September 18, 2000
GOAT Featuring James T Smith: The Greatest Of All Time
Amazingly, this is his ninth album, yet he still sounds fresh.
Hip-hop has never been the preserve of the modest, but few in the genre have the penchant for showing off like James Todd Smith.
, and from there on in - with Method Man, Redman and Xzibit helping to sing his praises - it's about how much this man rocks.
Worryingly, for the young pups (especially Canibus, who gets a rocket on 'Back Where I Belong'), he's got a point. Furthermore, proving he's no slouch when it comes to keeping up with musical trends, he's brought in producers like DJ Scratch and one-time junglist Adam F to make sure his beats match up to his evergreen vocal skills. And it works - from the almost Timbaland sheen of 'Imagine That' and 'Queens Is' to the slinky modern R&B of 'This Is Us', this is a man who's not content resting on his self-bestowed laurels.
Amazingly, this is his ninth album, yet he still sounds fresh. As the randy old goat doubtless tells the ladies - LL Cool J, he's got some staying power.
NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.
Comments do not always reflect the views of NME, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page