When you think of some of the amazing g-funk released around '94, this isn't touching that. The title track and its remix are the best moments. I've rated a lot of albums between 2.5-3 out of 5 lately and this is another one. It's a decent listen but there are number of songs that don't do enough. A light 3 out of 5.
Beats: ★★★
Rapping/Bars: ★★☆
Hooks: ★★★
Best Tracks: Mo' Love, Things in Tha Hood, Digga Bigga Ditch, Things in Tha Hood (Remix)
1 A Piece of My Mind (Intro)
2 Put Your Locs On 51
3 Caps Get Peeled 64
4 Mo' Love 73
Vibey song. Good hook. It could have a touch more energy in parts though to take it to the next level.
5 Things in Tha Hood 83
This is one of four tracks produced by Warren G and it's even more vibey with Nate Dogg's classic crooning on the hook and some great differentiation from the hook to the verses.
6 Pass the Hooter 64
7 2-2 the Chest 50
Tries to be gangsta and kind of sounds like they're trying too hard.
8 Death B-4 Dishonesty 58
9 Hand's on My Nine 60
10 Roll with the Clan 70
After a number of songs without enough of a catchy melody, this one is better. The drums and bass hit harder too.
11 Digga Bigga Ditch 76
Produced by The D.O.C. the tongue twister hook for this one's catchy as well. "Nigga figga he's bigga, dig a bigga ditch (bitch)"
12 You Can Get the Dick 50
"Dick" is probably said about 100 times here.
13 Da Bomb 59
14 Things in Tha Hood (Remix) 86
The writers weren't pleased that many scenes were cut to make sure the certification wasn't too extreme and you'd hope that was the case for their sake. This isn't very funny and the plot is odd. The title works at the beginning with Chevy's character having a problem with a cassette, pathetic teens keying cars and relationship issues, but then there is nothing 'modern' or specifically '80s about the problems. He turns into needing an exorcism at the end that comes from nowhere. He's an unlikeable character too being such a walkover.
None of this works at all. It obviously isn't professionally done. None of the beats match the acapellas put over them at all.
Most soundtracks are a mixed bag and this one is no different. A number of the hip hop songs are quite generic. The R&B songs have a higher success rate but there are only a few of them.
Best Tracks: No Way In, No Way Out, Devil's Pie, Grand Finale, What About
1 Lady - No Way In, No Way Out 86/100
R. Kelly written and produced. It's an odd way to begin the album with an unknown R&B singer but the song actually does the job. It has that classic R. Kelly build up/progression and a positive message.
2 D'Angelo - Devil's Pie 85
DJ Premier produced that is the best part of this. I just read that Canibus turned down this beat. Unpopular opinion: I've never loved D'Angelo's choppy way of singing on this one. It's still an excellent track though.
3 DMX, Method Man, Nas & Ja Rule– Grand Finale 94
A great song. A simple yet killer beat by Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob sampling 'Prelude' by N.W.A. DMX aces the hook and then you have amazing rappers to complete the win.
4 Jerome - Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer 80
A cover of Stevie Wonder's classic from Jerome, who was a kid signed to Bad Boy. He does a great job with it and sounds a lot older than he was.
5 Sparkle - What About 84
Another winner from R. Kelly. The music and singing are so damn chill.
6 Hot Totti - Two Sides 57
A decent gangsta chick song about her being a 'ride or die'.
7 Mya Featuring Raekwon & Noreaga - Movin' Out 54
An okay pop rap tune.
8 DMX, Sean Paul & Mr. Vegas - Top Shotter 50
A fusion of reggae and hip hop but the former is the more predominant sound.
9 Ja Rule - Story to Tell 60
Not bad. The beat is quite generic. There are thousands of similar sounding instrumentations from the late '90s.
10 Jay-Z Featuring Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek - Crew Love 68
Kind of like the last song but there is a bit more life in the production. Enjoyable verses, particularly from Beanie. It's says "Jay-Z Featuring" but he is just on the hook here.
11 Noreaga Featuring Maze - Sometimes 54
I'm not a big Nore fan. His voice and rapping are average. The beat isn't bad though, but at the same time, I don't think it changes up at all for 5 minutes. Not even for the hook.
12 Drag-On - We All Can Get It On 34
Drag-On is okay, but this one feels lifeless and is more evidence to back up my long-held belief that Swizz Beatz is the luckiest rap producer of all time. He has one good beat in every ten attempts.
13 Gang Starr - Militia Remix 66
This one has two of my favourite rappers, WC and Rakim, as features, but it's a very standard DJ Premier beat and there isn't much creativity to the song as a whole.
14 Wu Tang Clan Feat. RZA, Ghostface Killer & ODB - Windpipe 52
I've never liked ODB's mentally ill style and this would be better without his screaming. It sounds so low quality as well...
15 Sauce Money Featuring Jay-Z - Pre-Game 64
Decent bangin track.
16 Made Men Featuring The Lox - Tommy's Theme 70
The way Jadakiss and Styles exchange bars in the first verse is engaging.
17 Half-A-Mil - Some Niggaz 51
Like 'Sometimes', it just doesn't do enough musically.
18 Bravehearts - I Wanna Live 40
A weak beat by the Trackmasters. Nas singing on the hook. This is like a bad song from Nastradamus. Nas' proteges, Bravehearts, weren't a chance to ever blow up with some of the production they were given.
Sketches:
Above the Grate - Begins and ends the movie with a guy blowing air up a grate trying to look up Lindsay Lohan's (Marilyn Monroe lookalike) skirt. Pretty pointless 0.5/5
Flirty Harry - Gay puns over and over. Some laughs. Adrien Brody does a good impersonation. 2.5/5
Blackass - Jackass spoof. I enjoyed some of these. "I think something going on here." 3/5
The Amazing Racist - Some of these sketches are too long. Some laughs though, albeit nothing original. 2/5
The Porno Review - Terrible. 1/5
Psychology World - Bad. 1/5