Whodini's popularity had decreased considerably by the 1990s, when the Brooklyn rappers left their long-time home of Jive/Arista Records for MCA. Though a decent effort, Whodini's first MCA release, Bag-A-Trix, wasn't strong enough to help Whodini return to the top of the charts. The group's approach -- very danceable and melodic compared to a lot of rap, and drawing heavily on '70s soul and funk -- hadn't changed much since the early '80s, and remained quite recognizable. While nothing on Bag-A-Trix is in a class with "Freaks Come Out at Night," "Five Minutes of Funk," or "One Love," this CD definitely has its strong points, including the invigorating "The Party Don't Start," the erotic "Taste of Love," and an inspired remake of the Undisputed Truth's soul classic "Smiling Faces Sometimes." A better introduction to Whodini would be Escape, but for the most devoted fans, this is worth hearing.
© Alex Henderson /TiVo