Unpopular opinion of the day incoming. My predicted rating for this release is very high, but I guess that doesn't take in my feelings toward Jay-Z. He has of course created some good stuff over his long career in the industry but I've never loved his style/voice and I generally prefer him more so as a featuring artist than over a whole album. He doesn't seem to switch it up like many of the best and isn't as lyrical interesting either. Also, overall his beat selection on albums are rarely to my liking, and these tracks add to those thoughts. Every time I try to get into this album the beats are a let down. A lot of it feels like pop rap, some of the hooks are absolute rubbish ('Izzo'/'Jigga That Nigga'/'Hola' Hovito'), overall the beats are too soft and I'm just really not a big fan of them. The soulful tracks in the final third of the album really help the album be anything of note at all, along with Em's Renegade of course. One of those hip hop 'classics' I'd label as being very overrated. Best Tracks: Heart of the City, Never Change, Renegade

I know some people hate the term, and I rarely subscribe to it, but if this isn't overproduced then nothing is. It's a shame.

Heralded in underground circles as a hidden gem, this is better than a lot of mainstream music, however, there are also many better albums most people haven't heard. The rappers aren't overly distinctive, hooks aren't extremely contagious, the topics aren't anything new, and it does sound like so much other g-funk. It's a nice soulful/funky listen that makes so much hip hop from the '90s great though. It's well worth a listen but it didn't quite live up the hype for me. Best Tracks: Hustler, No One's Gonna Play You

If you are/were a big fan of Slaughterhouse, you will enjoy the topics on offer here, as you would also find interesting the controversy surrounding this album from its other group members. Joell and Crooked reflect on and give us the inside story on the background of the group and what went wrong. As you'd expect, it's rapped well, but the production and songs aren't good enough for repeated listens or to rate this any higher. 'Fukglasshouse' was the first song to catch my attention with its harder production, and the album does get a bit stronger from there. Best Tracks: Fukglasshouse, Brothers Keeper 2, Smoke, Coastin'

This is right between a 3-3.5 for me. It's a really easy listen with some well known songs being used as samples like Slick Rick's 'Hey New World' on 'Love, Peace & Nappiness', and I-Level's 'Give Me' on 'So Love', but there isn't anything amazing from a time period with lots of great boom bap. It doesn't sound brilliantly mixed either. It's worth noting that Canibus kills 'Beasts from the East'. Best Tracks: Me and My Crazy World, Beasts from the East, Love Peace & Nappiness, What's Wrong, Games, From My Family to Yours (Dedication)