(Jam Music/Shock)

Truth be told, I didn’t need to read much more beyond “accompanied by RJD2” on the cover of this album to be immediately transfixed.  There was no way in the world I wasn’t going to somehow own this little shiny spinning disc.  It didn’t even matter who the hell the incomparable Philadelphian DJ was accompanying:  J-Lo;  Steps;  The Wiggles; it could have been the new Kevin bloody Federline rap album for all I cared – I’d still snap that bugger up like a thoroughly warmed cake…  That it was Aceyalone (underground legend/solo-star/former member of the Freestyle Fellowship) for whom RJD2 was to provide the beats, bleeps and whistles - well, that was just the big fat juicy cherry perched slightly askew at the very peak of my hip hop sundae… 

The two previously combined for tracks on Acey’s “Love and Hate” album.  Having enjoyed the chemistry and experience, they decided to team up for an entire album, and lo and behold this be the result: A story-driven concept album of sorts.  A unified vision of a “Magnificent City” – tales and fables of inner city life and its multitude of characters (tracks such as “Junior” and “Solomon Jones” perfect examples of the richness of Acey’s storytelling prowess and detail rich character-studies). 

Musically – the album encapsulates a variety of styles and moods:  laidback, cruisy and funky numbers (album opener “All For U”);  up tempo shock-rockers (“Cornbread, Eddie and Me”/”Disconnected”);  abstract tunes that are just all-over-the-freaking-shop (“Beautiful Mine”).  There are a couple of flatter-than-flat spots but uniformly the beats and production-work are great – unmistakably RJD2 flavoured.  The Def Jux supremo effortlessly fuses 70s funk and soul with elements of acid jazz and moments of pure inspiration (check out the ringing background bell work on “Caged Bird” or the cold bass groove on “Supahero”).  There are times I found myself wishing for Acey to shut the hell up and just let RJ spin…  Fingers crossed they release a purely instrumental version at some point. 

Whilst not representing the best work of either of these two artists, it still qualifies as one of the better hip hop releases of the year.  Anyone who’s even remotely interested in the work of either of these originals would already have this album secured tightly within their hairy greasy mitts.  For the rest of you, it’s a pleasant reminder that an alternative hip hop album need not bear the exclusive production name of wunderkind Danger Mouse to be worth forking out your hard earned dosh on.  That said though - bring on the freaking Gnarls Barkley CD…