Rap Reviews 2001: Busta Rhymes - Genesis, The Coup - Party Music, De La Soul - Bionix, Jermaine Dupri - Instructions, Fabolous - Ghetto Fabolous, Foxy Brown - Broken Silence, G.Dep - Child of the Ghetto, Ghostface Killah- Bulletproof Wallets, Jadakiss - Kiss the Game Goodbye, Ja Rule - Pain is Love, Fat Joe - J.O.S.E., Kardinal Offishall - Quest for Fire Vol. 1, KRS One - Sneak Attack, Ludacris - Word of Mouf, Mobb Deep - Infamy, Mystic - Cuts for Luck & Scars for Freedom, P.Diddy - The Saga Continues, Redman- Malpractice, Ursula Rucker - Supa Sista, RZA - Digital Bullet, Erick Sermon - The Sermon (Music), Beanie Sigel - The Reason , Wu Tang - Iron Flag

Busta Rhymes - Genesis

Release Date: November 13th, 2001

Without a doubt Busta Rhymes is one of the most likable and recognizable personalities in rap, if not pop music. It's too bad his albums haven't always been as agreeable. As usual Busta does things as only he can and this album is somewhat of a departure from his apocalyptic themed past offerings. Genesis is more party themed and in that respect there are some definite winners on it such as, "Pass the Courvoisier", "Break Ya Neck", and "Make it Hurt" (which has a sick beat). There are also some other solid cuts like "Wife-in-Law", "Ass on Your Shoulders", and "Betta Stay Up in Your House" which features some tight wordplay between Busta and Rah Digga. Genesis is a solid offering but it falls victim to the same pitfalls of earlier Busta albums- It's TOOOOOO LOOONNNNGGGG and the curse-to-rhyme ratio is extremely high even for a rap album (I mean damn, did we just learn all those bad words?).

The Coup - Party Music

Release Date: November 6th, 2001

Yes we're quite tardy with this review but better late than never. Based on content alone The Coup is not the group that's going to be promoted by the industry to triple platinum sales status; throw in an album cover that originally featured an exploding skyscraper, (months prior to September 11th) and label problems, and it really gets interesting. Let me state off the back, that I'm not always a big fan of "the west coast sound" in terms of production, so I don't know if it was a possible personal bias, but I wasn't all that impressed with the tracks except on cuts like "Nowalaters"; and "Ghetto Manifesto". However, despite not always vibin' with the beats everything else on this album is beyond "on point". On Party Music, Lead MC Boots Riley displays his signature, uncanny ability to deliver complex and powerful political and philosophical messages with a unique sense of humor and without sounding, what some call, "preachy". This is best illustrated on cuts like "5 Million Ways to Kill a CEO", "Wear Clean Draws", and "Lazymuthafucka". Virtually every song on the album has some kind of message whether outright or subliminal but you'll be so busy nodding your head you may miss them on the surface. Riley tackles virtually every pressing social concern of today with clarity and stability, from patriarchy ("Wear Clean Draws") to teenage pregnancy ("Nowalaters") to religion ("Heaven Tonite") to political cowardice ("Ride the Fence), plus issues like property relations (why you ass is livin' from paycheck to paycheck) and revolution which are revisited throughout the LP. You'll likely have some problems finding this album in stores - I ordered it online and it took over a week - but it will be well worth the wait. Party Music is far more than the title indicates, it's an audio Molotov cocktail delivered in a 'Coup Deville'!

De La Soul - Bionix

Release Date: December 4th, 2001

Damn it's refreshing to hear the Plug Fam do their business in a world of guns, hoes, and coke. Posdnous, Dave and Maseo are like an island in an ever-changing ocean of commercial posturing. Where many hitch a ride on the latest trends and genres in music, De La remains De La. The ambition of the AOI project is something that is not present in the current universe of Hip-Hop music. How many groups, crews or duos in the landscape of rap music have had the nerve to drop a concept album that spreads out over three releases? The first offering, AOI:Mosaic Thump let everybody know that the Plugs were back on the set and they had a few choice words for those who thought they may have fallen off (It Ain't All Good). You know what to expect in terms of sensibilities, but they always manage to do something to pull the rug out from underneath you. The second installment of De La Soul's Art Official Intelligence, AOI:Bionix is a solid follow-up to last year's Mosaic Thump offering. Of course there are the complimentary guest appearances, which are standard for any release nowadays. Yet, even here they don't go the route that many might expect. Where they team-up with Cee-Lo from the Goodie Mob which you might expect, the trip with B-Real (on the track Peer Pressure) wasn't something I would. In any event they pull things off cleanly, almost every time. The track "Pawn Star" just flat out disappoints me. I was shocked to hear Plug Won Say some dumb shit stereotypical of Africans. I guess there's still room to grow, which is a good thing for any emcee. Lyrically, Plug Won and Dave don't juggle metaphors or 'spit flames' they simply do what they do, convey what it is they have to say and then they're done with it and on to the next idea. The tracks are pure De La. 100 Percent original and unique, and they inspire a head nod that just comes naturally. Overall, AOI: Bionix is not as strong as Mosaic Thump, but it holds it's own, and you'll need it's freshness with the factory- ready to pump out- more assembly line hip-POP everywhere.

Jermaine Dupri - Instructions

Release Date: October 2nd, 2001

Don't let the album title confuse you, Instructions is little more than a Blueprint for bad music. Almost as if in his own little world J.D. has continued down the doomed path of materialistic excess in music. It's as if J.D. is trying to keep Bling Bling alive on his own amidst rising unemployment and an impending recession. In addition to the annoying 'bling-bling' subject matter, the second most tackled subject is Pimpin', needless to say I found this album far less than enjoyable. Below all, nothing epitomizes Jermaine Dupri's one track mind and insignificant world than the songs "Hate" and which features a hook that goes "if you sick of seeing niggas pop Crys[tal] and talk about stackin' chips/[YOU GOT HATE IN YOUR BLOOD]/sick of seeing Bentleys and hearing niggas talk about sitting on dubs [YOU GOT HATE IN YOUR BLOOD] ...." and "Supafly" where J.D. states “... before you get the CD you know it ain't nothing but/floss if you allergic to that shit then turn this muvaphucka off ...” so guess what I did.

Fabolous - Ghetto Fabolous

Release Date: September 11th, 2001

For those of you who miss the rapper formerly known as Ma$e, your ship has finally come in. Although, in all fairness to Fabolous', his metaphors are more clever than anything I heard come off the tongue of Ma$e while he was still a rapper. Despite the comparisons the biggest similarities between Ma$e and Fabolous are in voice and cadence. Unfortunately, Fabolous debut is less than his name would indicate. He occasionally says something slick lyrically but almost all his metaphors revolve around his jewelry ('I got so much Ice on I got goose bumps on my neck', blah,..), capabilities of his weapons ('I got guns in my closet as long as you', blah,..), size of his latest drug shipment ('I'm giving away birds so big they in sandwich bags', blah..), and his juvenile obsession with oral sex. It's just hard for me to listen to any snot-nose 20 year old tell me about how well he is connected in the drug game, how 'hard' yet pretty he is, and how hard his life has been, but even more so because it is done in such a laid back tone. This album is very mediocre at best, but regardless I guess this is the part where I should tell you what songs I did like. Well ok, I wasn't in love with any of them but "One Day", "Can't Deny It", "Get Smart" were some of the most listenable.

Foxy Brown - Broken Silence

Release Date: June 5th, 2001

Why is it that every time an entertainer falls off or fails to match previous success when they return they have some sob story about how hard their life is or some personal issues they had (drugs, family, depression). True to the script Foxy returns with plenty of drama and sob stories, but also a little fire for several people (mainly Lil'Kim and Corrupt). I must grudgingly admit there is some solid material on here, if you can at least partially ignore the sickening materialism and lewd sexual references ever present in all Foxy Brown's work. The half reggae chat/half rap technique Foxy employs on bangers like “Run Dem” and “Tables Will Turn”, is rather slick, especially because it sounds authentic. In addition, there are definitely some strong beats present. But Foxy is still plagued by the same problems she has always had. Besides the obvious content issue she has real issues with originality. Although she claims that she now writes her own rhymes she “borrows” lines liberally from several rappers and manipulates their lyrics to fit her. She evidently still can't hold down an entire album on her own judging by the guest appearances on nearly every song, even the questionable appearances like Kori(some female Eminem sound-a-like). She jacks elements from many popular songs like on “Saddest Day” and “Broken Silence”, where she uses the exact same beat used for the late 2Pac's “Until the End of Time”, less than 3 months after his album dropped. She also makes a mistake many rappers make nowadays, substituting quantity for quality. More is not necessarily better. This album could have easily been ended after about the 12th cut, but by continuing with 6 more tracks it weakens the impact of the entire album. You won't catch me on line waiting to make this purchase but “Broken Silence” is definitely Foxy Brown's strongest effort to date.

G.Dep - Child of the Ghetto

Release Date: November 20th, 2001

As a rapper G.Dep's appeal is hard to describe, as is his album, Child of the Ghetto. G.Dep is not a standout lyricist, he's not especially innovative, and his delivery ranges from decent to annoying. But somehow G.Dep still manages to come out good with this album. He wins with good production, mostly by Puffy's Hitmen; a nice dosage of bouncing, party type tracks, and a slew of guest appearances. I was most impressed by the songs "Everyday", "Child of the Ghetto", "Blast Off", and "It's All Over". The biggest drawbacks on this album are the presence of Puff Daddy who seems to find his way on every track; he's like those annoying internet pop-up adds, and the fact that some of the cuts were previously released on P.Diddy and The Family's recent release.

Ghostface Killah- Bulletproof Wallets

Release Date: November 13th, 2001

What can I say about Ghostface Killah? A Ghost album can evoke a range of different feelings in me. At times I laugh my ass off while at other times I find myself standing on the outside of a conversation that you have to be either Ghost or Raekwon to understand fully. Bulletproof Wallets is something of a trip backwards for GFK, coming on the heels of 2000's outstanding effort, Supreme Clientele. There are treats on Bulletproof Wallets, and the production is steady. The beats have that originality that you expect from a member of the Wu, but there's also the sense that Ghost went to the well one time too many with "Ghost Showers", another spin on a Dr. Buzzard classic ("Sun Shower"). Whereas "Cherchez LaGhost" struck gold, "Ghost Showers" appears nothing more than it is, an obvious attempt to catch lightning in a bottle rather than to bring something new, the ironic twist which made its' predecessor a hit. Treats include a whimsical jam filled with cartoon characters titled "The Forest". "Flowers" featuring Method Man and Superb also comes to mind as well as "Never Be The Same Again" with vocal support by Carl Thomas (Ghost certainly has a knack for hooking up with those Bad Boy vocalists), and the comical caper which takes place on "The Hilton" with Raekwon. Nonetheless, Ghost strikes another solid overall blow for the Clan from Shaolin.

Ghostface Killah- Bulletproof Wallets

The illest crew since Cold Crush. That's how the Rza describes his crew, Wu Tang. Yet in recent years, the powerhouse from Shaolin has fallen short. No doubt about it, Wu's ranks boast some of the most innovative lyrical geniuses Hip-Hop has ever seen. But the best Wu track in the last two years was "The Abduction" on a Tony Touch compilation. Devoted fans have patiently waited for a return to 36 Chambers. One recent mistake has been a lack of collaboration with other Wu members. Hence while Ghostface's excellent first album was a near duet with Raekwon, and vice versa, both second attempts fell short when they didn't collaborate. So it was a thrill to see a Ghost album with the words "featuring Raekwon". Somebody must have told them something. Now if we can only get to the disjointed members of Tribe Called Quest or Pete Rock and CL Smooth. Bullet Proof Wallets is Ghost's third album, and it has a more mature feel. Gone are the references to the cartoon figure "Iron Man" and the numerous movie skits (which will be missed). In its place are more developed tracks with experimental lyrical styles and beats that employ a variety of musical instruments. Don't get it twisted though. Ghost is as sexist, foul-mouthed and crazy as Wu has ever been. "Maxine" is a gritty urban tale spitting over guitars, drums and more. "Flowers" brings Wu lyrical phenomenon Method Man to lace up the track while "Never Be the Same Again" is a tale of love and betrayal featuring R&B crooner Carl Thomas. On "The Hilton", Rae and Ghost spin a crime world tale you can literally visualize: like Hype Williams meets Martin Scorcese. "Theodore" and "Ghost Showers" are body-moving anthems, while the R&B feel of "Love Session" will no doubt get radio play. What's missing from the album though are the 5% lessons, a welcome Wu staple. I ain't 5%, but what's a Wu album without the Gods? That would have been preferable to the R rated fairytale "The Forest" or the mediocre dice-rolling ode "The Jucks".

Overall: B- :Review by Regarding Morpheus' Review

Jadakiss - Kiss the Game Goodbye

Release Date: August 7th, 2001

Please tell me this is not the album so many of you were waiting for! Granted, I got no love for these studio 'gangsta' rappers being pushed so hard by the music industry, but even if I did this album would be extremely bad! In fact this album is so weak I have to tackle its' shortcomings in sections. (A) Content: I won't bother going into detail about the subject matter which consist of fantasies about selling incredible amounts of drugs, getting brains in one of his 10 million European luxury cars, and shooting people with pistols that don't even exist. I will simply direct you to the 2nd track on the album, "Show Discipline", which features a hook (recited by NAS-shame on him) that goes as follows: "Now gangstas live, gangstas die/Grab ya guns, soldiers ride (show discipline nigga!) /Kill ya moms, Kill ya pops, Kill ya seed/Kill ya girl (Its principle nigga!)/ Sell ya crack, Sell ya coke,Sell ya E, sell ya smoke (you hustlin nigga!)/ Grab ya nine, Grab ya pound/Grab ya tec, Grab ya pump (you bustin at niggaz!, wha)". I guess Jadakiss is just 'keepin' it real', but if that's the case then I will continue to be fake. (B) Production: Kiss the Game Goodbye names a bunch of big name producers as having worked on the album, such as DJ Premier, Timbaland, The Neptunes , but a closer look reveals that each of them only produced one song (and those were suspect too). I can't help but wonder who was in the studio nodding their head to this shit when they were recording it. Kiss the Game Goodbye is filled with ill-conceived samples and song ideas like "Kiss is Spittin"(same as Warren G - "Regulators") and "Jada's Got a Gun" (Aerosmith - "Janie's Got a Gun") as well as corny, poorly SUNG hooks like on "I'm a Gangsta" and "Nasty Girl". You could remove just about any song, skit, etc from this album except "We Gone Make It" (same music Ras Kass used for "Home Sweet Home"), "Put Your Hands Up", and the "Jay Jerkin" skit, and you would not even notice. (C) Repetitious: I have also come to the conclusion that Jadakiss is extremely overrated lyrically. He says the same thing on every song regardless of what the song is supposed to be about; his storytelling ability is lacking; he has 1 style (rhymes the same way all the time), and after listening to him solo for 70+ minutes I was ready to slit my wrist. (D) Hypocrisy: After all the bitchin', whinin', and moaning that Jadakiss did about Puff Daddy, commercialism and getting off of Bad Boy Records I see no difference in the pre and post-Bad Boy Jadakiss except possibly that his lyrics have become slightly more ignorant. There is definitely no shortage of weak commercial crossover attempts on this LP. Maybe 'Kiss' should have spent more time working on his album instead of trying to dis' Puffy, Jay-Z, and Beanie Sigel on mix tapes, but if he took this long and this was all he could come up with I doubt another 10 years would have made a difference.

Ja Rule - Pain is Love

Release Date: October 2nd, 2001

Still in his early twenties (allegedly) and now 3 albums deep, Ja-Rule has been as busy as most rappers wish they could be. Pain is Love is a small step up from Ja-Rule's first two albums although, the content is predictably ignorant and 'thugged out' whether Ja-Rules is rapping or one of his half-baked associates. Ja-Rule does however, make an occasional effort or two to say something (not sure what) worthwhile, like on the cut "Lost Little Girl". Overall the production (beats) is solid although typical of the Ja-Rule formula- a mix of mid-tempo, almost R&B grooves and semi thugged out beats. And also predictably Ja-Rule is still the split-personality, Tupac wannabe- 'Just One Calorie' DMX that many rap fans have labeled him as. Ja-Rule even goes as far as to more or less remake Tupac's 'So much Pain' -same beat and all- and then putting Tupac on the song as a guest appearance; ruthless profiteering at it's worst. This album is also mauled several times by guest appearances by people like the group The Murderers but some of the guest appearances do get by like Missy Elliot on "X" and some chick named Ashanti on "Always on Time".

Fat Joe - J.O.S.E.

Release Date: December 4th, 2001

Fat Joe is pissed off and that is not good for a lot of rappers in the game. It seems Joe is pretty upset about all the imaginary thugs in today's rap game being that he is one of the few rappers who can claim to be "Real", or at least have made a little name in the streets before rap. The only problem is their is no 'realness clause' in a rappers contract. Joe has his own flow but on much of the album where he disses' rappers (without using names) for not being real, he ends up sounding just like them and trying to be more commercial. For example, the lead single for J.O.S.E., "We Thuggin" sounds like one of Jay-Z's club songs to me (what's up with that?). J.O.S.E. is more of that 'thug stuff' but I still kind of like some of it, like "J.O.S.E.", "King of N.Y.", "Fight Club", "Still Real", and "It's OK". Plus Fat Joe gets love from me for holding down Puerto Rico.

Kardinal Offishall - Quest for Fire Vol. 1

Release Date: May 22nd, 2001

Fiya Burn! That's the best way to describe Canada's most well known HipHop export. Famous in the T dot (Toronto) and the 'Great White North' for some time, Kardinal Offishall's Quest for Fire is his first major introduction to a US audience. Being a first album, it at times seems as if he's trying to fit disjointed and diverse views into one space. One song may be about women, the other about his mic skills and yet others songs of black struggle. But this 'flaw' may be to Kardinal's benefit, as he is able to create an album that spans the ideological spectrum. Kardinal introduces the listener to the world of Toronto style HipHop and slang, big upping his hometown and showing off its unique style. Throughout the album there is a definite dancehall feel, as Kardinal spits lyrics laced with patois and North American slang. But he sets it straight letting it be known that this style is only partly Jamaican born. As he says in BaKardi Slang, “nuff man are Trinis, Bajans, Grenadians and a whole heap of Haitians, Guyanese and all of the West Indies combined”. The production is well done, with a diversity of hard hitting and mellow beats that Kardinal wraps his lyrics around. Kardinal shows off his innovative skills in joints like "Ol' Time Killin" and scores a definite wais' whinin' hit with "Maxine" (skillfully using reggae masters Toots & Mayals oft borrowed track "Bam Bam"). Other tracks like "Man by Choice" skillfully discuss race and the controversial "nigga" usage while "Powerfull" is simply inspirational black pride. "U R Ghetto 2002" is a hilarious remake of an old song by Kardinal, where he subtly hints that a certain current southern artist with a similar song is BITIN'. Kardinal is no Public Enemy, but there is a definite political and social theme put forth in his music between the hometown pride and typical masculine bravado. In an era of mindless materialism in HipHop Kardinal Offishall's refutation of an "ice-wearing" lifestyle, discussion of serious issues and desire to show off his lyrical skills (rather than his bank account) is refreshing.

KRS One - Sneak Attack

Release Date: March 27th, 2001

There are going to be a lot of mad players, pimps, and prostitutes after this one. This is definitely one of KRS-One's strongest albums in years, it seems a little time away was a good thing. The beats are engaging and overall the production is more than solid, the lyrics are tight, the content is relevant and it speaks to the heart of the many problems facing rap music, many due to it's commercialization. He doesn't call any names but the targets of KRS-1's venom could seemingly be most of the rappers and record executives in the industry. Unfortunately, at least in terms of promotion, KRS-1 pretty much went independent with respect to his record label and consequently this may be one of the best and most important albums never heard. But as KRS-1 says, “you have to be an educated consumer/spend your money on MCs/cause these rappers will do ya/all they want is your cash/ass, grass, & a flick/ when you ask for that autograph/they ass dash quick/.....”

Ludacris - Word of Mouf

Release Date: November 6th, 2001

What can I say about Ludacris? I'm not exactly a fan of the 'mouf of the dirty souf' (especially since I saw him reppin' the CONFEDERATE FLAG in a rap video). But I digress. I'm gonna be completely objective in this review. Ludacris crosses back and forth between being plain juvenile with his jams, and being a bonafide lyrical contender. Unfortunately he appears to opt for the former seven times out of ten. Like most rappers he seems to have discovered sex for the first time, since it encompasses a majority of his lyrical content. On the production side, the beats are on point, with production from dirty south notables like Timbaland and Organized Noize along with some fresher faces who handle the bulk of the duties. Even the notorious Swizz Beatz chips in a fairly decent track (I wonder where he got it from?). For what it's worth Ludacris is fairly entertaining, but there are just too many "hoes" on this album for me. Maybe my sensibility has passed this sort of material by, maybe I'm dating myself, but there's gotta be many more synonyms for females. Hell I think there might even be some positive ones. But that's neither here nor there. The guest appearances are borderline with some pop-ups that I could do without, but the track featuring Mystikal was tight (even though the title is "Move Bitch"). It may be just me, but it seems like Mystikal can do no wrong. There's also a "bonus" track with Jermaine Dupri (but then again bonus and JD don't exactly go together in the same sentence). The way people talk about Ludacris I guess I just expect more than what I seem to get. In other news, Ludacris, bussin' gats and stomping fools out just don't marry; Not in ANY dimension. Overall Ludacris flashes, but the substance is so lacking. I can't wait till he matures a little bit.

Mobb Deep - Infamy

Release Date: December 11th, 2001

ENOUGH! I've have had it with these dudes. Forget about this album because not only is IT wack, MOBB DEEP is now WACK! The album starts off promising enough, with the first 2 tracks "Pray For Me" and "Get Away", being solid overall. But it's mostly down hill from there. Infamy makes it more than apparent that regardless of where they currently live, the minds of Prodigy and Havoc are completely trapped in the projects and it appears that Prodigy's rhyme tank may be empty. Song after song of 2 'men' with a combined height and weight of 10 feet and 200 pounds, threatening listeners with shootings and/or beat downs ... give me a break! This is Mobb Deep's 5th album but the only "new" things they attempt are some songs supposedly directed to the female population. The 'jams for the ladies' basically amount to a saying 'come hear you chickenhead, skank, I want to love you ....tonight'. No imagination, no creativity, no skills, no content, and consequently, NO Props from me.

Mystic - Cuts for Luck & Scars for Freedom

Release Date: June 19th, 2001

Mystic is more than a pleasant surprise. The Bay Area has scored big with this rapper/singer. I haven't seen this level of multiple talents from a female in Hip-Hop since Lauryn Hill. This album is a definite sleeper and a must have. Mystic is a rhyme rebel who assesses harsh realities unflinchingly, with nerve and tenderness at the same time. She's a skilled MC, as evidenced by the intricate wordplay and cadences that she showcases on cautionary tales such as "The Gottas". But she's also a talented singer, with a smoky alto that captures lovesickness on "You Say, I Say". Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom is low-key and laid back (it's a Cali thing), with production by West Coast luminaries such as the Angel and A-Plus. This album is b-girl womanhood at its best.

P.Diddy - The Saga Continues

Release Date: June 19th, 2001

MAN, Who are these guys?! Death, prison, departure, and religious conversion, have certainly taken their toll on Bad Boy Records. “The Saga Continues” is a compilation filled with new and upcoming Bad Boy “talent” but for the most part the artist are basically indistinguishable, and consequently this album ends up doing the backstroke in mediocrity. It's not that all of these new Bad Boy acts sound the same; it's more that few if any of them leave enough of an impression on the listener to remember them on the next song. I found I was constantly asking myself, “ok, so who's rhyming now”. There are a few decent cuts on here like “Bad Boy for Life”, “Blast Off”, “Roll with Me”, “Child of the Ghetto”, and “Can't Believe” (performed by Faith Evans and Carl Thomas) but most of the songs aren't very imaginative and just don't do much, for example “That's Crazy” which is nothing more than a recycled “Whoa!” (Black Rob) and “Diddy” which jacks elements from Rakim, Boogie Down Productions, and Nice&Smooth. It's a good thing for Puff that he rich enough to live comfortably for the rest of his life and drop albums, as more or less, a hobby because if he had a real job he might be in trouble.

Redman- Malpractice

Release Date: May 22nd, 2001

Could a title for an album be any more appropriate? Prior to the release of this album I heard a lot of things about Malpractice, most of them not good; unfortunately, most of them were true. The best thing about this album is probably the skits even though some of them are kind of tired. The production is suspect, the song concepts...well that's just the problem. It seems as if the Funk Doctor has run out of things to say. I won't revoke the Funk Doctor's medical license after this but let's just say he's under investigation.

Ursula Rucker- Supa Sista

Release Date: September 11th, 2001

Is there a more fitting title for Ursula Rucker's album? One of Philly's best kept secrets, I was introduced to this poetic diva's verbal mind seduction and brain twisting spoken word on the last three major Roots albums. And like her other fans, I waited for a rumored solo album that always failed to materialize. Finally the wait is over, as this fall Rucker dropped her first album Supa Sista on eager ears. With 12 tracks of poetry, Rucker explores issues of race, 'womanism', love, oppression and more. The tracks are mesmerizing: a diverse blending of jazz, HipHop, neo-soul and more. The poetry can be humorous as in the track "What???", her critique of the deplorable state of black music. At times, deeply thought provoking, as expressed in "Philadelphia Child" or "Brown Boy". And the final track, "Song for Billy" will disturb the strongest mind. Ursula Rucker is not an emcee. But if there is such a thing as "pure HipHop", an ideal form of the culture that sits at the pinnacle of its evolution, she comes close to it with Supa Sista. This isn't an album you download or borrow; you buy it and listen to it again and again until you 'get it'. WARNING: If you leave your brain behind, you will find this album impossible to comprehend.

RZA- Digital Bullet

Release Date: August 8th, 2001

Rza by far is the most innovative member of Wu. Who else could create an entire album on a fictional self-created figure: Bobby Digital? The first Bob Digi album was a classic: a masterpiece of beats, lyrics and experimentation. So I eagerly awaited Digital Bullet hoping to find more of the same. I was sadly disappointed. Where the first album was a diversity of beats and tracks fit together like a perfect puzzle, Digital Bullet seems hastily thrown together with no interconnection. The super hero persona created and superbly explored on the past album seems ignored here and replaced with mundane urban lifestyle-talk. Why listen to Rza spit what everyone else is spitting? I expect different. There's no Sci-Fi feel on this album akin to the track Holocaust (Silkworm) on the first release. And there are no infectious choruses like that of "My Lovin' Is Digi". With all that to live up to and surpass, Digital Bullet falls short of grace. But it's not a total flop. There are head nodding tracks like "Can't Loose" and "Brooklyn Babies", with dope experimental beats and rhythms. While the content of "Domestic Violence Pt. 2" departs from the thought-provoking point made by its precursor, Rza shows his willingness to branch out by featuring Big Gipp of Goodie Mob flowing over a typical southern bounce beat. And "La Rhumba" features Method Man over an infectious Latin groove. The best lyrical skills can probably be found in "Must be Bobby" and "Do U" featuring Prodical. Yet other songs like "Glock A Pop" just don't seem to make it. And ODB, while sinfully hilarious, is beyond coherent in "Black Widow Pt. 2". Rza also ends the album with FOUR "5%-conscious" tracks, which seem odd-lumped together there, as if thrown in as an afterthought. In the end Rza's second solo album isn't terrible. I can appreciate uncommon art. And it would have made a decent first attempt. But following the heels of his first release, it seems lackluster. It just doesn't stack up to what we've seen he can do.

Erick Sermon - The Sermon (Music)

Release Date: September 25th, 2001

At this point in the his career most people give Erick Sermon big respect for all he has accomplished and meant to hip-hop over his 13 year career. In my opinion this is also the point in his career when Erick Sermon should basically stick to producing. The Sermon/Music isn't terrible but it isn't very good either. Most of the best songs rely on guest appearance such as "Now What's Up", and "Up Them Thangs". Also, despite ingenious samples like the ones used for "Music" and "I'm Hot" (another Margin Gaye sample), Sermon makes some poor choices for samples such as "Ain't No Future... 2001"(remake of Mc Breed), "Genius E. Dub". Also check out "The Sermon" which is pretty eerie in light of Mr. Sermon's recent "accident".

Beanie Sigel - The Reason

Release Date: June 26th, 2001

"I don't do much" says the 5th track of The Reason, but I can think of few better ways to summarize this album. 14 tracks of selling drugs, smokin' weed, getting drunk, and pimpin' groupies doesn't get you very far with me, not to mention that it's pretty hard for me to believe Beanie Sigel could be pimpin' anybody with a face like that (before getting signed that is). If it were not for Sigel's slick delivery and catchy voice then this guy would officially have nothing going for him. But through all of the bad songs this album is actually instructive; just look at the difference between EPMD's 1988 "You Gots to Chill" and Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek's 2001 version and you will see clearly, all the things that have gone wrong with rap music in the past few years. If you purchased this album and didn't like it then you got what you deserved. With track titles like, "For My Niggaz", "Watch Your Bitch", "Gangsta, Gangsta", and "Tales of a Hustler" you should have known what you were in for.

Wu-Tang Clan- Iron Flag

Release Date: December 18th, 2001

After the Wu's last offering, The W which was quite terrible, I was in the camp of hip-hop fans quietly whispering that the hall of fame crew of 9(minus ODB) were finished musically and as an act. However, it now seems that rumors of their death have been greatly exaggerated. Iron Flag is vintage Wu and a solid testament that Wu-Tang is still a force in the game. Outside of an apparent on lapse "Soul Power" the production is generally solid and the lyrics are tight (except for U-God). One problem with the album is that hardly any of the songs seem to be about anything particular except for "Babies". For the most part Iron Flag is 10 plus tracks of 8 heads in a cipher just rhyming, which still appeals to the B-Boy in me. By now everybody has heard "Uzi (Pinky Ring)" but there are a number of other winners on this album, particularly "One of these Days", "Babies", "Back in the Game", and "Iron Flag" (well the first 3 minutes). I'm not down with the Five Percent Nation so I don't know if I've got my lessons together but Iron Flag did teach me one lesson, Don't Sleep on The Wu!