Gang Starr - Ownerz

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Free Music Notes for Ownerz

Free Music Review: Worth the wait
Hit: 5 Stars

With the adrenaline pumping from this "live and learn" lesson from Guru, he's not afraid to spit more jewels at the foolish on "Rite Where U Stand," featuring a surprise guest appearance from Jadakiss. In some ways, 'Kiss may be the heir apparent to Guru's style - his writtens are still more thug than brain drug, but the punchlines are nice and his delivery is eeriely reminiscent of Keith Elam's own.

Still, when you hear Guru spit on the crazy tight (like Della Reese in a size six) beat of "Skills" you'll know there can be only one.

The pace relents briefly on "Deadly Habitz," but only because Premier slows it down a little for some wahhhh wahhhh jazz so Guru can discuss the things we all fall victim to:

GangStarr usually has at least one song that could crossover to the airwaves, with a little bit of luck. Last time out they did it with the track "Royalty" and following in the same vein of hot beats with sung hooks they have Boy Big crooning on "Nice Girl, Wrong Place." While the former sang the virtues of nubian queens being good, the title is a reminder that even a queen can have her crown tarnished; although Guru's still got mad love.

After a diatribe by Premier dismissing "robots" on the radio afraid to play anything fresh, he provides some aptly dark piano chords and beats for the ominous "Peace of Mine." It's not going to get any lighter in tone on the following track "Who Got Gunz" featuring reputed rap gangsters Fat Joe and M.O.P., nor on "Militia Pt. 3" featuring Big Shug and Freddie Foxxx. If the latter has the rep of being the angriest man in rap since Ice Cube melted, this track exists merely to reaffirm his status.

Premier doesn't let up save for one of his trademark instrumental interludes right before "PLAYTAWIN," then it's back to the action. If anything, Guru sounds even more amped here than he did on the last two tracks; and those who accuse his monotone flow of showing no emotion should take a good listen.

That is the sweetness that GangStarr junkies have been fiending for since the late 1990's. It rolls on with one powerful track after another - the revolutionary call and somber jazz of "Riot Akt," the stripped down powerful attack of "Same Team, No Games" featuring NYG's and H. Stax, the surprisingly smooth duo of Guru and SNOOP DOGG on "In This Life" and the title track of the album that explains it's name to all the know-nots who hadn't to this point figured it out.

Although "Zonin'" and "Eulogy" will give you the chance to cool down as the album draws to a close, you may just have to collapse from sheer exhaustion of repetitive head-nodding to these dope betas and rhymes when done. To refresh yourself, hit play again and start from track one. "The Ownerz" has that pure greatness all GangStarr albums do, in that no matter how tired you are from listening to it, you'll never get tired OF listening to it. Ten years from now, this one will still be in rotation in your box and GangStarr will hopefully need "Full Clip 2" just to keep us up to date - just don't make us wait another five years for the NEXT album.

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