this is from RESPECTED blogger Byron Crawford's blog:Jadakiss, The Last Kiss (Def Jam, 2009)
It's obvious, from the metro cover to the number of guest appearances listed on the back, that Def Jam pulled out all of the stops with this new Jadakiss album. Will this be the gayest album ever, or the album where he finally ascends to the ranks of a Jay-Z? Perhaps it'll be both. Let's have a look.
Jadakiss @ MySpace
PAIN & TORTURE
This production is all bombastic like something you might hear on a Killah Priest album circa 2002. (I'm a**uming. Why would I be listening to a Killah Priest album?) These East Coast LCD rappers love to pull shit like that. I'm surprised there aren't any sped up vocal samples. I suppose we're only one track in.
CAN'T STOP ME
Jadakiss' sounds cooler now than it ever has, perhaps due to weed smoking. But where's the punchlines? We're about five verses into the album, and nothing has really grabbed me. Jada spits hotter shit during guest verses on other people's songs than he does on his own album.
WHO'S REAL
It's Maino's "Hi Hater" meets the kind of music you thought Swizz Beatz stopped making back when you were in college. Lots of bounce rhythms and chanting.
GRIND HARD
Def Jam really pulled out all of the stops with the guest appearances, didn't they? How does Jada ever expect to make any money from this album, even if he got out of that deal where his album budget goes straight to Diddy?
SOMETHING ELSE
The last few songs in a row haven't been very New York-sounding. This one sounds like it could be a Young Buck song. What gives? If I wanted to hear a southern rap album, I'd cop a southern rap album.
ONE MORE STEP
A song with Jada's Lox bandmate Styles P, who obviously has a much better ability to tell the difference between a good idea and a bad idea. As such, I'm a**uming it was Jada's idea for them to trade bars on this, Run DMC-style.
STRESS YA
Tell me this is knockoff Pharrell and not the real deal. I've heard plenty of bullshit from him over the years, but this is especially weak. Damn, I think it is him. That's him on the chorus, right?
WHAT IF
A sort of sequel to that song "Why," with Nas. It's much gayer than the original. Whereas the original had (just) a hint of cla**ic soul grit, this is on some teh ghey-a** Debarge shit. Actual Nas quote: "If Obama was on Rushmore, would Ali give Tyson a bust jaw?"
THINGS I'VE BEEN THROUGH
Jada gets all reflective about his career (such as it's been) over a retarded Luther Vandross beat. Retarded in the pejorative sense of the term, like actual retarded kids.
I TRIED
I try to say goodbye and I choke, try to walk away and I stumbleeeeeeeee.
ROCKING WITH THE BEST
Jada actually orders you to two step at the beginning of this. Is that what's hot in the streets, guys dancing? Oh, and the chorus actually consists of dancing instructions, Billy Ray Cyrus-style!
SMOKING GUN
The requisite song for the bitches, on an album where there's hardly a song suitable for a man to listen to. The girl who does the chorus sounds like a budget Alicia Keys. The shit she sings even kinda reminds me of "No One." Sorta.
CARTEL GATHERING
Sweet, it's Ghostface. The way he kicks this one off: "Ayo, we four or five niggas with furs on." Ghost has been on fire lately. I could use a new album from him, even though there's been a new Ghostface album seemingly every six months for the past several years now.
COME AND GET ME
But wasn't there already a rap song called "Come and Get Me?" One of those lame-a** Jay-Z songs from Volume 3. The Birthday Boy, Sheek Louch, contributes guest raps. He should stick to songs for the bitches. That one song he had was the tits. Nhjic.
BY MY SIDE
Jada goes full-on gay, with a disco beat and Ne-Yo on the chorus. The DL brothers are gonna love this one.
LETTER TO B.I.G.
You heard this back around that time the Biggie album came out. I heard Jada got paid to name drop Coogi. That's just... I'm not even sure what word to use other than sad. Couldn't we have taken up a collection instead?
SOMETHING ELSE REMIX
The original, like every other track on this, was crying out for a remix. But I think they got the wrong idea. The whole point of a remix is to make it better, right?
DEATH WISH
They tacked this one on just because there's probably some corporate policy about releasing an album without a verse from Lil Wayne.
COMMENTS: This album bored me to tears. Literally. About halfway through, I broke down and started crying. My little brother walked in and asked what was wrong, and I told him I figured I'd review this new Jadakiss album, but it turned out to be the gayest album I've heard in a while, but I didn't want to quit, since I was already halfway done. Then I pulled it together and powered on through. I kinda wish I didn't.
BEST TRACKS: "Can't Stop Me" "Grind Hard" "Cartel Gathering"
just the messenger, dont shoot!! just thought id post a somewhat different opinion since all youl seem to be liking tha Lp like that
