Not long ago, David Banner boasted in an interview that "this was one of the best albums since the '90s", so that reminded me that I needed to check it out. After a few spins I just find this to be an album that just comes and goes. 'The Light' almost makes it to be a true standout, but doesn't quite get there, and there just isn't much memorable stuff here. Surprisingly the track I cited as the best track earlier is the only one that 9th Wonder isn't credited to of having produced. David Banner isn't a great rapper either, and doesn't make the album excel. Some of the hooks kind of get worse the further the album goes on also. It's okay, but for only 30 minutes of material, this should be much better. Best Tracks: The Light

It's a shame how some of these brilliant beats-due largely to great sampling-could have been brilliant songs, and there are enough great beats for it to have been a brilliant album. But unfortunately, like another producer come rapper in Black Milk, they bring some of the songs down a notch by being on them. I think it says something when my favourite track is the 'instrumental' final track. Even a number of the features have weak voices. Nevertheless, the album is good, a grower, and one which improves as it goes. Couldn't give it any lower than 3.5 / 5 Best Tracks: They Told Me, When I Was Young, The New Day (Death Has No Meaning)

I love DMX but these are fairly poor remixes due to the fact that most of them don't offer much different from the originals. This is more so for the first disc and the 'Twisted Remixes' that just sound a tad more raw I guess. Disc two changes it up more differing from the originals but most aren't anything special.

Rating Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s ‘Thug Stories’ is a tough one. While it’s not a bad album, by the means of not having bad tracks, it doesn’t have killer tracks either. So you can either rate it down for not having great tracks, or you can rate it well for having plenty of above-average tracks and being fairly consistent. I have leaned towards the first option. A reason the album is consistent is due to a lot of the songs sounding similar. While all the songs have different beats they tend to blend together, not only musically but also verbally, which probably shouldn’t happen as the group comprises of 4 artists. Although I do enjoy the way Krayzie and Layzie spit, it just made more songs sound the same. Best tracks are 'What You See (Reload)' and 'Do It Again' but as I said earlier, no track blew me away. If you like or love the single 'Fire', then I’d recommend the album. But if not then this isn’t for you. If you’re looking for a Hip-Hop album from a group with mad tracks that sound different go out and get yourself a Naughty By Nature album. Not a bad album, but nothing to really get excited about.

Godz N the Hood' is great. Talib steals the show with the final verse. The following 'Upscale Ratchet' sounds like something E-40 would rap over and it is the worst thing here. 'Overdose' is very pop rap which some may not like and Ras goes for something different with 'MollyWorld' as well which is a touch cloud rappy but works okay. Overall, most of the rest, although lacking a lot of great moments, is a fairly cohesive album with fine beat selection and tight rapping by Ras and the many features. Best Tracks: I Love This Show, Godz N the Hood, Sometimes, Focus, CokeLines, Still Breathin', Sushi, Lost, iSpit