One half of the duo Heltah Skeltah drops his second solo album about a decade after his click was relevant to the hip hop scene. Sean Price aka the “Brokest Rapper Alive”, resurfaces since the last time I heard from him was on the Grand Theft Auto III: Liberty City soundtrack. I wonder can Sean P. still bring it like he did back in the day?
The intro kicks it off over a grainy sounding beat, but Sean Price lets us know his skills haven’t diminished. “Like You” sounds like a vintage Hip-Hop beat, but again Mr. Price delivers like the mailman on the 15th. Heltah Skeltah is in the building on the next offering titled “P-Body” where Sean P’s use of any word starting with P is prevelent. Hot song; check for this one. Buckshot jumps on the next song “Cardiac” where P raps over a RZA sounding beat that is sure to have the heads nodding. Buckshot still sounds like he did in the 90’s, and that’s not a good thing. Now “Stop” is my favorite track on the album, Sean hits us with lines like ”Omar from the Wire, you’s a homo thug!” DAMN! The beat is bangin, and the message is what people need to hear today. “Violent” is the next offering on the album, the beat is one of those that you can’t help but like. Sean does his best to keep us interested in his rhymes. “Da God” features Sadat X on the track spitting over a beat that you would usually hear Redman rocking over. Sean delivers, but Sadat spits a lackluster 16, but not enough to make you not want to listen to the track. “Oops Upside Your Head” has one of those beats that reminds you of a commercial break from Charlie’s Angels. Newcomer Steele spits on this one and rips it. “Church” is a west coast sounding beat, at any moment I thought Game would jump on the track, but he didn’t. I think this might be one of the weakest songs on the album, even though Ruck and Rock got on the song together. “King Kong” beat sounds like an orchestra in the background, but I just don’t like the beat on this one. “One” is battling “Stop” for my favorite banger off of the album. The beat is infectious and Sean does his best to rip the guts out of the track. “You Already Know” featuring Skyzoo is a decent song; nothing major but it’s not garbage. “Director’s Cut” is a short song but the beat is sweet. “Let it Be Known” featuring Phonte is also one of my faves because Phonte is really stepping his game up. Check for this one for sho! Justus League seems to be all over this project, “Hearing Aid” featuring Chaundon is a great song. Sean and Chaun kill the track. Gotta check for this one. Sean closes with “Mess You Made” and it is a fitting song to end an album with. Spilling some personal business on the track, Sean lets us in on some of the problems he encountered on his road to fame.
Bottom Line:
This is a solid album to come out of New York, it’s not going to garner all the accolades it deserves because no one wants to hear real rap like this. This is a true Hip-Hop album that reminds me of the music I used to listen to when I was coming up. It sounds so nostalgic that I love this album. I believe this will be one of the most slept on albums of the year.
nappyPicks:Go buy this, the guy calls himself the “Brokest Rapper Alive”, go help the cause!
