Soundtrack of the film of the same name, the title suggests that it could be built around the best rappers in New Jersey, instead, there's a little bit of everything. The performers come mainly from New Jersey (Queen Latifah, Redman, Lords of the Underground, Total) from New York (Ill Al Skratch, The Notorious BIG, Keith Murray, Heavy D) and from the West Coast (Young Lay, Mac Mall, Ray Luv, MC Eiht, Coolio). Also participating are Black Panta, Poets of Darkness, Sabelle, UndaCova, OutKast, Maze and Smooth.
The tape mixes East Coast and West Coast tunes, opening appropriately with New York-based duo Ill Al Skratch, who perform with a fresh and flowing style on a good jazzy boom bap crafted by LoRider & The LG Experience. This is followed by Redman song, the first artist from Jersey: its rhythm is simplistic, it seems an imitation of those of Sermon, metallic drum, regular singsong delivery of the MC of Newark. Black Panta offers a ragga filler on economic rhythm performed by Mike Barrel, Brent Toussaint and Davhett Levy, and precedes Sabelle's rnb solo (beat by Giovanni Salah). "All About My Fetti" is a Bay Area song performed by the guys from Vallejo Young Lay and Mac Mall and by the San Fran artist Ray Luv, it's not Khayree's best production, but the rhythm is decent, slow dry drum, samples affordable, honest rap.
"Can't You See" is an obvious high point of the soundtrack. The rnb girl group from Plainfield, New Jersey, composed of Kima Raynor, Keisha Spivey, and Pamela Long, signs with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy and takes part in "One More Chance" and "Juicy", among the most famous songs of Biggie Smalls. In promotion of their debut album, this single comes out: Puffy's simple rhythm, slow and lean drum midtempo, relaxing vibes, The Notorious BIG performs a verse, then Total completes one of the best rap / rnb collaborations of the season. On track number seven, Lords of the Underground don't feel particularly inspired, on a simple rhythm with a lean metallic drum created by Marley Marl. It follows "21 in the Ghetto", Tracy Stuckey's boom bap with good samples, Christmas bells in the background, sung rnb hook and regular energetic rap delivery by Poets of Darkness. The song is one of the best moments of the edition.
North Carolina singer UndaCova provides a rnb song produced by T-Ray. Organized Noise Productions are behind the keyboards for OutKast's solo "Benz or Beamer", where some melodic samples counterbalance a dry, tight and cheap drum machine, good performance by the duo with a slow and velvety style. Heavy D spits slow, regular bars on a melodic musical carpet made by Easy Mo Bee, then the latest Newark artist reminds the listener that this tape was supposed to represent Jersey: Queen Latifah produces and plays the track wonderfully, simple beat that stands on a few keys of synthesized piano and a midtempo drum, excellent hardcore velvety delivery by the MC.
Erick Sermon produces a simplistic rhythm, poor boom bap with mediocre loops and decent drum, carpet on which Keith Murray offers bars with an almost spoken style. It follows a Compton section with MC Eiht and Coolio. Both seem on autopilot, the first spits on a funky melodic production created by himself, the latter is quite discreet on Wino's simple beat, both don't add much to the record. "Thru the Window" is followed by the hymn of Maze and Frankie Beverly "Before I Let Go", which raises a soundtrack that was getting lost with the last few songs, closed by a rnb solo by Smooth over the rhythm of Eric Baker.
Tommy Boy promotes the soundtrack, also because the valid material to do so is there, including the original hit by Total that launches their career: the record is certified gold by the RIAA three months after its release and reaches the top 25 in the pop chart and the third place among the rap / rnb albums, becoming one of the best-selling products of the year. Composed of 17 pieces and 77 minutes, a sort of casual mix between East Coast, West Coast, soul and rnb, it's not an essential listening.
Highlights: "Don't Shut Down on a Player", "Can't You See", "21 in the Ghetto", "Benz or Beamer", "Jersey", "Before I Let Go".
Rating: 6.3/10.
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