Success breeds complacency, even for the hardest trash talkers.
For many months, new gangsta releases have hinted that the bit is getting played out. And many young toughs release debuts that are shocking only in their roteness. Opinions differ about nihilistic gangstas, but there's nothing to like about bored nihilistic gangstas. Still, some recent releases suggest rap has more to say, and can even snag new audiences, by going back to the future, when it was a more inclusive, witty and unpredictable music. They handle most of the production here.