A lot has changed with Run-D.M.C., that makes it hard for them to be what the public wants them to be. The name is a brand now, so known beyond the boarders of rap and hip hop, that the economic interest is calculating prospects in new dimensions, and the heads don't understand that. Also, if you read articles on the group, how Run is driven by the need to confirm to himself that he can still hang with the young bucks, D.M.C. seems to be more comfortable with accepting the status of a legend, and the special treatment that comes with it. Further, with the constant delays, the interest of the public seems to have moved on, the name was still present, but more and more being associated with past accomplishments, rather than a possible new product to sell. Basically, the odds were against Run-D.M.C. and their new album, and upon release was approached by a wall of doubt, hardly even giving them a chance to win us over.

Well, that's the theory. But the theory doesn't matter to the new generation of heads that don't care about the past. To them, it's all about the newest hot ish, that they are willing to buy or bootleg, and if they like it, they will play it, if not, they have alternatives. These grasshoppers could even be won over as new fans, knowing the name, but only little of the music. On the other hand, the old heads will be comparing this to that back then, and will most likely find reasons why not to like it. And one of those complaints will be the spectrum Run-D.M.C. strayed into, that while the hip hop tracks show a contemporary okay-ness, the hybrids are so easily dissed, that it's not even an effort.

Still, there are rights on this. Part of the expectations that were attached with this, was that the record will suck, what prevents approaching this with an open mind and readyness to enjoy it. Now the medievalness of "It's Over" feat. Jermain Dupri does rightfully urge you to stop all the fronting. While JD's rambling is stupid, La Marquis beat is dope, Run's flow is even doper, actually proving that he might has lost less than we thought he must have. Also Jam Master Jay's beat for "Queens Day" shows that this group might have hip hop in their blood, that it was easy for them to adapt to today's ways of doing music. Run also hangs with Nas and Prodigy, borrowing from other flows though. The previously heard track "Crown Royal" again captures dramaticness, with Run doing serious bragging and reminding people of his hall of fame status.

And then things start to go the way people didn't wanna see it go. "Them Girls" is featuring Fred Durst, what is a to hate collabo, with fishy rhymes from a 'Reverend', but this happy vibe does work in a somewhat '92 way. The hate continues on the Kid Rock featuring "The School Of Old". First where is DMC on this album and second, while Kid has a great command on the mic, this falters like much of the similar Run-D.M.C. stuff from back then, that is only listened to now in a respectful nostalgic way. Run's old school flow on "Take The Money And Run" featuring Everlast, this could have easily been on Ev's album, is also taking us back without us actually wanting to go there.

On the other hand, hate it all you wish, but the technozid hardness of "Rock Show", the first single, featuring Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind actually works. Not as in an amazing rap tune way, but as a hard rock hybrid, getting you amped. And so what is being dissed here isn't the tracks themselves, and this also goes for "Here We Go 2001" feat Sugar Ray, but that there are so many tracks like these on here, of a brand and blend that is so hated within and so liked outside of the hip hop field.

"Ahhh" features a Chris Davis, that is okay and with a solid beat, and it just results in a track cool enough to nod along, without the head being blown off the neck tough. Still, Run can hang and knows how to pen a track. While the whole mushy pillow crap on "Let's Stay Together (Together Forever)" can be understood as a commercial track, but we don't have to like this JD produced, Jagged Edge collabo that's ripping off Al Green and has DMC again missing in action. Now, the next collabo is rather surprising, with Fat Joe dropping by on "Ay Papi". But this probably just tries to cash in on the Latin craze and would have featured Pun if he'd still be alive. Then finally there's Method Man featured on "Simmons Incorporated" and lastly a hidden big beat / hard rock ish version of "Walk This Way" (remixed by Jason Nevins, but unmentioned in the cover) ends up the album.

In a way, and this is very harsh to say, this is a posthumous record, not posthumous to the individual involved people, but of the group, as an abstract identity. It has been eight years since the last album. Run-D.M.C. has died since then and just like most of the posthumous albums, the records can't live up to the past accomplishments. All these years should have let them know that the group better rests in peace, rather than being relived, just to be dragged trough the mud, what's a fitting picture for calling this an exhumation. There are a few glimpses of cool tracks on here, but this by far doesn't feature anything of the prime quality that used to be associated with the legendary Run-D.M.C., a status that not even an album like this can weaken.