Reviewer: Nathanial Grogan "styles678" (CH, NC) - See all my reviews
I'm not sure why I'm reviewing this obscure album, but I guess it's because I was just looking for some Latino rappers to listen to and came up with this CD (I found it used at a local record store for $4). I had never heard of Rhyme Poetic Mafia before I picked up this CD, but DJ Ringleader Ace's name rang a bell (mostly because I'm an Ice-T fan, and he's worked with the Iceberg on more than a few occasions).
RPM doesn't do anything particularly new, and this album also sounds a bit dated. DJ Ringleader Ace's G-Funk production just screams mid- to late-90s', and Powerlord Jel's subject matter (guns, violence, and money) is far from original. On the other hand, if that's the kind of stuff you're into, this album is at least somewhat enjoyable. Powerlord Jel's menacing vocal tone and occasionally introspective rhymes is more than enough to sell his tales of the gangsta life, and the beats are certainly dark and funky enough to provide a good backdrop for his lyrics. Interestingly enough, this album does have a thesis of sorts - everyone knows that money is "the root of all evil", and several tracks deal with this concept. It's certainly not profound, but it gives the album a focal point, for what that counts.
There are some clear standout tracks. My favorite song on the album is probably "What Cha Claimin' (O.G.)", a bouncy G-Funk track with a talkbox on the hook. (This song was also on the soundtracks to "My Baby's Dady" and "Redemptioin: The Stan Tookie Williams Story".) In keeping with the album's aforementioned thesis, the title track is about the evils that men do for money, and similar territory is covered by "Money Makes The Hood". "Rhymes Iz Fatal" is a nice lyrical showcase for Powerlord Jel that is somewhat reminiscent of Snoop's "Tha Shiznit" in that it features a simple beat to allow the MC to play with his rhymes and flows uninterrupted. Ice-T and Kurupt do a nice collaboration with RPM on "Word To The Wise". And of course, as is obligatory for a gangsta rap album, RPM takes time to remind listeners of the consequences of being a thug on the very mellow "G-Life".
On the other hand, this album feels a bit long (20 tracks, 17 songs) and can easily get boring for listeners who aren't G-Funk addicts or fans of Latino hip-hop. In fact, if you're looking for an album with plenty of variety in lyrics or production from track to track, then "Root Of All Evil" is guaranteed to disappoint, since the tone is consistently dark and thuggish throughout. On the other hand, if you just want an album of Chicano gangsta rap that does one thing and does it well on every song, then RPM should interest you. However, you can certainly do better; I'd recommend checking out (Kid) Frost's "That Was Then, This Is Now" (Volumes 1 & 2) if you want to hear top-notch Latino rapping over G-Funk beats.
