Guru — Jazzmatazz: Streetsoul

In the third volume of the Guru's Jazzmatazz series, the album features music more oriented to rnb and soul than the previous chapters. Jazz diminishes its reach, even with respect to the last album, released five years earlier, and live instrumentation plays a minor role, often supplanted by traditional hip-hop production with that added instrument here and there. Guru is credited as producer of the entire second part of the album (except a cut by Neptunes), while in the first half hour the music is created by Erykah Badu, DJ Scratch, Neptunes, Roots, Jay Dee and DJ Premier, who is also present in a song from the second half, credited together with the author as Gang Starr. Guests are Kelis, Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes, Erykah Badu, Angie Stone, Donell Jones, Macy Gray, Bilal, The Roots, Amel Larrieux, Craig David, Big Shug, Les Nubians, Junior Reid and Prodigal Son.

The album starts very well with "Keep Your Worries", Angie Stone's melodic vocals are perfectly suited to the warm and enveloping soundscape made by DJ Scratch, the rapper runs well with his smooth flow. "Hustlin' Daze" is Premier and Guru, together. This reminds me of Moe, when he dusted off his cocktail list: "gin and tonic? Do they mix?" Sometimes yes. From the tracklist you might think this is one of the best moments on the record, however, Primo offers a rhythm that is clearly one of his discards: tight, short, annoying and nasty loop, and in the beginning there is a tribute to... Baby Thad? From the American Cream Team? All right. Guru doesn't sound good on this beat and not even Donell Jones' hook is good enough to save the song. Track number four is one of the worst of this LP, from a musical point of view: the percussion of the Neptunes are too annoying. This beat is unbearable. The rapper doesn't save this shoddy rhythm and that Macy Gray's hoarse voice on the hook isn't good at all.

"Certified" boasts a simple production by Jay Dee, competent rap by Keith Elam and a good hook by Bilal. Erykah Badu solo brings "Plenty" to a minimal production provided by the musician herself, in a laid-back song with Guru. Track number seven features the MC of Boston and Black Thought, on a minimal and scarce production of the Roots. Amel Larrieux offers a nice hook in "Guidance", on a rare sample chosen by Elam, taken from Earth, Wind and Fire. "Supa Love" disappoints. Kelis is fine. Guru is acceptable. Neptunes and music are two things that don't get along together. This is another unbearable rhythm, impossible to carry on. These dudes compete with Swizz Beatz over who's been the worst producer in all this time, between the shiny suit era and the advent of the crunk. The following choice rewards a drum machine that's overly prevalent over both Craig David's hook and Guru's rap. "Where's My Ladies?" is a Gang Starr Foundation track: Premier links a good Dramatics sample with a not too heavy and harsh drum loop, Guru and Big Shug deliver bars worthily.

Isaac Hayes sounds tired in his song, he's talking instead of singing, Keith Elam tries to rap more tired, and the rhythm is also without strength, forgettable cut. The rapper tastes the chipmunk soul in "Who's There?", pulling out bars with more inspiration than the previous songs, good the hook of the French duo Les Nubians. "Mashin' Up da World" is a clear highlight. Good production of Jazzmatazz and Agallah, melodic samples, hard midtempo drum, Junior Reid ragga hook, first verse of Guru, then Prodigal Son comes and rips the cut, with the only hardcore verse in over an hour, technically flawless, lyrically socio-conscious, he walks away holding a bright flashlight in this album obscured by a hazy and dark mediocrity until his arrival. Elam returns, yes, and Junior Reid sings for two minutes (without exaggerating) at the end, but this sounds like a P Sunn solo track. The last song features fresh keyboards by Herbie Hancock and Guru's rap over his own mediocre rhythm.

Distributed by Virgin, this is Guru's solo record that has sold the most copies, reaching the top forty pop albums and top ten on the rnb chart, ranking across Europe. He tries to blend jazz, rnb, soul and hip-hop in order to create a new style, as he explains in the intro. His attempt is therefore, in intention, similar to that of seven years earlier, nevertheless, the final result is different. The MC fails to innovate. This tape is sluggish, very weak, disappointing. Polarizing, because criticism is almost equally divided between those who praise it and those who highlight its defects. One third of the album is made up of good-strong tracks, one third of the album by bad tracks and the remaining third by generic-mediocre ones. There's a deleterious choice in production that goes beyond putting or not putting beats by the Neptunes, it's precisely the selection of rhythms decided by the rapper who doesn't even reward his own style of delivery, which isn't particularly inspired or incisive in these sixteen tracks. Perhaps not his worst chapter in the discography, but certainly far from the good ones. Not recommended.

Highlights: "Keep Your Worries", "Who's There?", "Mashin' Up da World".

Rating: 6/10.