All Eyez on Us (Collector's Edition)

Landing less than a year after his major-label double-disc effort I Need Mine, Lil' Flip's All Eyez on Us finds the rapper teaming with Outlawz member Young Noble. The album's title references 2Pac's landmark effort All Eyez on Me right down to the "z," but this gutsy move is only supported by a firm allegiance to street life and Noble's affiliation to the late rapper by way of Outlawz. 2Pac's Eyez was epic while Flip and Noble's is extremely casual. 2Pac's Eyez changed the game while Flip and Noble's is destined to be an album remembered by hardcore rap's inner circle, since singles are absent and communicating to a wider audience is of no concern. None of this is bad news, because both Flip and Noble work well in these conditions — plus, it's a surprisingly good idea for a partnership, with the slow-burning Noble influencing Flip to play it colder and less over the top. Because of this, tracks like "Be About Somethin" shine, with the duo advocating accountability and ambition in a Dead Prez style. Instead of a 2Pac release, this Eyez seems to be most influenced by the Dead Prez/Outlawz team-up Can't Sell Dope Forever, a wonderful effort that displayed how a hardcore rapper could grow up without clamping down (check "Pill or Two" or "Purple Lean" for examples of the latter). This trails behind Can't Sell in the production department and could stand to be trimmed by a redundant number or two, but it's a good move for Flip and another reason to declare Noble "underappreciated." [All Eyez on Us was also made available in a clean version, with all explicit material removed.]