Some rappers - like Jay-Z or Method Man - seem to toss off rhymes as naturally as breathing. Not Busta Rhymes. Every syllable strains with bug-eyed effort, making him occasionally impressive but not particularly cool. 'Break Ya Neck' is the sound of every stop being pulled out after his last album, 'Anarchy', went down like a knackered lift. Dr. Dre brings the nagging, computerised musical backdrop, there's a chorus, musical quotes from Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Give It Away' and plenty of exhortations to nod ya head until you, well, break ya neck. Heard in a club in the bowels of New York, (as they say) crunked up, it would probably sound like the best thing ever. But at 10.30 on a February morning, it's a lot less than the sum of its parts.
Alex Needham
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