This is pretty disappointing from one of the best to ever do it and I'd say Ice Cube's worst album for highlights. His albums since 'War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc)' have flaws and poor moments, but there are still great songs to pick out of the mix, but here, there isn't really anything for Cube to hang his hat on. A problem I've had with Cube for a while now is his simplistic rhymes. It just seems like he puts half the effort into writing that he used to. And in terms of the content, similar to 'Everythangs Corrupt', anything that is touching on serious matters, like the title of the album alludes to, is only surface level. The production is of a similar standard to the aforementioned album as well, being decent, but nothing amazing. There is a variety of sounds though, from the funk and soul on songs like She’s Sanctified', the trap 'No Cap' (the worst song), the ol' school electro 'Especially You', and the g-funk 'It’s My Ego'.
Beats: ★★☆
Rapping/Bars: ★★★
Hooks: ★★★
Best Tracks: It's My Ego, So Sensitive, 3 Lil Piggies, Ghetto Story, Ego Maniacs
1. Rollin’ At Twilight 54
A fairly limp way to begin the album.
2. It’s My Ego 74
A fun song , and video to go with it, that was a single prior to this dropping.
3. So Sensitive 70
A decent funky record with the production contrasting with the lyrics about the sensitivity of people this days.
4. She’s Sanctified 60
More funk and soul from October London. E-40 steals the show with his verse.
5. Not Like Them 64
6. 5150 60
7. No Cap 40
Sounds more in the modern times with the trap production.
8. 3 Lil Piggies 74
One of the hardest songs.
9. Ghetto Story 70
10. Facts 56
11. Fighting for My Life in Paradise 60
12. Let’s Get Money Together 54
13. I’mma Burn Rubber 50
14. Especially You 50
Taking the oldies back to electro/disco with this one.
15. Break the Mirror 60
16. Talkin’ Bout These Rappers 63
17. Scary Movie 64
18. Take Me to Your Leader 66
19. Ego Maniacs 73
Busta is off beat here. It doesn't work as well as the other verses.
The first 5 minutes of this were very predictable. You just knew as soon as Hanno kissed his wife that she was going to be gone in the next scene. Add in the overused family tree aspect of the plot that has been done to death and there is more that we've all seen before.
It's entertaining, but this film just never came alive for me in the way great movies do. Paul Mescal—who bears a striking resemblance to Daniel Radcliffe—lacks the commanding presence Russell Crowe brought to the first installment. On top of that, the mishmash of accents, with no effort to maintain consistency or embrace Italian authenticity, shatters any sense of immersion the film might have otherwise achieved. It seems like movies aren't even trying to do this anymore unless the actors are taking the place of a historical POC.
This definitely could have gone deeper in to the subject Matt is pushing, but it's still astounding to see how far these race-baiting,self-important grifters go to push their own bigoted and often racist views. I read a comment about someone being unhappy with these people being labelled as grifters. How can you see how those women act at the dinner table and think that what they are doing is anything but? They get paid extremely well for telling people bullshit. They are no better than mediums.
"'90s back to life, with his unashamedly retro debut album, Mann's World."- Allmusic. I don't know what that reviewer was on. Sure, it interpolates some '90s hits, but the sound isn't '90s. It's a mid-late '00s pop rap album. After seeing what I saw about Mann before I hit play, I expected gangsta rap, but this is all radio friendly pop rap. J.R.Rotem produced all of this except one song, so I expected more. It's very generic, and any song closer to a memorable moment is due to the influence of classics like the legendary 'Return of the Mack' by Mark Morrison on 'The Mack,'
Best Tracks: The Mack, Wanna Go Back
One of the best comedy specials I've seen. A funny intro and constant laughs throughout with an ode to comedy for its finale. Elvis impersonator aside, that I didn't get the point of, it's a different level than most specials you'll see. Go from Ali Wong's recent one to this, and you'll see the difference in Sandler's comedic talent.