While there are some good moments, with catchy written/sample hooks being a feature on songs like 'It's Real' and 'Cemetery Made', and it's a fairly consistently enjoyable/decent album, again from No Limit, nothing reaches great heights and Mr. Serv-On doesn't have that X-factor. He's a decent rapper, but Mystikal, Brotha Lynch Hung (who for some reason isn't credited on streaming services), Mia X and other features stand out more. While some features are on choruses, Serv only gets two solo tracks. He apparently came with more of an experimental flow on his next album, so I look forward to checking that out. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Heaven Is So Close, It's Real, Who Raised Me, Hustlin, Cemetery Made, Throw Ya City Up

As the ratings below show, this is a solid album all the way through. I feel like every listener will have a different set of their favourite tracks just because there aren't any that truly stand out - maybe apart from the opener. The vibey 'You See Me' would be near the top for me if not for the unfortunately autotune rubbish of the feature. It's just a consistent album that an be played on loop without wanting to skip. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Goin' Hard, My Spot, Can't Rain Forever, Peaceful Mind 1. Goin' Hard (with Paul Wall & Maxo Kream) 82 2. Tear Da Lane Up (with Keara Alyse) 74 3. My Spot (with Z-Ro) 80 4. Can't Rain Forever (with Jack Freeman) 80 5. Look Alive (with Propain, OTB Fastlane & Yung Al) 70 6. It' Too Late (with Killa Kyleon & Slim Thug) 70 7. Game Won't Die (with Eddie Coke) 75 8. You See Me (with DJ Chose) 60 9. Legend Mane (with Bun B & Big K.R.I.T.) 74 10. What We Stand On (with AL-D*3000, Jay Worthy & Sauce WoodWinnin) 63 11. Ashtray 70 12. Slfmade Sundays (with Quiet Money Dot) 62 13. Freestyle Finale (with Big Pokey) 74 14. Late At Night (with Lil' Flip, Lil' O & Mike D) 73 15. Remain Solid 62 16. Love Da Hustle (with Eddie Coke, Devin The Dude & Keara Alyse) 70 17. Peaceful Mind 80

At only 23 minutes long, you'd expect some more heat from this. Vocally, the Rev hasn't dropped off, but at times the production is the issue and there's not great moments. 'Don't Stop Y'all' is the worst. It sounds cheap and 'Take a Tour' has a kind of Caribbean flavour that doesn't work too well. The chorus of 'High and Mighty Joe' is poor too. Everything else is decent to good and sounds like you'd expect it to with hard drums and at times electric guitars. Some of the sampling on songs like the opener is great too. I don't enjoy the 'Sweet Home Alabama' sampling so much on 'Home Sweet Home' though. There's not a lot of creativity with that one. It's a bit of mixed bag from the legend's first solo project, but there are some good songs to take away. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: I Used to Think I Was Run, Boom Ditty, The Way 1 I Used To Think I Was Run 80 2 Home Sweet Home 50 3 Boom Ditty 80 4 Breaktime 70 5 High and Mighty Joe 50 6 The Way 73 7 Don't Stop Y'all 40 8 Mind on the Road 70 9 Take a Tour 56 10 Distortion 60

While I think Run-D.M.C.'s production was on the up with their previous albums, here we see them branching outside to more top-tier producers from Naughty by Nature's KayGee, Q-Tip and Pete Rock to name a few. Pete Rock handles the title track so well with it being my favourite song from the group. You can hear KayGee's recognisable production from the first note on 'Hit 'Em Hard'. 'Big Willie' is the obligatory rap-rock track from Run-D.M.C, with Tom Morello, from Rage Against the Machine, on the guitar, but they've done better. There are some nice touches to the instrumentation but the first verse from Rev Run sounds mixed too low and it gets repetitive during the verses. 'What's Next' also sees Run going back to a reggae sound which they had a couple of songs in on their earlier albums, but it's the least likeable moment on the album. All in all this is a decent rap project to add to so many from what is the greatest era in hip hop, but Run-D.M.C. do lose their unique sound and style here, with it sounding like lots of other albums from the early-mid '90s. They even look like Naughty by Nature on the album art. The rapping is less traditionally Run-esque as well, and while never a strength of the group, there isn't anything topically interesting being spat. Some of it sounds more like an Onyx record, who Jam Master Jay helped to sign. There are too many okay, but nothing special, boom bap songs like 'Three Little Indians', 'In The House' and 'Get Open' to name a few. 'Can I Get a Witness' elevates beyond those mainly thanks to a catchier hook, and the same can be said for 'Wreck Shop'. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Down with the King, Hit 'Em Hard, Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do, Can I Get a Witness, Wreck Shop

I've been revisiting/listening to what I've missed from Run-D.M.C.'s discography and this is one I'd listened to and rated too low. I was probably influenced by the rep this has. Like most Run albums do (after the lackluster intro, 'Sucker D.J.'s'), this starts really well. The sampling on the first two full songs is exceptional with 'The Ave.' being cited as having eleven samples on Whosampled.com and 'What's It All About' having nine samples, with the most notable one being the brilliant 'Fools Gold' by The Stone Roses. Some of the bars on the anti-racism 'Faces' reminds me of the rap in MJ's 'Black or White'. Along with 'Faces', 'Pause' and 'Not Just Another Groove' fall into the new jack swing genre seeing Run chasing the trends of the era. From a group who stayed fairly true to themselves for four albums, it's odd hearing those songs. They aren't too bad though. We also hear more cursing and perhaps a higher percentage of songs about social topics compared to Run's previous projects. 'Pause' is an anti-drug song which is hypocritical given what some of the members of this group were up to. Elsewhere, 'Don't Stop' is one of Run's best songs. The hook and bridge are so damn catchy. I've loved it since I heard it many years back on a video game soundtrack. 'P Upon a Tree' is a short reggae song/comedy interlude about needing to urinate... 'Naughty' has some more enjoyable production with the horns working well to break up the chorus and verses. That's probably where the album should've finished. As with Run's previous albums before this, the tail isn't a strength with three party tracks finishing the album. From someone who has never been enamoured with early hip hop instrumentation, compared to their earlier albums, I think this is another step up in that department. A lot of the sampling works well and as I found with 'Tougher Than Leather', there are just a lot more elements to the instrumentation than you get with Run's earlier music. It's overhated. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: The Ave, What's It All About, Don't Stop 1. Sucker D.J.'s 30 2. The Ave. 80 3. What's It All About 85 4. Bob Your Head 72 5. Faces 64 6. Kick the Frama Lama Lama 60 7. Pause 54 8. Word Is Born 76 9. Back from Hell 79 10. Don't Stop 100 11. Groove to the Sound 70 12. P Upon a Tree - 13. Naughty 76 14. Livin' in the City 60 15. Not Just Another Groove 50 16. Party Time 52