Tell 'Em Why U Madd

What started as a Bad Boy Records skit to pull the cards of player-hating rap artists who had criticized the camp on wax for turning the rap game into an materialistic free-for-all ironically turned into a record deal for Bad Boy impresario Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, the man behind the Madd Rapper. D-Dot, mainly known for his production credits (most notably "All About the Benjamins") does double-duty on his debut album. Tell 'Em Why U Madd is star-studded, self-serving hip-hop with hard-hitting beats tinged with outlandish street humor. Not trying to shake up the game or prove anything but that cash rules everything around us. This album serves as a showcase for up-and-coming talent on Crazy Cat Records, namely Fierce and Picasso Black. "Bongo Break," featuring Busta Rhymes, is premium high octane hip-hop and is arguably the best cut. However, the most significant cut may be "How to Rob," featuring the clever lyrical stick-ups of 50 Cent, that while meant facetiously were taken to heart by some of the numerous rap artists mentioned in the cut, resulting in hard feelings. Keeping with the Mad Rapper theme, 50 shows to what lengths a rap artist would go to get paid. This album is the essence of jiggy hip-hop: heavy on anger and gun-boasting, tempered slightly by tongue in cheek humor. Putting the gangsterism and money first, the art form of hip-hop a distant second, doesn't purport to be anything else but potentially offensive to hip-hop purists. Overall, a fairly entertaining album on the strength of the beats and the mix of guest appearances ranging from Eminem to the Beatnuts, but certainly nothing earth shattering. ~ M.F. DiBella, Rovi