When it’s all said and done Swizz Beatz will definitely go down as one of the greatest producers to ever walk the face of the earth. With a platinum hit catalogue that extends back eight years and stays consistent up until this day, there will be no denying Swizz of his proper dues. As a solo artist on the other hand the One Man Band Man still has a few things to prove. Don’t be too quick to mistake his 2002 compilation effort Ghetto Stories as a solo debut, that was merely a misplaced arrangement of random previously and currently incarcerated rappers. 2007 finally sees the man behind the colossal beats stepping from behind the shadows to immerse himself in the rapper spotlight.

Swizz opens the album recounting some of his biggest hits from his extensive catalogue over an impressive backdrop courtesy of The Individuals on “Product Man”. On the album’s first single “It’s Me Bitches” Swizz takes complete control of the board work and pulls off another semi hit for his catalogue. Producer Nottz laces Swizz with the right amount of knock on the Llyod Banks tailored “Big Munny”. Swizz recycles his hook form the first installment of the Ruff Ryders compilation circa 1999 on “Bust Ya Gunz” then pushes the issue even more by inviting long missing Drag-On to spit over the Needlz helmed affair. Swizz goes far in convincing his lyrical and conceptual relevance as he delves deep into the many dark corners of death on not just one occasion but both “The Funeral” and “Part Of The Plan”. The album’s feel good pinnacle comes when Swizz teams up with The “E. McCaine” Edition behind the boards on the horn blessed summer friendly “Top Down”. The “Lovely Day” sampled “Take A Picture” has pretty much no relevance except for the fact that it marks one of the really non-existent instances in which Swizz actually uses a sample.

Swizz pieces together a short banger which has the potential of playback three times over at a mid to upbeat urban gathering or party if you may. Of course no gathering, is completely free of “party fouls”, and unfortunately neither is One Man Band Man. By keeping things short Swizz didn’t open any large air holes that would over expose his lyrical deficiencies. He could have and should have invited more of his old beat recipients to balance out the collection however. One Man Band Man turns out to be a fair occasion but could have been a much more extravagant event based solely on Swizz’s resume.

VERDICT – 12 / 20
LYRICS: 3
PRODUCTION: 3
DELIVERY: 3
CONSISTENCY: 3