Album Review: Mobb Deep – Hell On Earth

As a self-professed Hip Hop Head, I’ve had many favourite rappers over the years. During my mid-to-late teenage years, Hip Hop was becoming a major passion of mine and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was the first group I gravitated towards. Speed rapping was very impressive to me at the time, and Bone Thugs are some of the best to ever do it. However, in my final year of high school, Lil Wayne dropped a little album called Tha Carter III becoming the hottest rapper in the world, and I jumped STRAIGHT on the band wagon! One year later, in 2009, Eminem (who later changed his name to “Marsh”) released his comeback album Relapse, and I had never heard anything like it. The album meshed seamlessly with my rap sensibilities, specifically when it came to the extreme horrorcore elements as well as the astounding technical aspects of his rhyming.

Somewhere along the way, I came across the early solo albums of Ice Cube at which point Death Certificate became one of my favourite albums of all time. However, it was André 3000 of OutKast who snatched the title and is currently my No. 2 favourite rapper of all time. To me, 3 Stacks is like a fine wine in that he only gets better with age. Although he REFUSES to release a solo album, every guest verse he drops is an event and he almost ALWAYS outshines his host. Yet as gifted an emcee as André 3000 is, there is still one rapper who I hold above all others in the pantheon of Hip Hop. The late, great Prodigy of Mobb Deep is my favourite rapper of all time.

Prodigy embodies everything I love about the art of Hip Hop. He was the grittiest, grimiest emcee to ever grace a microphone. His street tales were so vivid and detailed that you could effortlessly visualize the pictures he was painting in every verse. Listening to a Mobb Deep album was like going on a tour through the streets of Queensbridge. He delivered threats with such menace that you could FEEL the danger. His verses were ICONIC and he was the MASTER of opening lines (“There’s a war going on outside no man is safe from….”). But above all else, every single rhyme he ever wrote felt honest and true. That was the magic of Prodigy.

Now I won’t go as far as to say that Prodigy is THE greatest rapper of all time. He is just my personal favourite. However, I could make the argument that between the years of 1995 and 1996, Prodigy WAS the greatest rapper alive. I’d be willing to make that argument because those two years saw the release of two classic Mobb Deep albums: 1995’s The Infamous, and the subject of today’s review, 1996’s Hell On Earth.

Let me provide a brief background on the album before we dive into the review. It’s 1996 and Mobb Deep are riding high off the massive success of their critically acclaimed sophomore album The Infamous. Wasting no time, they jump straight back into the studio to record their highly anticipated follow-up album Hell On Earth. Havoc decides he wants to handle all of the production duties on his own this time around, resulting in Q-Tip (who had three production credits on The Infamous) being shown the door. Nas, Raekwon and Big Noyd all returned to provide guest verses, along with the considerable addition of Method Man to the proceedings. Unfortunately, a few unwanted weed carriers managed to worm their way onto the album as well.

Despite all the success, fame and fortune they were experiencing off the back of The Infamous, Mobb Deep was unfortunately subjected to a great deal of grief and turmoil during this time. First there was a major car accident in which one of their close friends was killed. Around the same time, Havoc’s brother Killa B committed suicide. If that’s not enough, ANOTHER one of their friends was murdered by a blow to the head with a baseball bat, and to top it all off, Prodigy’s father passed away from AIDS. ALL of this happened during the recording process for Hell On Earth and that is largely reflected in the music. But with all that being said, the stage is now set and we can finally get into the review!

1. Animal Instinct (feat. Twin Gambino & Ty Nitty)

Mobb Deep waste no time here. No skits, no spoken word intros, just straight to the music. Havoc’s beat is the first thing we hear and it essentially announces to the world that Mobb Deep is not here to fuck around.  The production on “Animal Instinct” not only carries the entire song but also sets the tone for the rest of the album. Buckle yourselves in, because what you’re about to hear on Hell On Earth is 14 tracks of the most sinister, gritty New York Hip Hop you have ever heard in your life. Havoc does a fine job with the opening verse of the album, and while Prodigy’s verse is far from his best, wasting the first four bars shouting out his entire crew, he STILL comes out on top (“It's P, live and direct, stab ya neck/ Ice-pick bloodied up ya whole entire shit”). Unfortunately the track doesn’t end there, as two weed carriers – Twin Gambino and Ty Nitty – are graciously permitted to jump on the track and both fail to impress as expected (side note: Twin Gambino’s brother Scarface was the one who died in the car crash). Despite the contributions from Twin Gambino and Ty Nitty, this is a 5 star song.

2. Drop A Gem On 'Em

Havoc proves that all you need is a simple piano loop combined with some hard-hitting drums in order to create a timeless classic. The timeless classic in question, otherwise known as “Drop A Gem On ‘Em,” is one of the greatest (and most underrated) diss tracks of all time. The beef between 2Pac and Mobb Deep originated while 2Pac was still in prison on sex abuse charges in 1995. That year, “Survival Of The Fittest” was a hot song for Mobb Deep, but what’s important here is that the words “thug life” can be heard in the background during the hook. 2Pac decided to take this as a sign of disrespect because HE claimed to have originated the Thug Life movement himself. As a result, 2Pac spared a few bars at the end of his classic diss track “Hit ‘Em Up” to throw a few shots at Mobb Deep, specifically mentioning Prodigy’s sickle cell anaemia. Now Mobb Deep wasn’t about to take this whole beef lying down, and so they went straight in the booth with a vengeance and recorded the viciously wicked “Drop A Gem On ‘Em.”

Havoc is first up to bat, and he sounds pissed off from the jump (“Sick and tired, ugly fake crooks need to retire”). He gets off a few good shots at 2Pac, claiming that he’s a snitch and got raped in prison. But this here is the Prodigy show, and he’s about to demonstrate for the first time on this album why he’s one of the greatest rappers of all time. Throughout his spectacular verse, Prodigy makes it abundantly clear that he is simply NOT someone you want to go to war with, because he LIVES for that shit. He has more soldiers than you, he has bigger guns than you, and he will not hesitate for a second to use everything in his power to destroy you. Every single line he spits is quotable, but I’m particularly amused by his threat of fucking up 2Pac so brutally that he’ll need “two G's worth of stitches/ To reconstruct [his] face and learn how to speak again.”

“Drop A Gem On ‘Em” was actually the first single to be released from the album. It played on the radio for about three weeks before the tragic death of 2Pac on the 13^th of September 1996. When he died, Mobb Deep pulled the record from the radio out of respect for 2Pac and his family.

5 stars.

Havoc, Biggie & Prodigy

3. Bloodsport

This is not my favourite Havoc beat on the album as I find it slightly lacking in melody. Speaking of Havoc, I’m of the opinion that “we blowin’ niggas” is an unfortunate choice of phrasing. I can obviously see his intention, but the juvenile part of my brain wants to laugh mockingly at those lyrics, which is a shame because his verse on the whole goes quite hard. Prodigy manages to steer clear of any such innuendos while making the bold claim that “me and my man pioneered this violent nigga rap shit.” Now obviously violent gangsta rap existed prior to Mobb Deep’s arrival on the scene, but I would certainly say that they played a significant role in taking the genre to new and dizzying heights. Gotta give credit where credit is due. While “Bloodsport” is FAR from a bad song, it is not a song I return to often. 4 stars.

4. Extortion (feat. Method Man)

I like this beat more than “Bloodsport” but I still don’t LOVE it. For what the song requires though, it does the job. Prodigy’s verse is sandwiched between two shorter Havoc verses, and both rappers deliver fine performances. Prodigy begins by detailing a drive-by shooting that he orchestrated and the subsequent getaway, but it’s his colourful use of similes that serve to enrich the storytelling (”Like the motion picture, this nigga Gone With The Wind”). However, it’s the Method Man feature which truly elevates this song to 5 star status. Meth rides the beat like only Method Man can, with one of the smoothest flows in game. Method Man infamously said in an interview that halfway through writing this particular verse he “lost interest” because he was all “fucked up” from smoking blunts. Well he could have fooled me, because I love his performance on this track! 5 stars.

5. More Trife Life

As the song title suggests, this is a sequel of sorts to “Trife Life” which appeared on The Infamous but with one notable exception: Prodigy is nowhere to be seen! That’s right, this is the only solo joint on the entire album, and it belongs to Havoc. Surprisingly though, Havoc is quite the storyteller. Here’s my issue with the song though: if you’ve heard the original "Trife Life," is this song even really necessary? The message is exactly the same (“don't ever go see a bitch”), except this time Prodigy decides to sit this one out. I guess even he knows there’s no point in telling the same story twice. For the lack of Prodigy and the unoriginal story, I’m gonna give this one 4 stars.

6. Man Down (feat. Big Noyd)

Thankfully, Prodigy returns from his brief hiatus with a killer verse (“My nigga's laughin’, blood bathin', the world's greatest/ In-famous, crimes heinous/ To interfere would be dangerous/ Plain and simp', stand clear, save your strength”). With just four bars he is able to convey the ruthlessness of his crew and the futility of going up against him. He also takes another jab at Def Squad, but I’ll get back to that in a second. Havoc is up next but it’s a hard act to follow and he barely registers. Big Noyd returns from his song-stealing verse on the previous album’s “Give Up The Goods (Just Step)” and injects some life back into the proceedings. I guess Big Noyd subscribes to the American History X school of thought, and the idea that “someone else has already said it best. So if you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong,” because he straight up jacks Prodigy’s classic opening line from “Eye For A Eye (Your Beef Is Mines).”

Noyd then picks up where Prodigy left off and proceeds to throw some shade at Def Squad when he says “first of all, them tight niggas with that spaced-out shit/ I stick a rocket up in they ass and give ‘em a lift.” This whole beef with Def Squad – made up of the rappers Redman, Keith Murray and Erick Sermon – can be traced back to “The Infamous Prelude” in which Prodigy takes some subliminal shots at “all them rap-ass niggas with [their] half-assed rhymes, talking about how much [they] get high, how much weed [they] smoke, and that crazy space shit that don't even make no sense.” Although he didn’t directly name any names, it was widely assumed that Prodigy was talking about the Def Squad crew because they were known at the time for rapping about drugs and getting high. This beef eventually resulted in a physical confrontation outside a New York City nightclub where Keith Murray, surrounded by his clique, managed to single out Prodigy and give him a beat down. This beef continued on wax for many years but was eventually squashed before Prodigy’s untimely passing. ANYWAY, 5 stars!

7. Can't Get Enough Of It (feat. General G)

Havoc kicks things off with another competent verse, but it’s nothing to write home about. General G – a.k.a. Illa Ghee, another Mobb Deep weed carrier – is given a chance to make his mark on the album and squanders it like the weed carriers before him. And once again, we’re apparently “blowin’ judges in the trial.” I mean that’s certainly one way to get off (no pun intended!). But here comes Prodigy like a knight in shining armour to save this track from the clutches of mediocrity. “You overlooked the part with some unified terrorists/ Pirates, straight off the ship, and mad starvin'/ Anchored to land and now we runnin’ wild poundin'/ On imbecile niggas who ain't got they feet grounded.” So now him and his crew are fuckin’ Pirates of the Caribbean now? Only Prodigy can make that shit sound gangsta as fuck. The weed carrier brings this track down slightly but I can’t give this song anything less than 4 stars.

8. Nighttime Vultures (feat. Raekwon)

Prodigy’s verse on this track received the Hip Hop Quotable of the month from The Source Magazine, which was a highly coveted award for any rapper to receive back in the day. His performance on “Nighttime Vultures” truly demonstrates everything that makes Prodigy one of the greatest of all time. He begins with a display of incredibly vivid storytelling, painting a picture with such mastery that you feel like you’re actually there, hiding behind the wall while Prodigy is crouching next to you, popping off shots at his enemies. Halfway through the verse he transitions seamlessly into his deadly braggadocios rap style (“Durable, physically fit, raps articulate/ You get your whole skeleton cracked somethin’ ridiculous”). If someone were to ask me why Prodigy is my favourite rapper of all time, I could easily point to this verse and rest my case.

Havoc’s lyrical contribution is reduced to hook duties. He must have heard Prodigy’s verse and thought there was no point trying to follow that. Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan gives it his best shot though, slinging his signature criminology slang which admittedly can be hard to decipher, but by God does it sound good. I know he’s weaving some kind of narrative into his verse, some of which I can pick up on, but a lot of it is going over my head. His presence on the track is a welcome addition though. 5 stars.

Mobb Deep, Raekwon & Nas

9. G.O.D. Pt. III

Now here’s a big pet peeve of mine. If you’re going to have a skit that is almost a minute long on your album, PLEASE have the decency to make it its own track so I can easily SKIP IT! And if you MUST attach it to an actual song, PLEASE place it at the END of the song so I don’t have to manually fast forward just to listen to the actual MUSIC! With that being said, I guess the skit transitions nicely into the main song, which appropriately samples music from the 1983 movie Scarface starring Al Pacino. Plus, all is soon forgiven because Prodigy absolutely MURDERS this track with another verse that is jam-packed with quotables.

The message is quite clear: you do NOT want to fuck with Prodigy on ANY level, whether it be lyrically or on the streets. He will FUCK YOU UP. I mean what else can you say about a man that will “slice” you from the “back of your head to ass crack” and have you “running for dear life, so far you might fall off the map”? All you can do is “step aside, stand clear” and watch as Prodigy brings “apocalypse to this game called rap.” Havoc is left with the impossible task of following up Prodigy’s monstrous verse. The track has been officially murdered and Havoc is on clean-up duties. However, Havoc actually manages to spit a GREAT verse as well (“Body casting raps to get your back snapped in half and severed/ Impossible pain beyond measure”), yet still pales in comparison to his overshadowing partner in rhyme. 5 stars.

10. Get Dealt With

Havoc decides to follow his classic beat formula once more, placing his signature drums over a simple piano loop to create something beautiful. It works every time! We catch Prodigy up to no good, brutally torturing and ultimately murdering an unidentified victim, and every member of his squad has a role to play. In my humble opinion though, they slit the guy’s throat way too early. Amateur mistake. One thing I did want to mention is Prodigy’s adlibs of shots whizzing past an earlobe are SPOT ON. He even perfected the art of the gunshot adlib on this album! Of all the gun-related adlibs I’ve heard over the years (and I’ve heard a LOT), I would have to say that this particular one is my favourite.

Havoc delivers a solid verse, complete with card gambling metaphors and cold-blooded murder. The one line that sticks out most for me though is “that's how it is, and how it is is kinda fucked up”. You could stick that line at the end of any verse on this album and it would be a perfect summation.  Everything Prodigy and Havoc rap about on this album comes from a real place, from experiences they have had or seen or heard about, or just their general state of mind at the time. That was their life growing up in Queensbridge, and that’s fucked up, but that’s also what makes this album so powerful, as it brings you face-to-face with a reality you would never want to experience for yourself. 5 stars.

11. Hell On Earth (Front Lines)

Another piano loop over some hard hitting drums, but the production here is much more sombre in tone than the piano-driven beats we have heard previously on the album. Prodigy uses his first verse as a warm up, not to say that it isn’t still brimming with his trademark style and use of language (“Blood flood your eye, fuck up your optics”), but his best verse on this track is yet to come. Now here’s something that I would like to address before we go any further: taken out of context, every verse that Havoc writes for this album ranges from decent to good, even great at times. He is a very solid rapper in his own right. But he happens to be sharing the spotlight with an emcee who has reached the absolute zenith, the apex, the PINNACLE of his lyrical CAREER! Of course he is going to be overshadowed at every turn, and of course the only verses you are going to remember from this album will be Prodigy’s. With ALL THAT being said, Havoc was good here. But let’s talk about PRODIGY! He steps back up to the plate and knocks it right out of the park! The “Phantom of Crime Rap” has quotables for days, and as much as I would just love to post slabs of quotable lines from this closing verse, unfortunately the review is already long enough as it is. Needless to say, 5 stars.

12. Give It Up Fast (feat. Big Noyd & Nas)

Mobb Deep and Nas are a lethal combination. Throw in Big Noyd and now we’ve got ourselves a party! Havoc’s beat is cinematic, and Nas sets things off just right by weaving a narrative like only he can. Havoc makes a snitch dig his own grave and then pisses on it which is always fun. Big Noyd makes his second appearance on the album and once again something weird is going on: “This tough guy screwing me? I guess he got plans to ruin me/ He wanna do me, slowly but surely I peeked his fast ass a bit early.” One of two things is happening here, but I’m going to give Noyd the benefit of the doubt on this one. Lucky last we have Prodigy and…. “abstrusely”? He definitely learned that word the same day he recorded this song and wanted to use it in his rhymes. This verse is Prodigy at his most laid back, smoking weed, drinking cognac, surrounded by women, but he also has time to squeeze in a few hellish images (“Some rapper nigga playing thug tried to approach me/ All I remember was I shot for his throat, G/ You see big guns in 3-D, it's haunting”). I like how each rapper’s verse (with the exception of Nas) leads seamlessly from one to the other. Havoc shouts out Big Noyd before his verse, and Noyd shouts out Prodigy before his. I feel like everyone is having fun on here because they’re all happy to be on a track together, and if they’re happy, I’m happy. 5 stars.

Mobb Deep & Nas

13. Still Shinin'

We finally get a juicy soul sample from Havoc that persists throughout the entirety of the track’s running time and it’s a beauty. Prodigy uses the selling of drugs as a metaphor for selling albums and it’s quite effective (“Keeping these rap fans like crack fiends/ Until we re-up, and put more Infamous up on the rap scene/ Mix the coke rhymes with beats just like baking soda/ Albums is G-Packs selling across foreign waters”). Havoc spends his airtime devising a plan to sleep with an enemy’s wife for information in order to find and eliminate them. Finally, Prodigy reappears in order to provide the listeners with his official mission statement regarding the album: “to voice a clear picture of this life of crime.” Mission accomplished. 5 stars.

14. Apostle's Warning

So we’ve finally arrived at the final track of the album, and Havoc knows exactly what to do. He gets the hardest-hitting drums he can find, writes the shortest verse he possibly can, and then gets the fuck outta the way because Prodigy is about to tear this motherfucker down! Just like the snake metaphor that is woven throughout this one-verse wonder, every lyric he lays down on this track is LACED with venom, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll “take a toke of this deadly rare vocalist” and “let the venom soak in.” This is such a fantastic song to close out the album with as it exemplifies everything that makes Mobb Deep great: the stellar production of Havoc and the lyrical GENIUS of Prodigy. 5 stars.

Final Thoughts

If it’s not completely obvious by now, I absolutely ADORE this album. Sure, The Infamous may have had higher highs (“Shook Ones Pt. II”, “Survival Of The Fittest”) but it also had lower lows. Hell On Earth is a fantastic album from start to finish. With Havoc handling the entirety of the production on this album, Hell On Earth has a very consistent and cohesive sound. But what makes this album a truly special listening experience is the lyrical MIRACLES being performed by Prodigy on almost every single song. It was only after hearing THIS album that Prodigy cemented his place as my favourite rapper of all time. If The Infamous is the album that exposed Prodigy’s incredible potential to the world, then Hell On Earth is the album that fulfilled it. Prodigy truly was a one of a kind emcee and he is sorely missed. R.I.P. Prodigy.

Album Rating: 5 Stars

Album Review: Eminem - Music To Be Murdered By

Before I get into my review, I just wanted to share my initial reaction to the album’s release. It’s a Friday afternoon and I’m just sitting at my computer, scrolling through reddit as usual when I see a post that says [FRESH ALBUM] Eminem - Music To Be Murdered By. Immediately my heart starts racing as I click on the link to see what the hell this is all about. My guess is that it’s a compilation of old Eminem songs but as I scroll through the comments, I begin to realize that this is the real deal. Not only that, but it’s also 20 tracks long! That’s the classic Eminem format. Then I take a quick glance at the features: Royce da 5’9”, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Black Thought, Q-Tip, and now I’m pumped! Ed Sheeran, Skylar Grey…. slightly less pumped. But my adrenaline is definitely pumping now, and THAT is the mind state I have going into the album. So without further ado, Eminem, Music To Be Murdered By first reaction, leeeeet’s *clap clap* FUCKING GO!

1. Premonition (Intro)

Opening the track with the sounds of a woman screaming in fear gives me Relapse vibes, and that’s a GOOD thing. For a brief second I was hoping that this was secretly the Relapse 2 we were promised 10 years ago. But obviously it’s not. And then the beat kicks in and it slaps! If Eminem is spitting over beats like this for the next 20 songs, I’m a happy man. Flow-wise, he sounds good here too. As for the content, this is subject matter he has addressed a few times before. He is super self-aware of how he is perceived by fans and critics and it still obviously gets under his skin. I would say that this is nothing new, and therefore, not that interesting, but at least he sounds angry about it. Overall, 5 stars.

Note: Let me briefly break down my rating system for music in case you think my review doesn’t match my star rating. 1 star means the song is absolutely HORRENDOUS and the world is a worse place for its existence. 2 stars means it’s not the WORST song in the world, but it’s pretty close. It has almost no redeemable qualities. 3 stars is just an average song that is nothing special. 4 stars is now a good song, but it’s missing that special something that will keep me coming back to it more than a few times. 5 stars is a song that I would put straight into a playlist so I could listen to it over and over again. Even though it’s 5 stars, it might not be perfect, but I’m fully entertained while listening to it or it has some deeper lyrical content that moves me in some way.

2. Unaccommodating (feat. Young M.A)

Consider me a happy man, because I really like this beat too. It has that modern sound that Eminem was sorely lacking in his pre-Kamikaze career. The first voice we actually hear on this track is Young M.A. and I’m a fan. I especially enjoy the rhyme scheme which she employs and maintains throughout the majority of her verse. Eminem picks up right where Young M.A. left off and even adopts her rhyme scheme for a few bars before switching to his signature double-time flow, and damn if he doesn’t sound good while doing it. I also appreciate the few bars he throws towards MGK, essentially putting that whole beef to bed.  Another 5 star song. Keep it up Marshall!

3. You Gon' Learn (feat. Royce da 5'9" & White Gold)

I don’t think the beat is working for me on this one. The tempo that was built up with the first two tracks has definitely dropped slightly with this one. The hook performed by White Gold is fine, but that is also where the beat is at its messiest and noisiest. It settles down slightly during the verses but not enough that I’m still not distracted by it. Although Bad Meets Evil is back together, I have to give this one 3 stars.

4. Alfred (Interlude)

Now of course this being a skit, I can’t give it a star rating, but I will give it a pass because I like that this album brings together one of the best rappers of all time with one of the best movie directors of all time. It works on a thematic level as Eminem is known to dabble in the horrorcore subgenre and he is also known to “murder” tracks from time to time. On a personal note though, it was only last year that I began delving into the works of Alfred Hitchcock and discovering his genius for myself. As a fan, I like the idea of someone listening to an Eminem album and subsequently being inspired to watch a Hitchcock movie. If that person happens to be you, I would recommend the following movies: Psycho (1960), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958) and North by Northwest (1959). Each one is a classic, with Psycho being my personal favourite. Now back to the review.

5. Those Kinda Nights (feat. Ed Sheeran)

Of all the Eminem/Ed Sheeran collaborations I’ve heard thus far, this is probably my favourite. Having said that though, I would like this song at least half a star more if Ed Sheeran wasn’t on it. The only way I can think to describe it is that when Eminem is rapping, it feels like an Eminem song, but when Ed Sheeran starts singing, it suddenly feels like an Ed Sheeran song. I don’t want to listen to an Ed Sheeran song on an Eminem album. Yet the beat is bouncy and infectious while Eminem is at his most fun and playful, so I still give this track 4 stars.

6. In Too Deep

What the fuck is this shit? I’ve said this a million times and I’ll say it again, no one wants to hear Eminem talk about his intimate relationships with nameless women. No one cares. The hook stinks, the content is cringe-worthy and the beat is nothing special. 2 stars.

7. Godzilla (feat. Juice WRLD)

I wanted to love this song, but I also wanted the beat to hit a bit harder, which ultimately knocks the track down from 5 stars to a 4. Eminem uses the track to show off his “Rap God” flow again while saying nothing much at all, although he does sound good while saying it. Juice WRLD (R.I.P.) provides a decent hook as well, but it’s not enough to elevate this from a 4 star song.

8. Darkness

Major props to Eminem for using his platform to tackle such a serious and relevant issue.  It’s a powerful song with a powerful message, and it works on multiple levels. Without the final verse, the song would still work effectively as a glimpse into Eminem’s mental mind state before a big show. This makes it far more impressive when it is revealed in the final verse that he was actually rapping from the perspective of a mass shooter all along. For the lyrical content alone, this is a 5 star song.

9. Leaving Heaven (feat. Skylar Grey)

What would a modern day Eminem album be without a Skylar Grey feature? A slightly better album probably.  The content is decent here, but nothing we haven’t heard before. Unfortunately, the beat is plain boring, and Skylar Grey, in typical Skylar Grey fashion, drags this song down to a generous 3 stars.

10. Yah Yah (feat. Royce da 5'9", Black Thought, Q-Tip & Mr. Porter)

God damn! Now THIS is music to be murdered by! Everyone absolutely killed it on this song, with Black Thought being the clear standout ("Rappers avoid eye contact, that's outta respect/ For the God in the flesh, the ominous Indominus Rex!"). I also appreciated Eminem listing off all of his influences at the end of his verse, from Big L to Public Enemy to Ol’ Dirty Bastard. At first I wasn’t sure about the beat but it really grew on me and by the end I was loving it. It’s a low-key banger. 5 stars!

11. Stepdad (Intro)

Not much to say here, just a skit that leads directly into…..

12. Stepdad

….. the absolute WORST hook on the entire album. Completely derails the entire song, which is a shame because I like the content of this song. Eminem paints a very unflattering picture of his step-dad and ultimately plays out a scenario in which he kills said step-dad. That all works for me, but unfortunately the rock-tinged beat also does the track no favours and I’m forced to give this one 3 stars.

13. Marsh

Since when does he go by the name “Marsh?” That’s news to me. Anyway, this is the definition of a 4 star song for me. The beat is good, but not great. Eminem sounds good, but he’s not saying anything of substance, and his hook is completely unmemorable, if not downright bad. I like the song overall, but I don’t love it. I wouldn’t skip it if I was listening to the album, but I don’t think I’m putting it in my playlist. Nice try though “Marsh!”

14. Never Love Again

So here’s a song that is just BEGGING you for a second listen. As soon as Eminem started rapping, I was sure that I was listening to “In Too Deep” part two. The two verses that followed did nothing to alleviate the disappointment I was feeling in that moment. But then something strange happened. There’s a sudden beat switch and my ears perk up. I start nodding my head and… what’s this?? The song was about drugs the whole time!? With this sudden revelation, I immediately hit that rewind button, and lo and behold, what I experience the second time through is an entirely new song! He’s done it before (“25 To Life”) and he’s done it again! Mind blown. 5 stars.

15. Little Engine

The crazy thing about this song is that the hook performed by “Marsh” himself is actually the best thing about it. Infectious and catchy. Once again, Eminem is saying a whole bunch of nothing on this track, but he sounds good enough doing it, and the beat is interesting (and potentially produced by Dr. Dre), so I’m throwing up the big 5 stars for this one too.

16. Lock It Up (feat. Anderson .Paak)

I think there’s something about this song that went over my head. The beat is the closest thing we’ve had to a banger for a few tracks now, but ONCE AGAIN, Eminem isn’t saying anything, and I have NO IDEA what we’re supposed to be “locking.” Anderson .Paak’s hook makes absolutely no sense to me.  For the beat alone though, I’ve got to give this song 4 stars.

17. Farewell

This is just a waste of a good beat. Eminem deems it necessary for us to sit through ANOTHER 4 minutes of his ramblings about a messed up relationship he had with some nameless woman. This type of subject matter does not interest me in the slightest. At least Eminem’s ear for beats seems to be getting slightly better with age as he recruits Ricky Racks (best known for his collaborations with Young Thug) to craft him a slapping Summer-style beat that deserves better. 3 stars.

18. No Regrets (feat. Don Toliver)

Now THIS is more like it. This track sees Eminem addressing some of his past mistakes while maintaining that he has no regrets and wouldn’t change a thing. What stood out to me most was his admission that the beef he had with Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt was misguided and should have been redirected to those more deserving of his animosity (Joe Budden?). The crooning hook provided by Don Toliver worked for me too, as did the beat, and the result is a 5 star song.

19. I Will (feat. KXNG Crooked, Royce da 5'9" & Joell Ortiz)

Was Eminem saving the best for last? You could certainly make an argument for it. The only thing that might hold this song back is the wordy hook, but despite that minor critique, this song is fire! Everyone kills it, but Eminem comes out as the victor, despite the unfair advantage of having a verse that is twice as long as anyone else’s. From shouting out the Wu-Tang Clan to destroying Lord Jamar’s entire career, his verse has it all. The corny punchlines that we’ve heard throughout the album are nowhere to be seen here, and what we get instead is pure gold (“Enter my house of horrors with a thousand floors/ Got a crown of thorns, but it won't fit around the horns”). What a way to close out the album. 5 stars!

20. Alfred (Outro)

Alfred Hitchcock gets the last word, and we’re out!

Final Verdict:

Not only was I surprised by the release of the album but I was also surprised by how good it turned out to be. Out of 17 actual songs, only one of them was a complete trash fire (“In Too Deep”) so that is easy to forgive. 4 out of the 17 tracks were songs that I would deem mediocre at best and are songs I will most likely skip on future play throughs. However, that leaves a total of 12 out of 17 songs that range from good to fantastic and I would consider that a major win for current day Eminem. Within those 12 songs, we get to see many different versions of Eminem, from introspective Em (“Premonition Intro“, “No Regrets”) to masterful storyteller Em (“Darkness”, “Never Love Again”) to I’m-the-best-rapper-alive Em (“I Will”). Overall, Music To Be Murdered By was a pleasant surprise by all accounts, and goes a long way towards restoring my faith in one the greatest rappers of all time.

Album Rating: 4 stars

Top 15 Bangers

15. Theophilus London - Big Spender (prod. DJ Carnage)

14. Fat Joe - Safe 2 Say (prod. Just Blaze)

13. Big Boi - General Patton (prod. Jbeatzz)

12. V Stylez - Built (prod. Apollo Brown)

11. Guilty Simpson - Nasty (prod. Apollo Brown)

10. The Game - El Chapo (prod. Bangladesh)

9. T.I. - I'm Talkin' To You (prod. Just Blaze)

8. Waka Flocka Flame - Hard in the Paint (prod. Lex Luger)

7. Jay-Z - Public Service Announcement (prod. Just Blaze)

6. Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says (prod. Pharoahe Monch)

5. Chief Keef - I Don't Like (prod. Young Chop)

4. Drake - Lord Knows (prod. Just Blaze)

3. The Game - Ali Bomaye (prod. Black Metaphor)

2. Ghostface Killah - The Champ (prod. Just Blaze)

1. M.O.P. - Ante Up (prod. DR Period)

Hip Hop Time Machine: My Top 15 Favourite Songs of 2013

Forget about the Hot Tub Time Machine. Let's get into the Hip Hop Time Machine as I try to compile a list of my favourite tracks of 2013. This should be interesting.

15. Black Milk - Sunday's Best

I just love the way Black Milk chopped up this sample.

14. Ugly Heroes - Hero's Theme

Apollo Brown combines a great piano sample with some hard-hitting drums to great effect.

13. The Demigodz - Captain Caveman (feat. R.A. the Rugged Man)

R.A. the Rugged Man steals the show on this one. I mean what can you say about a guy who "fucked a monkey and started the AIDS virus."

12. L'Orange & Stik Figa - Decorated Silence (feat. Open Mike Eagle & MindsOne)

How do you turn a classical jazz sample from what sounds like the 1940's into a banging hip hop tune? I guess only L'Orange knows.

11. Kanye West - Blood On The Leaves

I wasn't a big fan of Kanye West's Yeezus album. I felt like it was too much of a departure from his previous work that I loved so much. Having said that, there were two songs that really stood out to me on this album. I really enjoyed "Bound 2" for its throwback sound to the days of College Dropout and Late Registration, but "Blood On The Leaves" turned out to be a track that was true to the sound of Yeezus while also being an absolute banger. The moment the beat drops, shit gets real.

10. Drake - Pound Cake (feat. Jay-Z)

If this track was only an instrumental, it would still make the list. Boi-1da's beat is beautiful. "5AM In Toronto" was close to making this list too.

9. R.A. the Rugged Man - Definition of a Rap Flow (feat. Amalie Bruun)

Such an appropriate song title. R.A.'s flow on this track is out of this world.

8. A$AP Mob - Trillmatic (feat. A$AP Nast & Method Man)

This track has that classic New York hip hop feel to it. Method Man's verse is just the icing on the cake.

7. Action Bronson - Rolling Thunder

Killa Cam was meant to be the special guest feature on this joint, but that ultimately fell through, so Action just rocked the whole joint by himself, and I'm not complaining! Party Supplies and Action Bronson go together like salt and pepper, like cheese and cheddar, like jeans and sweater .....

6. Chance The Rapper - Favorite Song (feat. Childish Gambino)

This song just makes me feel good. There's no better reason to put it on my list. "Acid Rain" could have easily made my list too.

5. Tha Dogg Pound - L.A. Here's 2 U (feat. Snoop Dogg)

It just doesn't get much smoother than this.

4. Ghostface Killah - Revenge Is Sweet (feat. Masta Killa & Killa Sin)

I prefer Apollo Brown's version of this album over Adrian Younge's, but the main reason I love this song is for Killa Sin's killer verse.

3. Flatbush ZOMBiES - Regular and Complex (GNB)

BetterOffDEAD was my favourite project of 2013, and Regular and Complex (GNB) is arguably the best track on there, although I could make a case for "MRAZ" as well. Meechy Darko's verse on this track is simply mesmerizing though. "If rap was illegal, you bitch niggas wouldn't even write a bar. Shit, I'd probably be behind bars, raisin' the bar through these bars!"

2. Big Sean - Control (feat. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica)

Do I even have to explain this choice? The entire Hip Hop world was in shell shock for an entire MONTH after Kendrick dropped "a bomb on this shit".

1. A$SAP Rocky - 1 Train (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson & Big K.R.I.T.)

What a line-up. This song is epic. Best verse goes to Big K.R.I.T., but everyone did their thing on here. Funniest line goes to Danny Brown for "bitch's pussy smells like a penguin, wouldn't hit that shit with my worst enemy's penis."

A Gut Reaction Review: 50 Cent - Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

For those that know me, it’s no secret: I am NOT a big fan of 50 Cent. In my opinion, his lyrical ability and technical prowess leave much to be desired. That’s not to say that he’s completely talentless though. In 1999, he showed some real promise and ruffled up quite a few rap feathers when he dropped the track “How To Rob”. To his credit, Fiddy also has a good ear for beats, and has been known to craft a catchy hook or two. Anyway, as the story goes, Curtis James Jackson The Third (as his grandmother liked to call him) eventually caught the attention of Eminem and Dr. Dre, and the rest is history. In 2003, he dropped the "classic" album Get Rich Or Die Tryin' to great critical and commercial success, and it's really been downhill ever since. But now it's time to return to that "classic" album and see what all the fuss was about. You see, I've never really listened to that album from start to finish before, so I think it's about time I gave Get Rich Or Die Tryin' a chance, and find out whether I've been unfairly harsh on the man for all these years (I doubt it). So without further adieu, here is my track-by-track gut reaction review of 50 Cent's Get Rich Or Die Tryin'.

1. Intro

Absolutely pointless. Well at least it's only 6 seconds long.

2. What Up Gangsta

Nothing special here. Reef's instrumental wants to be a banger, but instead, it comes off as overly repetitive and kinda boring. Also, Fiddy is saying a whole lot of nothing on this track. Next!

3. Patiently Waiting (feat. Eminem)

"When I die, they'll read this and say a genius wrote it". No they won't Fiddy. Curtis Jackon's delivery on this track really bores me, as does Eminem's beat, but he's never been the greatest producer anyway. Shady also brings his Eminem Show flow, which is not my favourite phase of Eminem's career. However, Em's verse is still dope, and makes the song worth listening to. "Take some Big and some Pac, and you mix 'em up in a pot. Sprinkle a little Big L on top, what the fuck do you got?" You got the greatest rapper of all time! Yeah, I said it! Anyway, "Patiently Waiting" turns out to be a decent track, thanks to Eminem's song-stealing verse. Moving on ....

4. Many Men (Wish Death)

"I'm the greatest. Something like Ali in his prime". Once again Fiddy, no you're not. However, I think this track actually works. The instrumental grooves along quite nicely, which is surprising with Eminem having had a hand in it, although Darrell "Digga" Branch is credited as the primary producer on the track. Fiddy's hook writing ability comes through on this track too, and he flows quite smoothly over the beat. Not bad Fiddy. Not GREAT, but not bad.

5. In Da Club

An undeniable classic. ALL credit is due to Dr. Dre for this one. The production is monstrous. Fiddy's verses are mediocre at best on here, but like I mentioned previously, his hook writing ability is his saving grace. Also, I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that is unfamiliar with the opening lyrics "Go shorty, it's your birthday". Overall, a great track.

6. High All The Time
Largely forgettable. This is the type of song I would classify as a "skip-aroo", especially when it's in the unfortunate position of being sandwiched between two great tracks ..... wait, does that mean there's another great track on this album?

7. Heat
Once again, Dr. Dre brings the heat (pun intended). Another bangin' production, and this time I actually enjoyed Fiddy's performance, as opposed to the nonsense he was spouting on "In Da Club". I could have done without the 30 second intro that really added NOTHING to the proceedings, but on the whole, I was very impressed with this one.

8. If I Can't
Once a-motherfuckin'-gain, Dr. Dre blesses 50 Cent with a banger! It's a shame then, that Curtis uses this valuable opportunity to say absolutely nothing of worth. Just sit back and enjoy the beat, because you'll be getting nothing of substance from Fiddy. Having said that, I still find this track to be rather enjoyable.

9. Blood Hound (feat. Young Buck)
What the fuck is this? You can't go from bangin' Dr. Dre production to whatever the hell this is. I guess there is a bright side though ..... I actually enjoy Fiddy's flow on this track! Buck's verse is nicely executed as well. Surprisingly, the HOOK is where this song really falls apart, so much so that I'd like nothing more than to forget I ever listened to this shit. Next!

10. Back Down
Ooooh, this beat is so menacing ..... in the best possible way! No wonder Ja Rule doesn't have a career anymore. You can't win against music that sounds this good. It's disappointing to see that this is Dre's final contribution to the album. He's 4 for 4. Let's see how Fiddy fares without him.

11. P.I.M.P.
Talk about a catchy hook! And I don't know who this Brandon Parrott fella is, but this production is on point. Fiddy is back on his bullshit again though, but I'll give him a pass this time, because this song is enjoyable as fuck!

12. Like My Style (feat. Tony Yayo)
The more I listened to this track, the more Rockwilder's beat really grew on me. Also, I think I just realized why Fiddy recruited Tony Yayo to G-Unit. There has to be at least ONE rapper in the group that is worse than 50 Cent. Tony Yayo delivers a truly terrible performance on this track. Curtis fairs a little better, but the hook isn't really doing anything for me. Despite Yayo's contribution, this track was still pleasant enough.

13. Poor Lil Rich
No, no, no.

14. 21 Questions
This track is good for what it is. There's nothing quite like a crooning Nate Dogg on the hook when you're making a song for the ladies. And no Fiddy, if you used your tongue in bed, I wouldn't like that!

15. Don't Push Me (feat. Lloyd Banks & Eminem)
Another Eminem production on Get Rich Or Die Tryin', and I'm just as unimpressed as I was on "Patiently Waiting". However, the difference on this track is that Eminem seems uninspired behind the microphone as well. Subpar performances all around. Looks like we found ourselves another "skip-aroo"!

16. Gotta Make It To Heaven
This track is the definition of "average". The instrumental is nothing special, Fiddy is nothing special, this song is nothing special. Overall, nothing special. Did I forget to mention that this track is nothing special? Next!

17. Wanksta
Uh oh, Fiddy is on a roll now. Skip-skip-skip-aroo!!!

18. U Not Like Me
OK Fiddy, you've officially lost me now. Dr. Dre, where are you!? Come back please. Curtis clearly needs you.

19. Life's on the Line
This track is alright, even if the hook is atrocious. But it's too little, too late.

Final Verdict:
This album wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It certainly had it's high points, mainly thanks to Dr. Dre, but it also had it's low points, which came thick and fast towards the end. My opinion regarding 50 Cent's talent as a rapper remains unchanged after listening to this album in it's entirety. The rappers that I enjoy listening to tend to offer me a little bit more than a catchy hook and a decent flow every once in a while. However, I can see why this album is considered a modern-day classic by some ..... just not by me.

(This track-by-track review was inspired by the work of Max over at Hip Hop Isn't Dead)

Who Flipped It Better: Kanye West vs. DJ Cutmaster Swiff

Sample:

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - I Miss You

Track 1:

Jay-Z - This Can't Be Life (prod. Kanye West) [2000]

Track 2:

Big Boi - Shine Blockas (prod. DJ Cutmaster Swiff) [2010]

So, who flipped it better?

Who Flipped It Better: No I.D. vs. Buckwild

The game is simple. I present two different songs that share the same sample. Your task is to decide which producer flipped that sample better. Easy. Now let's play!

Sample:
The SCLC Operation Breadbasket Orchestra and Choir - Nobody Knows

Track 1:
Ghostface Killah - Metal Lungies (prod. No I.D.) [2004]

Track 2:
50 Cent - I Don't Need 'Em (prod. Buckwild) [2005]

So, who flipped it better?