Eight years after the debut, the group formed by Curly Castro, Zilla Rocca and Has-Lo returns to release an album, without the presence of Has-Lo.
The tape is opened by BLUU Edwards, Philadelphia duo composed of Curly Castro and Small Professor, intro, boom bap lo-fi, dark and tense sample, slow pounding and hard drum, good slow flowing delivery of the rapper. The second cut is provided by Career Crooks, a Philadelphia duo formed by Zilla Rocca and Small Professor, who makes a jazzy production with slow drum and good samples, the MC delivers with a slow and flowing style, giving a tribute to Noreaga from "Invincible", CNN classic. The third song is the work of the NY duo ShrapKnel, formed by Curly Castro and PremRock, who make the song together with Zilla Rocca: energetic jazzy boom bap, perfect drum, excellent sample, the three rappers make a good track with their slow smoothness flows, good bridge for the hook made by producer Willie Green. On the fourth track, produced by Jason Griff, Curly Castro carves out a solo, spitting bars with his slow, raw style. A PremRock solo joint follows: Small Professor's light jazzy production, perfect drum, male soul sample looped in the background, great slow delivery of the MC. Career Crooks is back in "Escapism 7000", a jazzy boom bap with a slow hard and pounding drum machine, and a sample that pays homage to "Shook Ones" by Mobb Deep, solid bars by Zilla Rock.
The next choice is a second PremRock solo track, to Willie Green's rhythm with extravagant samples and almost spoken delivery. Zilla Rocca plays the role of beatmaker in "Rodigan 2020 Mix": boom bap with snare drum and dark sample, slow velvet syncopated delivery by Curly Castro, then mid-track change of rhythm to welcome guests, organ and dark sample, slow hard pounding drum, slow smooth syncopated delivery by Billy Woods, Elucid and Hubbs closing the tune. Quandary provides a jazzy beat with ethereal sample and very slow, light and distant drum for the remix of "Drug Moon", PremRock delivers slow almost spoken in the ethereal mood of the song. The tenth track is the only soloist by Zilla Rocca, jazzy carpet by Messiah Musik, slow drum, female soul sample chopped and looped in the background, flowing flow by the MC of Philadelphia. BLUE Edwards offers another strong point of the tape: jazzy rhythm, tight snare drum, pounding and light, slow smoothness dope flow by Curly Castro. "Gran Reveal" is PremRock's third solo song, on Quandary's jazzy rhythm, hard and tight slow drum, good sample, good slow syncopated delivery. The album is closed by Zilla Rocca on the rhythm of Small Professor, the major producer of the edition: jazzy boom bap, slow, hard, tight and pounding drum, good smooth delivery, with simple hook and outro.
Half hour tape and 13 short tunes made by Curly Castro, Zilla Rocca, PremRock and Small Professor: the production is pleasant and light, with some curious whimsical forays, mainly focused on the gloomy boom bap of the mid-nineties, there's honest hardcore braggadocio lyricism and good rapping from these few performers, who are as strong in solo cuts as they're in collaborative ones. The title pays homage to "Juice", a 1992 movie in which 2Pac is one of the protagonists, while the colors of the cover are those of the Wu-Tang Clan. I think this listening would appeal to 90's East Coast fans.
Highlights: "Wrecking Crew Theme", "Escapism 7000", "Rodigan 2020 Mix", "Drug Moon (Quandary Remix)", "Mama Calls Him Wise", "Crook with a Deal (Hypnotize Mix)".
Rating: 7.7/10.
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