Cuban Linx 2 Review

Coming fourteen years after its predecessor, Raekwon's 'Only Built For Cuban Linx..Pt. II' has hit the shelves and has not missed a beat. Though there were two other studio albums in between parts I and II (The Lex Diamond Story and Immobilarity), this album shines, especially at a time when quality hip-hop seems harder to find.

This album is not for everyone. No autotune; no million dollar guest spots from sub-par rapper/producers; no annoying club bangers. This is a Wu-Tang production, plain and simple. Rae sticks to what makes Wu (related) albums classic: quality beats, thought-out verses with multi layered metaphors and rhymes, and the "Wu Gambino" flavor that has become an example for other rappers to follow.

Raekwon has made a living making rhymes sometimes so complicated that you miss what hes saying upon first listen. His extensive use of Staten Island slang combined with crime lingo and his love for everything Polo, Fila, and other brand names from the 90s all come together to make verses so powerful and intricate that the listener hangs on every word. Repeat listens are rewarded with quality lines.

Add this to some top-notch production from veterans like Dr Dre, RZA, and the late, great J Dilla, and what youre left with is an album that plays through 22 tracks, with almost every song leaving you with something to like. I won't lie, a few of the tracks would have probably been better on a mixtape, but overall between the beats, kung-fu samples from movies like John Woo's "The Killer" (classic Wu), and the guest spots from Ghostface, Method Man, and other members of the Wu-Tang Clan, this album will soon find its home in your collection.

Shyne Deported to Belize

It seems to be official. Shyne has been released from jail. And according to this source, he has been denied residency in the U.S. Apparently an appeal from his father could not persuade the governor of New York. Keep posted on whats next for Shyne...

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/shyne-deported-by-us-immigration-authorities_1120559