SOLUTION

After working out their Chemistry on their collaborative 2005 release and offering The Formula on their 2008 return, rapper Buckshot and producer 9th Wonder reunite and offer The Solution on this 2012 release. If you're a whack rapper who's hung up on getting paid, then the solution this duo pushes forward is "Stop Rapping," a key cut that features the choice line "Everything ain't for everyone kid, stop rap." Throughout the album, Buckshot drives his truckload of disgust toward the current state of hip-hop, pining for the days of Black Sheep and Pete Rock, but unlike his like-minded competition, the rapper leads by example rather than just speaking ill of the current crop. 9th Wonder's beats are a perfect complement for this with their usual vintage soul and fine, not flashy, hooks, but he's adaptable as well and puts a slow, dense ball of chaos under Buckshot during the simmering "What I Gotta Say." Grab this one, along with The Final Adventure with Murs, and you've got 9th Wonder's awesome 2012 collaboration set, or just grab it because you're sad the Lyricist Lounge is closed, Rawkus Records is gone, and true hip-hop is hard to find. The nostalgia and artistry will take you back and warm your Coogi-covered heart. ~ David Jeffries