Legendz

From the contractual struggles and album push backs with Jive Records to shockingly disappointing sales of the critically acclaimed "Hell Hath No Fury", there seemed to be no silver lining for The Clipse fans over the past few years. But sifting through the ashes of the burnt bridges of Jive Records and The Clipse relationship you find Ab-Liva and Sandman and the Re-Up Gang is born.



Unlike the previous works from The Clipse that featured pulsing production from The Neptunes, Re-Up Gang's debut has not even a hint of Pharrell or Chad. This results in an album that is slightly different from what fans are used to from Pusha T and Malice. While The Clipse are the most well known of the group, with their distinctive lyrics and bravado, Re-Up Gang's other two members are relative unknowns to the general public.



On an album that should serve as the coming out party for Sandman and the rejuvenation Ab-Liva they tend to get lost in the shadows of their legendary cohorts. "Fast Life", Re-Up Gang's only single to date, for example features the likes of only The Clipse. This brings the listener back to the tragic flaw of the Re-Up Gang's debut album.



In a quest for radio play the group has served up many radio friendly cuts on the album that betray who they really are. The Scott Storch produced "Fast Life" is an annoyingly sweet anthem that does nothing but detract from the album. With a refrain that is as follows: "Money first/ Fast cars/ Out come the chicks of their panties and bras", The Clipse seem to be a poking fun of themselves as if they were guest stars on Saturday Night Live.



However, the fumbles on this effort are few and easily redeemed by tracks like "Street Money" and "Million Dollar Corner" that manage a proper balance between old Clipse Crack-Speak and the new personalities of Sandman and Ab-Liva.



Perhaps one of the most raw tracks on the album is that of the Sleepwalkers produced "Emotionless". At its core the song is a seething indictment of Jive Records and exposes just how deep the wounds of business can be. With lyrics such as: "The older I get the colder my heart grows/ I'm surprised I can smile with such sorrow/....I'm empty inside like Hollow Man/ I'm here but I'm not/ Like a hologram. ", Malice delivers lines so chilling they could be misconstrued as a suicide note.



For the most part this album plays out from beginning to end as a prelude to The Clipse upcoming "Till The Casket Drops". Fans of the Re-Up Gang mixtapes will be torn on whether or not to accept an album so watered down from four men who have shown so much more talent on "We Got It 4 Cheap" mixtapes and who individually all shine much brighter than they have as a unit.



Newcomer's to the Re-Up Gang will appreciate the work for its heft of quality tracks in an era where so much on albums is just filler. And finally, The Clipse fans will appreciate this album because of its step outside of the Star Trak realm with contributions from producers like Scott Storch, Sleepwalkers, and Illfonics. "The Clipse Present: Re-Up Gang" is a lively album full of talk: Gun Talk, Drug Talk, and Shit Talk. Certainly, not many talk as well as The Clipse and their Re-Up Gang.



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