Underground rappers
Black Moon needed to make a splash with their six-years-after comeback record, 1999's
War Zone, so they made sure the featured roster included some big names:
Busta Rhymes, front-loaded on the opener "The Onslaught," and
Q-Tip appearing later on "Show Down."
Total Eclipse, the trio's third record, finds them settling into a killer groove, ignoring the guest spots (except for close family like
Cocoa Brovaz or
Starang Wondah) and relying on the power of the rhyme. "Stay Real," "That'z the Way S--- Iz," and "Why We Act This Way" lay out 5Ft and
Buckshot's hardcore DIY agenda. The backing tracks, mostly from
da Beatminerz, are the perfect complement -- dense, reedy productions on laid-back, street-wise tracks reminiscent of the titles from classic blaxploitation soundtracks. ~ John Bush