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| Irv Gotti presents- The Remixes: The hip-hop impresario earned his stripes by producing the likes of DMX and Nas, but its on his own label, Murder Inc., that he's truly come into his own. Not one to let a trend pass him by, Gotti moves in on the remix craze and shows the rest of the gang how its done (except he "OVERDOES" it with all the sampling). Gathering together some of the finest talent in his impressive stable, he presents a collection of tunes that mix the fresh with the agreeably familiar. From the R&B siren cooing of Ashanti (the hit "Unfoolish") to the hard-hitting gangsta rhyme-spitting Ja Rule ("No One Does it Better Remix"), Irv's remixes hit hard and fast. The participation of some other famous friends like Mary J. Blige and Toni Braxton doesn't hurt either. 7 OUT OF 10 |
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| Ali- Heavy Starch: St. Lunatics member Ali here teams up with his fellow band members in an attempt to emulate bandmate Nelly's solo success, and on this showing he may well succeed. "I Got This" features an unusual Middle Eastern sample and savvy quotes from reggae singer Tenor Saw's "Ring the Alarm," while a smooth production brings out the high-toned elements in Ali's duet with Murphy Lee on the livin' large anthem "Boughetto." There's braggin' and "bitches" aplenty here, but a refreshing lack of violence--Ali and friends are way too interested in living the good life for thug games. Whether the St. Lunatics may be spreading themselves a little thin is a matter for conjecture (the most successful tracks here, "ND," "Wiggle Wiggle," and "Cool as Hell" all feature some combination of the band), but HEAVY STARCH is a refreshing, sophisticated effort that'll doubtless win Ali and his pals plenty of new fans. 7.25 OUT OF 10 |
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| Tech N9Ne- Absolute Power: The erstwhile Aaron Yates A.K.A. Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne speed-raps and rails against the music industry, and swings and swaggers his way through a collection of self-promotion, put downs, and vignettes from his old neighborhood. The scary "Imma Tell" features a chorus of killer clowns and imaginative production tricks, while in "Slacker" he shows what he thinks of aspects of his chosen profession by rhyming "famous" with "anus". Tech N9ne's rap skills are novel and fresh--he approaches the tracks on ABSOLUTE POWER with a desperate enthusiasm that's riveting to listen to, walking a thrilling musical and lyrical tightrope that'll have you hooked from soup to nuts. 8 OUT OF 10 |