By the turn of the millennium, underground gangsta rappers such as
Brotha Lynch Hung were attempting to gain recognition in an increasingly crowded rap game. On previous albums -- particularly the infamous
Season of da Siccness album -- the Sacramento rapper used shock tactics to get attention, taking the generic gangsta motifs of violence, drugs, and misogyny to their furthest limits. With 2000's
EBK4,
Brotha Lynch Hung stayed true to his style, again turning to these same motifs on tracks like "Blood on da Rug," "Dogg Market," and "Every Single B*%#$." Of course,
N.W.A and
the Geto Boys rose to fame using this same formula, but by the end of the '90s, any seasoned rap listener had heard these same stories before. Among the guest rappers here, an incredibly sedate
Snoop Dogg helps to elevate the proceedings. ~ Jason Birchmeier