I think it’s safe to say the most anticipated song on this album is MC Eiht’s official response to Dollars And Sense; the song DJ Quik, as far as a lot of rap fans are concerned, verbally destroyed him on. The diss, featured on both Snoop Dogg’s Murder Was The Case compilation and DJ Quik’s Safe And Sound album, was a direct response to Def Wish 3 from MC Eiht’s previous release. While it may be a wise marketing move to start this album with Death Wish 4, so that people can hear it right away, it also comes across as somewhat of an artistic blunder.

Why is he so consumed with DJ Quik? He’s basically dedicating an entire album to him. At least that’s what putting the diss at the beginning and titling the album Death Threatz suggests. To make matters worse, the song doesn’t really deliver. The beat is funky and danceable, but a funky danceable beat doesn’t exactly fit the concept. Besides, it’s too little too late. The MC simply doesn’t have the rap skills to match the DJ, as odd or ironic as that may seem. He seems to know it as he alleges some other “motherfucker” wrote Quik’s verses.

From there it’s business as usual. Quik was right when he said “bitches” don’t (generally) jock MC Eiht’s “shit” and that’s okay. This is thug music for thug “niggas”, but, as much as he raps about guns, it’s the beats that bang the most. That’s probably why they’re allowed to play on sometimes long after the vocals have ended. They don’t quite have the elegant sheen of the Strapped album, but they’re close enough. The Endoness, which provides a dose of conceptual creativity for a change, and the sequel to Late Night Hype are especially remarkable.

my rating : 3 of 5

1996