Posted on 09/14/2005

 

"Who's the bad mother fucker with the super sperm?" Unfortunately, U-God thinks he is. Also, according to the one sheet that came with his newest album, he also thinks he is a "part of hip hop history." What is left out is that he is a part of hip-hop history by affiliation, not by his own actions. There are plenty of reasons why independent music is a great thing but perhaps its biggest downfall is that it allows people like U-God to assert themselves to a much higher level of importance than their actions have merited. Not to mention that it enables U-God to release more than one solo album (seriously, how un-anticipated is this?).

Anyone looking for endless hip-hop clichés and catch phrases that wore out their welcome in 1996 will think U-God is the GOAT (editor's note: Greatest Of All Time) after listening to this album. The record opens up with a blatant rehash attempt at past Wu-Tang glories (that would be "Uzi (Pinky Ring)" in this case) and the pathetic patronizing and catering continues right on through the vintage 1998 down south bounce attempt "Hit 'Em Up, Roll Up" and the cartoonish G-Funk of "Get Down" featuring Ras Kass and MC Eiht sound-alikes (oh wait, that really is MC Eiht).

After those "highlights", the album settles into mediocre productions and endless shit-talking about clichés that were never that cool to brag about in the first place. Blatant gun talk graces the cheesy keyboard crafted "Dance With A Gangsta" while ridiculous materialism gets littered all over the hilariously titled "Go Get Pretty Like Me" (complete with a high pitched Curtis Mayfield-styled singer who actually rhymes "bitches" with "snitches" – I want to be reminded of 1994, but not like that).

The "Dedication Skit" and its follow-up "Drugs" might have you wondering if this is a joke. But, as the one sheet explains, "Mr. Xcitement is a 2005 chromed out black Bentley with a powder blue interior, cruising the 'hood, blasting a mix tape of classic Wu, Hillside Scramblers, Temptations and Sinatra with shout outs from Sammy and Cleopatra Jones, Goodfellas and Kojak in rotation on the in-dash DVD system."

Right.