I really like this project. Aside from the usual tired-as-hell reminders that he used to sell coke, Malice comes in sharp from the first beat. The energy stays high, and he brings it every time he touches the mic. Some of the hooks could hit harder. Lines like, "You don’t buy it, it’s fake news" feel stuck in a specific moment, but they’re still catchy enough to separate themselves from the verses, which is important. When that hook-versus contrast fades, the whole song can fall flat. And there are also great ones like on 'Sky Crack' - "I hear the horns!" He does occasionally fall into that Pusha T habit of saying a lot while not actually saying much, but the production, his flow, and delivery carry it through. It’s a consistent, slept-on 10-track album, albeit some of the tracks do blur together a bit too much in production. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: #Ltdbtd (Intro), So Woke, Sky Crack, Let's Die 1. #Ltdbtd (Intro) 85 2. Fake News 75 3. Lu.4:5 71 4. Jesus Christ 70 5. So Woke 85 6. Why Cry 72 7. Sky Crack 80 8. Done and Said 70 9. Shame on Me 73 10. Let's Die 77

T-Rock returns with another brief collaboration, this time teaming up with female rapper Dada. The standout track is the title song, but it dropped in 2023 on 'Annihilation' where T-Rock teamed up with Twisted Insane, so that only leaves three new songs. They are all intense, high energy gangster rap, and as always, it's hard to dislike anything T-Rock puts out - his delivery remains top-tier. That said, his collaborations often fall short of his solo work, simply because there's less of him on the mic. I always find these short projects harder to rate than albums. It's an easy listen, but the aforementioned track aside, that is years old, there isn't much to save for later when T-Rock has such an extensive catalog of great songs. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★☆ Best Tracks: Point Blank, Friday 13th 1. Point Blank 74 2. Slide 68 3. In Da Club 60 4. Friday 13th 85

If you enjoy classic west coast hip hop you'll get something out of this banging album. Lots of these beats will have you instantaneously bobbing your head. I was listening to it and realised it was time I hit the hay and I didn't want to turn it off. The first half is harder and more my thing before it gets a little more laid back in the second half, but the consistency is still strong including 'Destiny' that samples Michael Jackson. The run of songs, in particularly from track 4 to 9, is just one bangin' song after the next. Daz is always mentioned for producing for Pac but he doesn't get enough love for his solo work. He's easily one of the best producers/rappers to have done it. I've heard the full Daz catalog and this is one of his stronger albums, that after everything he has done is quite the achievement. The lyrics are basically g-shit, but the rapping is enjoyable, and the choruses instantly catchy which not enough rappers can write. To finish, Daz, if you read this, never use Kevin Slow Jammin James again on your records. He is the definition of annoying. Beats: ★★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★ Hooks: ★★★★ Best Tracks: West Coast Is the Best Coast, Retaliation and Revenge, Get Bacc, Start Bacc Bangin, We Came to Play, Ask the Homie Daz 1. Level 4 Yard Bizniz 2. DeathRow N-Matez 70 3. Calculate the Time 74 4. Westcoast Is the Best Coast 85 5. Get Down You Clown (Interlude) 6. Set Trippin 75 7. Retaliation and Revenge 80 8. Get Bacc 83 9. Start Bacc Bangin 85 10. We Came to Play 80 11. Switchin Lanez 74 12. Like a Movie 60 13. Destiny 70 14. On the Dead Homies 67 15. The Reason 72 16. Ask the Homie Daz 80 17. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 64 18. Mentally Crazy 74

This project feels overrated, mostly because people are caught up in the name of Juicy J, who everyone loves, but who frankly says very little of value here. The production, handled by Logic, is okay, leaning more into a soul-influenced sound than what Juicy typically raps over. But even then, it would hit harder with a rapper who brings some interesting bars and a style that complements them. As it stands, the beats aren’t groundbreaking, and the vocals don’t elevate them. Between songs, there are unfortunately interludes titled 'Discussions' where Logic and Juicy J talk about a variety of topics, most of which are awkward or just plain embarrassing. Logic asks Juicy about losing his virginity, and for Juicy’s reaction to finding out Logic is black, and even claims that he and Juicy are superstars "like Michael Jackson"... Yes, that actually happens. There is one interlude where they talk about how this collaboration came to fruition which is one of the few genuinely interesting moments. But if you’re going to include all these interviews, then the album really should have committed to being a concept album, with the discussions tying meaningfully into the tracks, or at least being insightful. Instead, they feel scattered and disconnected. Logic also already calls the album a “classic,” which feels wildly premature. The album opens with one of the better songs, but even that is interrupted midstream by an interview which is frustrating. At one point, Logic asks Juicy for advice to give up-and-coming rappers. Juicy replies, “Stay prayed up.” It’s not insightful in the slightest as isn't much of what is said. They also brush against other ideas, like hip-hop culture’s obsession with flashiness and Juicy’s view on the dangers of AI, but none of it gets explored in a meaningful way, or again, is that interesting, especially for more than one playthrough. There’s also the played-out theme/phrase of “giving people their flowers" which is so tiresome. On top of that, the short song problem of this era rears its head here too which I just typed about for Slick Rick's new album. What is the last 1:25 song to be a classic? I'll wait. The album starts with a statement that it’s a “real journey through the man, the myth, the legend, Juicy J,” but we never get that. There just isn’t enough substance, either in the music or the interviews, to make it a compelling journey. All in all, I didn’t get much out of this. While I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the ‘Discussions’, it’s because they seriously drag the whole thing down, some are so jaw-droppingly bad that it’s baffling anyone thought they were a good idea. And aside from that, there’s not a single memorable song to redeem it. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★☆ Hooks: ★★ Best Tracks: Live and in Color (before the interlude), Get Right, The Problem, 20 Years Later

I didn’t realise Tha Realest was still making music. While he’s often criticised as a 2Pac clone (this project even includes his own version of Pac's classic, 'Bury Me a G'), he’s delivered some solid tracks since he started recording back in the late '90s. This release is a consistently enjoyable ride full of bouncy, G-funk-influenced, vibey west coast hip hop. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Trust No Bitch Trust No Homie, Goodbye, Bury Me a G, Animal Out the Cage