N.W.A2K REVIEWZ

Classics

Ice Cube: War & Peace Vol. 2 The Peace Disc

Fuck a long ass intro, if you don't know who Ice Cube AKA Oshea Jackson is, you can't call yourself a hip-hop fan, the man is behind two hip-hop classics, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) and Death Certificate (1991), apart from these albums, the self proclaimed "Ni**a Ya Love To Hate" has also released a huge amount of other dope solo albums, not to mention, the NWA and Westside Connection albums.

A lot of people don't like Ice Cube nowadays, after he fell off, in their view. I've been a fan of him through his whole career, and I miss the old Ice Cube too but instead of crying like a bitch, being ignorant and player hating, I've moved on and accepeted the new Ice Cube. The man is in his 30's and is awaiting his 4th child, is he supposed to run around teaching the youth that life ain't nothing but pussy and money?! Sure he's not the same he was, but ask yourself a question? Who the fuck is?

The album kicks in with yet another NWA reunion track, "Hello," which is a follow up to "Chin Check" from the Next Friday OST. Lyrically, it's much better than "Chin Check," and although Dr. Dre's verse may be a little played out, Cube and MC Ren rips it!!! The beat isn't as good as the beat on 'Chin Check.'

The album moves on to the funny track "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Ta Kick It)" with Chris Rock, over to a bad ass posse cut "The Gutter Shit" featuring Jayo Felony, Gangsta from Comrads and Squeak-Ru from AllFrumTha I. "Supreme Hustle" is another one of my favorites, where Ice Cube AKA the Don Dada demands the new jacks to Bow Down over a dope ass beat.

The hit single "Until We Rich" featuring Krazye Bone, is a pretty good cut with a positive message, another slammin' track is "Roll All Day," which shows us the story telling Ice Cube we heard on "Once Upon A Time In The Projects."

The Don Mega samples EPMD twice on the album, on "Record Company Pimpin'" and "Waitin 2 Hate," both of these are just brilliant. "Record Company Pimpin'" talks about how young rappers are being fucked over by major labels and Cube kicks that laid back flow, but in "Waitin 2 Hate" he comes off ruff as fuck! Ice Cube simply flames the haters in this banger,

"Cause your fuckin with Ice Cube the terrible / fuck around and I'll make your life unbareable / make you live all scary and careful / come thru my neigbourhood you better tip toe / cause if you're loud than you might get chased down / WestSide Connection catch a case now / Po Po find your monkey ass faced down / tell your moma that you're in a better place now."

The weak sides off the album, is where Oshea tries to make party cuts for the clubs, like the single "You Can Do It," the Puffy produced "Gotta Be Insanity" and "Can U Bounce." Although these tracks may be nice to listen to while your getting your club on, I feel these kind of tracks just ain't Ice Cube's territory.

All in one, it's a very dope album with only few disappointments, Ice Cube verbally attacks the haters, the fake gangsters with their fake rolexes and fake implant pigeons and off course the White Suprememascists get lyrically smacked by The Wrong Negro To Fuck With.

Although I think this is a good album, I advise you not to buy it if you didn't like the War Disc, as it is quite simular in many ways. As for fellow hard core Cube fans, cop this shit! As well as the Westside Connection album coming up and off course the reunion album off N.W.A! The pioneers are coming, bow down fool.

Reviewed by Da Snipa May 2000 Execlusively for NWA2K

Be sure to visit his site Fuck You Ice Cube

Snoop Dogg Presents... Tha Eastsidaz

Back in the mid 90's when the west was ruling hip hop, a section of southern Cali called Long Beach was blowing up nationally thanks to the multiplatinum success of Snoop Doggy Dogg. Thanks to him and his long time DJ Warren G, we were introduced to a slew of left coast lyricists such as the the Dogg Pound, Twinz, Tray D, and Bad Azz.

But these artists(except for the Dogg Pound) never really got the chance to blow up like the artists from the LBC that paved the way for them, partly due to the fall of the Death Row Records empire and hip hop public's shift in taste to east coast flavored music.

Fast forward to 1999: Dr. Dre is back to reclaim his throne with the multiplatinum Chronic 2001, Snoop is redeeming himself as the lyrical heavyweight he once was, and the west coast is well on its way to taking back the throne of hip hop. But not only are the aformentioned Snoop, Dre, and DPG's making noise; the entire west is letting it be known that they're back and here to stay.

Which brings us to now, as Snoop unleashes the Tha Eastsidaz, a group featuring himself along with Tray D and newcomer Goldie Loc, who debuted on Snoop's No Limit Top Dogg. With this album, Snoop re-introduces us to the Long Beach artists we first listened to back in the day. Dr. Dre introduces the album, which kicks into the start up track "Now We Lay Em Down", a good way to start off things.

The first single, titled "G'd Up", has been getting good airplay on radio. This Battlecat-produced banger is a tight, bass-heavy groove that'll bump in any system, where Snoop preaches on the hook"If it ain't chronic don't blaze it up/If it ain't a Chevy don't raise it up/you know we keep it banging don't fake the funk/so all the real niggas stay gangsta'd up", while Tray D and Goldie Loc rip the track.

Another stand out track is "Dogghouse", a funked out Cali-posse cut featuring the Twinz and Rappin 4 Tay. It brings back the chemistry between the artists that reminds us of the posse cuts from Doggystyle and The Chronic. Another outstanding cut is "Got Beef", featuring Snoop, Tray D, Sylk E Fine, and the waaay underrated Jayo Felony. This Fred Wreck created beat sounds similar to "Mamacita" by the DPG's and Frost from the Next Friday soundtrack, but shines on its own with its xzylophones, drums, and a tight synth loop that fades in and out of the track.

Probably the best track on the album is the Snoop solo "Balls Of Steel". Hands down, this is like the old school Death Row sound we've all been feenin for. Don't know who produced the beat, but it's got hard-hitting drums, deep bass, funked out keybords, and organs. Snoop rips the track, dropping tight ass lyrics that show Snoop returning to his storytelling style, plus a tight "Top Billin"-influenced hook.

"Ghetto Life" features NWA-affiliate Kokane sounding like a cross between Rick James and George Clinton, crooning over a 70's funk, DJ Quik beat. The Eastsidaz rip this track up alone with lyrics about, what else, ghetto life. Which leads right into "Big Bang Theory" featuring the always-dope Xzibit and a surprise appearance from one-time Death Row Inmate CPO-Boss Hog(What? Long time no see).

One aspect that helps this album is the laid back, smoke-a-blunt tracks that show up here. "Be Thankful" featuring Warren G, "Another Day", and "LBC Thang" all make you wanna spark it up and chill. The formula for these tracks:dope lyrics+dope beats=dope songs. No doubt.

Other standout tracks include the Parliment-influenced "Take It Back To 85" featuring the reborn Kurupt. The Run DMC-sampled "Pussy Sells" features Suga Free as he and the Eastsidaz break down Pimpology 101. And the final cut, "Life Goes On"(not a Tupac remake) has Snoop reminicing about his dead homies over an eerie Meech Wells track.

The rest of the album has above average tracks, except for "Give It To Em Dogg". The lyrics on that song are tight, but the beat isn't really anything special. It's just too plain and kind of boring. All that track needs is crisper production and you've got yourself a dope track.

Overall, I think this album exceeds all expectations for being 22 tracks long (a couple of skits weren't really necessary). I really didn't think it would be so tight, but after listening to it 2 or 3 times, you can see why it was delayed a month. Snoop put more time into the album and the result is a dope display of the best from the west. If you're a west coast fan, then you should definitely get this album. It's safe to say that this is already one of the best albums of 2000.

Reviewed by SC Chron January 2000 Execlusively for NWA2K

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