Training Day
Give thanks to the folks behindTraining Dayfor aiming a little higher on the musical food chain and actually putting together a collection that has more beef than filler. The meat is represented by an eclectic array of talent--everyone from underground champsGang StarrtoP. Diddy, whose hook-up with David Bowie's "American Dream" bites off more than it can spit out. On the plus side, there's "Put It on Me," an X-rated G-funk romp fromDr. Dreand DJ Quick; a fiery remake of N.W.A.'s "F*** tha Police" (now called "Watch the Police") by C-Murder and Trick Daddy; and "Wolves," a snarling, take-no-prisoners salvo from street dawgs M.O.P. Hip-hop's golden childNellychecks in with "#1," a more-rugged-than-usual shout-out to the glory of success, whilePharoahe Monch's rock-stoked "F*** You" shines a light on this oft-overlooked wordsmith. In short, a veritable feast for ravenous rap fans that feels more like music than product.--Amy Linden