Most soundtracks are a mixed bag and this one is no different. A number of the hip hop songs are quite generic. The R&B songs have a higher success rate but there are only a few of them.
Best Tracks: No Way In, No Way Out, Devil's Pie, Grand Finale, What About
1 Lady - No Way In, No Way Out 86/100
R. Kelly written and produced. It's an odd way to begin the album with an unknown R&B singer but the song actually does the job. It has that classic R. Kelly build up/progression and a positive message.
2 D'Angelo - Devil's Pie 85
DJ Premier produced that is the best part of this. I just read that Canibus turned down this beat. Unpopular opinion: I've never loved D'Angelo's choppy way of singing on this one. It's still an excellent track though.
3 DMX, Method Man, Nas & Ja Rule– Grand Finale 94
A great song. A simple yet killer beat by Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob sampling 'Prelude' by N.W.A. DMX aces the hook and then you have amazing rappers to complete the win.
4 Jerome - Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer 80
A cover of Stevie Wonder's classic from Jerome, who was a kid signed to Bad Boy. He does a great job with it and sounds a lot older than he was.
5 Sparkle - What About 84
Another winner from R. Kelly. The music and singing are so damn chill.
6 Hot Totti - Two Sides 57
A decent gangsta chick song about her being a 'ride or die'.
7 Mya Featuring Raekwon & Noreaga - Movin' Out 54
An okay pop rap tune.
8 DMX, Sean Paul & Mr. Vegas - Top Shotter 50
A fusion of reggae and hip hop but the former is the more predominant sound.
9 Ja Rule - Story to Tell 60
Not bad. The beat is quite generic. There are thousands of similar sounding instrumentations from the late '90s.
10 Jay-Z Featuring Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek - Crew Love 68
Kind of like the last song but there is a bit more life in the production. Enjoyable verses, particularly from Beanie. It's says "Jay-Z Featuring" but he is just on the hook here.
11 Noreaga Featuring Maze - Sometimes 54
I'm not a big Nore fan. His voice and rapping are average. The beat isn't bad though, but at the same time, I don't think it changes up at all for 5 minutes. Not even for the hook.
12 Drag-On - We All Can Get It On 34
Drag-On is okay, but this one feels lifeless and is more evidence to back up my long-held belief that Swizz Beatz is the luckiest rap producer of all time. He has one good beat in every ten attempts.
13 Gang Starr - Militia Remix 66
This one has two of my favourite rappers, WC and Rakim, as features, but it's a very standard DJ Premier beat and there isn't much creativity to the song as a whole.
14 Wu Tang Clan Feat. RZA, Ghostface Killer & ODB - Windpipe 52
I've never liked ODB's mentally ill style and this would be better without his screaming. It sounds so low quality as well...
15 Sauce Money Featuring Jay-Z - Pre-Game 64
Decent bangin track.
16 Made Men Featuring The Lox - Tommy's Theme 70
The way Jadakiss and Styles exchange bars in the first verse is engaging.
17 Half-A-Mil - Some Niggaz 51
Like 'Sometimes', it just doesn't do enough musically.
18 Bravehearts - I Wanna Live 40
A weak beat by the Trackmasters. Nas singing on the hook. This is like a bad song from Nastradamus. Nas' proteges, Bravehearts, weren't a chance to ever blow up with some of the production they were given.
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