Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age: CD

Muse Sick n Hour Mess Age arrives at hip-hop's doorstep during a very fragile period in that music's relatively short existence. While its commercial pull seems to be at an all-time high, scrutiny of rap's social content—especially during this, ... full descriptionthe genre's post-gangsta period—is too. And without a new style to push it through g-funk's lyrical (and philosophical) wasteland, rap's new school seems hopelessly stuck in a downward spiral of "ho's," "blunts" and "gatts."as the title of the album clearly suggests, public enemy is quite aware of the situation. Yet rather than pick at these divisive wounds, lyricist/rapper chuck d. seems more interested in wading through hip-hop's less charted territories. Sure, he still won't pass up a chance to espouse his opinion on gangsta-isms—particularly on "give it up," the album's ultra-catchy first single—but he seems far more crisp when kicking an eco-educational rap like "bedlam 13:13," or backing flavor flav with jb-style gruff-voiced call-outs on "what kind of power we got?" on these and other tracks chuck commands a lead-by-example urgency in his rhymes, something few of today's rappers are capable of.

TRACKS
1    Whole Lotta Love Goin On In The Middle Of Hell     
2    Give It Up     
3    What Side You On?     
4    Bedlam 13:13     
5    What Kind Of Power We Got?     
6    So Whatcha Gone Do Now?     
7    White Heaven / Black Hell     
8    Race Against Time     
9    Aintnuttin Buttersong     
10    Live And Undrugged PT. 1 & 2     
11    Thin Line Between Law & Rape     
12    I Ain't Mad At All     
13    Death Of A Carkjacka     
14    I Stand Accused     
15    Good Complexx     
16    Hitler Day     
17    Living In A Zoo Remix