I had been waiting for this album to drop for awhile now, really ever since their mostly unknown debut album School Was My Hustle in '06. I have to admit when their first single, "Driving Down the Block" dropped I was beginning to wonder if their new label and recent popularity would cause them to dumb down their lyrics are go more for mainstream success. Then the video hits MTV and I was almost positive that this was the case, but as I began to listen to Naledge spit and I remembered what made me fall in love with the Ivy League Graduates in the first place. Its nice to hear an MC with a vocabulary and original and intellectual thoughts, especially over the mostly soulful beats of Double O. The supporting cast was also strong with Sean Price & Buckshot rhyming on "The Pledge" while Black Milk & Guilty Simpson did their thing over the back-packing beat on the track "Middle of the Map Pt. 1." Other underrated artists include Skyzoo, Phonte (Little Brother), Masta Ace & Chip Tha Riper. Driving Down the block was a little to mainstream for my tastes, but the cd did not disappoint as a whole. Maybe not to many stand out individual tracks but solid from top to bottom. I wouldn't put it up there with School Was My Hustle, but nonetheless an album worth checking out.
P.s. This is just the review, I will try and get the download link sometime later this week.
RATING: 7.5 out of 10
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