One of rap music's more entertaining artists, Busta Rhymes thrills again in "When Disaster Strikes," his second solo album.
"Disaster" is filled with a variety of tracks that are nothing like this year's top songs in which artists have been solely rapping on catchy remakes of older songs. Rhymes shows skills not only as a rapper but as an excellent producer, not needing other artists' cover tunes to enhance his own rapping abilities.
Rhymes gruff and loud voice, along with his unique beats to which he raps took this album to the top of the R&B charts upon its release just three weeks ago.
Rhymes first debut single, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See," is one of the best tracks on the album. Though not as crazy as other tracks, it is filled with distinctive Rhymes' flavor -- from his loud style to the tight beats featured on nearly every song.
"When Disaster Strikes" also features many of R&B's top artists today. Erykah Badu joins Busta Rhymes in a sweet duo on the song "One." In it, Rhymes tones down for one of the few times on the album, as the song posseses a slower, reserved beat. Not only is the sound pleasing to the ear, the message Rhymes and Badu convey to the listener is appealing.
The two work to emphasize that in this lifetime, we should work together for the success of this "one family." This is a unique track on the album in that it provides a necessary respite from some of the album's heavier tracks.
Badu herself raps on the album, changing her style from the accustomed singing role she is famous for -- her performance reminiscent of a her tag-team show with "The Roots" at this summer Smokin Grooves tour.
Also featured on the LP is Jamal in "There's Not A Problem Our Squad Can't Fix." This track, though milder than others, is set by a catchy bass line, and a strong and coherent beat. Jamal's rapping style is less distinct than that of Rhymes, but the two blend together and the transition of choruses is remarkable. One of the best tracks on the album, it catches the listeners' ear and leaves them nodding their head to the beat by the end of the song.
Rhymes follows in the success of his debut solo album, "The Coming," and its hit single "Woo-Hah I got you all in check." This album is much better than the last one, particularly because Rhymes' style is quite varied through each song. In addition the artists featured bring a style that complements Rhymes' and increase the quality of the album.
This is far from Rhymes first success however. Before "The Coming" Rhymes had been featured on numerous songs by other artists. Perhaps the most famous is his unmatchable role in the song "Scenario" with A Tribe Called Quest.
Repeatedly throughout the album Rhymes mentions the coming of the new millennium, and his hopes of being on the top after the year 2000. However, two and a half years before then, he has already attained his goal and is on a path leading up.
From the intro to the outro of the album, Rhymes provides an excellent listening adventure which is filled with few, if any, flaws.
The album is not meant for the timid -- there is no doubt that after listening to the album, Rhymes abundant energy will waken listeners leaving them only yearning for more.
