This ninth edition of the Total Togetherness series provides everything that the collection has come to represent: sizzling hits, beats, and lyrics. However, aside from Merciless' deliciously sinister performance on Nah Friend Dem and
Elephant Man's scorchin' delivery on We Don't Give a Damn, nobody stands out on this CD like the infamous
Lady Saw. The DJ turns in two tracks, Hot Gal Lawya and Ride, both significant pieces of social commentary. In the latter tune, Saw is "the gal who run down guys," specifically those "who have sex with teens and not their wives." For the former, she provides a sly take on safe sex, advising against "careless, bareback rides." These are messages that stand apart from the album's gritty ghetto themes and take it to another level. ~ Rosalind Cummings-Yeates