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Album Review
by Allan 'Stiff' Alien
5-5-2004
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| D-12: Eminem & the fall of Roman Empire |
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D-12: 'D-12 World'
(Shady)
D-12: Eminem and state of pop-rap
D-12? Eh? Second CD? Couldn’t have waited for it more… not! Actually, it is much better than originally feared but that doesn’t make it a great album, rap or any other kind. ‘D-12 World’ is a decent disc but pass that… It’s like a rap-a-thon where each member is bigging himself larger than the next gobber.
The single is indicative of the whole disc: ‘My Band’ is a clever little rhyme about Em being bigger than the band but it is also disappointing - what’s the point in pointing out the obvious? The rest of the album is the other five egos attempting to out-rap the boss who is planet-huge, he should have his own moons. Oh, these are!
Anyway, this is not an Em-diss but this CD is indicative of the state of music business and consumption: artists are self-centred and dealing in individual issues without getting into anything more global but the imminent street life; listeners don‘t want to listen about the tragedy [with comedic interludes] we call life but escape from it all. [Aided by some illin’ medications, surely…] Dropping oblivion is the recipe of the day. With some gratuitous cussing… ‘Parental Advisory’ sticker is so passé but Americans believe it is doing something when it all does is attract attention of the youngsters.
George Michael is the UK nation’s most radio broadcast artist of all time… Norah Jones and Usher managed to sell 1 million albums each in one US week, for the first time in almost 5 years!? More girls reveal more talent for flesh-display than vocals… There is more posing than chemicals used in creating The Darkness’ rip-offs… Rappers’ collaborate on R&B pastiches that are no more than bling-hop…
‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ is “The temperature when freedom burns,” may be the potent comment by Michael Moore but to the general apathy… The hype rules the globe and the demand is for softer, mellower, poppier, safer and fusty songs. Cypress Hill continue to blast the dope but Dead Prez have under-delivered on their political agenda. Initial copies of D-12’s album came with two bonus tracks - but it hardly offered an improvement.
‘Stella!!!’ screams Kowalski for another beer in Pleasantville while a rider hits the ‘Vanishing Point’… Zabriskie Point bakes in the desert heat while Wimbledon crowds get their strawberry statements.
‘D-12 World’? This is Eminem’s side-world…
6/10
Allan 'Stiff' Alien
5-5-2004
D-12 album ‘D-12 World’ is released 26 April 2004 by Shady/Interscope
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