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| Eve- Eveolution: With the help of the Ruff Ryders crew, Philadelphia rapper EVE rocked the hip-hop world straight out of the gate with her debut album and kept up the momentum with follow-up release SCORPION. Third outing EVE-OLUTION shows no signs of letting up. Produced by such hot studio rats as Swizz Beatz and Irv Gotti, and featuring high-profile guests like Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, and Jadakiss, this is obviously an elaborate, big-budget affair. However, Eve's reputation was made in large part on her ability to avoid vacuous lifestyle trappings in favor of an honest, proud representation of modern urban womanhood. That ethos stands her in good stead here. While such tracks as "Gangsta Lovin'" don't exactly bespeak a complex sociological aesthetic, EVE-OLUTION as a whole presents Eve as entirely more down-to-earth and just plain believable than many of her peers. 8 OUT OF 10 |
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| Clipse- Lord Willin': Though Virginia's most well known hip-hop exports may have been Timbaland and Missy Elliot, the release of Clipse's debut album introduces a pair of new players to that hegemony. In fact, brothers Gene and Terrence Thornton (Malice and Pusha T, respectively) were born in that cradle of hip-hop the Bronx, but they spent their formative years on the streets of Virginia. LORD WILLIN' is the duo's second try at a debut album, as their previous effort for another label was indefinitely shelved. Turns out it was worth the wait. Produced by none other than the super-hot Neptunes, every track here pulsates with a crisp, funky energy that fully matches the sharply honed rhymes of the Thornton brothers, most spectacularly of all on the autobiographical "Young Boy," which is powered by one of the hardest-hitting grooves in recent memory. 9 OUT OF 10 |
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| Tray Dee- General's List: First off, this isnt a solo album, its a compilation, remember that. Compilations are never 5-star albums. With that said, all of Tray Deee's appearances are tight. He rarely drops a bad verse. Any one who has heard either of tha Eastsidaz albums would know that. Onto the guest appearances, they're overall okay. The KF-Klik and the Outlawz drop two very tight songs, LA and Thugzzz Pray II, respectively. Finer Thangs features 40 Glocc and probably the worst Dr. Dre production I have ever heard. Dre put this beat together in about 2 minutes. Finally, the two guys this album didnt need are Kokane and Bam. If you havent heard Kokane sing yet, consider yourself lucky and Bam has a similar style if you have heard Kokane. Favorite Tracks: Izuwitit, LA, I Can Make You Dance, Thugzzz Pray II. 8 OUT OF 10 |