Mostly hip hop, with some R&B, this is a decent collection, that sold so well that they made a Vol.2. Best Tracks: Where Am I?, Benz or Beamer

I’ve always enjoyed listening to T-Rock, but there’s not much on this short project that stands out. 'Brand New' is catchy and easily the strongest track here. I also like the Young Buck feature on 'Commas,' where he brings his signature energy, but the production feels stale, and both T-Rock and Frayser have delivered more engaging lyrics in the past. As I often mention with collaborative albums, there should be more interaction—some trading of bars or hooks—to make it feel like a true collaboration, rather than just one person doing a verse and the other doing theirs. Additionally, all of the songs basically start off in the way too with the hook right from the jump. To finish, it's worth noting that Snoop Dogg has an uncredited feature on the worst song, 'Big Money '. Beats: ★★☆ Rapping: ★★★☆ Bars: ★★ Hooks: ★★☆ Best Tracks: Commas, Brand New 1. Fucem 64 2. Big Money 52 3. Easily 64 4. Commas 67 5. Brand New 77 6. Missing You 60 7. You or Me 60

The original tracks, produced by Marley, are worth checking out, but the remixes fail to enhance them in any way (the 'It's All Real Mix' removes any aggression from the beat), and the many skits fall flat. On them, Marley reflects on the rise of hip-hop, which is undeniably impressive, but then stretches the point by claiming it unites people worldwide like a universal language and has the power to prevent war... While hip-hop has certainly played a significant role in global culture, in general, all music is a language that has the ability to connect people across boundaries. This broad statement doesn't exclusively apply to hip-hop. The standout tracks here are LL Cool J’s 'Haters' and LoTU’s 'It's All Real', which has a vibe reminiscent of Mobb Deep’s production. Then Common comes with some decent jazz-rap on 'Funk S#$T'. Afterwards, with have the unknown Co-Cheez with the okay gangsta rap/boom bap, 'Time Is Money'. Remove the interludes and there are three songs that are worth playing and three that aren't. Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Haters, It's All Real 2. Haters 74 3. It's All Real 82 5. Funk S#$T 70 7. Time Is Money 60 9. Funk S#$T ("E.Q" Natural Vibe Remix) 50 11. It's All Real (Muro's Rekindled Mix) 51

What the hell are people smoking? I can understand enjoying this movie, but an average rating of 3.8 in some places—on par with truly great films—is absurd. The acting is mediocre, the editing is sloppy, and the flashback scenes are nearly inaudible unless you have the hearing of an owl. The plot is anything but original, and the complete absence of law enforcement strains credibility. Worst of all, [spoiler] Richard’s sudden “realisation” that he was becoming the very monster he sought to fight felt like lazy writing and an easy way out. Those people terrorised his mentally disabled brother—he was entirely justified in his actions.

Tony D, best known to hip-hop heads for producing an instrumental strikingly similar to Naughty By Nature’s O.P.P. before O.P.P. even dropped (though Naughty’s producer insists he never heard Tony’s track), steps out from behind the boards on this one. Typically focused on production and beat tapes, Tony tries his hand at rapping here, delivering conscious bars that occasionally veer into the corny territory. He’s not winning any best-spitter awards, but his performance isn’t anything near unlistenable either. The real highlight, however, is the production—packed with sample-heavy, boom-bap beats that showcase his talent behind the boards. It's all quite likeable making this an easy album to spin. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★☆ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Check the Elevation, Buggin' on the Line, Droppin' Funky Verses, Listen to Me Brother