Rating:
Genre:
Rap
Release Date: 01/18/1999
Run Time: 83:26
Natas'
WWW.Com album finds the trio finally having abandoned their locker-room mentality towards women and constant urge to provoke their audience in favor of less exploitative subject matter. Some may be disappointed with this, but most will agree that it's a change for the better. Furthermore, the album doesn't rely on samples as much as the early to mid-'90s
Esham and
Natas material, instead using live instrumentation, resulting in a potent collage of gritty hip-hop beats with an aggressive rock tone. It may have taken
Esham nearly a decade to guide his group to this point, but the slow evolution and persistence on his part finally pays off: This is an important album, even if it didn't sell many copies. Sure,
Esham's earlier work still retains a certain sense of importance, particularly as the prototype for rap-rock stars such as
Kid Rock and
Limp Bizkit. It's just far too hard to stomach his group's blatant theatrics of old -- raunchy sex, Satanic baiting, unnecessary morbidity, an overall sense of utter irresponsibility, violent gang mentality -- even if you take it lightly, making musically intriguing albums such as
Blaze4me nearly intolerable. This album is arguably the first that you can actually take seriously from a lyrical standpoint as well as from a musical. It's a bit unfortunate, though, that his album never crossed over with either rock, rap, or metal audiences, once again penetrating only
Esham's firmly established niche.
~Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
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