Third effort for the hardcore duo composed by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith, they release an album easily assembled with the same formula of the previous works which allows it to take zero risks.
The production is solid with tight and hard funky rhythms combined with the simple jazzy boom bap, excellent bridges, skinny drum machines, scratches dope by DJ Scratch and little inspired samples from George Clinton. The duo pulls down especially light-hearted and braggadocio, party themes, with a smooth and relaxed rapping style, brilliantly cool and superior to most of their contemporary MCs, despite a limited variety of arguments that leads them to some slip culminating in the awful "Jane 3".
As a whole it's a coherent, fun and cohesive effort, however it's remembered above all for the merits of its guests: Redman officially debuts on the song "Hardcore" and returns to "Brothers on My Jack", killing both his spots, while LL Cool J doesn't disappoint as guest of honor, excellent here. "Rampage" is one of the finest tracks of the record: on a properly rhythm for LL, boom bap jazzy-funky minimal and hard, typical for him, he goes deeply smoothness with EPMD, dope on this musical carpet with powerful hardcore deliveries, a cheerful bridge and amazing scratches. Other highlights include "I'm Mad" (unusually opening tune for them, here energetic), "Hardcore", "Manslaughter", "Gold Digger", "Brothers on My Jock", and "Funky Piano".
Rating: 8/10.
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