It's good to see a hip-hop crew that's just as solid at building grooves as taking care of the raps, especially for their debut album. Except for the usual guest shots (
Master P.,
Montell Jordan,
the Lox,
Kurupt,
Big Pun) and a few outside productions, the trio of
Made Men --
Benzino, Antonio Twice Thou, and
Mr. Gzus -- burst out of the block with an excellent album. Most of the best tracks on
Classic Limited Edition feature
just Made Men; the trio on vocals plus production by
Hangmen 3, essentially
Made Men themselves. From the tough-talking bounce track "Keep It Movin" to the horn-and-strings on "Right Now,"
Made Men excel at producing tracks that balance the lyrics and raps perfectly. For the
Master P. spotlight, "Is It You (Deja Vu)," the trio create a downtempo bounce track that's heavy on the groove. Other guest appearances --
Montell Jordan on "Sticky Situation,"
Wise Guys on "Drama Still," and
Monifah and
Queen Pen on "Not the One" -- show
Made Men crafting productions that fit the guests well. It's a solid debut from a crew that undoubtedly has a bright future.
–
Keith Farley, Rovi