Illuminati 2G

On his third major label LP, Paul Wall largely sticks to the winning formula which brought him success on his break-out effort, THE PEOPLE'S CHAMP (2005), and the follow-up, GET MONEY STAY TRUE (2007). Moving back and forth between feel-good ...    Full Descriptionstreet bangers (as on the defiant album-opener "I Need Mo," the syrupy-slow "One Hundred," and the ode to automobiles "Pressin' Them Buttons") and bouncy synth-fueled strip club anthems (like the lusty neck-snapper "Lemon Drop" and the designer-drug homage alongside Bay Area legend Too $hort "Pop One of These"), Wall also takes time for a few heartfelt, lyrically-driven excursions. FAST LIFE'S unlikely highlights see Paul examining the difficulties of his childhood in "Mama Raised Me" and the autobiographical "Look at Me." FAST LIFE features appearances from H-Town icons Z-Ro, Lil Keke, and Webbie as well as Yung Joc, Gorilla Zoe, Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko.XXL (Magazine Publisher) (p.104) - "Paul takes listeners on a high-speed ride through H-Town that's filled with sex, drugs and hip-hop....Int true Swisha House fashion, the People's Champ sounds best on bouncy tunes like the Fat Pat-guested 'Got to Get It'..."

7 OUT OF 10

While DJ Paul was a legend of the Memphis rap scene by the early-1990s for both his mixtape work and as prime mover for the eventual Oscar winners Three 6 Mafia, he didn't have a full-scale solo release until 2009. SCALE-A-TON features the dark, ...    Full Descriptionchorus-heavy, crunk-plus anthems T6M made famous, and many of the cliques' stars do drop in, Lord Infamous most effectively on opening single "You On't Wan It." However, SCALE-A-TON is ultimately Paul's affair and while the club anthems abound, there's more of a horror spirit on this animated debut.

7 OUT OF 10

As the production mastermind behind Mobb Deep, Havoc has earned his rep as one of New York's most consistent beatsmiths. On HIDDEN FILES, the Queensbridge producer/MC flips 14 tracks of rugged East Coast street-hop, passing the mic to Big Noyd, Cassidy, Ricky Blaze, and Mobb Deep partner Prodigy. I like this better than his first solo but I think he can do better with more feature on the cd. Maybe it a lil tougher when you a beat maker and try to come out with lyrics. Not bad give it a listen.

8.25 OUT OF 10

MORE REVIEWS