hiphop-elements.com

Label : Angeles Records (2005)
Production : DJ Muggs

01. Opening
02. Those That's Bout It (3,5)
03. Destruction Of A Guard (Pop, Pop, Pop) (3,75)
04. Exploitation Of Mistakes (4)
05. General Principles (3,75)
06. Advance Pawns (Royal) (4)
07. Queen's Gambit (4,5)
08. All In Together (4,5)
09. Unstoppable Threats (Hip-Hop)(4)
10. Unprotected Pieces (Game Face)(4)
11. Illusory Protection (War Drumz) (3,5)
12. Smothered Mate (4)

Overall : 4/5

The last few years we've seen quite a few interesting MC/DJ combinations like Murs/9th Wonder, Madvillainy, JayLib and Buckshot/9th Wonder and now Muggs from Cypress Hill and GZA from The Wu Tang Clan continues the trend.

The production is handled entirely by Muggs and the result is just how you'd expected it to be. It sound like Soul Assassins Vol 3 (coming 2006!!) so if you liked those albums you'll enjoy the beats on this album. It has that same dark gothic style that he used on his Soul Assassin albums and the album is connected by skits with some chess references (check the cover).

The lyrics is typical GZA. I've always liked his style (not his 1st album though) and this is more of the same. His voice and flow is remerkable and there is just something about the way he puts words together that you gotta love. He's perhaps most known for his thematic songs like "Labels", "Publicity" and "Fame" and on this album he uses names of NFL teams throughout an entire song. It might sound lame when you read it but he pulls it off nicely. The main problem is that very often his rhymes are nothing but complete nonsense (a song about DNA evidence...?)

The best thing about this album is that it is exactly what you'd expect from Muggs & GZA, that straight up hardcore hiphop. It also happens to be the worst thing about the album because there isn't a single surprise on the entire album. You know exactly what you get but that's it. It's a dope album but it won't stand the test of time like "Liquid Swords" or "Soul Assassin Vol 1".

Dope Review Morten, this looks pretty god and from the 3 tracks i;ve heard sounds promising as well thanx for the review and hopefully i will be able to hear the rest of this album to see if i wanna purchase it

Nice review.

I agree, mostly. You're right when you say its exactly what you'd expect from both artists. No surprises, but certainly not a let down.

I'm not sure if the DNA evidence song ("Explotation of Mistakes") is really nonsense though. It seemed to make sense to me when I listened to it, but I was only half paying attention. If its jibberish, its cool jibberish that sounds like it means something, not that Nore "I swim laps around the English channel/NEPTUNES, I own a cocker spaniel" jibberish.

thered be complaints if he rhyme about guns and diamonds

From what I gather from my nucleic acid boichemisty and genetics classes I didn't hear anything that was off on the DNA evidence song.... I'll listen to it again more closely though later on.

not saying it was wrong. Just rather pointless

thats not all its about...

listen more closely

bump

nice review for a pretty nice album...you're right on the predictivness though...

peace.

i can't remember but i think i didn't like it

Shame

Motem,

you're definitely on point with that review. I've been bumping this album alot this year. peace.

I liked Morten's review better

Thanks Mort!

been bumping this alot lately. With this and the Ghost/trife album the WU released two of the best albums of 2005.

Can't wait for "Fish Scale" and "Cuban Linx II"!!!

oh ohhh..Fish Scale..Real Kids Spit That Shit!

actually didnt like this that much...but the Trife & Ghostface album is fucking blazing.

+ the DVD is mad nice

iLL...And you know it's good if it's short.

aint gonna break down each track, but on second full listen thru, i give it a 3.5/5. solid but nothing exceptional. beats were my flavor (dark and gritty), gxa has a dope voice, style, and lyrics, but he just seems to be saying the same shit too much. nice album tho