producers: grand agent, chops, hi-tek, lord finesse, m-boogie, kutmasta kurt, others.

guests: planet asia, a.g., lord finesse, others.

Looking at the glasses Grand Agent is sporting on these photos, they most likely don't come out of last years Polo catalogue, but much rather are part of a Schoolly D memorabilia collection. What makes sense, as one, Grand Agent, like the other, Schoolly D, are both from Philly. And one can even find an old school cadence in Grand's music, if one considers paying close attention to not flaking with the lyrics, an old school attribute.

In any case, a banjo guitar, hooked up by the Agent himself, paired with a rumbling bass, gives us the wall for the lyrics' picture. This is heard on "From The Gate", that luckily for all those that are still puzzled about who this dude is anyways, can be understood as a bio track, it introducing the styles and skills of the Agent. You can also hear differences in his way of approaches, when he goes and says that the album bought you. Also a way of straying away from the norm is done with the beat, or better the chorus, of "King Me". This opera chanting has been done before, and better, and the track without it wouldn't have been as annoying.

By now you should have realized though, that Grand's flow, progresses with confident ease. He even almost talks calmly, what makes this a very un-spitting style. This confidence is transported into the first single, it being the Kutmasta Kurt produced "Every 5 Minutes". Quite cleverly this talks about the buzz new tracks create, up to the epitome of them being played or requested said every five minutes. The confidence in this case has Agent treat this topic rather neutrally, not constantly forcing the assumption on us, that it has to be one of his tracks that he talks about. He actually allows any track to be the chosen example.

Mr Cisum, partner of Grand in the group Name, hooked up "New Mingling", to great, early 90s success, this sample being heard on at least one very classic album, and you should dig in the crates for this diamond. Grand even paraphrases the older brother of this cut, while he uses his now slightly simple sounding flow, to kick braggadocios rhymes. The album doesn't pick up in pace with "Rap Niggas", a collaboration with A.G., who also did the beat with Amed. And while it's always exciting to have the Giant on one of your tracks, and the quirkiness of the beat also happening, the solidness of the boasting rhymes, doesn't impress, this just being less than possible.

But this is the devil's advocate, the overcritical pain in the neck speaking. The one that's also not too keen on the beat of "Two Bitches", while giving a nod to the stylus of the lyrics, even though the pimpism wasn't really called for. And so it might just be right to have a short interlude give us a moment to gain a distance to said short fallings, before Philly connects, as Grand next attacks a Chops (Mountain Brothers) beat on "Grand Agent Now". And this goes the keyboard, and not the enormously given props to jazzy route, that's also in Chops. So it seems the devil's advocate won't quite shut up already. But luckily there's a lord that saves this part of the album, as we welcome Lord Finesse, who does a dope beat and kicks the chorus on "Know The Legend". This is slightly more animated and does not lack the funky soul, what seems to get the Agent out of his lackadaisical contentness, as he accelerates to a still relaxed fierceness, that's enough to be working though.

And working is "Patience" too, the one side of the battle 12" "Patience", originally released on Ill Boogie. This M-Boogie beat just got the energetic bounce, that elevates the result above much of the rest on this album. So we gotta note, that every time the beat goes beyond a boring 'aight' level, Grand also steps up his game and rightfully boast about a high status. With DJ Revolution is completing the threesome, you are in high hopes for "You Don't Love Me", that will not be disappointed. This track succeeds with a dope Profit Zakahriah beat and Grand flipping things, ridding himself off the boasting and picking up empty notes to reflect like he was writing into his diary. Grand finds the words to express desires, real thoughts, hopes and experiences. And while being in a momentum, the album keeps things coming with the happening "It's Only Right", a collaboration with Planet Asia behind the mic and Hi-Tek behind the boards. This seems to be a 'when great minds' connect, as the punchlines find their target and covers are being holed through.

Now Grand is flipping the direction of the album again, with the Chops produced "Waughter". This time the Chops beat works well with the story telling and once more somewhat soul searching rhymes. The expression of 'running like water through your fingers' is well adapted to how easy love can get away from you. Grand seems to have realize that, but didn't forget to put a bucket under his hands to collect the dripping. Now if he'd only seen the cracking hole at the bottom. Just like we didn't see Kutmasta Kurt returning, what he does on "Mingling", that adds little to Kurt's previously heard steez. Grand also does more of what he has done throughout the album, what wasn't that un-nice though.

As the main thing holding this back, is a wide spectrum from totally satisfying to an uninspired beat selection and the seemingly lack of motivation to rip them. It's not like Grand doesn't have the dopeness and the tight tracks, and he finds means to show that. But boring beats give a flavorless chewed impression on the whole track just once or twice too often. However, that's not even half of this album, that is working well as a material provider for mixtapes, for DJs to juggle and for others to play in their ride.