Bricks
Rude, crude, and lewd, the Outsidaz's rhymes onThe  Bricksshould give those who findEminemunpalatable  something to think about. Violence, drugs, armed robbery, sexual  depravity, and shooting the president are all topics primed to make  their debut album the subject of moral-majority placards. That the East  Coast rappers' caricature exploits, bravado, and taunts--aimed at wack  rappers, cheating girlfriends, and anyone that's not them--are  exaggerated for maximum effect and come with party beats, suggests more  bad-boy misbehavior than a corrupting influence. "State to State," for  one, with its comedy samba and explicit message to sexually demanding  ladies--that the Outsidaz's wouldn't entertain with someone else's  barge poll--is pure comedy. And withKelis&Rah Diggagetting  their own back on "I'm Leaving,"The Bricksisn't all one-sided.  They even offer a blunt warning against the evils of drugs on "Rehab,"  albeit to something approximating a demented Disney ditty. If these  redeeming features, plus addictive beats and playful rhymes, aren't  enough to convince detractors that the Outsidaz are a valuable addition  to society, then the fact that they set up on an ice-cream stand on a  corner of their neighborhood known as the Bricks (previously frequented  by drug dealers) should hint that they're not all bad.--Dan  Gennoe