Mack 10 — Mack 10

Debut studio album by Dedrick "Mack 10" Rolison (Westside Connection), rapper from Inglewood, California. Production is done by Ice Cube, 88 X Unit, Crazy Toones, Dr. Jam, Mack 10 and Madness 4 Real. The guests are K-Dee and the rappers of the Westside Connection Ice Cube and WC. Ice Cube protégé / affiliate, Mack 10 pulls out a 14-track (3 skits), 48-minute album where he plays generic gangsta bars on a solid funky production.

The rhythms chosen by Cube and friends are quite pleasant, grounded in deep bass lines, synths that confirm that the record is g-funk, dry and hard midtempo / downtempo drums, and samples from funk, rnb, soul and hip-hop. In the first part of the record, for a few minutes Mack 10 proves that he can go strong even on his own, building solid pieces, thanks especially to the fresh soundscape created by Ice Cube in "Foe Life" and "Wanted Dead" and the flawless beat of 88 X Unit in "On The Thangs", where the relaxed flow of the MC runs smoothly over the sample of "Mary Jane" by Rick James. After a dozen minutes, the record drops and is pulled forward by the guests, who light up the path (WC and Ice Cube are easily superior in the first cut featuring the formation of the future Westside Connection group), before the last torch of the tape, "Mozi-Wozi", where once again the music chosen by Ice Cube to compose a funky ballad is the protagonist.

Released by Priority, the album achieved considerable commercial success, being certified gold and becoming one of the best-selling rap products of the season. 7/10.