Original Soundtrack - Friday After Next (CD)

All Music Guide

Friday After Next, the soundtrack to Ice Cube's second sequel to the original Friday, balances new tracks by modern rappers with a few classics of the old school (from Donny Hathaway, the Temptations, Leon Haywood, and Slave). Cube's Westside Connection gets pride of place with the opener, "It's the Holidaze," a good Christmastime jam, while Busta Rhymes' Flipmode Squad and Nappy Roots hit the ground running with great jams. Hands down the highlight, though, is Krayzie Bone's "Wonderful World," an instant classic that works a holiday string sample (and not much else) with one of the few tracks to have the same lazy-day atmosphere of the original Friday.

- John Bush, All Music Guide