| Reviews Reviews are based on a point system. 1=speed bump material, 10=masterpiece |
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| How High- Soundtrack: In the spirit of Cheech & Chong's classic stoner comedies, hip-hop heavyweights Redman and Method Man team up on the film HOW HIGH. This cinematic ode to the powers of marijuana finds the pair handily taking on the role of comedic duo, but the inevitable soundtrack album is where Redman and Method Man are really in their own element. While the pair's rapping skills are demonstrated admirably throughout HOW HIGH, a number of collaborations vary the sonic approach appreciably. Jonell adds some winsome R&B vocals to "Round and Round Remix." Limp Bizkit pops up on "N 2 Gether now," but surprisingly the result bears little evidence of that group's heavy rock, maintaining a focus on slinky hip-hop. Even Mary J. Blige pops up here, lending her unmistakable voice to "All I Need." 8.5 OUT OF 10 |
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| Swollen Members- Bad Dreams: 'Bad Dreams', the 2nd full-length album, showcasing the advancement and maturity of Swollen Members with conceptual songs such as 'Ventilation', 'Camouflage', and 'Temptation'. Beats on the album are courtesy of renowned producers such as Joey Chavez, Evidence (Dilated Peoples), The Alchemist, and Battleaxe's own Rob The Viking. If you are down with Underground Hip-Hop, or even if you are not, Swollen Members got it going. These guys are two AMAZING Canadian rappers, and they are more than excellent. They got real tight beats.......check these guys out fo sho And not only are Swollen Members good, but so are the whole Battle Axe Records crew, such as Moka Only, Mr. Brady, etc. Check em out! 9.6 OUT OF 10 |
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| SPM- Never Change: Houston, Texas native Carlos Coy, alias South Park Mexican, creates an eclectic and ambivalent mix of dangerous, misogynist raps and pro- and anti-drug cuts (in a previous, teenage life he was a drug dealer) that are often as menacing as they are entertaining. Tracks such as "Habitual Criminal" and "I Must Be High" are hard, truthful slices of Houston gangsta life (the latter with the refrain "I know that I must be high so that I can function") that reveal the pain and the attraction of the thug lifestyle. The backing tracks here are simple and spare, serving to highlight some incisive lyrics ("everybody knows that my back is not dry, if you say it is you are just a damn lie," from "Mexican Radio"). Though many of the raps cover familiar ground, cuts such as the apocalyptic opener "Screens Falling" and the aforementioned caustic "Mexican Radio" make NEVER CHANGE worth the price of admission. 7.75 OUT OF 10 |