O'Shea Jackson's fifth solo album, the awkwardly-titled , came five years after his prior effort. Yeah, there was that one other track that Suge Knight got a hold of and gave to 2Pac instead, but aside from that, Cube and Dre never did shit to advance this particular narrative. It's a shame, really: in the mid-1990s, that album could have changed lives and shit. In the five years between solo albums, the hip hop landscape had changed significantly, and not all for the better. Ice Cube was forced to contend with the combination of musical genres, a conspiracy set forth by record label executives in an effort to sell more units to a wider audience. At least that's my explanation for the existence of Limp Bizkit. The watering-down of hip hop is still something that's a problem today, but back in 1998, Cube actually thought he could fight back, which was admirable. This is how was born, sort of. And a few of the tracks are some pure unadulterated bullshit. But one of the best aspects of Ice Cube's finest work was his storyteller's ear, and thankfully, that version of O'Shea stuck around in the studio after hours. And yet he still tries, but his flow has long since abandoned the politically-charged seething anger that dominated his early solo work, as he now has the system working for him. It's nice that he included his weed carrier Mr. Short Khop on the hook: I suppose Mack 10 was too big a name at the time to contribute grunt work such as that? The first single, which I honestly remember liking back in 1998, even though it isn't that great of a performance. Joe's beat is different from anything else Cube has utilized up to this point in his career. Short Khop offers up a closing verse that sounds like Weed Carrier 101, but he does sound decent enough over the beat, so that's something. Cube uses the ineffective beat to compare the creation of the Frankenstein monster to his come-up in the gangsta rap game. He goes the storytelling route he's going to do that a lot on here: he's kind of well-known for it , but the impact is lessened thanks to the beat, the horribly-acted wraparound skit, and Short Khop, Weed Carrier Overly-Ordinaire's terrible hook. At least O'Shea sounded okay: that Don Mega persona was temporarily dropped in favor of stark reflection on here. Also, props to Cube for remembering that Frankenstein was the name of the doctor and not the monster. But this shit sucked anyway. And there's Don Mega again: he never actually left, he was just over at the bar this entire time. The late 1990s were a strange time: Y2K, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria. Just kidding: this song wasn't anywhere near a hit. For what it's worth, it doesn't sound awful: Korn were competent musicians even back then. Yeah, I know what I said. But the mash-up feel, created before mash-ups were as prevalent as they are now, was a bit much. Not only that, the hook is an interpolation of Gwen Stefani's first few lines of that particular song, altered to match the title of this track. Yeah, this shit is terrible. But hey, Mack 10's name is dropped at the very end, which has to count for something, right? Bud'da's beat complements O'Shea's tale well. This was closer to the kind of shit Cube used to spit. Very much biting the han that feeds you, Cube. MP Remember when Master P has enough clout in this here rap game that he could make random appearances on high-profile projects and nobody would bat an eye? The song itself was more ass than cash, though. THE CURSE OF MONEY FEAT. MACK 10 is a study in contradictions. You know those stories about lottery winners who lose everything and end up worse off than before? Essentially that, except Cube also talks about what happens when you're no longer a hot commodity, and Mack 10 pops back up to spit the final verse. Laughs But I love it! The listener is left not really knowing what to think about the topic at hand. Too bad: the instrumental could have been put to much better use, possibly for a Westside Connection song. Why even include Mack 10 if he isn't contributing a verse? SHORT KHOP O'Shea rapping about living the high life? That's actually pretty accurate: it is his lifestyle, after all. This song is just as stupid as its title, but at least our host tries to shake things up by casting Short Khop in the role of a man who desperately wants what Cube has and plans on taking it by any means necessary. It's that whole mixed-message thing again: the uncertainty doesn't make Cube sound deep, just confused. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE PROJECTS 2 Hey, when in doubt, a sequel will help you out. Right, Barbershop: The Next Cut's Ice Cube? Surprisingly, though, Cube does not break out and kill everybody, nor does he become the hero: he actually runs and hides in a bedroom. Granted, he's looking for some sort of weapon, but it was still a nice change of pace. Deserved a better instrumental. I'm also disappointed that the titular phrase is never mentioned in full during the song, as that would have been fucking hilarious. IF I WAS FUCKIN' YOU FEAT. That's just fucking lame, O'Shea. EXTRADITION Now our host is on the run, fleeing the state of California after getting word that the feds are out looking for him. Cube's attention to little details helps him stand out in the road: there aren't many rap songs that talk about how difficult it is to rent a hotel room or a car without a credit card. The Cube and Bud'da beat was kind of weak, but O'Shea the storyteller is on point. Joe beat was alright, but the song itself wasn't so hot. The song doesn't hit as hard as an indictment of the system really should, and then it just kind of ends. As will this paragraph, I suppose. FINAL THOUGHTS: is far from essential listening: hell, your life may even improve by not ever listening to it. The low moments are among the worst of the man's long and storied career. However, one shouldn't count the man out: his mind may be Hollywood, but he did start off as a rapper first, and when he realizes that, the moments that are created are actually pretty palpable. His ear for beats is pretty shit, and I write that knowing that he co-produced several songs on the album, but lyrically, when the man actually gives a damn, you'll give a damn. Hip hop doesn't really have a ton of storytellers anymore: all I ever hear on the radio are shit-talkers, fake gangsters, and Drake clones. So when I come across an older album with some choice examples of what it sounds like when a writer gets a hold of a rap song, it's worth noting. Again, is not a good album in any sense of the word. But there are moments worth sharing, and for that, the man should be proud. Not that Korn song, though: I think we all should forget that shit ever happened, Cube included.
