- 2,270
- 2,702
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- Feb 21, 2006
I copped this on release date, have given it about 4 spins, given it some time to digest and.... I love this album! Rae came extremely correct on this. I hadn't listened to any of the pre-released tracks or the leak so everything was fresh- glad I waited
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1. Return of the North Star - Love the concept but not the execution. Papa Wu's jewels just sound forced on this... but it's the intro, and it'sOK by those standards
2. House of Flying Daggers -
The energy, hook and beat remind me of DaMystery of Chessboxing in the best way possible... maybe my favorite track on the album... 5
3. Sonny's Missing -
Excellent storytelling track, Chef still gotit... 5
4. Pyrex Visions -
Even though Lord Finesse flipped the sample for O.C.over a decade ago (and it was probably the best song on Jewelz), this is still an extremely ill song and the title only adds to the feel... 5
5. Cold Outside - Pretty good song, would have went better as the second-to-last song with Kiss the Ring closing it out... Also, Rae should have come in afterthe initial "cold outside" part instead of having dude do the whole chorus and a bridge to start the song... 3.5
6. Black Mozart - Only things that detracts from the track is the unoriginal hook... 4
7. Gihad -
Beat is bananas, Rae and Ghost both go in... Ghost isstraight comedy... the "Something About Mary" and "my man's gun looks scary" line was kind of corny though... 4.5
8. New Wu -
I had never heard this before last Tuesday but this is somelaid-back, feel-good Wu music... is that a contradiction?
...5
9. Penitentiary - Story line was decent, beat gets somewhat stale... still a pretty good offering... 3.5
10. Baggin Crack -
Straight banger from the Green Eyed Bandit... Raespits that fishscale... maybe the most under-appreciated joint on the album so far... 4.5
11. Surgical Gloves -
Rae could be spittin anything over this beat andit would sound good... luckily for us he brought the heat so it sounds incredible... 5
12. Broken Safety -
Thank you Rae for bringing this out of Jada andStyles... 4.5
13. Canal Street - Very good song, aside from the over-used sample... 4
14. Ason Jones -
Excellent tribute... not overly sentimental, justreal. The beat is perfect, the Ol' Dirty quotes are perfect... Much better than the tribute on 8 Diagrams...5
15. Have Mercy -
Great introspective joint... Rae goes in but Beanssteals the show with the first two bars... 5
16. 10 Bricks -
Wu Banger... good to hear Cappa again... 4.5
17. Fat Lady Sings -
Short and sweet, everything meshes perfectly-title, beat, story, etc... 4.5
18. Catalina - Very solid song... 4
19. We Will Rob You - Love everything except the terrible hook... they completely wasted Ricky D on this one... 3.5
20. _ Me - Beat bangs, Rae goes in but Busta really didn't add anything to the song... 4
21. Mean Streets - Bad hook, unimpressive beat, one of Ghost's weaker verses lyrically and flow-wise... by far the worst song on the album... 2.5
22. Kiss the Ring - Pretty good way to end the album... 4
Overall... 4.5. They should have left Mean Streets off and I could have done without Cold Outside and Penitentiary aswell. Change up the hooks on Black Mozart and We Will Rob You, take Busta off _ Me (or just send him back in the studio for a different 16), flip a differentsample (or flip that one another way) on Canal Street. Do those things and you would have an instant classic.
1. Return of the North Star - Love the concept but not the execution. Papa Wu's jewels just sound forced on this... but it's the intro, and it'sOK by those standards
2. House of Flying Daggers -
3. Sonny's Missing -
4. Pyrex Visions -
5. Cold Outside - Pretty good song, would have went better as the second-to-last song with Kiss the Ring closing it out... Also, Rae should have come in afterthe initial "cold outside" part instead of having dude do the whole chorus and a bridge to start the song... 3.5
6. Black Mozart - Only things that detracts from the track is the unoriginal hook... 4
7. Gihad -
8. New Wu -
9. Penitentiary - Story line was decent, beat gets somewhat stale... still a pretty good offering... 3.5
10. Baggin Crack -
11. Surgical Gloves -
12. Broken Safety -
13. Canal Street - Very good song, aside from the over-used sample... 4
14. Ason Jones -
15. Have Mercy -
16. 10 Bricks -
17. Fat Lady Sings -
18. Catalina - Very solid song... 4
19. We Will Rob You - Love everything except the terrible hook... they completely wasted Ricky D on this one... 3.5
20. _ Me - Beat bangs, Rae goes in but Busta really didn't add anything to the song... 4
21. Mean Streets - Bad hook, unimpressive beat, one of Ghost's weaker verses lyrically and flow-wise... by far the worst song on the album... 2.5
22. Kiss the Ring - Pretty good way to end the album... 4
Overall... 4.5. They should have left Mean Streets off and I could have done without Cold Outside and Penitentiary aswell. Change up the hooks on Black Mozart and We Will Rob You, take Busta off _ Me (or just send him back in the studio for a different 16), flip a differentsample (or flip that one another way) on Canal Street. Do those things and you would have an instant classic.
