Tearing down the myth that “Return Of The Mac” is a good album.

On the music discussion message board of my choice there lies this notion that Prodigy just put out a worthwhile solo disc. The same Prodigy we loved on The Infamous, Hell On Earth, Murda Muzik*, HNIC, Free Agents**, Amerikaz Nightmare***; just because Mobb Deep dropped a stinker with the G-Unit affiliated Blood Money and he’s back spitting hard over Alchemist beats folks have deluded themselves into believing he’s still the one. I have a close listening, discerning ear and I don’t easily buy into dreams. Much like the way I want Nas to put out completely solid albums in this day and age and I’ve accepted the fact that he’s lost the ability, Bandana P barely cares about this rap thing anymore. I have a set formula for what makes a good song: good beat + standard verse + decent hook = good song. You take Nore and your expectations for him, if the beat and hook are cool then he made a good song. By this line of reasoning Prodigy hasn’t been living up to the bar that he previously set for himself, and that’s when you should hang it up as a MC.

Perhaps P has never recovered from a depression brought on by the SummerJam screen, maybe his well documented physical ailments have debilitated him from really focusing or he could just be going through the motions of trying to maintain street respect knowing at the end of the day he answers to Curtis. In any case, I’ve played this album he put out on “The Graveyard” twice or thrice and while I tried to convince myself it was hitting the first time, it became more underwhelming with subsequent listens. I’m giving it one more spin just to be sure it isn’t me who’s tripping.

The Rundown:

Return Of The Mac – He’s spitting very hard, but saying absolutely nothing. It seems like he put no thought into the verses, just running with Busta’s “New York Shit” rhyme scheme and talking tough. I can say why people would be so enraptured in the beat that they’d consider this a great song.

Stuck On You – The beat/sample is killer, 8 years ago P would have done damage to this. He was actually spitting on the second verse, although he could have done better than “I got big jumpoffs that fit down my pants leg”

Mac 10 Handle – Again it’s very hard, but very empty of substance or originality. Not to mention how much this sample has been used.

The Rotten Apple – Boring from the beat to the verses

Take It To The Top – The beat makes the song, the hook is pretty strong. But he isn’t saying much

7th Heaven – He started off the first 4 lines rhyming I’m feelin’ good with I’m feelin’ good. Uninteresting overall

Bang On Em – Good beat, the verses didn’t hold my attention

Nickel And A Nail – Okay he was spitting here, no complaints.

Legends – He killed it here too.

Stop Fronting – The hook is classic cocky Prodigy, but the verses were kinda blah.

In sum I likely wont be revisiting this album again. Alchemist came through for the most part, but my ears say Prodigy mailed his performance in.

* - I don’t have a substantive verdict on this album, I played it like twice. But everyone loves it.

** - Criminally underrated

*** - The last time they really put their heart into it as a group.