Lord Willin' (studio album) by Clipse

Before commenting on the listening process, I have to confess my love for the cover of this album. One might argue that it's a completely irrelevant aspect, but here it's not so much about Its aesthetic value as a standalone piece of art, but more as an accurate representation of what you are about to hear. It has this refreshing attitude that is typical of the whole album. Even though they are dealing with serious and dark themes, like life on the streets and drugs, they never take themselves too seriously with many punchlines ( "I tried being humble, humble get no respect Now the first sign of trouble, that's a hole up in your neck", or "I could lose it all today, be back the next day Still up in the same way As I left ya, all in three gestures: down, up and aim I can define death better than Webster, wet ya") that hit hard and prove once more the well established axiom that the deepest truths are better told through a joke. But this observation doesn't have to do only with the lyrics, it is reflected on their sound too. They manage the rare combination of sounding rough and chill at the same time, if that makes any sense. Also, it sounds so 2002. I don't mean it in a negative way, it simply has this extra charm due to nostalgia. In terms of rapping, they sound very much alike and it's easy to mix them if you aren't familiar with them. After getting more used to them , I found myself developing a slight preference towards Pusha T.
Noting the most remarkable moments of the album, Grindin' is the obvious one. A monumental beat with a little disco touch that remains irresistible and unmatched. The energy is out the roof. Some other highlights include Pusha T's introduction (the 1st verse of Intro), the horns in Young Boy (there are many instances throughout the album where they add a nice touch, but here they shine the brightest, and the destined for the clubs but with a jazzy twist When the Last Time. On the other hand Ma, I Don’t Love Her stands out as the weak link. Overall, I found the first half better than the second.
If I had to point out some negatives, I didn't find any of the guests particularly awe-inspiring (even though FamLay Freestyle is better than you'd expect considering the absence of both No Malice and Pusha T). The two bonus tracks/Grindin' remixes were an overkill, I don't think they were necessary in any way. I am not sure how I'm feeling about the skits. Usually I don't have such a problem. (As a general rule I tend to enjoy them. On many occassions I have heard someone complaining about a skit and say that he likes an album despite its skits and I find myself thinking that I like it exactly because of them.) Here I fail to see how they add something more to the album.

The best Clipse album, and The Neptunes best ever collection of beats. I'm of the opinion that people overrated Hell Hath No Fury because they felt guilty for ignoring the Clipse first time around. Whilst Hell Hath No Fury is highly enjoyable, this album is just immense. The funky, fun beats are the perfect foil for Pusha and Malice's cold-blooded coke raps. And now, Pharrel is a shadow of his former self more interested in his clothing ranges, Pusha T is releasing extremely mediocre stuff under the (supposedely expert) guidance of Kanye and Malice is a Christian rapper named - I shit you not - No Malice. Lord.