Best known for their collaboration with R. Kelly on The Fiesta remix, Boo and Gotti only ever released this album as a pair. They hail from Chicago and shout-out the city on track 2 and 11, but this features a lot of southern rap influence, with Mannie Fresh producing most of it and it being released through Cash Money Records. Their name seems odd. Boo is what someone calls their S.O. and the other has named himself off of an infamous gangster... I must be missing something. Away, from that, this is a consistently decent project but nothing more. It's worth noting that it features two Kanye beats, 'Gangsta' and '600', but they aren't touching his best work. 'Think It Over', or 'Think...', as it appears on some tracklists, is the only song that caught my attention to any high degree thanks to its sample. The topics on hand aren't too interesting. There are a number of songs about chicks, some general gangsta rap and one or two more consciously minded songs like 'Dead Ghetto', where the ghetto is personified and that features and was produced by the King of R&B. 'Baby Girl' is kind of catchy as well with its bouncy hook by TQ. The penultimate, Hot Shit', on the other hand, is slow, boring and the worst thing here. Like I said, it's a decent listen, but I wouldn't recommend this unless you adore Mannie Fresh production. I've given this a bunch of spins but not much has stuck with me. Best Tracks: Dear Ghetto, 1 Adam 12, Think It Over, 600, Out Here

"Got 'Em Hittin' Notes That Mariah Couldn't Carry An ambitious double-disc lp that doesn't quite come off. There are some stellar tracks on this release but there are also many songs that don't do enough also, particularly on disc two which doesn't heat up until the last few tracks. Disc one opens well though with the hip hop themed 'Home Alone', and then the next three tracks are all good without being supreme R. Kelly. I think I'd like 'Spendin' Money' more if I hadn't heard Naughty By Nature's 'Holiday' which also samples 'A Lover's Holiday'. 'When a Woman's Feed Up' though is a classic Kells build-up track as is 'If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time' later on, which takes a while to reach its climax, but it's worth waiting for. 'Turn Back the Hands of Time' actually dates back before R. Kelly even had a deal. He played an early demo of it to Barry Hankerson. 'We Ride' is a good slow vibing hip hop track, I don't know what 'The Opera' is exactly, I think Rob just wanted to have fun... The rest of the tracks are your usual Kell's slow jamz, until What I Feel / Issues which is a very emotional R. Kelly being backed by electric guitars. As mentioned disc two is weaker. It begins with 'The Chase' interlude about two haters wanting to take out R. Kelly - "Hater One, this is your Captain Player Hater, what is the talent's position?" The following track, 'V.I.P.', is fairly boring though and anticlimactic. The two hip hop featuring songs here 'Dollar Bill' and 'Ghetto Queen' don't work. As don't many of the ballads here like 'Looking for Love' which need more build-up and change to keep me interested. The only things really worth going back to on disc two are the final three tracks and 'Did You Ever Think'. Overall, R. Kelly could have produced one outstanding disc but instead has created two inconsistent ones. But when an artist gives you twice the material compared to the usual album, I don't think you should be too critical and expect 29 excellent tunes. Best Tracks D1: Home Alone, When a Woman's Fed Up, We Ride, Half on a Baby, Only the Loot Can Make Me Happy, If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time, What I Feel / Issues. Best Tracks D2: Did You Ever Think, Money Makes the World Go Round, I'm Your Angel, I Believe I Can Fly.

This album returns to the grimy New York sound DMX's first three albums have, as opposed to 'The Great Depression' which went for something a tad different in the beats for the most part. Lyrically, it's what DMX has done in the past, some introspective/religious type tracks, an anthem or two such as 'Get It on the Floor', and just your gangster hardcore tunes such as the brilliant controversial 'Where the Hood At?' which was my first taste of DMX. While as usual there is some good stuff from D, and not much bad music, there isn't enough great stuff for it to be 77 minutes in length. I'd say this one is for fans, as the great moments such as 'Where the Hood At' are sparse. Best Tracks: Where the Hood At, Get it on the Floor, Rob All Night, The Rain, Thank You, X Gon' Give It to Ya

Love Never Felt So Good ★★★ Remix ★★★☆ The original is just Michael with a piano and his own percussion sounds. I think the remix is better. It gives it more funk and the breakdown/bridge improves it too. Chicago ★★★☆ Remix ★★★ The original is better, it feels eerier and suits the lyrics better. I don't like some of the production changes they made. I don't love either version though. Loving You ★★★★ Remix ★★★★ I'd say this has the least difference between the original and remix so far. Both are great. A Place With No Name ★★★★ Remix ★★★☆ The sample is more of a feature in the original, whereas, with the remix, it is mainly noticeable on the chorus. The original wins this. Slave to the Rhythm ★★★★☆ Remix ★★★☆ The original sounds fairly fresh for a Dangerous era song. Like the aforementioned album, it goes hard. I love some of Michael's vocals here and they are the best part of the song. Great energy (See 2:54)! The original wins comfortably. Do You Know Where Your Children Are ★★★★ Remix ★★★ Where the previous songs sounded fresh, this is very '80s. As with the previous remix, it sounds more like a dance song. Again, the original wins. Blue Gangsta ★★★☆ Remix ★★★☆ The remix offers something fairly different and doesn't sound overproduced like the previous remixes almost do. The breakdown at about 2:50 is better in the remix. A close call... Xscape ★★★★ Remix ★★★★ Both are dope. The original sounds more reserved, but still bangs, but the remix amps it up. I'm choosing the remix here. Great at times, but you can understand why most of these didn't see the light of day as the quality is a touch below most of the tracks that made his albums. While 'Slave to the Rhythm' is the best thing here, I still don't think it's knocking any of the upbeat songs off 'Dangerous'. If you have only listened to the version with the remixes, make sure you check out the original versions as they are more often than not the better songs.

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