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BGDB Music Review: Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

I met Shallah Raekwon at SXSW in the Spring of 2005. He had just finished performing with his Wu brethren and I caught up with him and had a quick word with him congratulating him on the show. At the end of our brief exchange I complimented him on the just freshly released "State of Grace" and asked him when Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II would be released...his answer? "Soon."

It's almost the Fall of 2009 now and "soon" is finally here. Push back, after push back, after push back...internal beefs with the Clan and external beefs with those who thought they could begin to challenge the clan...and "soon" is finally here. And now that "soon" is finally here the question of whether or not the wait has been worth it can finally be answered...

Emphatically, YES.

Advertantly or inadvertantly, Raekwon has taken it back to the days when an artist would actually take their time to craft an album in the hopes that it would one day be called a classic. Be prepared to be taken on an audio journey as soon as you start up the album.

You'll instantly be brought into a Cuban Linx frame of mind as the last track from the original Purple Tape blends into the first track on the Purple Re-Up. Papa Wu drops knowledge on Rae..."it's your time man, go get that paper...it belongs to you..." It is indeed Rae's time on this one...and then...a Wu Banger punches you square in the face like your name was Joe Budden or some sh!t. Inspectah Deck is one of the all-time greatest lead off hitters in hip hop history, Raekwon's darts are sharp as ever, Ghostface comes through like a tornado, Method Man rips his verse with ease and with GZA on hook duty (for now), this is an instant classic Wu Banger. And on the boards? No, that's not RZA...that's J Dilla out-RZA-ing RZA on this one. This isn't fair to other rappers...at all.

Next up, Raekwon jumps into story telling mode; you can just see the blood splattered, the smoke in the air from a fresh lit blunt...walk with Rae as he details the unfortuate demise of a poor young chump. "Sonny's Missing" and he ain't coming back. Why Raekwon teased us with "Pyrex Vision", we'll never know, but it allows us to take a brief glimpse in the Chef's kitchen as he cooks up some of that uncut raw.

I recognize where I've heard this beat before...

This next track is a slow banger from Lex Diamonds and Tony Starks . Sugar Bang's crooning on "Cold Outside" sets the stage for R.A.G.U. to walk you through the hood and show the harsh realities found in Everyhood, USA. From seeing the fiends cop their next high to dead kids being found, this ain't for the faint of heart. In case you haven't been able to tell yet, this is a street album so if you expect to dance you're in the wrong place. "Black Mozart?" The only dancing that's gonna happen on this one is Deck's word play tap dancing on this RZA beat...effortless.

Necro's beat on "Gihad" is ridiculous and combine that with Rae and Ghost, you've got yet another heater. Ghost's raps in particular are rated X on this one as his story telling gets supergraphic. The moral of Ghost's story is bros over hoes, of course.

If this is what the New Wu sounds like, then other rappers better find something else to do.

Yeah, that's RZA on the boards.

Step inside the clink with Rae and Ghost on "Penitentiary" and get back in the kitchen with the Chef and start "Baggin' Crack" and when you're done with that you can throw on your "Surgical Gloves." Alchemist should be locked up for this beat.

You can't tell me this doesn't want to make you want to have fun doing bad things (word to Tari Milton) when you hear this track. "Sellin' white Kit-Kats?" Yeah, the hip hop fiends just need to hear this one track to go crazy. By the way, this album is ridiculous thus far.

"F*ck savin' hip hop, we bringin' the streets back!" My sentiments exactly, Jada. When you have every MC on a track breaking their neck to slay a beat, you're only going to end up with a dope product. Jada, Rae, and Styles P each take turns performing lyrical homicide on "Broken Safety." My speakers are bleeding at this point. Run up to "Canal Street" but try not to get your melon splattered.

Let's pause for a moment to remember Ol' Dirty Bastard and J Dilla.

Donut | for | Dirty

Back to business with Beanie Sigel and Blue Raspberry on "Have Mercy." Beanie also trys his hand at spitting verses from the perspective of a prisoner who's on a long bid while Rae details what's going on in the streets. This is a combination that should occur more often.

On "10 Bricks" we're treated to another banger out of J Dilla's massive beat stash. Cappadonna, Raekwon and Ghostface have no problem doing justice to beat with Ghost in particular going in on this beat somethin' serious. "Fat Lady Sings" is equal parts song and skit; Raekwon's story telling is as vivid today as it was when he first let us know that he grew up on the crime side.

The good Dr. Dre blessed Raekwon with two heaters in the form of "Catalina" featuring Lyfe Jennings on the hook and "About Me" which features Busta Rhymes.

Shout out to Busta Rhymes (the former executive producer of OB4CL2) for inspiring Raekwon to go back in the lab and cook up a classic follow up to the original Purple Tape classic. By the way, Rae really kept that Wu-Tang money up in the family as "We Will Rob You" is produced by GZA's son Justice. Masta Killa, GZA, and Slick Rick all lace the track with their darts. "Kiss The Ring" is the audio version of Jordan's shot in Utah. The perfect album closer... and the two bonus tracks, the Scram Jones produced "Walk Wit Me" and "The Badlands" are dope as well.

From the features, to the rhymes, to the production, there isn't a better product on the block.

This is the album that hip hop has been waiting for.

The cipher is complete.

01 "Return Of The North Star" (ft. Papa Wu)

02 "House Of Flying Daggers" (ft. Inspectah Deck aka Rollie Fingers, GZA aka Maxamillion, Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks & Method Man aka Johnny Blaze)

03 "Sonny's Missing"

04 "Pyrex Vision"

05 "Cold Outside" (ft. Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks & Sugar Bang)

06 "Black Mozart" (ft. RZA aka The Abbott & Inspectah Deck aka Rollie Fingers)

07 "Gihad" (ft. Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks)

08 "New Wu" (ft. Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks & Method Man aka Johnny Blaze)

09 "Penitentiary" (ft. Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks)

10 "Baggin' Crack"

11 "Surgical Gloves"

12 "Broken Safety" (ft. Jadakiss aka Montega Jada & Styles P aka Styles Pinero)

13 "Canal Street"

14 "Ason Jones"

15 "Have Mercy" (ft. Beanie Sigel aka Mack Mittens & Blue Raspberry)

16 "10 Bricks" (ft. Cappadonna aka Cappachino & Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks)

17 "Fat Lady Sings"

18 "Catalina" (ft. Lyfe Jennings)

19 "We Will Rob You" (ft. Slick Rick, Masta Killa aka Noodles & GZA aka Maxamillion)

20 "About Me" (ft. Busta Rhymes)

21 "Mean Streets" (ft. Inspectah Deck aka Rollie Fingers & Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks)

22 "Kiss The Ring" (ft. Inspectah Deck aka Rollie Fingers & Masta Killa aka Noodles)

23 "Walk Wit Me"

24 "The Badlands" (ft. Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks)

Flawless Victory.

Labels: E's Music Reviews, Raekwon

posted by Enigmatik at 8:00 AM | Permalink 2 comments

BGDB Music Review: Jay-Z - Blueprint 3

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

In case you've been living underneath an internet rock, by now you should be well aware that a leak has been sprung in the Roc. Being the conscientious young bloggers that we are, Khal and I decided to take it upon ourselves to provide a review for you the readers of this blog. As you may have noticed, both of us have been quite critical of leaks that we've heard from the album. So, is the album hot or not? Here we go....(red is Enigmatik, black is Khal):

01 ""What We Talkin' About": The evolution of Jay-Z is obvious as soon as you start this album, as the musical backdrop is nothing you've heard from Hov before. You've probably seen some of the lyrics by now that put Game's, Jimmy's and Dame's panties in a collective bunch but this one is about more than just those dudes. Shawn Carter is letting listeners know that quite simply "I don't run rap no more, I run the map."

02 "Thank You": Wow. Thank YOU, Jay, for a) not plugging the leak and b) saving the best tracks for producers who's names don't rhyme with "Fimbergrand". This Ye'/No I.D. shit is exactly what I was waiting for. Very ill use of the sax, just has a cool vibe to it. Perfect theme music. Sounds like a throwback to American Gangster, like what you'd hear in the background while the gangsters were on top at their favorite chillspot.

03 "D.O.A.": No I.D. murks this beat and Jay issues a funeral to autotune that also doubles as a pardon for his homeboys that made their living off of it. Those same homeboys have toned down on the autotune considerably in the wake of this track, however. Sorry for Ron Browz though.

04 "Run This Town" (ft. Kanye West & Rihanna): We've been through this one. Jay's reaching for that #1 spot (c) @danamo, and I don't think he quite made it. It just felt like something was missing: Rihanna has an odd wail in her hook that, for some odd reason, Pop radio loves, but Jay's first verse is just putrid. He picks it back up for the 2nd verse, but Kanye steals the show with his ridiculous 16.

05 "Empire State Of Mind" (ft. Alicia Keys): All I could think about is how Nas loses to the Big Homey once again. The two of them should have been trading bars over this one, but oh well...I'll take Hov spittin' that fire combined with my boo Alicia Keys on the hook. This joint expands the on whole "New York State Of Mind" concept; where Nas' version was so grimy you could smell the hot, stank air of a subway tunnel, "Empire" is a breath of fresh air via a penthouse suite in Manhattan.

06 "Real As It Gets" (ft. Young Jeezy): While I'm not the biggest fan of Jeezy, I respect what he did on this track. I'm not sure who the Inkredibles are, but their track fits well with what 'Ye and No I.D. have established throughout the album so far. Not something I'm blasting all day, but something dope to rock to, and Jay's third verse is only tainted by Jeezy's rambling.

07 "On To The Next One" (ft. Swizz Beatz): Swizz came through with a banger and Hov rips the beat to shreds. Yet another track that lets you know that he ain't stuck on that old stuff but on that new, new (no Lauren London). But just when you thought that you were clear that Jay wasn't dwelling on old things...

08 "Off That" (ft. Drake): Here's one of the letdowns of this album. For as huge as Drake's buzz has been in 2009, its almost a slap in the face to have him regulated to hook duty for one of the year's most talked about releases. Timbaland's club-ready nonsense is pure audio fuckery, something that should've been saved for Justin Timberlake to croon over.

09 "A Star Is Born" (ft. J. Cole): Hov spends some time giving a shout out to his peers in the rap game, noting the accomplishments of such acts as Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Ludacris, T.I., and Nelly to name a few. It's not everyday that a rapper shouts out their peers unless those peers are dead. The young cat J. Cole makes the most of his appearance on the big stage and rips his verse like a veteran.

10 "Venus Vs. Mars": This might be the best Timbaland/Hova collaboration on BP3... but that's not saying much. Sounds like this is him breaking down the differences between him and Beyonce, which is cute if you're a chick in that "awww" shit, but I don't think I care.

11 "Already Home" (ft. KiD CuDi): This track knocks from the get go and KiD CuDi is actually an ok addition on the hook. I notice the trend of only letting the inhouse young gun spit bars while putting the other rookies on hook duty. C'est la vie. Jay sends shots at his opposition without even firing and even has time to put down the camel jokers.

12 "Hate" (ft. Kanye West): This might be one of the sleepers of the album. E described this as sounding like a throwback 808s track, and I'm with that. Sounds like he looped a sung melody into a PC. I love hearing Big Brother and Little Brother trade lines. Just some ignorant futuristic "big up to all my haters" fuckery. One of my favorites.

13 "Reminder": This joint knocked pretty hard in the whip and isn't as bad as I originally thought. It's still another one of those tracks that you've already heard before in one form or another. In case you didn't know, Jay-Z is pretty good at making hit albums.

14 "So Ambitious" (ft. Pharrell): Jigga and the Neptunes have always done great work together, and this is definitely in the vein of their previous tracks together. I love the content in this one - for so many heads who call themselves hustlers and grinders, their AMBITION is fucking stagnant. If you take ANYTHING from Hova's life, its that he lives life like a marathon, not a sprint.

15 "Young Forever" (ft. Mr. Hudson): It's a takeoff from Alphaville's song "Forever Young"...and Bob Dylan's OG version. I felt like I was in 1985 listening to this one. To echo the homey khal on the previous paragraph, Hov definitely lives life like a marathon and this track is a testament to his desire and achievement of being not only a hip hop luminary but a musical icon.

All in all, this isn't a horrible album. If you take out the Timbaland tracks (well, maybe save "Venus vs. Mars"), you've got a pretty solid offering. This isn't the megaton bomb blowing competition out of the water that people hope for, but I don't think Jay's in that frame of mind. He's building onto his legacy, and while I think the Blueprint tag is getting tainted the more he drops these almost-ill albums. I'm torn - the good tracks are really good in my opinion, but there are too many missteps to consider this a classic by any means. But again, I don't think Hov is trying to make classics - he's just going where his creativity tells him to go... for good or ill. [Khal's rating - 3 out of 5]

I have to say that I'm a little surprised by Blueprint 3. It's not even as remotely wack as I thought it was going to be. The Timbaland tracks weren't even that bad, but he still could have kept those for his next release. The Blueprint series has reached it's conclusion and upon this early listening I have to say that a little bit of the luster has been redeemed in the series. I feel like this had more of a Kingdom Come 2 feel, but it is what it is. Who knows what this album could have been like with the deletion of the Timbo tracks and the addition of some of the earlier leaks ("Jockin' Jay-Z", "Brooklyn Go Hard", "History", etc.) Time will tell how long you kids play this album, but for now the work of Shawn Carter will most likely be knocking in sound systems from coast to coast and border to border. [Enigmatik rating - 3.75 out of 5]

Labels: E's Music Reviews, Jay-Z, Rock The Dub