Prodigy’s real name is Albert, so he and Einstein share a first name. Prodigy isn’t nearly as educated though. His key learning experiences come not from school but from the streets of New York. He’s a thug and “thuggin” is what he does. So if you’re only interested in hearing thug music, this set shouldn’t disappoint. If you want good songs, you’ll have to go elsewhere. P’s skills are limited to rap. Even there, he’s far from “the world’s most hottest”.

What makes this album listenable are the beats, all produced by The Alchemist. It’s historically inconsistent, thus sort of stupid, to credit this as his album too when he’s only providing the instrumental music, but he is, to my ears, near the aesthetic level of acclaimed producers like Rza and DJ Premier. His music, a muddy mix of soul drums and eclectic samples, is dark and sinister; the perfect backdrop for a rapper like Prodigy to thug-out to.

my rating : 3 of 5

2013