Few rappers in history have managed to go from underground to crossover records, maintaining their credibility and reaching the much-coveted commercial fame. OC tries the crossover way in his third album, released four years after the last effort.
There's little to say about this LP, because the rapper himself leaves us little to say: materialistic lyrics and without any sense, far from his best things ("Jewelz" is many years away from this disk), a production that leaves stunned in negative — how is it possible that Buckwild has dropped these beats? — less-known guests that are not very incisive like AG, Ghetto Dwellas, TL, Unic, A Bless and other oblique choices. The turn of OC towards the commercial crossover attempt is extremely disappointing in all senses, the rapper fails in this attempt, dirtying his reputation as a pure and purist artist, reputation solidified with "Time's Up", which seven years later appears now like a faint distant memory.
The problems in production start from the intro, they continue while listening (bad beat in "Back to Cali"), despite some sign of recovery ("Soul to Keep", funky rhythm little better), specially at the end of this LP, with some decent attempts. "Paradise" is discreet, "Weed & Drinks" is perhaps the best track on the album and it goes partially unnoticed, while in "Psalm 23", tribute to Big L, the production improves. The bonus track "Bonafied" goes little better, boasting a good beat and Jay-Z uncredited who raises the level of this CD. Nonetheless, these glimpses of light are soon overshadowed by the darkest moments in the production of this record: "Doin' Dirty" is a rhythm really badly realized by Ahmed, while Buckwild provides some of his scraps like "Get It Dirty", "Utmost", "Respect tha Drop" and the title track. Ahmed signs the worst beat with "Bounce Mission".
Never recommended, 3/10.
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