B.G. - Checkmate (CD)

All Music Guide

At the time of this album's release in late 2000, a Cash Money backlash had already crept across America among critical rap listeners. Those critics had accused the Cash Money Millionaires of churning out generic rap driven by floss-themed lyrics, a bling-bling mentality, club-style bounce beats, and little imagination. A few songs into Checkmate, it seems obvious that this criticism had perhaps crept into the Cash Money camp's consciousness; producer Mannie Fresh takes a much more experimental approach on this album, as BG presents a darkened palette of lyrics filled less with blatant hooks than literate rhymes -- in sum, this isn't your ordinary Cash Money album. At first, these changes seem welcome. After all, Cash Money's output had begun to get a bit generic, particularly with Juvenile's Tha G Code and Big Tymers' I Got That Work, albums of singles and recycled filler. But after an initial listen to Checkmate, fans of Cash Money's previous output may long for a return to form; thi...s album's conscious aspiration to bring a new sound is often awkward. First of all, Fresh's beats are much more cluttered, filled with layers of synths. Secondly, BG abandons simplicity and hooks, emphasizing his storytelling lyrics instead. In the end, it sounds as if both Fresh and BG are truly motivated to step up their game, a motivation that takes the duo away from their original strength: writing simple, radio-friendly, hook-laden club tracks. There aren't "Back That Azz Up"'s here. Even "I Know," the album's lead single, isn't especially catchy. As a result of this album's aspirations to be an out of the ordinary Cash Money release, it demands the listener to be open minded and accept the fact that this isn't a very catchy album, quite the opposite of Lil' Wayne's simple yet catchy Lights Out album released almost simultaneously. If you want creativity (granted, it's often ill-conceived creativity) rather than sugar-coated hooks, try this album, and make sure to give it a few listens to digest. It definitely has awkward moments, but it also has some rewarding moments such as "Bounce With Me" (truly uncanny beats) and "Hennessey XTC" (truly comical lyrics), along with other songs such as "U Know How We Do" and "Get in Line" that manage to merge inventive beats with engaging lyrics without resorting to force-fed hooks. - Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide Read more Less