01. The Genesis (4.5)
02. Detroit State of Mind (Houseshoes Shout) (4.75)
03. Halftime (4.75)
04. Memory Lane (4.75)
05. The World Is Yours (4.75) - Great instrumental at end
06. Represent (4.5)
07. Life’s A Bitch f. Royce Da 5’9? & Stokley Williams (of Mint Condition) (5)
08. One Love (4.75)
09. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Pete Rock Shout) (4.5)
10. Pete Rock Shout (4)
There's so much to say about Illmatic, but everything's already been said, so I'll leave it at that. Few MCs have tried to recreate, match, or top the likes of Nas' greatest. Even fewer modern MCs have the wit and skill (or balls) to try and accomplish such a feat. Elzhi is one of the few that not only knows he can (at least try) to do it, but fans know this too (why else would it be so hyped?). Thankfully, the album/mixtape does live up to the hype. It's not a simple imitation, nor a complete reworking of the album, but a crafty hybrid of the two. Beats are ever-so-slightly modified in subtle yet satisfying ways. A good idea not to stray too far from the originals here. The same goes for Elzhi's style. It's not biting Nas at all (except for the obligatory lines inserted for nostalgia's sage); it's all-new rhymes that match the beats as perfectly as an MC other than Nas could craft. If anything, it's Illmatic, yes, but it's been redesigned through the lens of a different city, a city with a bit more soul (check "Life's A Bitch"), and some of the best MCs of our day.
Sample Tracks
"Detroit State of Mind"
"Life's A Bitch"
"It Ain't Hard to Tell"
Beats & Production: 9/10
Rhymes & Lyricism: 9.5/10
Originality & Creativity: 9.5/10
Overall Grade: 93%
Download
3 comments:
He's wack, that album is wack too. smh @ this generation of rappers.
Nah this is pretty good. Just different another from the original to draw the line between homage and rip off. Great CD! Thanks for the post Billy hadn't previously heard of this.
Also, the beat for Life's a Bitch is better than the original!
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