February 1, 2002

Ryde Or Die Vol III : In The R We Trust

Philadelphia hip-hop clique. Ideas thin on the ground...

5 / 10 When Philadelphia's number one hip-hop cartel brought out their first compilation album,
Eve was a stripper and you could still take DMX seriously. Back in 1999,
the debut Ruff Ryders comp spawned anthems like Jay-Z's 'Jigga My Nigga' and it seemed that Philly was about to take over the rap world.

Since then, not only has Eve hung up her g-string and X become friends with Steven
Seagal, but Philly rappers have been overshadowed by those who represent the Dirty South -
Nelly, Bubba Sparxxx and Ludacris.

It shows on this CD. The best three tracks on 'Ryde Or Die III' feature Southern
stars teaming up with established Philly rappers - the excellent 'Dirrty' featuring
Drag-On & Petey Pablo, the banging 'They Ain't Ready'
feat Jadakiss and Bubba Sparxxx and
the okay-ish 'Some South Shit' featuring Fiend, Ludacris
and Yung Wun.

Other highlights for Vol II include Eve on 'U, Me & She'
and the ultra-violent 'Shoot 'Em In Tha Head' featuring the incongruously-named
Holiday Styles. It's chorus:
"Shoot em in tha head / Shoot em in the face and the chest / then shoot em in the waist
and the neck / then shoot em with the gun in the mouth / the shoot em in the back and don't
stop till the blood running out".

Highly entertaining stuff then. But by the time you've got to track 14 and you're
listening to the umpteenth rap about 'in the club with the Cris and the women' then it's
time to take off Vol III and play the new Ludacris or
Ghostface, and acknowledge that Ruff Ryders are slowly
running out of ideas.

Andy Capper