4. Hoodratz (Spookxyz, Hu Man, Slick Tong)

This album is a schizophrenic bastard. In one way it's annoying, as it's content is at times predictable. On the other hand, the beats are always solid if not dope, and the emcees are confident behind the mic, with well rounded flows and deliveries. The beats sound inspired by other tracks already out there, but the beats are better than much that is already out there. So what to think of this? Dunno. So let's break it down, track by track.

The album starts with a Len Funk produced "Hip Hop?". Various voice samples are laid over a recognizable beat, that make this a dope intro that can hang with the best of 'em, still falling a little short to recreate the magic of an Artifacts intro though. The 'wait, didn't they just straight up jack that beat?' continues on "My People". However, the beat is just perfect to get your peeps together and flow for the sake of flowing. This is fun. And it seems to have been fun doing this track. DJ Tomahawk also drops by to put his scratching to the joint, what results in this MAD (Mid Atlantic Division) cut a certified monster track.

The vibe then completely switches, as "Let Me Know" is on some R'n'B tip. Again the production is remarkable crisp, thanks to Professor Zoom, the sexing you up lyrics are too expected though and too stereotypical an R'n'B subject matter. And although the spitted rhyme adds a little something to the cut, it still not takes it above the 'aight, it's aight' level. "Hoodratz" again goes in a completely different direction, with the tone being completely broken down, into some "Cuban Linx" type darkness, courtesy by Len Funk. While the chorus talks about 'fake thugs', how are we to know that these street rhymes hold more relevance? The Emcees (Spookxyz, Hu Man, Slick Tung) at least spit their rhymes with confidence. "Dynomite" is again blessing us with a dope production by Joe Burn'em. Linkhaze is battling in a rather threatening way. Still, this content is more tempting to pay attention to, as it's spit in a well rounded flow and delivery. The hook is annoying though and with the second verse and the mentioning of 'I affiliate with thugs, niggas that sell drugs', the track still attracts some slack.

What takes us to "But Cha Y'all", that again annoys but also pleases with the chorus. The little piano is clocking in the back, while Phil P. is going out to spread his knowledge of the street game. Our hopes are up again, when MAD return to do "Hot Butter 2000". And suddenly the fun is back again. Not only is this track starting with a little beat box intro, the funk guitar hooked up by Len Funk is greasy enough for the emcees to carry themselves in a bragging and boasting fashion that's just very appealing. Hu Man is then lazed with another 'wait, didn't they just straight up jack that beat?', for his solo offering "Hutha". While the sound background is cool enough, and him sounding like he feels comfortable behind the voice recording device, it's again the content that turns us off. Not on "Haunting" though, as Bu Bonic's first words ("whether it's my nuts or my microphone, I hold my own") on the track gets our attention right from the bat, and he keeps up the tight verses throughout the cut. The Joe Burn'em beat assembles the rest of the praise to make this another highlight on here, with whining voices and a melancholy beat.

Redsmoke is hooked up with a beat by Joe Burn'em for "One Two". The sparkling xylophone sound somethings are giving this cut an almost musical feel, and for the first time there's a little weakness glancing through in the lyrical delivery, with it having no real character. Calling your song "Get Dat Money" is always a bad idea. Osiris Ocardoe and Daytona still are able to catch our attention, with Mike Luv putting a lot of cinematic effects, to his gripping production, and the emcees capturing the intensity in their vocal contribution.

Surprising us again, and catching us off guard, Link Haze's "Relax Yourself" is switching the vibe completely, to a happy party tune, that also suddenly has us listening to this with a much needed smile on our lips. The fun for flowing is back again, and that's just what we are enjoying. Link is not imposing grim tales on us, but putting his love for this art form to the Professor Zoom produced track. At the end of the cut, we are even treated with a positive voice sample, that gets our props. What leaves us with the "Outtro", that is manifesting as a 'shout out track', with another tight Mike Luv production, and some spontaneous Bu Bonic rhymes, that's unfortunately also on some 'don't start none, don't be none' type vibe.

Okay, let's get all the confusion out the way, and break things down to the bare essentials. The album is fresh, because of dope production, because of emcees that know how to put their words to a recording. However, the album is also not so appealing, because of beats that sound very much like some major success record of not that long ago, and because of lyrical content that is predictable at times, and on a subject matter, that is barely of interest. Still, listening to the album, it was enjoyed. It's cool country. Why? Dunno.