Given my feelings on other Cash Money music I may be rating this a lil' high because it was one of the earlier albums I heard as I was getting into hip hop. Nonetheless, I have gone back to it numerous times and it still does something for me years later. It begins very well, the production of the first 6 songs or so are quality, most middle tracks are solid bar a few fillers, and it also ends well. Much, much better than his first solo album and his latest. Lyrically it's fairly generic about cash, chicks and being a G as you'd expect, but the production and flow just works for me throughout this disc. Well worth a listen, especially if you like any of his other work. Some dope beatz! Beats: ★★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Neck of the Woods, Ghetto Life, Smoke Out, Big Pimpin, Solid Chic, Get Your Shine On

Neek had been around a while before this album dropped with some singles from this album dating back to 1998. He is a good rapper with a natural quick flow who deserves more time on wax. The beats are produced by one of the best to produce a hip hop record, Large Pro, except for 'Cake Up' and 'Letter to Ma' that are produced by J. Love. There is a slow moment or two like 'Make That Money' that has an average beat, but the opener, title track and others make up for it. If you like Large Pro's boom bap beats you should find something here. Best Tracks: N.E.E.K., Don't Stop, Exotic's Raw, Backs & Necks, The Mothafuckin Man

Freeway is back after more than 30 months of prepping this album after his most successful release 'The Stimulus Package'. With this album, Freeway has provided a handful of bangers, and after many rotations of this disc, I'm enjoying what we've received. Speaking of bangers, 'Jungle' has been cited in a review or two that I've read as being skippable, but it's a straight hardcore hip hop tune in my opinion. It feels like a better version of 'Early'. I've also gone back and listened to his first two albums and I think that after playing this about six to seven times, this flows better and is an easier listen from front to back. The production comes from previous collaborators such as Just Blaze, Bink!, Jake One and Needlz who provide Free with many good beats. Free has a skit at the start of 'Greatness' with a Muhammad Ali soundbite saying how he is better now than he was, and I feel that's certainly the case regarding the skill of crafting out albums. Many of these hooks are really catchy which is a credit to Free and was something which I felt was lacking on his early albums. There are a couple of weak bars and the topics rapped about were more fresh on his first album, but that is probably the case for most rappers who are five to six albums in. I think he has picked some good beats here, so if you like Freeway you should give this a spin or two. Best Tracks: Right Back, Greatness, Wonder Tape, Numbers, True, Jungle

"You mad at the last album, I apologize for it / Yo, I can't call it, motherfuckin' Wyclef spoiled it" - 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus) Canibus disowns his debut album, blaming Wyclef Jean who produced a handful of its songs. I doubt this theory, but I don't know if that's why it isn't on Spotify or not, and while I don't hate his debut as much as he seems to, this is an improvement. It begins with high energy on its first two tracks with some fantastic spitting and near-epic beats. 'Life Liquid' takes it down a notch where Bis and Journalist trade bars on more traditional east coast production, with 'Watch Who U Beef Wit' having similar production too. On 'Shock Therapy' Canibus interrogates a producer. I'm guessing it's meant to be Wyclef. 'I'll Buss 'Em U Punish 'Em' sees two brilliant MCs together. The rapping makes up for the average beat that is the worst of the first 6 songs. Thankfully 'Mic-Nificent' picks it up again. 'Die Slow' and 'Doomsday News' are more than solid tracks. 'Phuk U' is mostly talking about trash rappers with "Phuc you" being repeated through the chorus and interweaved throughout the song. 'Horsemen and the following track have some nice rapping but the beat is lacking anything interesting. The final song, 'Chaos' begins in acapella for the first 80 seconds before a more than decent beat kicks in. Overall while there are high moments of production, the beats are probably about a 3/5 so it's an album for those who love Canibus' battle rap, confrontational style. He rarely doesn't sound passionate, but after the disappointment he felt with his debut, his hunger is evident here. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★☆ Best Tracks: The C-Quel, 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus), I'll Buss 'Em U Punish 'Em, Lost @ C, 100 Bars

As usual Canibus can't make a classic, but also as usual he gives us another handful of great tracks. It begins with Canibus spitting fire on 'CPTN Cold Crush' which is hardcore rap at its best, and then every few tracks, we get another one worth repeating repeatedly. In between these songs are mostly solid tracks, from the Premo produced 'Golden Terra of Rap', to the vibey 'Cingularity Point'. As Bis has been releasing albums at a fast pace recently - 3 albums in 18 months - you feel if he had the best of all three albums in one, it would be something special. Nevertheless this is well worth checking out if you're a Canibus fan and one of his strongest efforts. Best Tracks: CPTN Cold Crush, Merchant of Metaphors, Title 17 USMC, Pine Comb Poem, Good Equals Evil