After selling millions of units in the independent rap game, seasoned vet E-40 drops his latest effort "Breakin News," featuring Bone Crusher, EA-Ski, San Quinn, Messy Marv, David Banner, and numerous other respectable underground artists.
Those impressed with the recent success and respect 40 recieved nearly a year ago with "Grit and Grind" will be unpleasently dissapointed with his latest release, which lacks solid lyrics and is plagued with repetitive beats and horn sounding production. Tracks like "Hot" and "Show and Prove" have no place on a once platinum artist's cd. "Anybody can get it," 40's southern "crunk" style song doesn't showcase the same solid cadence, flow and originality that earned 40 the "Greatest game spitter of all time" nickname. Unfortunately, it sounds more like your average filler track on a mediocre down south album.
Perhaps the biggest dissapointment isnt 40's below-average lyricism and flow but the production. Despite being a multi-platinum producer and working with some of the worlds biggest rap act, Ric Rock has certainly taken a step back from Grit and Grind with this unusually plain E-40 release.
On the bright side, 40's radio friendly singles "Gasoline" and "QuarterBackin" featuring the Clipse are just as good as the tracks on any other 40 cd, as is the title track "Breakin News." The bay area anthem "Califoolya" with San Quinn, Keak Da Sneak, Messy Marv and EA-Ski also slams, lyrically and beatwise.
As a huge Westcoast fan, especially of bay area music, I can honestly say this is the most dissapointing release of the year. A horrible followup to Grit and Grind, which in my opinion was 40s best cd since Loyalty and Betrayal or In a Major Way. Unfortunately, this cd will be promoted and recieve plenty of publicity, giving the already biased rap world a magnified view of that "inferior west coast" music.
Is E-40 wack? No. Should he hang it up? Maybe.
Overall: 4/10
Those impressed with the recent success and respect 40 recieved nearly a year ago with "Grit and Grind" will be unpleasently dissapointed with his latest release, which lacks solid lyrics and is plagued with repetitive beats and horn sounding production. Tracks like "Hot" and "Show and Prove" have no place on a once platinum artist's cd. "Anybody can get it," 40's southern "crunk" style song doesn't showcase the same solid cadence, flow and originality that earned 40 the "Greatest game spitter of all time" nickname. Unfortunately, it sounds more like your average filler track on a mediocre down south album.
Perhaps the biggest dissapointment isnt 40's below-average lyricism and flow but the production. Despite being a multi-platinum producer and working with some of the worlds biggest rap act, Ric Rock has certainly taken a step back from Grit and Grind with this unusually plain E-40 release.
On the bright side, 40's radio friendly singles "Gasoline" and "QuarterBackin" featuring the Clipse are just as good as the tracks on any other 40 cd, as is the title track "Breakin News." The bay area anthem "Califoolya" with San Quinn, Keak Da Sneak, Messy Marv and EA-Ski also slams, lyrically and beatwise.
As a huge Westcoast fan, especially of bay area music, I can honestly say this is the most dissapointing release of the year. A horrible followup to Grit and Grind, which in my opinion was 40s best cd since Loyalty and Betrayal or In a Major Way. Unfortunately, this cd will be promoted and recieve plenty of publicity, giving the already biased rap world a magnified view of that "inferior west coast" music.
Is E-40 wack? No. Should he hang it up? Maybe.
Overall: 4/10
