The debut album by L.A.-based Latin rap duo
the Young Gunners is the same old hardcore thing: song titles include "All Gangsta," "I Gotta Get Paid," and "Let Em Ring Out," and yes, that last song comes complete with gunfire sound effects. Beats are from the
Dr. Dre template, and perfectly well done as far as they go. Indeed, the raps are completely professional, with good flow and no question that the rappers (
Ghost and Vandal, with guest shots by
Huero Snipes and producer
Spanky Loco among others) show commitment to what they're doing. So there's nothing really wrong with
Young and Dangerous, but still, anyone who has heard more than one or two West Coast gangsta rap albums will find the album disconcertingly familiar, and only die-hard fans of the style will really be excited by it.