Xodus - The New Testament

More of the same is hardly a bad thing when considering X Clan's second album. They're still jacking beats — from Special Ed, D-Nice, and Main Source, for instance — and they're still spreading their knowledge with righteous, if occasionally vague, verve. The most significant change in the group's sound is the decreased reliance upon Funkadelic and George Clinton samples. This serves them well and shows that they had more going for them than most people gave X Clan credit for. Furthermore, expecting them to come out with some form of party jam or anything less serious than their typical material was just plain wrongheaded — they wouldn't've worn it well at all. And so, they stick to what they do best: railing against racism and the other issues that hold blacks down ("F.T.P.," which refers once again to Yusef Hawkins' 1989 beating at the hands of a white mob) and bolstering their doctrine with tight, detailed productions. The normally relaxed and somewhat reserved Brother J breaks from his usual playbook on "Rhythem of God" with a blitzing, forceful delivery. On "Cosmic Ark," he rhymes with such authority and momentum that the end of the track seems to make him stop prematurely; the track lasts five and a half minutes but could've gone on into double digits. Not quite as excellent as the debut, Xodus is nonetheless another album lacking dull moments. Unfortunately, the group split before it was able to make a third.