The Hip Hop Mortuary

Not sure why, but I thought it would be fitting to review this album. Maybe it's because Statik Selektah (did I spell your name right?) and pro-beef Saigon just made a whole album in one day. Well, it is because of that. Personally, I've got no problem with neither Statik or Saigon. I'm not sure how Saigon got to beefing Joe Budden and I could care less, beef is always about record sales. It's like artists make a mutual agreement to beef with each other to sell records and then pay each other back later. But I feel like this one day thing is a gimmick. How can you honestly say that you created the best product you can in one day? That's like how Swizz Beatz brags that he makes most of his beats in less than an hour. That's cool and all, but Swizzy: you still can't produce! With that in mind, Skyzoo and 9th Wonder created this composition in three days. The clever title would suggest they were fuckin' with some cannibus during the process. Like I said, clever. Anyway, the real reason I chose this is because it's only 12 tracks. So, here we go:

1. Bare Witness
There's nothing more pretentious than explaining the title of your album. Reminds me of when Biggie explained the "Two Pac's" joke on Brooklyn's Finest, 3:21 if you don't know. I also found it kind of funny how Skyzoo had to explain that he knew 9th and described how we acquired 9th's beat tapes. As for the song? It comes really weak. 9th tries his hand at a Primo impersonation, and Skyzoo just comes weak all around, on the hook, on the verses...

2. Way To Go
This the production we've all come to expect from 9th, just killing it with the samples. Once again Skyzoo does a little too much talking and sounds like a little bit of a jackass, but once the beat kicks he does his thing and rips this instrumental. Really impressed me with the flow and the rhymes.

3. A Day In The Life
I'm usually the first person to say that 9th Wonder needs to expirement more, or use something other than Fruity Loops, but he steps outside of his comfort zone here and the result is painful to listen to. Brave soldiers ready your ears. It's not that bad, but this track came really weak. Mostly because Skyzoo isn't one of those rappers that can take a bad beat and still kill it. And you already know the hook is wack.

4. Stop Fooling Yourself
These are those crazy samples that make 9th one of today's best crate-diggers! I just tuned out to this beautiful instrumental. Don't really remember what Skyzoo was talking about, ripping his acceptance letter or something. Oh well...

5. Comeback
Nah. This was a track for the ladies, and it was even softer than I expected. Definite skip/delete.

6. I'm On It
Did I mention that Skyzoo can't make a listenable hook to save his life? It's not a bad track, but the chorus is just so wack. Ruins whatever replay potential this song could have had.

7. The Bodega
Banger. All I can say is that all my previous criticism for Skyzoo and 9th is null and void on this one. Easily the best track so far.

8. You & Me
Another track for the ladies, but this one wasn't as bad as it's predecessor. The hook was weak as fuck again, but other than that it's another quality composition. Really starting to groove with 9th behind the boards right now.

9. Live And Direct
Very average, like I wanted to vibe with 9th's beat and what Skyzoo was saying, but I simply couldn't. You know the feeling.

10. The Spirit
Skyzoo outshines 9th here. Not a bad beat, but the lyrics were on point, and the whole track was ill.

11. Extreme Measures
Skyzoo tries his hand at Brenda's Got A Baby to little avail. Kind of a sleeper despite the vicious instrumental.

12. Mirror Mirror
Did you honestly expect much from this title? Just an average outro minus the interlude feel of an average outro.

Decent, not much more, not much less. I had been hearing a lot about Skyzoo and I found him to be super-average. 9th comes through as usual, although he sprays in a few wack beats here and there. Overall, it's a decent mixtape, but I don't see any reason to go out of your way to cop this.

0-20: Terrible listening experience
21-40: Maybe one good song
41-60: A few good songs
61-80: Half are good songs, half are weak
81-100: Great listening experience, almost all are great songs

I'd give this a 71.

Link here.