Artist: Jadakiss
Album: The Last Kiss
Label: Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam
Grade: B
???It's been five years since Jadakiss released his platinum-selling Kiss of Death, which featured the 2004 hit "Why." After a series of legal battles, label changes, and brief hip-hop feuds, the rap veteran is finally back with his third album, The Last Kiss.
???One would think that signing to Jay-Z's record label would pressure an artist to conform their talents to making sale-fueled radio hits. But this isn't the case as the album is filled with a handful of street records and lyrical punch lines.
???This is evident with the first track; the Buckwild produced "Pain & Torture." With a retro New York hip hop baseline in the background, Jada showcases his lyrical prowess, claiming he's the "author of slick talk, pain and torture."
???The Neo Da Matrix track "Can't Stop Me" demonstrates Jadakiss using furious lines to a looping Diana Ross sample. The song is similar to "By Your Side" from Kiss' last album, just not as good, but then again it's not that bad either.
???"Grind Hard" features frequent collaborator Mary J Blige, and while Jadakiss and Mary J make a good combination, you get the feeling that the song could be a lot better.
The same can be said for "One More Step," which features LOX member Styles P. If you're just now hearing these two together, the song is a perfect collaboration, but if you're a true hip-hop listener, you know that these two have too much chemistry to make a song this mediocre. The back and forth rapping isn't bad, but the beat is and it tends to dilute the track.
???"What If" features fellow New York veteran Nas, and judging from what the song is about, seems like the sequel to the hit "Why." Instead of why though, the two artists ask a series of what if's.
??? "What if the pain went away/ What if you changed in a day/ What if you could eliminate all the games people play/ What if Shyne beat the case/ What if Diddy did a dime flat/ What If Nelson Mandela could get his time back," raps Jadakiss.
???"Things I've Been Through" utilizes a Luther Vandross sample in the chorus as Jadakiss documents his career up to this point. The first single "By My Side," features Ne-Yo in a song where Jada talks about his female interests. The song isn't raunchy, but radio friendly and swaps auto tune for a classic rap delivery, which is more than a bit refreshing.
???The highlight and surprise pairing on the album is "Smoking Gun," with Jasmine Sullivan. The song talks about a girl being abused by her stepfather, who grows up in rough situations afterwards. After ending each verse, Jadakiss rhymes about coming to the girls rescue if she needs him.
???Fans that have waited five years for another Jadakiss album might wonder how some of the tracks made it. It could be that some people don't mix all that well with Jada's vocals, such as Young Jeezy on "Something Else," or both Neptunes produced tracks "Stress Ya" and "Rocking with the Best."
???Other than those missteps, the album is worth the five-year wait and is so far the best hip-hop release of the year. While not a classic masterpiece, it is typical Jadakiss and will fit his fan base and hip-hop heads well.
