It’s been almost a decade and a half since Raekwon dropped his hood acclaimed debut album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx yet that simple fact alone doesn’t hold weight to the level of anticipation the second installment has garnered over the past few years. Raekwon, having signed with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath imprint for a short period of time obviously learned a little bit about how to handle a five year plus anticipation for an album. This summer has seen Raekwon’s fifth attempt garner more attention than just about any other album that has come out during the internet age.

The late J Dilla does a perfect job of crafting the signature Wu sound on the group affair “House Of Flying Daggers.” Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon all do major justice over the aforementioned Dilla backdrop. Raekwon takes a second person approach as he describes a gritty drug related murder on the Pete Rock produced “Sonny’s Missing.” Both Inspectah Deck and Rae come with some of the album’s most potent points on the RZA produced standout “Black Mozart.” The RZA swings back through to break off some mid 90s style heat on the Method Man and Ghostface Killah assisted “New Wu.”

Every once in a while Rae takes some time to detail the dope game in short sweet minute long verses, as is the case on both “Pyrex Visions” and “Baggin Crack.” Rae cleverly decides to hold things down by himself on the standout Alchemist laced “Surgical Gloves.” Producer Icewater comes with a heavy Blaxopolitan era inspired backdrop on the gritty “Canal Street.” Rae takes a nice chunk of time to acknowledge the memory of ODB on the somber “Ason Jones” which comes equipped with some words of wisdom from Ol Dirty himself.

The Cappadonna and Ghostface Killah assisted “10 Bricks” turns out to be one of the album’s most stellar points thanks to more great production courtesy of the late J Dilla. “Fat Lady Sings” turns out to be a great set up joint for the much anticipated Dr. Dre engineered “Catalina.” Raekwon saves some the best heat for the latter part of the album as is the case with the Inspectah Deck and Ghostface Killah guested “Mean Streets.” Scram Jones laces Rae with another heater as the Chef takes a victory lap on the closing “Kiss The Ring.”

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II proves to be just what it was advertised to be and a little bit more. With 22 tracks, all of which are stellar to bangin Raekwon serves up one of the most consistent albums of the decade. By sticking to a particular formula centered somewhere between the streets and the projects kitchen Raekwon wins by leaps and bounds. Older fans will greatly appreciate his drug king style attention to the minor details while younger fans will appreciate him for exposing them to certain elements not explored in rap music these days.

VERDICT – 17 / 20
LYRICS: 4
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 5
CONSISTENCY: 4

Beanie Sigel has always been one of those rapper’s rapper type of cats. Since his early days with the Roc Beans never really seemed to care for the glitter and fame the way that some of his compadres did. Even so he still maintained a sweet level of respect within the industry but not so much that the streets lost any love for the Philly bred rapper. 2005 saw the height of Beanie’s career coincide with a few of the lowest points of his life. His album The B. Coming garnered Beanie’s biggest hit while he was locked up for some parole inconsistencies that were only overshadowed by his stepfather’s murder later in the year.

After a slip-up of a start with “Why Wouldn’t I” Beans quickly gets things on track with the piano laced encore effort “Tear Drops.” Beans goes on to invite a couple of his old cohorts, Freeway and Omilio Sparks to speak alongside him on the not so appeasing “Where Is My Opponent.” Just as he did at the beginning of the collection he quickly redeems himself on the Young Chris and Freeway assisted “Ready For War.”

Things seem a little more straight and narrow on the old Roc reminiscent “All For It” as well as the soulful and Freeway laced standout “Sicker Than Your Average.” Young Chris and Omilio Sparks assist Beans in reaffirming their independence from the now defunct Roc-A-Fella records on the somewhat somber “Run To The Roc.” The collection hits a high point when Murda Mill and Beans combine on the west coast gangtsa shit inspired “Bang Bang.”

Though efforts such as the Young Chris guested “Return Of The Chain Gang” as well as the dreary “You Over Did It” aren’t the album’s highlights they both still prove to be very solid additions to the collection. The album closes out with the average at best sounding first single “The Ghetto.” After listening to the entire album its clear that Beans had a few other tracks he could have and should have chosen to be the lead off joint!

The Broad Street Bully doesn’t really clock enough time to be considered broad which magnifies the few mistakes that are made along he way by Beanie Sigel and some of his help. Clocking in at just over 40 minutes naturally there wasn’t hardly enough room for just one slip up of an offering and as we all know by now the album started off in a not so hot fashion. What The Broad Street Bully does do is show and prove that Beanie Sigel still has the ability to make quality music with or without the big help from corporate honchos like Roc-A-Fella, and Def Jam.

VERDICT – 13 / 20
LYRICS: 3
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 3
CONSISTENCY: 3

Once every blue moon hip-hop somehow or another puts together a collective that seems to promise a classic album months or even years before it drops. In the late 90s it was the Hot Boys, in 2005 it was Atlanta’s Boyz N Da Hood. This year things look even more promising as already established MCs Royce Da 5’9”, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Crooked I are collaborating as the collective Slaughterhouse.

The group originated from the track “Slaughterhouse” off Joe Budden’s Halfway House album. The four felt that the chemistry was so strong just ten short months ago that they needed to release an album together; and now the day has come.

Producer Streetrunner laces a horn heavy victory lap inspired backdrop for the quartet to spit hot fire on the opening gun shot “Sound Off.” All four MCs go all the way in over The Alchemist’s elaborate production credentials on the statement making “Microphone.” The Slaughterhouse collective opt for a more rock & roll approach on the DJ Khalil produced head banger and first single “The One.”

Each of the members take turns basically spitting the most off the wall shit that they can on the non-apologetic “Cuckooo.” Fatman Scoop offers his energetic ad-libs on the second coming of the group’s first ever song on the cleverly Emile produced “Onslaught 2.” All four MCs profess their dissatisfaction with the rap game on the Mr. Porter helmed “Cut You Loose,” where Joe Budden goes to the extent of relinquishing control back to Method Man.

In most cases similar to this one an album such as this would have never seen the light of day. With that said the simple fact that Joell Ortiz, Crooked I, Joe Budden, and Royce Da 5’9” could all come together and get this thing to the public is a true testament for their individual loves for hip-hop.

The bottom line as far as music is concerned is that the quartet did more than handle their business on this effort. Anytime you can couple stellar production with an abundance of non-stop lyrical onslaught you have a certified winner. Hopefully this isn’t the end of something so good and maybe other rappers will also cash in on this new formula!

VERDICT – 15 / 20
LYRICS: 4
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 4
CONSISTENCY: 3

Since 2001’s Ghetto Fabolous, Brooklyn rapper Fabolous has been nothing short of a quiet staple in hip-hop. Though his albums haven’t always faired the best critically or commercially he has still managed to keep his name above water for just about all of this decade. His latest effort Loso’s Way is advertised to be his best and most personal work to date. With a slew of quality producers on deck all that is still up in the air is Fab’s lyrical arsenal, which up to this point has never come into question.

Fabolous comes out spitting rapid fire at random hip-hip bystanders on the opening “The Way “Intro.” Fab spits “why don’t you go and practice safe sex and go fuck yourself” on the immediate standout “Imma Do It.” The Justice L.E.A.G.U.E. laces Fab with a victory inspired backdrop on another one of the album’s witty standout efforts, “Feel Like I’m Back.” Fab takes another victory lap on the Keri Hilson assisted “Everything, Everyday, Everywhere.”

The album’s first single “Throw It In The Bag” serves as another reminder of how much damage the cooperation of the Dream and Fabolous can be.Lil Wayne and Fabolous prove to be another potent combination as the two go tit for tat on the horn heavy “Salute.” Fab enlists the assistance of Ryan Leslie to lace a nice South Beach inspired backdrop and an accompanying hook on the “The Fabolous Life.”

Trey Songz and Fabo promise to hit the grind just one more time on the potentially fatal “Last Time.” The Marsha Ambrosius assisted “Stay” should touch real men in the heart as Fab details his relationship with his toddler son. Fab closes out the album with an intricate tale of betrayal and deceit on the Sean C. and L.V. produced “I Miss My Love.”

Loso’s Way is exactly what it was advertised to be. From front to back this album is hot. Fab manages to keep a key balance of hot beats and hot bars on Loso’s Way. Each song packs enough punch-lines to go hand in hand with the punch from the bass. Though this album probably won’t go down as an instant hip-hop classic it will prove to be Fabolous’ saving grace. Basically if Fab had released this same album in 2003 or 2004 he would be categorized in the same breath as Jay-Z by now, almost!

VERDICT – 17 / 20
LYRICS: 5
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 4
CONSISTENCY: 4

Though Chicago’s Twista has been well respected in the game for well over twenty years the MC has only managed to release five solo albums previous to his latest effort Category F5. With a Guinness World Record, a unanimous classic album (1997’s Adrenaline Rush), and a few number one hits already under his belt Twista has managed to cover much more ground than one might estimate just by memory. Category F5 is promised to serve as Twista’s return to his Adrenaline Rush days as evidenced by the album’s first single “Wetter.”

Twista’s attempt at kicking off his latest collection in the same fashion that he did on his first effort is all but lost on the misguided Buk assisted “Misunderstood.” The Legendary Traxster returns to his late nineties form as he delivers this year’s smoked out kush anthem with the Lil Boosie assisted “Fire.” Twista doubles back with a couple of key heavy efforts in the stringy “Talk To Me” as well as the R. Kelly assisted “Yellow Light.”

Producer Zaytoven laces a fire backdrop on the Gucci Mane and OJ Da Juiceman assisted “Walking On Ice.” The aforementioned track would have been much better received had it not been for OJ’s unsupervised inclusion on the offering. Twista with the help of The Legendary Traxster will hit G-spots all across the nation with the album’s first official single “Wetter” if they haven’t already.
Twista invites his fellow Chi-town natives Johnny P and Do Or Die to kick it circa ’96 on the retro standout “Yo Body.” Static Major reminds us all why we miss him dearly on the albums highlight “Gotta Get Me One.” Amidst the unnecessary fluff towards the album’s end is the shade above tolerable “Wanna See ‘Em Buss” where Twista spits alongside fellow Speedknot Mobsta Liffy Stokes.

While Category F5 isn’t at all a return to Twista’s Adrenaline Rush days it still proves to be another solid collection in his slim catalogue. Certain tracks do take you back in time but this is definitely not something that you’ll want to listen to all the way through more than once. If anything can be said for Twista as far as advice it’s that he needs to get in the studio with just The Legendary Traxster and bang out another classic album. It can be done!

VERDICT – 13 / 20
LYRICS: 4
PRODUCTION: 3
DELIVERY: 3
CONSISTENCY: 3