LOT of bullshit tracks from Paper Trail have been leaked, like “Whatever You Like” and “Like I Do”, so I’m intentionally leaving those off because they, well, suck. The tracks I’m giving you guys from Paper Trail are the tracks that SHOULD have been the singles, and I know I’m not alone in thinking that. Before you say, “But he put the songs on his MySpace!” No! I want to see full-fledged video and downloadable singles, not this street shit: how can you make “Whatever You Like” you’re lead single when you have joints like this?!?

But I digress: The three songs I have for you on this installment of Boomin’ From The Stoop are “What’s Up, What’s Happening”, “Swing Ya Rag”, and “A Better Day”. “What’s Up, What’s Happening” was supposed to be the first single originally, but then it was leaked: it’s about people who doubted him when he was down. “Swing Ya Rag” feels like “Bring ‘Em Out” 2008, and it’s really hot! Finally, “A Better Day” is one of those really emotional T.I. tracks; I think he’s at his best when does tracks like this. Anyway, enjoy these non-commercialized tracks off Paper Trail, which is coming out September 30th. Remember, you got these tracks straight from The Stoop!

Download: T.I. – “What’s Up, What’s Happening”

Download: T.I. feat. Swizz Beatz – “Swing Ya Rag”

Download: T.I. – “A Better Day”

Download: Maino feat. Plies, T.I., Swizz Beatz, Fabolous, & Jadakiss – “Hi Hater” Remix

G-Unit knows how to stay in the limelight even when they have no album out. The shit with Buck, the court situation with 50 and his BM, Yayo and his prison shit, etc. Kanye beat 50 in the sales challenge but 50 did major numbers out the gate as well, however, the bet was that 50 would not do another solo album if he lost…and he did. What does that mean for him or the crew to come off such low times as mentioned? Let’s find out.

Straight Outta Southside
Produced by Ron Brownz
This is one of the hardest songs out. Get yo’ throwback on as the crew pays homage to NWA and that gangsta mentality that initially got the crew over. Banks gets the baton first and does aite. Yayo seems to be more energized in the booth as he shouts a fuck the police to Shawn Bell’s murderers. 50 does aite as he tries to keep pace after Yayo’s verse.

Piano Man
Featuring Young Buck; Produced by Tha Bizness
Yayo seems to have upped his swagga game and Banks is a fool; straight comedy on this one from the thugged out Craig David. Buck does his thing on here. Not a member, but the best one on this track by far with some decent wordplay and brash delivery. The track itself is aite; the hook is, well, 50.

Close To Me
Produced by Teraike “Chris Styles” Crawford
I didn’t expect to hear this type of song this early after the first two singles. Fiddy knows how to make songs for the ladies and strippers to work…so I guess that means that he makes music for the men? Anyway, nothing groundbreaking but for Curtis’ fans, this is a welcome return to some older sound. Banks styles on this shit quite well. Shout out to Spitzer on here; Ha! And the falsetto shit is comedy. I dig the track and trust me, this song will thump in the clubs…strip and otherwise.

Rider Pt. 2
Featuring Young Buck; Produced by Rick Rock
Voice mods, oh joy. That aside, song is pretty dope. 50’s verse is forgettable and Buck seems to really seal his own casket with the crew on this one even if 50 drops me I still wouldn’t sign. The beat is dope and there is no denying this is a posse cut.

Casualties Of War
Produced by Ky Miller
The hook grates my soul, I hate it. The track, eh, it’s aite. Banks comes on and intros his flow saying some pretty lame shit. Overall, the metaphors are pretty lame on this one and even for the crew; this one is pretty pedestrian lyrically.

You So Tough
Produced by Ky Miller
The hook with the mocking tone is funny as hell. I think Banks mailed this one in, not really a good sound for him at all on here. Yayo comes with some heat on this one and amps up one of the more mellow tracks on the album. I think 50 is goin’ at T.I. and his case on this one, for what, I’m not sure. Lyrically though, this track is pretty grimey and I dig it, even if you omit Banks verse.

No Days Off
Featuring Young Buck; Produced by Dual Output
Buck offers up part of the hook on this one which sets the tone for the track. Mr. Jackson comes on with a slow burn flow, because in the offset, it sucks. It does get better as he goes on. Yayo’s verse is pretty fly until he starts talking about his ride and a bulletproof hat. Ha! Banks paints the best picture and takes shots at Fat Joe and Weezy.

T.O.S. (Terminate On Sight)
Produced by Ty Fyffe
We get 50’s hardest verse since the first track with lines like “It’s fuck 50 I stay in the drama/He luv her I fuck her/She’s  his baby mama.. ” Damn 50. Banks rides and delivers on this track, hypes it up a little. Yayo does him one better bringing this shit to a frenetic pace that matches the track. The track, though simple, works well on here due to the deliveries brought to the table.

I Like The Way She Do It
Featuring Young Buck; Produced by Street Radio Inc.
Summer jam much? This is a club banger. A lot of you dudes need to thank fiddy. If you club and you  like women, many of you will get yo’ grind on to this very song. No women sittin’ when this shit comes on, I promise.

Kitty Kat
Produced by Hit-Boy
Um, what is this, a woman’s anthem or something?  The chic on here is annoying as hell. The track is fuckin’ phenomenal, but yo, the hook is terrible, just terrible. I can see the squad groovin’ to this one in the studio though, having fun. Lyrically, there’s nothing new here, money, cash, hoes. The track is the biggest standout here though.

Party Ain’t Over
Featuring Young Buck; Produced by Damien Taylor
Yep, another club jam. The beat is dope; you can’t stay still on this one. The flows, again, aren’t anything new or groundbreaking for the group. Almost to the point, the song sounds familiar. Banks seems to have the idea on how to ride the tracks on this album and he does a good job on here as well.  Buck talkin’ about he got Vitamin Water money seems to be included on here like they poking fun at him. You got money….like yo’ boss? WTF.

Let It Go
Featuring Movado; Produced by Don Cannon
I’m feelin’ this from the jump. Movado kills it and the track is undeniable.   This is one of the better songs on the album.  Yayo delivers a dope ass verse including, “I’m the high school drop out/Crack game genius/The mack will turn ya back into Gilbert Arenas.”

Get Down
Produced by Swizz Beatz & The Individuals
There was a time when having Swizz produce your track meant damn near instant Gold. My how the times have changed. This song is horrible.

I Don’t Wanna Talk About It
Produced by Jesse Corparal Wilson & Reginald “Regg” Smith
I love the track on this one, some bounce with heavy synth. It sounds like some Ryan Leslie produceduction as it has a lot of layers to it. Its comical how this song is one of the longer, if not the longest, on the album. I really like the concept and flow of this song a lot. 50 brings the best verse on this one.

Ready Or Not
Produced by Jake One
A dark track that may be a little overly simple is paired with Banks best lyrics on the entire album. “Cause niggas get hit, and call a lawyer/Gon’ try and sue you/That’s a bitch nigga for ya’/….why be slick, say somethin’ bout my name/Don’t jump out the window/Ya safer jumpin’ out a plane….you don’t want a lead shower/Stay the fuck out the rain/So much ammo/Muh’fuckas don’t gotta aim.” Yayo offers up a decent verse, but it’s hard to follow up what Banks gave us.

Money Makes The World Go Round
Produced by Ron Browz
Yayo makes the hook more annoying than it has to be, and it’s equally bad having him doing the first verse on the song that he does the hook on. Stuck like Velcro? Damn, we gotta do better than that though. The track is about average. It sounds like its all build up and is missing something extra.

Bottom Line:
There isn’t much elaboration needed. The album goes from hardcore banger to slow and methodical in a largely inconsistent feel. I think ultimately, this one will come down to what you like to listen to.  The crew doesn’t reinvent the wheel outside of Yayo who seems to a lot more energized overall, but seems to struggle to find where he fits in.  50 offers up a lot more forgettable verses than you would expect.  Banks, on the other hand, keeps it live with his change of flows and pretty good lyricism for the most part.  Buck, when featured, is a welcome change to the sound of the crew and I think will be missed when all is said and done.  Overall, it’s a little better than ya’ average album that would be better if not for the inconsistencies and smattering of mediocre songs. TOS does nothing new or groundbreaking but does show glimmers of them reclaiming that juggernaut status that once had the world saying G G G G – Unit!

nappyPicks: “Straight Outta Southside”, “Close To Me”, “You So Tough”, “I Like The Way She Do It” , & “I Don’t Wanna Talk About It”

Download: G Unit – “Straight Outta Southside”