Genesis

Still In The Game
by: tom reiter

Dirty, grimy, nasty, raw - Genesis is a departure from Busta Rhymes' more party-orientated material and ventures more into the streets, ultimately ending up in the gutter. Not that the album itself is bad, but Genesis isn't something you'll want to play at your family reunion. Tracks like "A** On Your Shoulders" and "Wife In Law" exhibit this.

The first two standout tracks yell out old school. "As I Come Back" is centered around Busta's famous utterance from "Scenario" by A Tribe Called Quest when he was still part of Leaders of the New School. The other standout track is his version of Pete Rock's remix of "Shut 'Em Down" as originally done by Public Enemy, using the same sample. Busta keeps it real and deep on the title track, "Genesis" and still employs his offbeat, bouncy rhythms found on his previous albums on most tracks. "Break Ya Neck" and "What It Is" are classic Busta Rhymes, ensuring their success on the charts.

The low point of Genesis is the duet with P. Diddy, "Pass The Courvosier". The lyrics are completely unintelligible; the rough beats and somewhat catchy refrain are the song's saving grace. This low point is nearly matched on the album's closer; the interlude to "Bad Dreams" is either funny or offensive, depending on your experiences, and the track leaves a sour taste in your mouth once all is said and done.

Genesis shows Busta Rhymes is still creative, and it also shows that he just doesn't care what anyone thinks of him. Flipmode fans will like Genesis more than fans of his more pop-oriented material, but true hip-hop/rap listeners will be hard-pressed to find enough solid tracks to support their purchase. 04-Apr-2002 11:10 PM