Here we have another album that has all of it's production coming from one man, Statik Selektah. The Hangover is Selektah's third official album release, but has a lot more mixtape material and has been a follower of the DJ Premier-like east coast sound for some time. Because Statik is solely a producer, we have all kinds of guests contributing to this project, and the results are for the most part successful.
The Hangover starts off with the Bun B and Wale spitting about what kind of world we all dream of on "So Close, So Far." The beat has a certain essence in it which showcases the sincerity within the lyrics. The next joint is "Critically Acclaimed," with Lil Fame of MOP, Saigon, and Sean Price. Man, what a perfect combination of emcees for a track that is so raw and demands your respect. After a couple of forgettable songs, we get a string of joints that really display Statik's production skills. "Come Around," is one of those tracks that hooks you with the sample that resonates throughout, and all the emcees crush their verses, especially Royce Da 5'9 (that art of Orion line had me rewinding a couple times). "Drunken Nights" and "Life is Short" are two tracks that make you reflect and are appropriate considering the name of the album. Next comes the single "The Thrill is Gone," which has been on net for awhile but still has replay value. Styles P and Talib Kweli leave us to think about the current state of hip hop, and that message will always be relevant when executed correctly. "The Coast," involves Statik hooking up a couple West Coast emcees and the end product is nice. Fashawn is an up and comer who has incredible talent on the microphone and impresses me again with this appearance. Kali is another cat who does well on this track, as well as the closing song "Walking Away," which also includes a verse by Novel.
When it comes down to it, almost every emcee on the album does their job. Statik also provides us with some solid production and there's no doubt that he's one of those guys keeping the golden era East Coast sound alive. However, the project is nothing groundbreaking and doesn't flow as well as it could. Why? Simply, it's because there are so many rappers on the album it is unavoidable. But overall, this project has some great material and is a step in the right direction for Statik. Check below for the download link and the single "The Thrill is Gone."
Overall: 3.5/5
Download Statik Selektah's 100 Proof (The Hangover)
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