The most undeniably unique feature about rapper, Scarface is his style. I've always found his tracks unappealing upon first listen. But, with time, you soon find yourself craving his tracks. And this album, 'The Last Of A Dying Breed' is no exception. It grew on me hardcore. After listening to the album twice, only a couple tracks stood out as above average. Fortunately I gave it more time, and as per the norm, I soon found myself craving Scarface's style.

Scarface is a gangsta rapper. His raspy distinctive voice echoes intellect over beats filled with forceful bass beats, synthesizer and gangsta appeal. He often incorporates a very successful rap and stop effect, which helps focus the listener on the lyrics at hand. Featured artists are well-placed and include the likes of Jay-z, Redman, Kurupt, Too Short, Daz, Jayo Felony and UGK.

Initially, the two outstanding tracks were "O.G. To Me" featuring Jayo, Daz & Kurupt and "The Gangsta Shit." But I soon discovered that "In & Out" was a very tight track, similar to Scarface's "Sex Faces" off his last album. It features Devin The Dude & Too Short. "Get Out" featuring Jay-z was equally impressive. As well as "Look Me In The Eyes," "It Ain't (Part II)" and "Watch Ya Step." The only overly weak track was "They Down With Us" featuring UGK. Following in the footsteps of Cypress Hill (from 'In The Beginning There Was Rap Soundtrack'), they sampled the beat from Lawrence Parker's "I'm Still #1."

This Scarface effort was impressive. It planted a small seed in my audial cortex and grew to be much bigger than I expected. The beats and Scarface's style were both tight. All the featured artists were street-credible and well-selected for their tracks. If you like Scarface's style, then this album is a must get. If your thing is gangsta rap and you don't mind giving an album a chance to grow on you, then 'The Last Of A Dying Breed' is a must get.

www.brockwayent.com

(Originally posted on HipHopCanada.com)

This review was written November 23, 2000