Kiss The Game Back

Come on, how many of you got excited by the prospect of Jadakiss's solo album, only to buy it, and than slap yourself for buying one of the worst Hip Hop albums ever? Yeah, like i suspected a few. But your not alone, i was also suckered in, and vowed to never buy anything else ever again to do with The Lox.

Thankfully however, i'm not so strong willed, and decided to have another shot at The Lox, when Styles (aka Holiday Styles, The Ghost, Paniero, that fella from The Lox, etc, etc..) dropped his debut solo album. I was hoping it was not going to be another Ruff Ryderesque album with tired beats, dumb hooks and Snoop Dogg guesting.

Well its not, sure the album still has a couple Of 'Kiss The Game Goodbye' moments, but they are overshadowed by some of the best Hip Hop tracks in recent memory. Anyway hop on and i'll take you on an oscillating trip through Styles mind...

1. Intro - N/A

2. Good Times - 4/5
Wicked sample introduces this typical Ruff Ryder style track, with amped synthesizer and hard bass. This beat is Swizz Beatz at his best, with a hard beat and clever sample manipulation. Styles raps about getting high, but his lyrics fail to rise above the brilliant beat.
"I smoke like Bob Marley did
Add to that, that I smoke like the Hippies did back in the 70's
Spit with the finishing touch
Get this, that I'ma finish you before I finish the dutch"

3. Yall Know We In Here - 2/5
Average track, has a lame beat, a dumb hook, and Styles is let down by producers who should spend more time improving there tracks, rather than give a poor attempt at being MC's.

4. A Gangster And A Gentleman - 5/5
Back to another good beat on some medievil epic point. Styles spits about his struggle with a hook that has a deeper meaning than its initial impact. Great track, Styles rips this one.

5. Black Magic - 4.5/5
This track is more for the charts, but fortunately it's not some lame club track. Alchemist produces a soulful beat in the vain of the best MC/soul singer collab tracks. Angie Stone's soft tones combine well with Styles introspective rhymes, creating a chilled vibe, with meaning. This is 100 times better than some Ashanti/Ja-Rule effort.

6. Daddy Get Cash - 3.5/5
After a couple of quieter tracks, Styles gives a 'cash rules' track with a more vibed beat. The beat is strong with a drum like synth, Styles continues to flow well, even if the subject is somewhat redundent.

7. Lick Shots - 2.5/5
Gangster track with some interesting production. Guns firings is used as the tracks real hook. Interesting, but only for its novelty value.

8. And I Came To... - 1/5
Another Ruff Ryders type track with Eve and Sheek. Heard this all before. Next.

9. Get Paid - 4.5/5
Now the album gets back on track, bouncing beat with a very cool hook. Kids singing the hook create a fresh vibe, while the Ghosts lays some enthusiastic lines.

10. A** Bag - N/A
First of many unfunny overlong skits.

11. I'm A Ruff Ryder - 3.5/5
Another Ruff Ryder track, but this one actually has a good piano beat. Styles and Jadakiss combine as a part of The Lox, and spit some clever lines and metaphors. Not bad.

12. Soul Clap - 3/5
Another interestingly produced track with a raw beat over a Kool & The Gang sample, with some gun sound effects. Styles comes Gangster again, creating a tough sounding track.
"I'm the gentleman to hold the door
I'm the gangsta that's lettin off the three while loadin the four
rather get a Soul Clap than clap your soul
honey askin how many blunts I have to roll"

13. We Thugs (My Ni**as) - 4/5
This is The Lox at there best, with a motivating beat, rapping about there 'hood' and there way of life. Very commercial in a good sense with an easy to get into beat and hook. The rappers swap turns, bringing back Run DMC memories, with a gangster edge. Sheek comes the best on this track.

14. Styles - 1/5
Woeful 80's Casio keyboard beat with a reggae feel. Horrible memories of UB40 come flooding back when listening to this track. Neither Styles or Jadakiss manage to save this track, as they also lay some very average verses.

15. Barbershop - N/A
Skit.

16. Listen - 5/5
Great accoustic beat with some nice sampling, are shadowed by a humbled Styles. Styles raps some tight emotional lyrics, as he tries to give comfort to those in the struggle. This is A grade music, its deep, beautiful, and unlike alot of commercial Hip Hop, it is understated.
"I gotta think if the president is prejudice
and that's another eight years down
the 500 year warn, that's a eight year round
I don't really mean to sweat it
but the war been on before they came on your TV and settle"

17. Ni**as - N/A
Skit.

18. Yall Don't Wanna F*** - 3/5
Loud bragadocia joint, with those head banging M.O.P boys. M.O.P comes as hardcore as ever, while Styles keeps the lid on, preventing the track blowing up. Ok.

19. S**t Done Changed - N/A
Skit.

20. Nobody Believes Me - 5/5
This is my favourite song on the album. Styles raps about his knife, gun, haze and cash, speaking to him. Kind of like a different angle to the old devil and angel conflict. Styles lays some outstanding storytelling verses, to a restrained but nice piano beat, and Sheek laying the mind talk. This track is one of those innovative masterpieces that rarely comes by. Dope.
"I said money you the root of evil
How they print "In God We Trust" knowing what you do to people
But I'm a hard felon
So I grabbed two stacks, dirty and bloody cause I heard my car yelling"

21. Dedication - N/A
Skit.

22. My Brother - 5/5
Deep and meaningful track about Styles loss of his brother. Styles once again excels with some really deep lyrics, as he outpours his grief with his tongue. Nice.

23. Outro - N/A

24. The Life (bonus track) - 5/5
I wonder why this track was just a bonus, it deserved a fully fledged spot on this albums line up. Its another introspective track, with Styles stil shining. These sort of tracks are where Styles is one of the true best. His lyrics are smart, but he still keeps a 'gangsta' profile, and not sounding geekish.


Whoa, where do i start. This album has alot of very very good Hip Hop joints. I mean 'Good Times', A Gangster & A Gentleman', 'Black Magic', 'Get Paid', 'Listen', 'Nobody Believes Me', 'My Brother' and 'The Life' are the epitome of great music. Styles carves when he gets down and gives an emotional street rhymes about lifes struggles. His rhymes are both clever and poignant, backed with a very good flow. Styles also shows he has a clever streak, equal to the Jay-Z's or Eminem's of the world with tracks like 'Nobody Believes Me' and 'Get Paid'.

However its a real shame that this album just falls short of being a classic, by having some mundane tracks that should be left for Jadakiss projects only. Than to further dirty the good efforts on this album, Styles gives the listener some very long and very bad skits, that are not even worth listening through once. Why i wonder though? There is enough good stuff here for a solid 12-14 track album, that would be hard to fault. Instead you'll find yourself pressing the >> button a few times in order to keep the album flowing like it should.

In the end i still recommend this album. A few tracks on this album are must haves, and its not to hard to pre-program your CD player to skip the weaker joints and annoying skits. After you do this, there is an album here equal to any other put out in the last 3 years. Styles is a commercial MC who at his best sprays insightful, heartfelt lyrics at an enjoyable level that will please many.