Is He Really DJ Clueless?

DJ Clue has been doing mixtapes for years, but didn't get a lot of mainstream attention until his album The Professional came out. This album was based on the music from the Hard Knocks Life Tour. None of the music on the cd is actually on the cd however. Hmmm.

This year, Clue released his follow-up -- The Professional 2. In true DJ Clue style, he presents another outstanding mix tape. A lot of great artists, both well-known and not-so-well-known are presented. It would be the perfect cd, if only DJ Clue would have left it alone when he finished it.

As with his previous cds, Clue takes the opportunity to plug himself, continually, on this cd. At the beginning of each song, Clue throws on a "DJ Clue, the Professional, Part Two -- Stupid!" or some such plug. I guess that was just in case you forgot which cd you were listening to.

After you get past the intro (which lets you know how wonderful Clue is, and how long he's been in the business), you are greeted by a remake of Soul II Soul's Back to Life. The song itself is pretty good, but since it is being remade by Mary J. Blige and Jadakiss (swoon), it is even better. This version is slower and done somewhat a capella. Most guys I know roll their eyes when this song comes on, but my girls and I love it.

Jay Z's contribution is a freestyle track which holds its own, but isn't a masterpiece. This is no "Hard Knock Life" of "Big Pimpin'" type song. It's better than a skit for filling up space, but not what I would have expected from the Jigga Man.

DMX lends his rough and beautiful voice to Who's Next. I am so in love with DMX that I can barely find any flaws with him, however, if you don't like him, you will hate this song. It really sounds like a lot of his other stuff. He even rips off some of his own lyrics for it. However, if you love DMX as much as I do, you will easily overlook this, or find it comical.

X opens the track with the line "that tea would help dawg." It makes me laugh. I just think of his scratchy voice, and think "yeah, it really would." But I think that scratchy rough voice he has is what makes the song so good. In fact, the beat is mediocre and the lyrics aren't so hot either. "If it ain't rough it ain't me. If it ain't rough it ain't D M to the X. Most ya'll n***az is straight sex. Who's next?" See what I mean? Something saves the track, and it can only be the Dark Man's voice itself.

One of the more memorable tracks is Beanie Sigel's and Freeway's Comin' For You. Do you remember in Nightmare on Elm Street the nursery rhyme "one, two, Freddy's comin' for you?" Well, Sigel and Freeway obviously do.

"One, two, Sigel comin' for you
Three, four, I'm 'bout to kick in yo' door
Five, six, want those bricks
Seven, eight, give up that weight
Nine, ten, I put the glock to your chin
Eleven, twelve, I'll see you in Hell."

"One, two, Freeway's comin' for yo' @ss,
Three, four, you betta watch your stash,
Five, six, see ya duckin' from those clips
Seven, eight, f*** it, I can't wait."

I get this song stuck in my head quite frequently. It's a good thing I enjoy it! Too bad it's never appropriate for me to sing it, unless I am in my car and the cd is playing. I wonder how fast I'd lose my job for singing that?

Busta Rhymes and Rah Digga team up for a lively track called "Getting It." It's not the most memorable track on the album, but it is a good one none the less. The beat is really the only thing which saves the song. I want to love it because it is Busta Rhymes, but Rah Digga just ruins it for me.

Some of the Wu-boys (Ghostface and Raekwon)pay tribute to the Wu-Tang song C.R.E.A.M with C.R.E.A.M. 2001. It doesn't quite stand up to the origninal, but I still enjoy the beat on this song. It's extremely repetitive, but the boys hold their own.

The song which always gets skipped in my car is Eminem and Method Man's "What the Beat." It's yet another Eminem ego-trip. I really can't stand Eminem, and this song is no different.

Up and coming Lil' Mo has an interlude on this this album. What a waste it is. She is so incredibly talented, yet her angelic voice is reduced to "he's the greatest dj, famous DJ Clue." Ick.

Foxy Brown's "So Hot" is probably one of the most popular songs on the album. It has a kettle-drum-esque beat in the background. The background is very mellow, and Fox doesn't sound too excited on this track. Basically, Foxy is just telling the world how hot she is.
"Any n***a comin' can't come for free, it's the price you pay if you f***in' with me, as long as you china dolls then definitely, we h-o-t-t-i-es". She is tooting her own horn, to say the least. I like the song overall, but hate the conceit attached to it.

Memphis Bleek represents with M.A.R.C.Y. This is a song about being proud of where your roots are. In this song the boys tell the good and the bad of being from the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn. They talk about life being hard and learning to survive. While the music in this song is a little annoying (it's a high-pitched digital sound played over and over), the flow really saves it. It is actually one of the better songs on the album.

One of the first songs I ever heard off of the album was Capone N Noreaga's "I Don't Care." This song is probably the whole reason I bought the album. CNN tend to be a little hit or miss. This song is a definite hit. It's a song which is true to the whole gangster stereotype, but it has a great beat, and CNN truly hold it down on this track. Plus, there is something to the bridge, "I don't care!", that sticks with me. It's a good song to listen to when something is bothering you and you don't want it to be.

Trick Daddy and Trina have a cute little ditty with "My N***az Dem." Trick Daddy and Trina aren't known for keeping their songs clean. This song is no different. It's strangely reminiscent of "Nan B****." It's not the type of song I would play in front of my mother, and I am a college graduate. It's a fun song, despite the graphic language. If you know Trick Daddy and Trina, you know exactly what I am talking about.

This album is a great cross-section of hip-hop culture. So many different artists of different subtypes of hip-hop are represented. Some of the artists are extremely well known, and others are up-and-coming artists. All the songs (with the exception of the Eminem one) are at least worth listening too. Actually, most of the songs are damn good. This is definitely a cd worth buying. You can just be like me, and get your finger ready to skip the Eminem track.
And be prepared to hear DJ Clue's name mentioned in almost every single song. Be prepared for big egos, because this album is full of them.