This is more of a drama than a comedy. When Emma and Dave were arguing and Dave was saying that she needed to stop being an assassin to which Emma replied, "It's all I know," and then Dave said, "Take a class," that was funny, but for the most part, Kaley plays this so seriously that the little comedy there is doesn't work too well. The tone of it doesn't quite gel. And I never bought her in the role. She doesn't seem like a mum or an assassin. It never worked for me. It petered out to the end with a fight with the woman who was responsible for Emma being an assassin from a young age, but I feel like we needed a bit more of a backstory there to care. There are lots of better similar films. 2/5 at the most.
I would normally check out any new project The Game dropped as it was released, but here we are eight years later giving this its first listens. This was meant to be a soundtrack for a mobile game that never ended up being released. Lyrically, most is gangsta rap with some horrorcore thrown in. The best song is easily 'Get High' that sounds like it would have fitted perfectly on his album '1992' that was released a few months after this. 'Alameda' is another favourite, and is the one less gangsta and trap sounding track with its slow strings singing over the hook. It would be better if the chorus wasn't so long and wasn't just Game repeating "Alameda" though. 'Gutter' has obvious influence from Ice-T's 'Colors'.
There isn't anything to get too excited about, but overall, at only 32 minutes, it's an easy album to get through, and given it's a soundtrack for a mobile game, it's better than I expected. Game changes up his style from song to song adding to the variety and engagement.
Beats: ★★★
Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆
Hooks: ★★☆
Best Tracks: Get High, Alameda, Lights Go Out
MC Breed continues to get more gangsta with his third album. The production is another improvement with Warren G helping to produce four songs, including the two Pac featured songs, 'Gotta Get Mine' and 'Comin' Real Again', and one of hip hop's biggest 'what ifs', The D.O.C., helps out with two. I don't think Warren G is at his best though. I can't say anything gives me a 'Regulate... G Funk Era' feel.
Again, Breed doesn't do enough for me as a rapper to make this project excel. He doesn't really have a voice that stands out. Pac of course steals the show on his songs and even some of the much lesser known features on 'Watch Your Own Back' stand out more. It's another consistent body of work that can be played through, but the album reaches it's peak early.
Beats: ★★★☆
Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆
Hooks: ★★★☆
Best Tracks: Gotta Get Mine, Flashbacks, Comin' Real Again
Overall, this is better than Breed's debut with DFC, released only 8 months prior. While still not reinventing the wheel, the production doesn't sound as dated and there is a bit more of an effort to write some hooks, that his debut lacked, although at times the beat still just rides here as well. There is also more of a darker/harder sound from Breed and the producers, Bernard Terry and Flash Technology. The title track sounds very Ice-T influenced. 'Whenever You Want Me' has a short riff in it that sounds like the Seinfeld theme. There aren't any bad moments, apart from the closer, 'Shout Out', that should have been kept to linear notes like all shout out songs, but it just needs some tracks closer to great for me to rate this higher.
Beats: ★★★☆
Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆
Hooks: ★★★
Best Tracks: Ain't to Be Fucked With, Dis Mode, Flash's Groove, Ain't Too Much Worried, No Frontin' Allowed, Jealous Pimp
MC Breed had a decent career dropping albums until 2004 before passing in 2008. For an album nearly released in '92 though, the production sounds quite dated. It sounds more like an '87-'88 rap album most of the time. The production is fairly inconsistent. It changes from some high funk on 'Ain't No Future in Yo Frontin', and Public Enemy influence on 'Better Terms', to very dated basic production on songs like 'Underground Slang' (that sounds somewhat Ice-T influenced) and 'I Will Excell'. The hooks are more like what songs had in the aforementioned era as well, mostly being scratches/the beat riding with the title of the song repeated. The rapping is fine, it's a non-offensive album and one that be played through, and If this was released in the '80s I'd be a bit kinder with my rating, but I think for a '90s album the production should be of a higher quality. There's nothing worth saving for later.
Beats: ★★☆
Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆
Hooks: ★★☆
Best Tracks: Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin, Better Terms