Mack 10 - Paper Route (CD)

All Music Guide

When Mack 10 enthusiastically claims on the album-opening "From the Streetz," "I'm back to that O.G. gangsta fo' life gritty sht" and "Tell 'um where I'm from," his stance seems almost a bit too earnest to be taken seriously. Yet rather than question the rapper on his credibility, this album works best when you simply kick back, nod your head to the G-funk beats, and revel in this extended gangsta-flossing exercise, even if it's admittedly contrived. On songs such as "Nobody," featuring Ice Cube and W.C. along with the ever-innovative production of Timbaland, Mack once again showcases his gangsta fantasies: "Who go mo' money than us?" Once again, don't take this stuff too seriously; this song, along with others such as "Tha Weekend" (also with Cube) and "Pimp or Die" (with Too Short), are little more than male fantasies laid out on wax with the typical laid-back West Coast attitude. Yet, in the end, more than Mack's firm gangsta stance, the thick, funk-filled beats make all this work -...- even with a stable of non-superstar producers -- as the raps sound so much better with a bit of bounce to them. This isn't The Chronic or AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, but The Paper Route is one of the better albums to argue that '90s West Coast gangsta rap didn't end with 2Pac's death. - Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide Read more Less