For the uninitiated, Clipse got their big break in 2002 with the megahit, "Grindin'". It was something totally different for the time, and being signed with Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes (the industry's golden child at the time) was the best thing they could ask for. Their debut album Lord Willin' spawned several hits and ultimately went gold. Anxious to follow up, Clipse went right to work on album number two, entitled Hell Hath No Fury. All would not end well though as major label drama caused them to be put on the shelf indefinitely, and by the time Hell Hath No Fury finally saw the light of day in late 2006, they had been overtaken in the market place by other rap hustlers like Young Jeezy. The dope-boy swagger style that Clipse pioneered set off a trend in the industry and had everyone from Lil Wayne to Gucci Mane copping to it. Because of this, Clipse became almost forgotten and HHNF saw diminished sales, even though it was one of the best albums of the decade--period.
Never ones to be deterred, Clipse took the mixtape game by storm with their Re-Up Gang homies Ab-Liva and Sandman and got their buzz back, releasing the classic We Got it For Cheap series. This lead to them signing a joint venture with Columbia Records and brings us to now, with their latest opus, Til the Casket Drops.
Right off the bat, you can tell we are dealing with an older and wiser Clipse. While Pusha T maintains his braggadocious and cocky demeanor, older brother Malice speaks almost like a wisened elder, telling cautionary tales and uplifting messages inspired by his vague apparent religious awakening. Don't get me wrong, the drug and baller talk is still there, but it seems to me that Clipse have been through some shit in the last few years and instead are trying to bring a new perspective. And I don't really blame them, after so many imitators ran their style into the ground, it's probably best to switch things up. Lyrically and flow-wise, they are sharp as ever, with Malice really stepping up and mostly overshadowing Pusha for the majority of the LP. Everyone is clamoring for that Pusha T solo album, but after listening to this album, I've become more of a fan of Malice.
Now on to the actual music itself. The album starts with the epic "Freedom", with Pusha and Malice triumphantly announcing their return and decrying the fake emcees who have occupied the spots they feel belong to them. A great way to kick off the proceedings, and it's followed by the street banger "Popular Demand (Popeye's)", featuring Cam'ron and Pharrell. It's pure, unadulterated east coast hip-hop, with a pimped out Neptunes beat to make the whole thing official. The video is currently on MTV2 all the time, so hopefully it's blowing up more than I realize, since I avoid radio and MTV like the plague.
Yo Gotti shows up on the down south/dope boy track "Showin' Out". It's a decent club joint, but feels almost forced to be honest with you. It'll knock in the whip thanks to it's fat bassline, but I feel like Clipse are pandering to a lower denominator on this track. They were always known as the thinking man's hustler/rappers, and by trying to dumb it down with Yo Gotti, it's like they are reaching for the audience that they despise.
The first two singles, "Kinda Like a Big Deal" featuring Kanye West and "I'm Good" featuring Pharrell are classic Clipse. The former has them getting lyrical and boasting alongside the douchebag Kanye over a knocking beat, and the latter is a laidback summer time anthem for the hustlers out there. Try not to roll the windows down and just vibe when "I'm Good" comes on in the car, I dare you. It's beautiful music.
Clipse don't slowdown for a minute on this album. The ominous, reggae-tinged banger "There Was a Murder" has Pusha adopting a faux patois and believe it or not, he pulls it off. If you haven't heard the sure-fire party starter "Doorman" yet, I don't know what rock you have been living under. Neptunes provide another crazy backdrop and the boasting and drug dealing reaches it's zenith on this track, almost to self-incriminating levels. Here, check it out for yourself:
There are two really obvious reaches for radio play which, while good songs, just ring hollow to me because I can tell it's not what Clipse really wanted to do. The songs in question are "Eyes on Me" with Keri Hilson and "Counseling". While both really good and catchy, they just come across forced. Not like I skip 'em when they come on, just...look, if you're a diehard Clipse fan like myself, you'll get what I mean when you hear it.
The album closes with two introspective tracks, "Footsteps" and "Life Change". It really shows a side of the Clipse you don't always see, humble and reflective. Malice especially steals the show on "Life Change", describing how bad personal choices and industry woes have shaped him into the wise man he is today.
After two classic albums, it would be hard for any group to pull a three-peat, and I gotta say, Clipse damn near did it. Every song on the album is GOOD, and many are GREAT, and there are about four or five absolute CLASSICS. The main reason I can't in good conscience give this album a perfect score is because of the obvious reaches for mainstream appeal. While I can UNDERSTAND why they did it, part of it just doesn't sit right with me. If you can look past that though, this album is fire from start to finish, up there with Blueprint 3, Cuban Linx II and Man in the Moon as the best hip-hop albums of the year. Do yourself a favor and support real music, as Clipse are BACK, and this time, hopefully, to stay.
RATING: 3.5/4
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