Scarface/MADE/Rap-A-Lot MADE lacks the wide range of quality production that The Fix offered, but it does have that throwback pre-millineum Rap-A-Lot slow roll that day one fans may have missed. With “Girl You Know,” “Go” and “Boy Meets Girl,” ‘Face touches on male-female relationships more than he has in the past. But he gets back into Uncle Brad mode on the album’s pinnacles, the self-checking “Who Do You Believe In” and ultra-descriptive “Suicide Note.” Outside of “Get Out of My Face” and “Dollar” Mr. Jordan doesn’t do much to switch his flows, instead he relies on his proven pen game on “Burn” featuring Z-Ro and the instant classic “Never.” Just when you start believing that “rap is a young man’s game,” grown ass men like ‘Face come through and show that you still have to respect your elders. — Maurice G. Garland
The-Dream/Love Hate/Def Jam
Songwriter The-Dream delivers a solid effort with his debut album Love Hate. The radio jam “Shawty is a 10” is actually one of the weaker tracks on the single-laden album, which is masterfully mixed, with Dream paying obvious attention to the flawless transitions between tracks. Dream delivers Prince-inspired tracks that are well written but have a few too many “eh”s, “oh”s, and “ella”s. Despite the excessive ad libs, tracks like “Falsetto,” “She Needs My Love,” and “Ditch That” make Love Hate an album hard to hate. — Rohit Loomba
Beanie Sigel/The Solution Island Def Jam/Roc-A-Fella
DJ Drama/Gangsta Grillz: The Album/Atlantic After a few good listens to Gangsta Grillz: The Album you can’t help but ask yourself questions like: What songs did the RIAA take when they raided the Apphiliates office? Was Drama unable to get his favorite lost songs redone? Why didn’t it come out in the midst of Drama’s drama? The album has some high points, like Outkast’s “The Art of Storytelling Pt. 4” and “Gettin’ Money” by Paul Wall, Killa Kyleon, Lil’ Keke and Slim Thug that remind you how mid-90’s rap compilations used to sound like. But some already dated material like “Keep It Gangsta” by Yo Gotti, Webbie and Lil’ Boosie and “Talk About Me” by G-Unit holds the album back. GG: The Album is certainly above average, but not the powder keg it should have been. — Maurice G. Garland
Birdman/ Star Stunna/ Cash Money Capitalizing on Lil’ Wayne’s popularity, Birdman has put out 5 Star Stunna, a solo album that sounds more like a collaborative effort than anything else. Lil’ Wayne appears on seven out of the sixteen tracks, easily overshadowing his “Daddy” on songs like “100 Million” and “I Run This.” Yet the Birdman manages to carry his own weight on “Believe That.” 5 Star Stunna offers nothing new to the Cash Money’s audience. Same story, same flow, and guest appearances are this album’s only saving grace. — Jared Anderson
Probably the most underrated rap album from Def Jam this year. Beanie Sigel offers The Solution but seems more hampered by the problem of shrinking budgets and promotion. Guests of all sorts, from Ozzy Osbourne to Scarface, come through for Beans, providing interesting collabos such as “Dear Self” featuring James Blunt. Though his hiatus from recording was a bit extended, Beanie has proven with this album that he has not lost a step in his game. The Solution is a well put together project deserving of more recognition than it has received. — Jared Anderson
Lupe Fiasco/The Cool/1st & 15th Atlantic
No matter how deep his hypocrisy may run there is no denying that Lupe Fiasco is a fresh breeze in today’s rancid, humid world of Hip Hop. For fans feeling the lack of content and desperately gasping for lyricism, Lu’s sophomore album The Cool is the cure: play the album and let your ears take a deep breath of the clever metaphors the Chicago native manages to cleverly arrange over well-tailored production. Standout tracks include “Go Go Gadget Flow,” “Paris, Tokyo,” and “Intruder Alert.” — Rohit Loomba
Gucci Mane/Back To The Trap House SO ICEY/ASYLUM
Since his notorious beef with Young Jeezy and getting locked up, Gucci Mane has been on the brink of being a breakout artist. His street buzz has been blazing the south for sometime and Back To The Trap House could make him a household name. “I Know Why” will be sure to dominate, with guest appearances by Rich Boy and the late Pimp C. Another standout from the 14track album is “What I’m Talking Bout.” Like the album, it has the energy to carry in the club but the attitude to ride to in the street. —Jared Anderson
Chingy/Hate It or Love It Slot-A-Lot/DTP/Island Def Jam
Wu Tang/8 Diagrams/SRC/Universal Motown/Loud Staten Island emcee collective Wu Tang returns with 8 Diagrams, setting any differences aside for the sake of Hip Hop. Rza, who almost single-handedly produced the album, reintroduces the gritty Wu sound with the intro and keeps with the sound throughout. The eight living members of Wu all deliver potent, violenceinfused verses with the finesse that first established them. Method Man is flawless while Raekwon, surprisingly, falls short at times. Standout tracks include “Heart Gently Weeps” and “Starter.” 8 Diagrams is a tribute to the Hip Hop that once was and throws fans back into the lyrical kung fu only Wu can master. — Rohit Loomba
80 // OZONE MAG
Chingy returns to DTP with Hate It or Love It which showcases a slightly darker, edgier Chingy than before, who issues a warning to all who thinks he’s gone soft on the title track. The more aggressive Chingy does back down for tracks like “Fly Like Me” featuring Amerie, which stands to be one of the album’s better tracks. Ludacris helps out a little with “Gimme Dat” but all in all Chingy seems far from the jackpot he once found himself with thanks to mediocre production and a lack of energy. — Rohit Loomba
Cunninlyguist/Dirty Acres
When Kentucky rap outfit Cunninlynguist boasts that their state “ain’t just tobacco, some bourbon and where horse racing lives” on the rapiddrummed “K.K.K.Y.” its sounds like they mean it. With their 4th studio album since 2001, Natti and Deacon the Villian, powered by group member Kno’s airy production, move closer towards stamping their own sound beyond the Dungeon Family comparisons they’ve worn since they entered the rap race (even though the album opens with a Big Rube monologue). While the spiritual vibe from their previous offering A Piece of Strange is still heard here and there, it’s the worldly elements in songs like “Beautiful” featuring Devin the Dude and “Yellow Lines” featuring Witchdoctor and Phonte of Little Brother that show their ability to stretch out any box they may get placed in. — Maurice G. Garland //