After a four-year hiatus, Onyx has reunited to release their fourth album, Bacdafucup: Part II. Having been a huge Onyx fan for my whole life, (after all, they turned me on to rap music with their album All We Got Iz Us), I was buzzing with excitement upon hearing KOCH's decision to put out another Onyx album.

Onyx's distinctive gritty and hardcore rap style helped propel them to fame with their classic debut album, Bacdafucup. Upon the first listen of Bacdafucup: Part II, it becomes clear that the days of old have past. The first single, 'Slam Harder' is pretty decent, but just can't slam harder than the original 'Slam.' In fact, only the first song, 'What's Onyx' and possibly 'Hood Beef' bring back memories of vintage Onyx. As emcee Sticky Fingaz points out in the biography, "I'll be listening to the radio and I want to hear the hard shit, but it don't exist no more. So, we mixed up Bacdafucup: Part II to be where music is at today and where I feel music is going today. It's both." Unfortunately, this new watered-down Onyx style just doesn't cut it.

Bacdafucup: Part II was a disappointment and worries me that Onyx might be finished for good.

Click here to buy the album or read CDNow's album review.