producer: dj mighty mi, reef, the alchemist

guests: mos def, eminem, pharoahe monch, mad skillz, kool keith, defari, cage, thirstin howl III, evidence, what? what?, bobbito garcia, wordsworth

This album should have been coming out about a year ago. For some mystical, magical, mysterious reason it didn’t. But that’s not even too bad. Because of the hype surrounding "B-Boy Document ‘99" feat. Mos Def and Mad Skillz (original featuring Mike Zoot, Mos Def and El-P of Company Flow), courtesy of the "Soundbombing II" compilation, the fact that Rawkus is now backing it up (not just their own label Eastern Conference), this album has certainly been brought to the attention of many more people.

Apart from Mr Eon’s flow and voice going on your nerves after about half the album, it’s actually quite enjoyable. Never fading far from what is hot in NYC right now, guest appearances are everything else but rare, with Pharoahe Monch, Evidence (Dilated Peoples), Defari, Mos Def, Mad Skillz, Eminem, Cage, Kool Keith, What? What?, Bobbito Garcia, Wordsworth and Thirstin Howell III all stepping up to the microphone to spread their lyrical waxing, while Mighty Mi is handling most of the production, only letting Reef ("The Half", "Weed") and The Alchemist ("Open Mic Night Remix", "Top Prospects") contribute two beats each to this project. So what you do get are guitar heavy tracks, that don’t lack a melodic appeal to ‘em. Well, beatwise the sure bangers have to be the orchestric "The Half", the dramatic "Top Prospects", the playful "Hands On Experiance Pt. II" and "Friendly Game Of Football", while "Hot Spittable" must be the weakest, due to trying too much to have club appeal.

Lyrically, with this host of sure shot spitter, not much can go wrong. Apart from as said flow maybe. But that doesn’t take away anything from Eon’s skills. Subject matter varies from mostly battling ("we spit phlegm that's outrageous, like sneaker prices / mics get wet like dildo devices / bleed from sores that's puss ridden, plus hidden / in a Crackerjack surprise, your demise / the skull fracture, I attacked ya / Mr. E in 3-D, you're just a beat jacker / exhaling flatulence, past tense / have quadriplegics, doing back bends"), to tales of Dick Starbuck the Porno Detective, to self gratification ("Hands On Experience Pt. II"). This definitely gives the album refreshing change.

Taking an old school aesthetic (listen to "Weed") into the late nineties, this album does score several homeruns. And it doesn’t matter where you play ball, they got ‘home field advantage’.