The Legal Dope Spot

Open Mic Wednesdays at Bishops Lounge

October 2, 2011November 15, 2013 by bbbigalow

Done Clinic Interview

It’s your boy Nate and I’m here in the lab for an exclusive interview with everybody’s favorite MC Sicarii of ‘Done Clinic! He’s here today to talk to us about the upcoming release of the ‘Done Clinics’ new album “Legal Dope” and one of his solo project’s as well. Let’s see what he has to say.

TLDS: So whats the album going to be called and when is it going to be released?

Sicarii: The album is called “Legal Dope” and it’s scheduled to be released on November 7th 2011.

TLDS: And what’s going to be the first official single off the album?

Sicarii: The first single is gonna be “Mission Impossible/ Planet Methadone” with a bonus cut probably too. We’re taking it back to when singles were poppin. We just wanna put our best foot forward. We wanted to put out some real hip hop shit after “Charlie Sheen” leaked. It’s a live show banger. “Planet Methadone” , produced by E One, is a west murda 413 anthem track, we just talkin about where we come from and how we came up. Real vintage feel to the record. “Mission Impossible”is also the return of BJ Pen, my secret weapon, to the fold. He stepped out, but he is back with the clinic now. He is vicious.

TLDS: What was the motivation behind the album?

Sicarii: Just coming together on some crew shit. I had got some success with my solo stuff, and I wanted to share that with my boys. Above anything I just wanted to work on music as a group again in some form. I created DC in like ’08 so we just got the homies together and got on some beats. It’s very natural for me and Bishop to work, and Legacy took his bars to the next level, my suicide dudes hopped on a few songs, and like I said BJ Pen came back in to the fold, and he is like my favorite local MC so he just made it official. All very organic, how it came together.

TLDS: So when can we expect the first single to be droppin?

Sicarii: The first single is coming the first week in October, about a month before the album and “Charlie Sheen” is out there burning right now.

TLDS: How many singles will you be releasing from legal dope?

Sicarii: Not too many. We’ll probably leak one more song after the single and then just focus on the full length tape. It’s 16 songs so if we drop 4 for promo that’s like a quarter of the album. The key is to get different people excited and buzzing with each single or leak. I’ve got a monster solo record coming this winter too, so we’re gonna be everywhere in one form or another.

TLDS: What kind of music can we expect from “Legal Dope”?

Sicarii: Really it’s the entire spectrum of hip hop. It’s not a Sicarii project, not a Bishop project. It’s something else. The return of group chemistry. There’s hard stuff, street stuff, new school stuff like “Charlie Sheen”, underground records and lots of concepts and themes. It’s organinc authentic music. We are all so eclectic with our tastes and influences and its the first project that we got a bunch of other producers for, so it sounds different but balanced.

TLDS: Who are some of the producers you enjoy working with the most?

Sicarii: Well in all the years I’ve been in the game, almost a decade, I have worked with some amazing talent that have gone on to do great things, like my man, Young Cee. But currently, I’m really feeling E One, Pen Pointz from Canada, Face and Pops (my DCSKOR squad), Quest and Cris Beatz from 3d my homies. All on the Clinic tape. I produce all my solo Sicarii albums now, under the guise, “Ice Grill”. I would love to work with Staik Selektah one day too.
I would also like to mention my brothers Frank White, who did a beat, and Lord K who did beats on my solo debut and SK stuff. They’re in different solar systems right now but they make dope beats too. Also my man Dr. O a.k.a. Mario, his son produces. I got a track over his beat that I’m working on, he is young as shit but on the right track. Lots of talent in West Murda and we showing that first and foremost.

TLDS: Well speaking of “DCSKOR”… tell the people what that stands for and what it means to you as well as who’s in the group?

Sicarii: “DCSKOR” is like the country or empire and we’ve got different governments but just like the illumintai we’ve got one goal and that’s a new world order. “DC” is obviously my west murda brothers and CT Boston brothers. Done Clinic, and that’s myself, Bishop, Legacy, and BJ Pen. That’s a democracy. SK is Suicide Kings and that’s myself, Bishop, Poppa Bear, and Joe Young. That’s like United Nations… A Supergroup. We may never drop an album. FMG (FACEMEETSGRILL) is one arm of that.OR is Organized Rhyme, and that’s what we do. This thing of ours. Take that approach and apply it to music. That’s my family, my friends, and my colleaugues. So much talent. I’m like an aristocrat of this rap shit so I’m cool with a lot of people.

TLDS: OK now can you tell me a little bit about YOUR upcoming project since we know people wanna know what’s up with that… when is it dropping?

Sicarii: Yeah Man! “Tomorrow Is A Lie” that’s the title. It’s my 3rd official solla album. We wanted to do the DC tape for summer but it took a while to get that together so I pushed mine back a little to really do it right. And it’s a monster so we really wanna do it as big as possible. I love the record, it’s my best yet but I guess everything new is better and better if you’re a progressive artist like I am. It’s very artistic, very ambitous, and very raw. I’m calling it my east coast classic album. The sound is very east coast and vintage and still progressive. I’m writing better songs than ever. The album is rugged too. Lots of beautiful stuff and lots of grimy stuff. It’s Sicarii. It’s the end of the trilogy that began with “Before I Sleep” and it’s a great ending. Heavy east coast sound but also with current production shit. My next album won’t be like that so much. I try to have each album sound different. I can’t make the same shit over and over.

TLDS: So is there an exact date?

Sicarii: Shooting for January. Its a cold album. Most of mine are. We’ve got to get a few business things in place before hand, but January for now. But definitely while there’e snow on the ground. I love the snow, the cold. I’m not a summer artist typically. But who knows, the next album might be summer as fuck.

TLDS: What about the features? Any you can expose from either album?

Sicarii: The “Legal Dope” album is pretty much all crew with the exception of the production. But on my record I’ve got everyone poppin here. Trouble T, Frank White, Rockoleone, Vorheez from “The Problemaddicts”, that’s my dude, and a bunch more. We’re gonna see what makes it on there… There’e a couple real crazy posse cuts, one with some one I am really, really excited about, but more will be revealed…

Well there you have it from the man himself, Sicarii! Look out for that “Legal Dope” coming early November and stick with us here at The Legal Dope Spot for all the singles and leaks because you know we get ’em first!! For now, I’m your boy Nate saying thanks for coming through to read this and we’ll see you again real soon.

September 28, 2011November 15, 2013 by bbbigalow

D.J. Homicide – Homicide N.Y. Vol 2

Download Here!!!

September 26, 2011November 15, 2013 by bbbigalow

Alien Arafat a.k.a. Sicarii a.k.a. The God – Lost In 95:Rugged Reality EP Hosted by Allah

This is a project that Sicarii did in 2010 that was formulated to bring back the feeling of 90’s hip-hop. The music on this EP does a good job of transporting one back 16 years and brining back their youth. For me it brought back more memories of high school, much like the “Configa Beats” mixtape previously posted on this blog did. It contains all original beats and rhymes and has some really great features. Click the download link after the jump!

Download Here!!

September 23, 2011November 15, 2013 by bbbigalow

‘Done Clinic – Charlie Sheen (Winning) (Off "Legal Dope" Coming November 2011)

The wait is over! Here it is! This is an official leak off that ‘Done Clinic “Legal Dope” album coming to you in November. Peep the video and hit up the download link after the jump… Oh and don’t forget to check for that Sicarii “Tomorrow Is A Lie” Coming 2012!!! Done Clinc…. Get down or lay down!

Download link at the bottom of the page!!!

YouTube Link

LEGAL DOPE

DC ‘Done Clinic – ‘Legal Dope’ Tape
1. “Whose Banging Out Hard”
BJ Pen, Joe Young, and Sicarii (prod. by Karate Face)
2. “Rocksteady”
Bishop and Legacy (prod. by Quest Beats)
3. “Sucka Ducks”
Sicarii, Bishop, Poppa Bear and BJ Pen (prod. by Poppa Bear)
4. “Never Saw”
Sicarii, Legacy and Bishop (prod. by E-Wunna)
5. “Obituaries”
Bishop, Sicarii and Poppa Bear (prod. by Frank White)
6. “Perish The Thought”
BJ Pen, Bishop, Legacy and Sicarii (prod. by E-Wunna)
7. “Hey Dreamer”
Bishop, Legacy and Sicarii (prod. by Cris Beats)
8. “Precision Mechanics”
BJ Pen, Legacy, and Sicarii (prod. by E-Wunna)
9. “Charlie Sheen (Winning)”
Bishop, Sicarii, Legacy and Poppa Bear (prod. by Poppa Bear)
10. “Here Comes The Drums”
Joe Young, Sicarii, BJ Pen, and Bishop (prod. by Karate Face)
11. “Get It How U Live”
Bishop, BJ Pen and Sicarii (prod. by E-Wunna)
12. “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
Sicarii, Bishop and Joe Young (prod. by Ice Grill)
13. “Planet Methadone”
Sicarii, Bishop, and Legacy (prod. by E-Wunna)
14. “Scratching Our Way To The Top”
FMG (prod. by Karate Face)
15. “Gods Of Hell”
BJ Pen, Legacy, Sicarii and Poppa Bear (prod. by Pen Pointz)
16. “Mission Impossible”
Sicarii, Bishop, BJ Pen, and Legacy (prod. by Ice Grill)

Download “Charlie Sheen” Here!!!

September 21, 2011November 15, 2013 by bbbigalow

Soulja Boy (S. Beezy) – Supreme

Here we go and this time I can’t be nice. I’m just gonna get right into it… WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS DUDE THINKIN ABOUT? I don’t know how many of you heard about the diss on the last mixtape that he dropped aimed at the troops. Well I never liked him to begin with but I personally think he should have lost any recording rights he had. These guys are over there in Afghanistan and Pakistan and what not protecting the american public and he takes a shot at them? Why? Let’s not get too far off topic here… this is a review of “Supreme” the newest addition to his pile of shit he calls music.

It honestly is too hard to listen to this thing in depth to do a track for track break down so I’m just going to give a quick summary of the mixtape. Soulja boy has some of the worst lyrics and rhymes that I have ever heard. Who the hell has “swag like a video game”? And if you are really ballin like you say you are why are you writing songs about “Nintendo 64” and how many games you have for the thing?! The fuckin system is fifteen years old at least!! Get with the times man! You know… PS3…. Wii… Xbox 360!! What? Your rhymes are too wack to sell records so you can afford to buy a new console? I’m not surprised!
Another thing… You know when you can tell that you can’t rhyme? When you rhyme “Girl” with “Girl”. There are soooo many words in the English language that rhyme with “girl” and this fool can’t even think of one… not even if he looked in a rhyming dictionary… maybe he can’t read!? Maybe if he got his ass off the couch and put down the video games and picked up a book he wouldn’t sound like such a stupid prick when he was trying to rap. I mean seriously 4 songs on here are about video games!! REALLY? No i mean FRICKEN REALLY??
Well atleast he didn’t waste any money on any GOOD producers… all the beats are complete and total garbage. A prime example of how terrible the beats and rhymes and well, everything else about this mixtape are can be heard on the track titled … you’ll never guess… “Video Game Music”. This dude is just talking over an annoying beeping sound with a looped click high hat in the background. Then theres a track called “Wanna 69” on which he is asking a “shorty” if they wanna 69 with him… did he rush through making this mixtape or is he really this horrible?

Well I think you get the point… I don’t like this mixtape. Fuck it. I don’t like Soula Boy. I can’t understand where the money comes from that funds these bullshit mixtape projects when there are plenty of talented artists out there that would pretty much do anything for a shot at the limelight. Anybody who actually likes this mixtape, well, you have something seriously wrong with your hearing…don’t blame it on me when you end up with brain damage. I warned you.
Listen and Download Here

September 19, 2011November 15, 2013 by bbbigalow

Slaine vs. Slaine by Micheal Mussolini

I first met Slaine at a show in 2006, which we performed at, as well as Blacastan and The Problemaddicts. Up until that point, I had heard of his name, as I was a fan of Ill Bill and La Coka Nostra but had not heard any material from the man. After the show I promptly found “The White Man is the Devil” Vol. 1 and 2 (as those was the only releases he had out at the time) and instantly was more impressed with Slaine than I had been with any artist in a long time. Fast forward to today, and Slaine has blown thru the roof, with roles in 2 huge, Ben Affleck directed, Boston-based movies, a couple more mixtapes and a ravenous fanbase world wide. And that was the problem. It’s my understanding that Slaine and his label, Suburban Noize, were planning to drop “A World With No Skies” following the release of the “The Town”, a blockbuster flick, Mr. Carroll had a less than small part in. Now typically independent artists and labels don’t worry about sample clearance in the same fashion as cats on Def Jam, but due to his major status change, the label wasn’t comfortable putting out the project as recorded. Instead they shelved the original album and Slaine put out a mixtape “The Devil Never Dies” (solid but not spectatcular) on the planned release date. All with the promise that “A World With No Skies” would be reworked with less samples and drop fresh in 2011. I’m sure people were disappointed, but due to the beautiful invention we call the internet and someone that had an original copy, “A World With No Skies” became available bootleg-style with one google click. Seeing that it’s been about a month since the retail version, dubbed “A World With No Skies 2.0″ has hit the shelves, we thought it would be dope to compare the two pieces of music- the original artist vision vs. the reworked retail version and see who comes out on top. Yeah boy!

“A WORLD WITH NO SKIES” (ORIGINAL VERSION)

1. A WORLD WITH NO SKIES – Great way to start the album, picking right up where WHITE MAN IS A DEVIL VOL. 2. left off. Produced by Lu Balz, the beat is fast, bouncy,and dramatic allowing Slaine’s focused flow to do damage. The hook is dope too and I have seen him rock this live and it crushes shit. The beat change for the 3rd verse is cool and shows that Slaine and his respective producers are going all in on here. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONE OF SEVERAL BANGERS NOT FOUND ON “2.0” AND I GOTTA SAY THE PROJECT SUFFERS FOR IT.

2. VOICES OF APOCALYPSE – I think he got the title from Vinnie Paz, haha, but nah this joint is hard too. I recall HIGH & MIGHTY using this same sample on there debut album, but it sounds like it was replayed here. DJ LETHAL did the track, and its dope no doubt, but does sound a little bit like the prior track. Lyrics are typical Slaine- drugs, money, sex, but i especially like the hook. Oh the bassline drop at the end is nice too.

3. 99 BOTTLES – This joint took a little while to grow on me, as it was the first single from either project, and I was halfway expecting some real hard body shit. This is another fast, bouncy beat, produced by DMATIC, and Slaine beats up all over this shit. His flow is incredibly agile on here, with plenty internal and multi-syllabic rhymes. The hook is simple enough, but does the job, and def plays up the HOUSE OF PAIN anthem vibe, which is never bad. Slaine sounds like my man EXCETERA from THE CAMP on here, another Boston group. Anyway…

4. WHEN I SHOOT YOU – Not my favorite joint. Beat is okay, some piano dribbles and stiff drums, but the producer Lu Balz sounds like EMINEM on production here. I read in an interview that Slaine picked Lu Balz to do so much production (did like 75% of “2.0” and a bunch on here) because he was able to create dark, dramatic instrumentals without sampling. It’s good and bad, the instruments def sound crispy but I think it lacks the rugged factor. Slaine is in storyteller mode on here, kicking a tale about getting robbed leaving a party, which is cool but forgettable.

5. BLACK HORSES – Not feeling this at all. I tried to like it too, but the music sounds too familiar and the marching drums force Slaine to take on an almost double time flow, which is just awkward. The content is about dark dreams and nightmares but doesn’t make much sense and some of the shit about his mom getting raped, just turned me off. Shoulda left this off the retail version, in my humble opinon

6. NIGHT AFTER NIGHT – Here we fucking go. STATIK SELEKTAH give Slaine some hard boom-bap shit to recount his career over. The sample is so dope, and Statik’s trademark sound was direly needed at this point. The cuts on the chorus interwoven with the vocal sample is hot as hell. This is a god damn banger, but was ultimately taken off “2.0”, due no doubt to the crazy samples. A SHAME!

7. CRILLIONAIRES – This song is cool but was already heard a bunch as it was on myspace for a while (back when that was poppin!). I guess Q-UNIQUE did the beat and has the first verse, with ILL BILL and SLAINE coming with verse 2 and 3 and both doing what they do. Slaine wins on here lyrically, but when the beat drops and goes into that same sample used on “NOWHERE TO RUN” by THE GRAVEDIGGAZ, that’s the illest part. I gotta say this: WHY DOES ILL BILL’S VOCALS ALWAYS SOUND LIKE HOT DOG SHIT??? They never used to, but after the La Coka album, A LOT (not all) of his verses sound terribly recorded, turning me off to the entire KILL DEVIL HILLS album. Does no one else notice that??? This was taken off “2.0” and rightfully so, as it would have been played out by that point.

8. THE AMERICAN WAY – Another STATIK SELEKTAH banger!!! The guitar sample is crazy, and Slaine talks about his hopes, dreams, and why he is not a role model. Simple but ill. I like when he does the everyman shit like this, and I’m sure his hoardes of fans do too. Of course this joint never had a shot on “2.0”…

9. LANDSCAPES – Ok, this track is fucking ridiculous. This is why I’m a Slaine fan, and a VINNIE PAZ and REEF THE LOST CAUZE fan for that matter. All 3 come super correct, with punchlines and talking about coming up in the game. It’s too hard to call on here, but Slaine’s ending line “The Dimock to 6 figures, right here in America” pretty much sums up the entire album! Credited to Hirolla (on Wikipedia) as producer, this was the ultimate sample clearance fatality.

10. MISTAKEN IDENTITY – STATIK SELEKTAH gives Slaine some room to tell a great story about…you guessed it…mistaken identity. Good story song, but it was another track that had already circulated pretty heavy by the time I heard it on here. Good call pinch-hitting for it on “2.0”, but its still dope.

11. BROKEN – Didn’t pay much attention to this at first. Matty Trump, who produced the lion’s share of Slaine’s early material, did the beat on here, and its melodic and head nodding. V-Nuxx from NBS kinda gets Slaine on here, as they both talk about being broken emotionally. “I thought he’d be the first black man on the moon”, from Nuxx verse is the line that gets stuck in my head. Good song, if not incredible. Don’t hear too much sampling on here, most likely the reason it stays on “2.0”. By the way, I like the way they each go back for 8 bars each on the 3rd verse. That HEAVY METAL KINGS syndrome of two rappers, two 16’s and that’s it, gotta go.

12. TILL THE DAY THAT WE DIE – The homie, CHUM THE SKRILLA GORILLA, laces Slaine with some straight rugged shit for him to paint pictures of his family life over. Fuck “All I Need”, I could play this shit at my wedding. Having a troubled relationship and new son myself, I especially enjoy when Slaine touches on subjects like this. Cuts on the outro are ill too. I cried tears of leak when this got chopped off “2.0”

13. CRAZY – I do not care for this song. It sounds like some almost west-coast shit, but the harpsichord or whatever annoys me. Hard to believe DC THE MIDI ALIEN produced this, but lyrically Slaine, JAYSAUN and B-REAL from CYPRESS HILL all do their thing, just wish it was over a different beat. Of course this one would stay on the retail album lol.

14. I AIN’T DONE – Back to business!! This song circulated in a leaked form before either version of the album dropped, and I liked it since then. Lu Balz is back on the boards here, and this sounds like “Black Horses”‘s hotter, smarter and bigger breasted sister. Slaine is as paranoid, miserable and drugged out as ever on here, and its great!

15. INSOMNIA – This joint is good, but I find myself skipping past it, as the next next two songs are my favorite from the original record. By now, you either love Slaine or hate him lyrically, so there is no real suprises, although he sounds especially focused on this song. Lu Balz again on this one, and it hits hard although the chorus chants are a bit much. I think this ended up on the bonus disk for “2.0”

16. BODY OF CHRIST – To me, this is the crown jewel of the album, and should have remained on the retail version, samples or not. This is a dramatic, very hip-hop look at Slaine’s religious beliefs. SICKNATURE tends to have the same sounding beats, like the underground’s LEX LUGER (BMF, MC HAMMER, GET it!) but the thing is that the template he uses is BANGING to begin with, so it’s all good. “They nailed Jesus up to 2 pieces of wood”, this is the Slaine that won me over in ’06.

17. GHOSTS – This song and the one before it, go together almost like twins attached at the scalp. But they each can live on there own, as this song was forced to do on “2.0”. Slaine once again recounts his younger life, but this time is very visual and the imagry is fantasic. The lines about his grandma and Jeru’s “Come Clean” are my favorite shit on here.The super-consistent DJ LETHAL helmed this instrumental and much like other Slaine songs he produced, the chemistry is evident.

18. THE LAST SONG – I dont really like this song and I dont know why. I think its the faux-rock vibe. For me, I usually stop the album at #17, but listening to it now, it’s really not “wack” just not my cup of tea. Slaine talks about dying. EVERLAST croons the hook. Ok.

OVERALL RATING: CRACK (4 outta 5)

I gotta remind yall that this is just my opinion. I’m an artist AND a fan, and a music lover. I fucking love hip-hop. When i write these reviews i take the artist hat off, and just let it fly…With that said, I really really enjoy this album. It’s solid as fuck, great production (if a bit redundant), great lyricism, tons of imagery and soul searching, demon cleansing and dream chasing. I fucks with that. Is it better than “2.0”??? You gotta read the rest of the review and see…

A WORLD WITH NO SKIES 2.0

1. BLACK HORSES – Again? Really? First song? Hmmm

2. VOICES OF APOCALYPSE – Sounds slightly reworked, added Slaine talking to himself, might have re-spit some bars and i think the main instrument is altered a bit. Good choice to include.

3. 99 BOTTLES – Same shit, had to include the single

4. WHEN I SHOOT YOU – Yeah, would have prefered LANDSCAPES, BODY OF CHRIST or any of the STATIK SELEKTAH tracks. Not wack tho.

5. ZOMBIE – I hate this. Typically, I like rock music and hip-hop music, BUT NOT TOGETHER AT ALL. Hook is super corny. I’m POSITIVE there is a bunch of kids that start off every day with this song, but I’M NOT ONE OF THEM.

6. CANT GO HOME – DJ Waxworks gets the hip-hop back on the record, with some very dope drums and piano keys. Slaine talks about his rising status, and how he feels more alone than anything. Hook is dope, I like when Slaine harmonizes shit. This song is fire.

7. YOU – The first of the new batch of songs I heard after the bootleg. This song is a fuck-YOU to haters and critics. Producer SILVAMORE gives Slaine plenty room to talk shit, and he does just that. Lyrics are on point here, and any song that calls leaky leak: “crazy eddie” is ok in my book. Not incredible, but very dope.

8. JUMPING OUT THE WINDOW – CYRUS DESHIELD starts the track off with some soulful vocals, which drops into Slaine cursing his fame. EDO G comes in for the 3rd verse and the song is all the better for it. Song is good, another Lu Balz beat, but I GOTTA comment that this is the first of a few similar tracks here on “2.0” where Slaine gets mildly introspective, someone sings on the hook, and the beat tries to sound hard, melodic and melencholy at the sime time. Sounds like some ALEX DA KID produced shit.

9. CRAZY – Still no like.

10. I AIN’T DONE – Still dope as shit.

11. THE BOULEVARD – Hands down, the illest of all the new songs. Lu Balz and SILVAMORE get some violin stabs, a breakbeat, and thumping drums to score this posse cut with Slaine, THE FUCKING HOMIE BLACASTAN (proud of you my dude), SEAN PRICE, and ILL BILL. I can’t call it, Blac and Sean P come very hard, no homillz. It’s not “Landscapes” but its crazy still.

12. BROKEN – Still ill

13. GHOSTS – Misses “Body of Christ” lol.

14. WHERE MY HEART IS – Exhibit A of what I said on track 8. Slaine reworks the family song, with good results. Lu Balz and Silvamore connect again on the beat, a nice little team, but its fairly familiar. Not feeling the hook, sorry. I like singing, I LOVE singing, I just dont like THIS singing. Song overall makes up for it.

15. BORROWED TIME – Another incredibly dope artist, Sicarii, had a song with the same title. That not with standing, this song is good, if not great. Slaine talks about his drug use over some reverse effect drums for the verse, then the hook drops and the drums thump with some DOPE singing. CHECKMARK of the SKITZOFRENIKS suprised me on here, getting deep with Slaine. I aint heard from dude in mad long, but most SKITZ material was light hearted punchlines. This could be a new lane for homie. Lu Balz got another good song under his production belt, but the beat on the hook gets a little overly dramatic towards the end. Still I gotta applaud these dudes for putting they all into it. Chill with the chants tho…for real…haha.

16. THE LAST SONG – Is it really now?? Still aiight, “2.0” had a FYE bonus disc with 5 MORE songs, which I’m not gonna review because I think I’ve had enough Slaine for one day. That’s not saying I dont walk away impressed.

OVERALL RATING – DOPE (3 outta 5)

THE REAL DEAL – Ok, I think it’s pretty obvious that I prefer the original version over “2.0”. Lyrically, both projects are pretty much neck and neck, but musically a cat like me enjoys dusty, rugged, sample and keyboard based head nod shit over ALL keyboard, similar sounding tracks. Everyone involved with both albums is very talented and got a good career ahead of them, but i mean tastes are tastes. And I got mine. Slaine is STILL the man, one of Massachusetts’ and the rap game’s most dangerous mc’s, flutently discussing the streets, the drug game, women, addiction, family all on one (or 2) records. His ability to invite the listener into his life is uncanny and genuine. However, I wish they were able to find a way to include some of the stronger bootleg tracks on the retail version, and filter out some of the others. Can’t wait to see where he will go from here…

oh and my ratings is as follows:
1 outta 5 – GARBAGE
2 outta 5 – AIIGHT
3 outta 5 – DOPE
4 outta 5 – CRACK
5 outta 5 – CLASSIC