|
Hot on the heels of one of the most unlikely collaborations in
a while (Dead Prez with the Outlawz "Can't Sell Dope Forever)
comes another interesting pairing, Stic.man from Dead Prez and
Young Noble from the Outlawz with "Soldier 2 Soldier". One
part Tupac influenced flows and swagger and one part Dead Prez
revolutionary lyrics and high quality beats. Since Tupac's
passing the Outlawz have never managed to make a real mark on
the musical landscape, but with "Can't Sell Dope Forever" they
took a step in the right direction. "Soldier 2 Soldier"
continues along that path, gritty, raw, made for the streets,
but with a message in every song.
Sometimes emcees and people in general need to be paired with
someone that's superior in order to bring the best out of
them, and that is exactly what happens on this offering. Stic
plays the role of seasoned vet as he outshines Young Noble on
just about every track, but that's to be expected when trading
verses with one of the most underrated emcees in the game. I
was never a big fan of the Outlawz but Noble's performance had
me nodding in agreement as he showed that he can attack real
subject matters and has matured immensely since his days with
Pac.
The album has a Cali heavy sound, with mostly west coast
producers providing the back drop, both Stic and Noble sound
very comfortable on the tracks, and actually compliment each
other pretty nicely. Stand out tracks include: the first
single Runaway Slave (self explanatory), How You
Like That where they ponder how white folks would feel if
they traded places with blacks, Daddy Loves You, an ode
to the real fathers out there, and my favorite Soul Music
(also self explanatory).
All in all a solid outing, that both coasts should be able to
embrace, Outlawz fans get the same sound and feel but with a
message, Dead Prez fans get to see Stic show versatility. An
album made to reach those that are still in the streets trying
to find their way out.
-->Talib Nelson
|
