Artist: Young Buck
Album: Buck The World
Label: G-Unit / Interscope
Release Date: March 20, 2007
RC Reviewer: lostsoul89
Producers: Dr. Dre, Eminem, Lil Jon, Jazze Pha, Hi-Tek, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Danja, Needlz, Vitamin D, Diaz Brothers
Track listing:
1. Push Em Back
2. Say It To My Face
3. Buss Yo Head
4. I Ain't Fuckin' Wit U
5. Get Buck
6. Buck The World
7. Slow Ya Roll
8. Hold On
9. Pocket Full Of Paper
10. Haters
11. U Ain't Goin Nowhere
12. Money Good
13. Puff Puff Pass
14. Clean Up Man
15. 4 Kings
16. I Know You Want Me
17. Lose My Mind/Funeral Music (Hidden Track)
RAPCENTRAL REVIEW:
Young Buck's follow up to the highly successful "Straight Outta Ca$hville" album is here. Playfully titled "Buck The World", Buck has crafted a solid album.
The album's opening track "Push Em Back" is a quality opening track, it's a raw track, the production (from Young RJ) is tight and has a street vibe. Bun-B, 8Ball & MJG appear on the second track "Say It To My Face", continueing from the opening tracks raw sound, the beat has an epic sound to it and the guests do well. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League lend production to "Buss Yo' Head", is basically a do as it says track, Buck stating not to fuck with him, it is still a solid effort.
For anyone who coped Hi-Tek's album last year will recognize an uncredited Dion appearance on this Hi-Tek produced track, Snoop Dogg and Trick Daddy add to probably the albums best track so far. "Get Buck" covers the crunk side of things, the beat is too loud to hear what Buck's
saying, I didn't like this one.
The albums title track "Buck The World" is by far and away the albums best track, Lyfe Jennings hook is sweet and Buck's verses are decent. It echoes 2Pac's "Fuck The World" for obvious reasons. I doubt you will see a stranger combination than this, Young Buck and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park fame, but what an effective one it is, Bennington's hook complements Buck's top notch verses. The production from DOC & Gramps on this track works well.
The albums first single "Hold On" is a Dre produced track featuring 50 Cent. Hate or love Fiddy, it seems he got Dre on his side now. The production reeks of Dre and thats never a bad thing it's a good track, but forgettable. If you like crunk "Pocket Full of Paper" will appeal to you, but if you dislike over-produced loud-in your face rhymes, its not for you.
"Haters" is a fantastic track, Buck's rap is heartfelt and the beat by Vitamin D is tight. This is a highlight of the album. The Dr. Dre produced "U Ain't Goin' Nowhere" shows the ladies man side of Buck, Tupac Shakur's
influence on Buck is apparent here and is a enjoyable slow groove track.
"Money Good" is a crunk track, an uneventful trackfiller. "Puff Puff Pass", besides from the horribly repetitive hook is another solid track, the production is solid and so is Buck's verse. "Clean Up Man" is a poor track in my opinion, the hook though is good, but the production could have been better.
The southern flavoured track "4 Kings" featuring guest appearences from T.I., Pimp C and Young Jeezy. The production from Jazze Pha is uninspiring
and is a waste of the rappers verses. Jazze Pha production is slightly better on the second last track "I Know You Want Me", it's a thugged out joint, on which Buck gives a solid performance.
The last track "Lose My Mind", the Eminem produced track is a highlight, Buck's tough, unforgiving lyrics are at their best here, as well as Em's production. The bonus track 50 Cent's "Funeral Music" is a diss at Dipset's
Cam'ron and I have no idea how it ended up on Buck's joint.
Overall, this is a solid effort, G-Unit heads will love it, I enjoyed a good five or six of the tracks and a few more we of a good standard. It's not a classic but a solid effort
TOP TRACKS: Push Em Back, Buck The World, I Ain't Fuckin' Wit U!, Haters, Lose My Mind
RAPCENTRAL OVERALL RATING: 3 out of 5
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ALL MUSIC GUIDE REVIEW: (4 out of 5)
Young Buck's sophomore effort arrived as his crew and label (G-Unit) plus his career savior (50 Cent) had come under scrutiny for their struggling sales (struggling as in they weren't always going platinum). None of this really matters in the long run because drama and talk isn't really part of the final listening experience, but it's worth noting because Buck the World doesn't outright look like a G-Unit release (the artwork isn't as loud as usual and there's no visual references to money) and it doesn't sound like it's from the house of 50 until about halfway through. Whether it's a decided distancing or not, Scarface and early Mobb Deep come to mind as "Push Em Back" kicks open the door. By the time producer Hi-Tek shows up on "I Ain't ******* Wit U" with one of his most singalong, soulful constructions to date, Buck has already hung with 8Ball, MJG, and Bun B and cleaned out his own closet over a "My Hero Is a Gun" loop off the Mahogany soundtrack on the dramatic "Buss Yo' Head." Smart and fresh decisions continue when Lyfe Jennings guests on the soul-searching title track and Chester Bennington lends a hand to "Slow Ya Roll," a lyric-writing triumph for Buck. The pivotal cut opens up the door to familiar territory with 50 and Dr. Dre both contributing to "Hold On." From here on out you can take everything great about the rapper's debut and apply it here. It's that satisfying mix of polish and street with all-stars like Lil Jon, who is back again with a burner ("Money Good"), Jazze Pha, who gives up two ("Kings," "I Know You Want Me"), and Ky-Mani Marley, who joins for a smoking song that would make father Bob smile ("Puff Puff Pass"). Capping off this well-built and surprisingly diverse album is a thrilling mix of new and old as Buck shouts the angst-ridden and completely destructive lyrics of "Lose My Mind" against Eminem's typically tinker-toy melody. The track connects the dots from Buck to G-Unit and onto Slim Shady, making Buck the World a great way to steady the whole, supposedly troubled empire. Even better, when considered as a self-contained effort from Buck, it's the release that makes him more than G-Unit's clean-up man by proving he could survive even if 50 and Shady bankrupted the corporation tomorrow.
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