Second EP released by Raekwon. The cover, linked to the title, features, among others, a golden tarantula / spider chain in the foreground at the bottom. Production is provided by reputable names, Statik Selektah, Scram Jones, Buckwild, Vin Tha Chin, Frank G, DJ Thoro and Roads-Art. The guests are Freddie Gibbs, Maino, Altrina Renee and Faith Evans.
The music chosen by the boys is melodic and accessible, honest boom bap with a drum without infamy or praise and discreet samples that don't take away too much space from Raekwon's rap. The Chef flexes his muscles after the success of the new LP and churns out this half-hour tape and twelve tracks without apparent effort. Compared to usual, he changes his subject and gives up on gangsta themes most of the time, wandering between conscious verses and braggadocio, so much so that when it finally comes to drugs, violence and murder, these topics sound as filler as the (kind of) love / material song with Faith. The tape looks like a typical non-memorable release waiting for Shaolin rapper next studio album: it flows smoothly without leaving any particular impressions, up to the Gibbs spot, where Kane puts a stake providing one of the most inspired performances of him.
A few minutes later, DJ Thoro invents the magic: lean and dry, rough midtempo drum, glossy atmosphere, retro style sample speeded up by a Mtume song. His rhythm is a masterpiece, the hook sung by Altrina Renee is a pearl, Lex Diamonds flows fluid, inspired, energetic, and he makes one of the best songs of the decade in his own discography. The remix is even better, there's AZ. The final section of the tape is left in the hands of the producer Roads-Art: this guy has already shown that he has a good pulse in "New Day", in these last tracks he improves himself and brings out the best beat of the EP in "Whatever, Whanever", thanks to a sample by Fred Wesley.
Overall, the tape doesn't feature a top-notch production, the Statik Selektah beat is one of the most appreciable and is used as an interlude for the intro. DJ Thoro and Roads-Art do a good job too, while Raekwon is pretty safe in the rapping section, with an honest style. In conclusion, it's a good product. It may not satisfy all palates, it's not at the level of the EP of two years ago and it's definitely not essential for gangsta fans or the kind of rap that the author has accustomed to, having said that, I don't think it's a complete waste of time. 6.5/10.
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