Week of July 8-14

D12 Devil's Night
Shady Records
Eminem's super group D12 steps out from the shadows and invite us to Devil's Night. This CD is packed with all the things that parents and non-hip-hoppers hate, tales of violence, sex, and drugs from beginning to end. All the production was done by Dr. Dre and Eminem himself, which gives this CD that slow, dark, but funk appeal. "Purple Pills", the first single, is a story about drugs, and how they affect the group. "Ain't Nuttin But Music" is a funny diss/party record that talks about everyone from the cast of Different Strokes to Whitney Houston. My favorite cut is "That's How." After the last listed track "Revelation" don't turn your disc off, "Girls" is an Eminem solo dissing Limp Bizkit. Even though Em's not on every cut, his boys leave us wondering where they've been hiding.

Beanie Sigel The Reason
Roc-A-Fella Records
With Roc-A-Fella CEO Jay-Z rhyming about the high life, labelmate Sigel can be counted on to walk on the grimy side. The streets Sigel describes and survival is tenuous. The beats are equally as rough and rugged as he lays out the rules and consequences of getting involved with streetlife. Still there are rumbling basslines to stir up any club and he mixes in enough humor to keep the mood from getting overly somber. "Mom Praying" with Scarface is a touching tribute to the mothers. "Beanie (Mack Bitch", the first single, will definitely bang and start this CD on the road to platinum. When it comes to street lyrics and rugged beats this CD is a must.