There are some good tracks here, particularly early on, but overall this is one of the weakest Rock albums track for track. Overall the beats have a pretty dark feeling to them but they just don't have enough bite to them, despite T-Rock's usual great style over them.
Best Tracks: This Is What You Get, Murdererz, Gimme Room, Voltron
The fact that T-Rock raps so ferociously and has swagger to his voice, makes it difficult to dislike anything he does over a decent beat. This album is one of the last T-Rock albums I had to listen to, as I await his 2011 album. Again it's the same ol' stuff, hard southern, dirty south influenced beats. It is perhaps a track or two too long as it stretches the capacity of a compact disc, but if you enjoy T-Rock you should enjoy enough of this. 100 Feet is one of his best.
Best Tracks: 100 Feet, Fuckin' Wit Pimpin, Tension, Pop Ya Collar
I've never loved a huge amount of Three 6 and haven't heard a lot of II Tone so I didn't expect huge things from this. I had heard some T-Rock though who I have gotten into the last few months, and since hearing I have wanted more which is why I copped this release. As I mentioned in the review of T-Rock's most recent album, 'War Wounds: The Burning Book Chapter I', it's great to hear an artist really spit fast every now and again. We all know Twista can do it, but he rarely does it over hard enough beats. I'm a sucka for some hard beats and some fast-flowing delivery and T-Rock provides that along with Lord Infamous and II Tone throughout the 16 tracks.
The minor problem though is comparable to T-Rock's other album I've heard 'Conspiracy Theory' and his most recent album to a lesser degree as the production blends in way too much together. It's handled by six different producers [Mossberg (6 tracks), D.J. Cree (5), Enigma (2), J Green(1), Maniac tha Great (1), St. Kittz (1)] so it shouldn't really happen but too me there is too much uniformity throughout the album. The only tracks that really stand out from a muscially distinctive kind of way are 'I Need Drugs' which reminds me of some poppy late LL Cool J '80s beat which doesn't at all fit with what the rest of the album does, and 'Show Up' is also a bit different but not as much.
Combining all the pros and cons together though this is an album I enjoy and the 70 minutes fly by. It's pretty much 13-14 gangsta rap bangers which we don't get enough of without some rubbish in between. If you like any T-Rock or are in the need for some southern bangers check this one out and turn the bass up.
Best Tracks: Blood Money, Niggas Like You, Love My Whip, Heen 'Bout It, What You Bitches Wanna Do?, Workin', Do This.
This Dude Can Rap!
This starts off very well, with the first few tracks being bangers (the opening track is one of the better bangers I've heard for a long time), and the first half or so of the album is all good hip hop. By the second half the production which is shared by only about three producers becomes a lil' familiar which lets the album down a tad. While the subject matter is nothing special for most of the tracks, vocally T-Rock is beyond great and spits quickly almost like Twista on some tracks which you don't get much these days. Bring on Chapter II.
Best Tracks: As a Youngsta, Feel Free, The Burning Book, Doin' It (Remix), Double Up, Chief Chief Chief, Let's Go, Love Changes, Heaven Cries.
T-Rock has been one of, if not my #1 find of the last 3-4 years in rap. In my eyes, his previous album was close to the perfect bangin' disc, with it earning 4.5/5, and not leaving the airways of my house for ages. However, to pull off a double-disc release such as this is difficult for anyone. You could almost count the number of excellent double-disc rap albums on one hand, with the rarity they are attempted proving how difficult it is to release a large collection of good songs.
So out of 30 tracks, stretching almost 120 minutes, how many work? Well, after many spins of this, I can't say I get the urge to hit skip too often. Only 'Throw It Back', 'Hit Da Pole', and 'Ridin Fly' don't match the rest of the songs in quality. So how many are dope? Well, probably a good 8-10 could be placed in that category, with a number not being too far behind. While many are not 5/5 tracks, they aren't too far off.
I say this with every long/double album and I'll say it again, I think you should ignore the few bits of filler when an artist gives you so many songs! I say this with pretty much any T-Rock music as well, if you like his previous output, you should find at least a handful of tracks to go back to on this. His topics include some brag rap ('F*ck Da World Sh*t'), making cash ('I Grind I Hustle'), weed ('Burn 1'/'I Blaze Up'), some gangster rap ('AK-47]'), coming up ('Now Dey love Me'), conscious rap ('Make It Happen'/It's a Trap'), and songs like 'Gift from God' show the more personal Rock, being about his son. So, there is a fair amount of variety here.
For two hours the success rate here is great. The production T-Rock works with continues to get more crisp and varies just enough, and while it may be too much for others, if you enjoy hard southern beats with an extremely under-appreciated excellent flowin' rapper, cop this album.
Beats: ★★★★☆
Bars: ★★★★★
Best Tracks: Wit da Top Back, I Grind I Hustle, I Blaze Up, Make It Happen, I Don't Love You, Hurtin Em, 100 Goons, Burn 1, I Get at You, It's a Trap, Numbers
[Written in 2K11]