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Review
Do not open your album with a boring track full of shout-outs. It was unfortunately common to use these at the end of albums, but starting with one makes for an incredibly underwhelming opener. From there, 'Check It Out' encourages kids to stay in school and borrows from 'Let Your Hair Down' by Yvonne Fair that is a great sample. It creates a dark mood though and at first I didn't think it really matched the content. The dragon roar on the hook of 'Dragon' is cringe. I hope he was trying to add comedy with that... It ruins the song. 'Spring Again' gets us back on track with its positive message about not letting a bad relationship get you down over my favourite production on the album. 'Just a Friend', famously referenced in 'It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia', is his most well-known song. While I don't love it, I can understand its popularity. 'She's Not Just Another Woman (Monique)' has a nice soul sample as its hook. It's another storytelling song that Biz does a lot of. In the middle of the album, 'Mudd Foot' is one of the weaker moments. "And I want this to be one of the hottest dances comin' out / It's called the "Mudd Foot". Was this an actual dance? The production is decent, but the lyrics go nowhere. 'A Thing Named Kim' has copped some flack from the SJW brigade through a lens of presentism. However, I don’t think Biz telling a story about feeling deceived by someone who wasn’t what he expected is inherently transphobic. Does that never happen? Can’t he tell that story? Incidentally, I just watched a Law and Order episode where that was a small feature of the plot. Granted, referring to Kim as a "Thing" isn’t the kindest choice. Still, Biz’s line—"And thought that's a damn shame, he had nice tits"—made me laugh. 'Me vs. Me' features beat boxing creating an original instrumental that is its strength. Next, 'My Man Rich' is about a close friend of Biz's. It's not bad either, backed by a recognisable sample. 'I Hear Music' is a tribute to the joy of music/hip hop, carried by its pleasant instrumentation. 'Biz in Harmony,' as the title suggests, features Biz crooning over smooth, harmonious female vocals. Finally, 'Things Get a Little Easier' rounds out the album with more storytelling and solid production, keeping the overall quality consistent to the end. Overall, this is a solid ’89 rap album that holds up reasonably well. Unlike many artists I review, Biz truly is different, bringing unique elements to his work. While he isn’t technically impressive with his rhyme schemes or delivery, his storytelling and creative flair are his greatest strengths. There’s probably nothing here I’ll return to for future listens, but I enjoyed spinning this one a few times. I look forward to checking out his next couple of projects from an era when hip-hop production was evolving significantly beyond the sound of the '80s. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Check It Out, Spring Again, Just a Friend, My Man Rich 1. Dedication 40 2. Check It Out 66 3. The Dragon 41 4. Spring Again 74 5. Just A Friend 66 6. She's Not Just Another Woman (Monique) 60 7. Mudd Foot 55 8. A Thing Named Kim 65 9. Me Versus Me 60 10. My Man Rich 68 11. I Hear Music 65 12. Biz In Harmony 60 13. Things Get a Little Easier 62
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