Lord Finesse — Rare and Unreleased

In 2007, Diggin' in the Crates Crew rapper and producer Lord Finesse publishes a compilation album through independent label Underboss Entertainment. The tape is entirely produced by Finesse and features OC, Pitch Black, AK Skills, Ill Biskits, Ground Floor, Illegal, Shorty Long, Diamond D, AG, Lordz of Brooklyn, Stepehn Simmonds, Big L, Marquee, Twice, Jeff Reed, Rell and Black Coffey. In two bonus tracks are featured Bas Blasta, Fat Joe, Godfather Don, Juju, and The Notorious B.I.G.

Unexpectedly, are Lordz of Brooklyn to welcome this collection of unreleased cuts produced by Lord Finesse with an amazing cut, a hidden underground gem, "Lakes of Fire" with Finesse and OC, then inserted as the end credits song of "Mafia" (2002), one of the best video games of the year.

Followed by a couple of jazzy skeletal beats and an interlude with Guru, then a song from the best of the collection, "Check the Flava" dropped by AK Skills: amazing dark jazzy boom bap with sick piano in loop, jazzy vibes in the background and jazzy bridge on the hook. From Ill Biskits come two other excellent tunes: "22 Years" — great jazzy rhythm with looped piano and Christmas bells with the duo that delivers calm, flowing and out of time — and "Let 'Em Know", excellent jazzy boom bap while the duo honors "Hip Hop" of the Das EFX.

The central part remains strong in its jazzy essence up to "The Message" — skeletal jazzy production with soulful background and a good hook, masterpiece — last hip hop track before a series of soul/R&B tracks mixed with hip hop and Christmas bells. At track twenty the news arrives: Lord Finesse misses the rhythm with a digital jazzy disturbing, okay, it doesn't last long. Back to rap in the bonuses: a '94 posse track — Fat Joe, Juju of Beatnuts and Godfather Don reunite on a jazzy rhythmic production — and the remix of Biggie's "Party and Bullshit".

Released by Underboss, this is a good compilation album, but overall the final result depending on whether you like the basically soulful final part that Finesse reserves in this record. Recommended to jazzy rap fans, DITC fans.

Rating: 6.5/10.