News flash everybody, Z-Ro is back out of jail. I myself have been a pretty big Z-Ro fan for just about five years now and over that course of time dude has been locked up more times than I’ve been locked down in a relationship. It doesn’t matter because he’s still my nigga. His latest album Crack comes right on the heels of he and his cousin Trae’s collaborative effort It Is What It Is which dropped in the middle of July. The aforementioned Asshole By Nature album was definitely in my eyes the rap album of the summer, if not the year. Hopefully all the time behind bars has molded some careful yet powerful bars from the King Of The Ghetto, Crooked, and Mo City Don.

After a lengthy list of H-Town shout outs Z-Ro kicks his usual asshole by nature personality all over the self produced nursery rhyme influenced “Crack Intro.” Z-Ro enlists the assistance of Mike D one of his original Screwed Up Click brethrens on the third coast stamped and certified “Here We Go.” On the self produced “Call My Phone” Ro and Slim Thug display absolutely no reluctance in showing money hungry hoes a minimal amount of love.

I find it funny as fuck that Lil Keke and Z-Ro actually pulled off a dance song that despises that faggot shit all the way through on the Mr. Lee engineered “If That’s How You Feel.” Z-Ro laces his own back work again as he takes another five minutes or so to speak about how much he doesn’t need money hungry hoes on “Lonely.” Producer Mr. Lee laces another Texas sized backdrop as Z-Ro proceeds to spit nothing short of the truth as he shows love to his hood on “The Mo City Don.”

Even with his tough scowl on the mic Z-Ro still manages to penetrate listener’s souls with that good old down south cruising music as is the case with the Mr. Lee produced “Top Notch.” Ro shows his production skills go even deeper than most would assume as he reworks a classic tune on the album’s highlight point “Rollin.” The album’s first single “You” finds Ro speaking to all those individuals in the world who do faggot shit but won’t even admit it to themselves.

Paul Wall shows up on the hustlematic “Eyes On Paper” on which producer Cory Mo flips a classic line from Mr. Scarface himself for one of the album’s better outcomes. I must admit that it’s been a good three years since I’ve actually heard a for real dope ass smoking song. Good thing Ro comes with that classic Texas shit on the self produced and already screwed “25 Lighters” where he spits straight from the dome for damn near ten minutes.

I must admit that even though I’m an avid Z-Ro fan his past couple of albums haven’t really been as good as I’m sure they could’ve been. Of course this one is leaps and bounds above 2006’s I’m Still Living and 2007’s Power efforts. That’s just about where all the glory ends because Crack doesn’t come anywhere near the quality of what I consider his best album Life Of Joseph W. McVey. I will say that on Crack Z-Ro did exhibit more thought provoking subject matter, its just for some reason the album doesn’t hit as hard as the recent Assholes By Nature effort which understandingly leaves a pretty sourtaste in my mouth.

VERDICT – 14 / 20 
LYRICS: 3
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 3
CONSISTENCY: 4

P.S. Since I couldn’t come up on any new Z-Ro videos I decided to put my top 5 Z-Ro songs of all time. Peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!