It took almost three years after their commercial breakthrough (
Hell on Earth), but
Mobb Deep finally returned with a new record. In many ways, it's a confusing album, filled with behind-the-times productions and contradictory messages to many of the songs. Though
Havoc and
Prodigy's lyrical skills have rarely been questioned (and are easily up to par here), the production is more than just a bit lazy. It's unfortunate that
Mobb Deep are still sunk deep into the played-out horror-strings
RZA made famous more than two years earlier on
Wu-Tang Forever;
Murda Muzik suffers because of it. The album moves from somewhat positive-minded tracks like "Spread Love" to the completely resigned "Let a Ho Be a Ho" with little regard for the development of an LP. Guest spots for East Coast heroes from
Kool G. Rap to
Nas to
Raekwon do little to rescue the indisputable feeling that the hip-hop world has passed by
Mobb Deep. [The album is also available in a clean format, with all profanities removed.] ~ Keith Farley