Release Date: March 3rd, 2005

If nothing else, Curtis Jackson a.k.a. 50-Cent is a man who knows how to get people's attention in this day and age. After being forced to push his album back from it's planned February release date he then decided to move it up a couple of days from it's new March 8th release date to capitalize on the buzz. Before he could do that however, he had to finish off the last piece to his apparent pre-album "stunt-fest" by booting West coast rap newcomer, "The Game" out of his G-Unit clique. The move and the subsequent firestorm appears to be just the latest in a string of public pronouncements from 50-Cent, that at the core all seemed designed to do one thing, draw attention to 50-Cent. With most of the G-Unit membership having already dropped solo albums, in addition to a G-Unit group album, to some degree the entire click may be reaching a saturation point, especially since most of everything that comes out of the G-Unit that isn't Young Buck, sounds like it has 50-Cent's fingerprints all over it. 

Always working to promote oneself and having sold approximately 10 million copies of his last LP, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'", the amount of hype surrounding this latest LP was high and his commercial success would be hard to duplicate. It's too early to say what the final sales figures will look like (my guess is they will be noticeably less than last time around), but it isn't too early to critique the album from a musical standpoint.  Overall the production (beats) are decent though generally not outstanding, and in fact some of the best beat work comes not from the likes of Dr. Dre or other big names but from lesser known producer like "Disco-D" ("Ski Mask Way" one of the better songs on the album) and DJ Hi-Tek ("Ryder Music") . 50-Cent still has that uncanny ability to write a song hook, but this album is a clear regression from his previous LP (not that I was a big fan of the last one). From a musical standpoint it's remarkable how despite having been shot multiple times and seemingly routinely being at the center of controversy, how uninteresting 50-Cent can be from a listening standpoint. At near 80 minutes the album is far longer than can be justified and it's almost as if this early in his career he has run out of things to talk about besides of course being rich, selling a lot of records, stylized cartoon violence, and his now tired beef with Ja-Rule and The Inc. 50-Cent at this point is clearly attempting to manufacture drama, for instance the dis-track "Piggy Bank" which has a hot beat, but takes weak shots at Fat-Joe, Jadakiss, Kellis and Nas, and Shyne is clearly a ploy to get the artist targeted to retaliate continuing a back and forth volley that will increase his sales, if not the sales of all parties involved. As 50-Cent is talking at the end of the song he even gives this away by telling those he attacks that they "have to respond now". 

In addition to the "beef" angle 50-Cent is still applying the other parts of the formula, releasing pop and dance singles for the club scene, as evidence by songs like "Candy Shop" (sounds like a not so good remake of "Magic Stick") and "Disco Inferno", and he has the full support of the industry and commercial radio behind him, but their "programming" to make these songs hits only hide the shortcomings of an album that is approached so nonchalantly. "Baltimore Love Story" is a bright spot on the album where 50-Cent steps out lyrically and creatively and successfully paints a picture of a woman's addiction to heroin as a tragic love story and "My Toy Soldier" featuring Tony Yayo is a solid song made less solid in my mind by highlighting the disturbing way in which G-Unit members are expected to defer to 50-Cent (maybe that's why 50-Cent and the Game are on the outs). I've seen a lot of rap crews come and go in my day but the way 50 consistently 'sons' the rest of the G-Unit, and the way they play into it is, downright disrespectful if not plain embarrassing. When kicking "The Game" out of the G-Unit live on the radio, 50-Cent claimed that he wrote (hook and song arrangement) at least 6 songs on The Game's debut LP, The Documentary. Ironically 50-Cent's own album would probably be a lot better if had kept at least 3 of them which I think it's safe to assume, include "Higher", "Hate It or Love It", and "How We Do". Overall the album has a few solid cuts but with approximately 20 tracks and only 1 interlude you're bound to like something on here. In a recent MTV interview with 50-Cent that if this album doesn't do as good as the last then "maybe he would fall back a little", time will tell what the sales say, but if the music is the issue, he has already done just that.

Release Date: January 18th, 2005

For what could be the most star-laden (production-wise) rap album in hip hop history (the list of producers includes: Kanye West, Hi-Tek, Just Blaze, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Cool & Dre, Timbaland, Havoc, Buckwild and others), the production on The Documentary is solid and not stellar as you might expect. However, that isn't really where this album fails. The Game claims he started rapping by listening to other rappers rap and that's exactly what this album sounds like. The documentary sounds like a collection of other rappers flows, metaphors and concepts. Here is an example of some of the stuff he borrowed, (if you don't know which songs he jacked or who he jacked them from, that's your problem):

"them niggaz breathing the same air as me acting like they don't bleed", "Is Compton in the house? Without a doubt I'm the rapper with clout other niggas rap about", "they say sleep is the cousin of death", "money been rapped since 88", "we the 05 bonnie and clyde", "I gotta Restore the feeling/ And crawl from under the roc after the dogg pound crushed the buildings", "If I die my niggaz/ I did a song wit Mary J. Blige my niggaz"

What's worse is, The Game's title track "The Documentary" has a hook where he weaves the titles of classic albums in it, not unlike when Jay-Z on the black album did the same thing with his own album titles:

Jay-Z Said: "Thank God for granting me this moment of clarity / This moment of honesty The world'll feel my truths / Through my Hard Knock Life time My Gift and The Curse / I gave you volume after volume of my work / So you can feel my truths I built the Dynasty by being one of the realest niggas out / Way beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Yall can't fill my shoes) / From my Blueprint beginnings / To that Black Album endin Listen close you hear what i'm about Nigga feel my truths"

Game said: "Im Ready To Die / Without a Reasonable doubt / Smoke Chronic and hit it Doggy Style before I go out / Until they sign my Death Certificate / All Eyez On Me Im still at it, Illmatic And that's THE DOCUMENTARY"

Not to mention that the Dr. Dre produced track is weak and the song features a skit where he is explaining to Ed Lover of 105.1 FM that he wasn't trying to diss Jay-Z on "Westside Story" he was actually dissing Ja Rule. On this song, he ponders why Jay-Z didn't agree to do a song with him. Maybe he kind-of has done a song with you, because you have jacked his flow, lyrics and even a song concept on your album!!

In other ways this album could be called the making of "The Documentary". This is because he spends most of his time rapping about the album itself. Next to the heavy borrowing documented earlier, this is this albums biggest flaw. Rapping about being a rapper, or about other rappers and their albums is just not a lot of fun to listen to, even if you are an incredible lyricist, which he is not. In addition, while rapping about the album, he is literally beating you over the head with a barrage of the names of rappers, singers, athletes, record label execs, and others. I swear he must mention Dr. Dre, 50 cent, G-unit, B.I.G., Tupac, or Eazy-E or Air Nikes (does he have a Nike contract) on every song!! It's crazy!!!!

Maybe this is why The Game's debut single "How We Do" featured 50-Cent and sounded like it was originally a 50-Cent song. Game is not only outshined on the song, he basically copies the structure of 50's verses on the song. On one of the other hot songs on the album "Hate it or Love it" 50 outshines him again and makes Game seem like he was added to the track as an afterthought.

With all of that being said, he did have some of the hottest producers in the game on his album, as well as some of the hottest people in the game overseeing his album and it therefore does have its bright spots. "Runnin" ft. Tony Yayo [produce by Hi-tek] and "Higher" [Produced by Dr. Dre] are songs where the production and the chorus come together to make songs that are undeniably hot. "Like Father Like Son" is a nice [buckwild produced] track which skillfully uses Busta Rhymes on the chorus while "Don't Worry" ft. Mary J. Blige is another successfully pulled off duet. The Kanye West produced "Dreams" is also well executed while the Timberland produced "Put you on the game" has a beat that is ready for the club, in spite of a weak hook and recycled lyrics.

All in all, The Game's debut falls far short of the hype. It is far from classic, but the production, and some good guest performances provide this album with enough good material to make it solid. However, his erratic flow, excessive plagiarism, and non-stop name calling will be very problematic for many as well. As an artist he is still a work in progress: he is a decent lyricist, has a dope voice, and is surrounded by some of the best creative minds in hip hop. Maybe he will be able to see past the almost certain commercial success he will receive, and work to elevate himself to the level he raps about being on. Or maybe he will never bring any real skills to the Game.

Release Date: October 25th, 2005

Recently Ghostface of Wu-Tang Clan said he has changed his rap ways and hinted at getting back to the original style and concept that made the Wu-Tang Clan the hottest Hip-hop group of their day.In my opinion all of the members of the WU have lost their unique style and originality. Ghostface, Method Man, etc are just a few of the marquee members that have altered their concepts while chasing a more commercialized style of Hip-hop. I say that about all of the WU except GZA who has shown me that he keeps it TRUE to the original style throughout this album as if it was 1996. Original concepts like chess, martial arts quotes, typewriters going in the background of a track, just really ill stuff. The type of eclectic audio that only the Clan used to offer. I rarely fall for something after listening to it once but I can't stop listening to this album.

You better spend that money and get this CD. If you loved the Wu before believe me that this DJ Muggs vs. GZA (Grandmasters) will get you there again. The album art is "Japanimation" and a street mixture but it's really the sounds that make this album superior, the sounds push you over the edge in visual imagery of beats, audio, and lyrical storytelling.

It's unclear to me what the Cypress Hill founding member and architect DJ Muggs brought to this album because it sounds pure 100% Wu Tang but its obvious from the production credits that he is responsible for the sound, so hats off to Muggs who also has taken his skills to launch Mash Up Radio and Sirius Shady 45 Plus. He may be a person to keep an eye on the year to come. This album is so original in its concept and tight lyrics it could have been called Liquid Swords 2. In the end its 11 original tracks that take you back to when the Wu members were content with being themselves.

Release Date: August 30th, 2005

In a more fair and just world, and rap industry where record sales had at least some relationship to lyrical skill and talent, J-Live would probably be one of the most recognized names in the game. Alas we do not currently live in that world. Lyrical deeper, probably smarter, and certainly more literate than most other rappers J-Live was one of New York City's most hyped and talked about underground MCs beginning in the mid-`90s. A variety of label problems would contribute to his music being circulated more on the streets than in the stores and never really making it out of the tri-state area. It wasn't until 2002's release of All of the Above that J-Live really made it the stores, and people understood what they had been missing, even if few listeners outside of the New York underground scene had even heard of him. He followed that release with 2003's Always Will Be, a short (8 tracks) but probably more refined album than the previous. 

As was stated before, undeniably J-Live is a skilled, even if sometimes un-charismatic, lyricist who takes his time crafting thoughtful verbal treatise. Song concepts like "Brooklyn Public, Pt. 1" which deals with all the different actors and personalities functioning in a New York City public school or "Audio Visual" where he contrast the perspectives of different people when seeing the same thing are pretty novel. "Sidewalks" is another poignant song where J-Live claims his non-thug status and upbringing as he raps, "if there 8 million stories and a handful of rappers / we can't all be pimps, players, and gun clappers / it sound sexy coming out your stereo right? / but then you wonder we still getting stereotyped / like we a whole generation of wanna-be thugs and soon to be hoes / like that's just how it goes". He also takes on the current social and political climate in "Weather the Storm" and deals with the issues of fatherhood and family life on "After". In many ways the album is almost like adult contemporary rap as J-Live is clearly comfortable with who he is, favoring adult subjects like family life, child rearing, and pride in MC'ing over dumbed-down content and lyrics that might appeal to a wider audience. Some might call it snobbish, others might say it's just nonconformist but this outlook permeates the album. However is the area of production it's detrimental. Personally, I favor intelligent content, witty lyrics, and a tight delivery, above most other things but the beats need to at least make the listener bob their heads and quite frankly the production simply drags this album down. J-Live's observations on life and the music industry are probably right in most cases as he's clearly a mentally sharp individual, but it isn't much fun to be "right" if the only people able to recognize it are the initiated. If you've followed J-Lives career or liked him before this album, The Here After certainly won't lose you as a fan but it probably won't win too many new ones either.

Overall: C+ :Review by Gumby Dammitt

Jim Jones - Diary of a Summer