专辑简介

The recipe for successful commercial hip-hop seems to be overly thuggish rapping over bright and bouncy club-style beats. Everyone from Jay-Z to N.O.R.E. to P. Diddy has repeated this formula time and time again. Enter Philly's Most Wanted. This young duo from Philadelphia released "Get Down or Lay Down" in 2001. The vast majority of the record was produced by The Neptunes, who, after crafting hits for Mystikal, Jay-Z, and Beenie Man the year before, were on the verge of huge success that they are currently enjoying, making songs for every popular act in the music business.

The Neptunes created beats for a large number of the songs here. This makes them sound very interesting. The two rappers, Boo-Bonic and Mr. Man, constantly rap about nothing but beautiful women, getting respect from the haters, packing heat, and selling drugs. Sound familiar? Of course. But how can you be mad when they are presented over such a lush soundscape? The line-trading of "Philly Celebrities" has such a bouncy beat that you cannot help but think of riding with the top down in the summertime. And the verses spit on "Cross the Border" and "Please Don't Mind" sound so slick that the average lyricism and tired subject matter (pushing drugs and picking up girls at the club, respectively) doesn't even phase you.

Of course, there are a few weak points. By the end of the CD, the trademark Neptunes beats sound a little boring and the lyrics become a little predictable. But still, you can't get mad when The Neptunes produce great music and the few other guest producers (including Just Blaze) fare just as well. Congratulations to Most Wanted AND The Neptunes for creating a rap album that although based on what has been done and will be done many more times, still manages to sound fresh, giving you beats to nod your head to, ride to, and quick lyrics you won't need to decipher but rather just listen and enjoy for music's sake.