Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz
Crunk Juice
BME/TVT RECORDS
There’s no mistake what this shit is. Right from the jump, it’s time to get crunk. Excuse me – GET CRUNK YOU BITCH ASS MUTHAFUCKA!!!!!!!!! As usual, Lil Jon & company give you the standard riot-starting anthem. There are noticeable differences between this album and previous Lil Jon & ESB albums, however, such as the high-powered guest appearances. Also, Jon actually rhymes instead of just yelling, and the joints are more musical. Lil Jon shows his production range throughout the album with cuts like “Lovers & Friends,” featuring Usher and Ludacris. Be prepared to hate this song in about two months, because that song is going to be a radio smash! Other gems are the Rick Rubin-produced “Stop Fuckin’ With Me.” That’s a good I-hate-my-whack-ass-job song. Also, Lil Jon capitalizes on the jokes Dave Chappelle and Chris Rocks thrown at him by turning them into songs like “Skeet Skeet Skeet,” with DJ Flexx. This is a straight-up go-go song, so D.C. and Virginia should get ready for that one. Now, is it just me, or is Lil Jon becoming the official career resurrector for legendary West Coast rappers? He did it a few years ago with Too Short, and it seems as if Ice Cube is next in line. Ice Cube sounds like the nigga with an attitude again. Just listen to “Roll Call” and possibly the best song on the album, “Grand Finale,” which features T.I., Jadakiss, Bun B, Nas, and a key verse from Ice Cube who murdered the original “Grand Finale” from The D.O.C.’s debut LP. There is so much more that could be said about this album because all bases are covered: rock, go-go, screwed, West Coast. No stone is left untouched. This record will be a monster. I’d bet money that there will be at least six singles off this album, and they’ll probably still be in rotation a year from now. Lil Jon said he wanted to make the down South version of The Chronic with his last album – he came close with Kings of Crunk, but with Crunk Juice he’s officially succeeded. Cop that shit! – Wally Sparks, djwallysparks@yahoo.com 

Dem Franchize Boyz
Universal Records
Although the regional smash “White Tees” was a good breakout hit, DFB gives us a twelve-song album filled mostly with old production and trite themes. The lukewarm intro is way too repetitive. On “Fight,” DFB attempts to bust your head to the white meat but only manages to cause minor confusion due to the clichéd hook. DFB changes its focus from the down South club thug to the female preteen on “When Can We Date.” The beat sounds like it would’ve been better in the hands of a Bow Wow or Romeo. The production is mostly handled by the group members themselves, so many of the beats sound similar and uninspired. “Do Ya Dance Girl” is a silly track that had me lookin’ outside for the ice cream truck. Aside from the title track, “Dats Da Way Dey Roll” and the hard-hitting “Bitch Nigga” are really the only non-filler material on the album. There are two other songs which are basically “White Tees” part two and three. The Boyz jack some bars from “White Tees” and make a couple whack tracks. To conclude the album, “45s, Choppaz, & 9s” could have been a decent track but the repetitive use of a gun cocking in the track makes it get old real quick. – ADG, adg@tmail.com

Jacki-O
Poe Little Rich Girl
POE BOY/TVT RECORDS
Even though I knew Jacki-O could spit, this album really surprised me. Some people may write her off as a sexpot, all-I-talk-about-is-my-pussy rapper chick, but Jacki-O steps up her game on this album and proves all these folks as wrong as dick in the booty. Of course, she still brags about her good pussy and what she’s done with it to get her hustle on, but the way it’s approached is fresh. This record is for the hustler’s girlfriends, the chicks getting money in the skrip club, and the all-around hustla type of girl. Tracks like “Gangsta Bitch” and “Pussy Real Good” have been playing on the streets for a while now, but they’re still bangin’. Songs like the Jazze Pha-assisted “Break You Off” and “Pretty,” where Jacki-O shows off her vocal abilities (yes, she’s singing) are ready-made for heavy radio rotation. On the flip side, you’ve got tracks like “Champion,” featuring Trick Daddy, which is XXX-rated. Let’s just say that the two of them are some nasty muthafuckers. The best thing about this album besides the quality production from heavyweights like Timbaland, Jazze Pha, Cool & Dre, and Gorilla Tek is the skits. Hilarious. If you’re a gangsta bitch or if you like gangsta bitches, this is the album for you. – Wally Sparks, djwallysparks@yahoo.com

The Shock
Shock Muzik Volume 1
Future Shock
One of the most official submissions we received in the mail this month came from Future Shock Records in Mississippi. This is a nice twenty-song, double-disc set with a very appealing look. I popped it into the Alpine and listened to the first few tracks, nothing really special except for “Jump.” The song is about jumping ass cheeks, and if they shot a video it would probably have more ass than “Tip Drill” and “Pussy Pop” combined. 212’s flow combined with N-Sane’s vintage Mystikal impersonation come together to give us a pretty memorable track. On the next track we hear all the artists (N-Sane, 212, G-Wiz, Goldiloxx, and Q) come off very well over a simple drum pattern laced with horn and vocal samples. The more I get into the disc, the more I get into their Muzik! With exception of the first few tracks on the first disc, it’s pretty solid. The “Mind Over Matter” skit brings us to “I Don’t Mind,” where 212 and N-Sane blast an intentionally ignorant hook: “I don’t mind, your man don’t matter to me / Keep the problems, all I want is your pussy.” Disc two is hit or miss: on some tracks we are let down, only to be blasted away by the next cut. A prime example is 212’s solo “Manic Depression” which is filler at best, but the next track, “Dat Boy (remix)” featuring Kamikaze, is solid. – ADG, adg@tmail.com 

The Alchemist
1st Infantry
ALC / Koch
What does a producer do when he’s already produced tracks for the likes of Cypress Hill, Nas, Ludacris, Big Daddy Kane, and Linkin Park? He uses his artistic talent and star power to assemble a compilation CD which features the hottest artists like Mobb Deep, Nas, The Lox, and Stat Quo, just to name a few. Earlier this year the Lloyd Banks cut “Bangers” and the Nas and Prodigy collaboration “Tick Tock” were leaked to the public, adding to the hype behind Alchemist’s project. Alchemist’s work dates back to the mid 90’s with Cypress Hill, but lately he’s been held down by QB’s own Infamous Mobb Deep crew. That’s why Prodigy is featured alongside Nina Sky and BK’s Illa Ghee on the lead single “Hold You Down.” The D-Block camp also makes a few notable cameos throughout the album. On “The Essence,” Sheek, Styles and Kiss all blaze the mic up. In true Ruff Ryder fashion, Alchemist caters to the trio with a track that could easily be mistaken for leftover material from The Lox’s sophomore album. J-Hood and Sheek combine forces with H-A-V and Rapper Noyd to give us “D-Block to the QB,” where all four drop comparable vocals. The most unorthodox song on the album comes from the combination of veterans M.O.P. and ATL newcomer Stat Quo. Each add their distinct flavor, but glimpses of greatness are soon dashed by the lackluster M.O.P. appearance. “Strength of Pain” is the only R&Bish track on the album, with Chingy laying some soulful lines alongside Prodigy’s gutta ad-libs. As the album closes, Twin trades bars with Alchemist himself on “Different Worlds.” – ADG, ADG@tmail.com

Mr. Cheeks
Ladies & Ghettomen
Legal Drug Money / Contango Records
After the lukewarm response to Mr. Cheeks solo sophomore album, I wondered how long we’d have to wait for the next effort. Like a trooper, Cheeks is back again with Ladies and Ghettomen, a 13-song mixture of good and average material. Cheeks drops the hottest verse of the album on the intro, so you’re thinking you’re going to get more of that Legal Drug that Mr. Cheeks and the LB Fam have been giving us for the past decade. Unfortunately, the rest of the album doesn’t live up to the intro. Pete Rock produces two joints, going one for two with the nice summer joint “All I Know” and the banger “Keep it Movin’” which is hampered by Cheeks’ uninspiring hook. For that ride to the corner store, Cheeks provides us with two nice cruising tracks: “All Nite Long” and “Turn it Up.” Cheeks brings some new fam to the table with “Blindfold,” featuring the Garcia Brothers, Slum, and Bump Johnson. Struck of the Garcia Brothers ends up stealing the show. On the lead single, “It’s Alright,” Truth Hurts shows up on the hook and sings backup while Cheeks’ bouncy flow marries the beat perfectly. Cheeks has never been known as a hard-core lyricist, but his voice has the ability to grab your attention and he demonstrates this here. The album ends with the undesirable remix of “What’s Happenin’” as well as the ill-fated heartfelt attempt “LB Family,” which will fail to grab the attention of most Ladies and Ghettomen. The album has a few highlights but ultimately feels unfinished. – ADG, adg@tmail.com

Sak Pase Presents Wyclef Jean
Welcome to Creole
CLEF/ Koch
Wyclef Jean has always hit us in the head sideways with his musical creativity, all the way from jacking country samples to his stint at camp Canibus. He always keeps us guessing. Promising to pick up where Carnival left off, Creole 101 acts more as a reciprocal album. Carnival was predominantly English with a touch of Clef’s native tongue, but Creole 101 – as you might guess from the name – proves to be the total opposite. In the spoken word intro, Jean’s contempt for the British and French attempts to invade Haiti is tremendous, but still isn’t as strong as the pride for his Haitian people. Most of the lyrics are in Creole, which I don’t understand, so lyrically I have no legs to rate this album. Clef manages to introduce his culture to us through the rhythm of the drums and the precision of the guitar. Clef drops an English verse on “Haitian Mafia,” where Foxy Brown lends a hand with a bilingual verse. By the time this issue hits the shelves, the politically charged “President” will be far out of people’s minds. Regardless of who wins the election, I don’t believe their four years will come close to fulfilling Wyclef’s vision which includes finding the cure for cancer, taking Air Force One to give the homeless in the hood Air Force Ones, or seeing Muslims, Jews, and Christians hold hands on the beach at a party together. The remix is a bit more hip-hop but has the same message, with help from Nevada and Trini Don over a synthed-out beat. About a year ago a track surfaced called “Life in NY,” which featured newcomers Shells, Posta Boy, Cassidy, and Trini Don. I was hoping it would be on Preacher’s Son, but instead ‘Clef gave it to us on Creole 101. This version features Buggah, and it’s in Creole. Whether you speak Creole or not, musically you can appreciate this album. – ADG, adg@tmail.com

Yung Wun
The Dirtiest Thirstiest - ALBUM SAMPLER
Full Surface / J Records
More than a couple years ago, you might have heard Yung Wun hold his own alongside Snoop, Jadakiss, and Scarface on the Ruff Ryders’ Ryde or Die 2 compilation. Just a year ago, I heard the result of a David Banner, Lil Flip, DMX and Yung Wun collabo with “Tear it Up.” I don’t know why the song didn’t blow up back then – maybe it was the timing or the promotion – but you cannot deny this joint! On “Yung Wun Anthem,” Swizz makes good use of those horns again, giving YW some more swagger. Fellow Full Surface artist Cassidy adds some diversity with “One More Day in the Hood,” but the song fails to make as much noise as the Banner-produced “Walk it, Talk it.” Although this sampler only has snippets, the production on “I Tried to Tell Ya” left me wanting the full album! – ADG, adg@tmail.com

Wu-Tang Clan
Legend Of The Wu Tang: Wu-Tang Clan’s Greatest Hits
& Wu-Tang Clan
Disciples Of The 36 Chambers
(Recorded live in San Bernardino, CA 7/17/04)
A little less than ten years ago, the Wu-Tang Clan stormed into the New York hip-hop scene with the classic single release “Protect Ya Neck / Method Man” followed by “C.R.E.A.M. / Da Mystery of Chessboxin’.” Soon, their album Enter the 36 Chambers was released. Being a kid who lived just over the Verazano Bridge who’s sister did promotions for Wu-Tang might have made the swarm a little bit more fierce personally, but listening to the releases is confirmation that the feeling I felt must have been felt by hundreds of thousands of hip-hop fanatics. The first release, Legend, is nothing but sixteen tracks of pure heat. It includes Method Man’s solo banger, Inspectah Deck’s verse on “Triumph,” and the Shaolin rendition of Run-DMC’s classic “Sucker MCs.” I was a little disappointed to see the exclusion of “Winter Warz” and the inclusion of “Shaolin Worldwide” and “Diesel.” The latter CD, from Sanctuary Records, is a LIVE release which goes a bit further, giving us the real grime from “Tearz” to “Incarcerated Scarfaces.” Live releases are more for the diehard fan than anyone else, but it sounds like anyone who was on hand for this July 17th show got a chance to see the original Wu shine like they haven’t shone in years. – ADG, adg@tmail.com

Jade Foxx
(HOSTED BY DJ SHOWTIME)
Let A Woman Handle This!
With well over 150 mixtape appearances, Jade Foxx now gives us her own mixtape. Whether singing a hook (“Progress”) or spitting some heat (“52 Bars”), this is a good representation of Jade and it shows why this self-proclaimed mixtape queen is making so much noise. The actual format of the CD isn’t anything special, it’s just a basic promotional tool filled with songs, remixes, freestyles, drops, and declarations. It does contain a nice consistency of material, however, with Jade rallying alongside stars like Nas, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Lloyd Banks. To add some validity to those mixtape appearances, Jade includes some sample material from Funkmaster Flex, Jesse Jazz, and Ezdusit. Jade sounds right at home alongside Banks on the Alchemist track for “Bangers.” Unfortunately, Jade’s verse on “Turn up the Mic” pales alongside the introspective Nas and the gritty Freddy Foxxx. There’s plenty of beat-jacking here, but she does include original production from Cee Hu$$ler (“One Day”), DJ Mesto (“Italian Riddim”), Drastix X (“DJ Showtime freestyle”), Frank Diggs (“Latin Swing”), and international producer Magiera (“Tru Luv”). Frank Diggs’ “Latin Swing” is a nicely-produced track, but Jade’s vocal sound forced. “52 Bars,” however, should be renamed “HEAT!” Over Xzibit’s “Pavarotti” beat, Jade spits the ugly truth: “Sometimes I wonder why the fuck I make music / ‘Cause it’s like I’m fighting for a cause fake and useless / People don’t show you love unless your shit is cliché / I’m tired of having to show my skill to shady DJs / ‘Cause they don’t respect you, even if you hot they don’t accept you / Til you got a deal, then all of a sudden they want to rep you.” – ADG, adg@tmail.com 

Bump J & the Goon Squad
Welcome to Grimmyville Part 2
With the current success of Kanye West and Twista coming out of Chicago, it wasn’t long before another Windy City native would step into the spotlight. The first track on the album/mixtape is the attention-getting “Overnight Celebrity” remix. Camron, 50 Cent, and Twista verses are all used to give the illusion of a collaboration, but it’s just a cut-and-paste job with Bump adding a filler verse. On “Drama,” both Bump J and the secret weapon Sly Polaroid do a pretty damn good job of holding down the Goon Squad, but Bump takes the crown with bars like, “Niggas think I fell off, no no / If ever Bump falls he’s gon’ come back like a yo-yo / My flow’s loco, your shit is so-so / Yo bro, my money long like Rebecca Lobo.” Next, “G-Thang 2004” is a Snoop track where Bump J shows some real lyricism with vivid similes. The true gem of this album is the remake of Jay-Z’s “What More Can I Say,” with its imaginative metaphors. Bump touches on the subject of studio gangstas, spitting, “These rappers leave home, go to the studio and turn into Nino / Talking the streets like it’s part of their lingo / Fine, they’ll find you in the water like Nemo.” The DVD’s replay value is minimal, but a good education on the Goon Squad and Bump J. – ADG, ADG@tmail.com

Sean Jay
Hip Hop 4 Dummy’s
Theme Muzik
Sean Jay, formerly known as Infinite Prince, displays confidence on tracks like “Hawaii Hop,” where SJ clearly has no problems being in his own skin. Some of the jacked instrumentals from national and regional hits are really vital to the effort, like “Lean Back,” “On Fire,” “Hood Hop,” “Ridin’ Big Yo,” “The Champ is Here,” “Jesus Walks,” and “Locked Up.” Sean Jay is on fire with lines like “See what you got, bring on your best demo / Get a burn mark as long as a stretch limo / Sean hard enough to make your man retire / Denzel been hell, I’m a man on fire.” Full Impact’s DJ Skream is the host, with appearances by Raw Dizzy, Rev Run, Pitbull, and a few other solid up-and-comers. Sean Jay is trying to pioneer hip-hop in the 50th state and has no qualms about repping it, but I do believe he holds some contempt for another Hawaii native which is documented on tracks like “Hawaii Hop,” “Lean Back,” and “The Champ is Here.” Sean Jay’s life is fully documented on “In the Spirit” and “Hustle,” covering all the real-life issues an aspiring artist experiences. This is hip-hop you can think to, not just smoke to. – ADG, adg@tmail.com