Raekwon

Creating a sequel to a classic album is always a tricky proposition. There's going to be anticipation, but there are also expectations. While Raekwon fails to match the intensity of his 1995 solo debut, this is a valiant effort. The Rae's flow has weathered a bit over the years -- he has the gristle of a middle-aged man -- but his knack for wordplay and imagery remain. Lyrically, this is his best work in a decade. And though nothing here matches "Criminology" or "Incarcerated Scarfaces" from the original, "House of the Flying Daggers" is a great late-period Wu classic.

Raekwon's 1995 classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx defined a certain type of underground
hip-hop hit: Rather than try to bully you into submission, it surrounded you with a haze of
impressionistic street stories, filled with cocaine, gun violence and high-living hustlers. Pt.
II approximates the feel of the original, with Dr. Dre, RZA and the late J Dilla working up a
slicker version of the first volume's eerie production, as Pyrex bubbles and bodi... More >