Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey
Since Death Row Records' 1990s rap reign of terror ended withDr. Dre's  escape,Tupac Shakur'smurder, and CEO Suge Knight's imprisonment, post-Death Row success has  eluded the Philly-born, LA-bred rapper known as Kurupt. His first solo  album,Kuruption, an East-Coast/West-Coast themed double CD, and  his follow-up album,Tha Streetz Is a Mutha, an orgy of violence  and Crip-gang fetish, did not live up to expectations. But withSpace Boogie: Smoke Oddessey, it appears the third time's a  charm for the talented ex-Dogg Poundgangster, as is the LP's motif. A fantastic voyage combining sci-fi  futurism, criminal menace, and blunt smoke,Space Boogiefeatures warm grooves from veteran producersDJ Quikand Kurupt's Pound partnerDaz, as well as  from newer names like Fredwreck and Soopafly. While Dr. Dre's absence  here is as surprising as Kurupt's collaborations withJon B,Everlast, andLimp Bizkit,  there's mo' than enough bounce here for this "Cyanide Sinatra" to  boogie.--'EL Juba