The debut album from Bad Boy artist, Shyne, is yet another step toward putting Bad Boy Records back on solid groud. Shyne's voice shines with uniqueness reminiscent of Notorious B.I.G.'s vocal fingerprint. He has a unique gangsta style which when coupled with his distinctive voice, simply appeals to the ear. He reminds me of a smaller-scale DMX, but I'm sure Shyne won't reach the same level, because his flow isn't always as fluid and on point. Backed by a diverse array of producers, the beats are quite diverse and appealing. As well, the only featured artists are Slim from 112 and Barrington Levy. In fact, Barrington Levy is the key link for both tracks on which he appears, taking them to a higher level. Interestingly, Puff Daddy only threw Levy in the mix after the Rascalz experienced considerable success on their Levy-laden hit single, "Top Of The World."

The first single, "Bad Boyz" features Barrington Levy and is eating up the rap charts. With a chorus backed by the classic "... bad boyz..." you can't go wrong. "That's Gangsta" dons the exact same beat as one of my favorite SWV tracks, "Getting Funky." The beat is indeed funky, but recycling a beat is a very weak move on Puffy's part. "It's OK", "Bonnie & Shyne", "Get Out" and "Let Me See Your Hands" are other impressive tracks.

Shyne has opened the door for better things to come. He needs to increase the emotion flowing through his rhymes. At times, the beat and lyrics don't seem to fit together. Nonetheless, the beats are impressive and Shyne's distinctive voice keep the album at the appealing level. If you enjoyed Notorious B.I.G's or DMX's vocal persona, then you ought to check this album out.

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(Originally posted on HipHopCanada.com)

This review was written October 4, 2000