Under Investigation Records recently released to the streets, "The Burn". This is their fifth album release in the two years of the company's existence. Though this is not an official release the work put in by the artists certainly classifies it to be. With all the remix hype going around the UI Family took some beats from known artists and instead of remaking it they started from scratch and did their own version of how the song should be in their mind. "The Burn" is probably the only album encouraged to be burnt. Not to mention the CD is free. There's nothing fancy, no design, just a burnt CD and a tracklisting. But the quality music you get on this makes up for the lack of designs and makes you realize "damn I got this for free?"
"Really Want It" is the opening track to the album and is performed by 7 of the UI Family members. This track is well rounded and one of the absolute hottest tracks on the album. The track is ripped to the "Whoa" by Black Rob beat and UI has officially topped the original with this hard hitting version. The feeling on this track is hype like no other, and has "When The Music Stops" by Eminem and D-12 format to it. There?s no chorus just hot verses passed between members one after another. Channel Zero kicks the song off perfect, followed by Ynot?, 2Tymin', Offbeat, Lil' Reap, Playboy, and Emce Sol finishes the song strongly. Not only was this song raw, even the outro with Emce Sol explaining "The Burn" and UI is tight. One of the hottest songs on the album period.
Track 2, "Keep It Hood" is a Kriminals track to Clipse's "Grindin" beat. I wasn?t a fan of "Grindin" but Kriminals snapped on this one. The standout point on this track is how Playboy comes in so strong on the first verse with the lines, "The behavior's foul/ Nigga we Kriminal/ We aint on that feminine prank callin, issue statements/ Bodies bounce on pavements/ Flagrant, sloppy, handlin haters bro?. The hook to this track is tight but seems like it needed a little more energy in it. Overall the track is dope and follows up "Really Want It" nicely.
"Nail In The Coffin" is the third track and definitely a banger. Offbeat and Ynot? snap on this one to deliver one hell of a track. This song is a solid diss to haters, and people who try to stereotype a rapper as hip hop or gangsta rap. I?m not sure what beat to this is though. Offbeat starts the song off with his best verse to date and this verse is definitely a highlight of the song. He hits in his unique style with the lines, "Questionable maneuvers, Offbeat MC ego bruiser/ Ya Rhyme credibility smaller than Little Stuart's zoobas/ Gooba launcher, head honcho, yall clowning more than Groucho/ My style is ancho, while yours is staler than movie nachos." Offbeat definitely has one of the most different styles I?ve heard and the kid has a lot of talent. Ynot's verse serves more as the rough and straightforward diss and he snaps on the people who stereotype him. The hook to this track is definitely catchy and suits the track perfectly delivering a warning to those hating. This is a must hear.
The fourth track is "The Stick Up" by Channel Zero and is a remix to Pharoahe Monche's "Simon Says." This track shows off a strong performance from Channel Zero, UI's newest member. This track is not for the little kids though with Zero's hook, though hilarious, repeating "Shut The fuck Up" after every sentence. Me personally though, think the hook is dope. Zero comes off strong from the start with "Yo Chi-Rock city beware of the stick up acts/ Chef Po cooking beats Zero eatin the track/ Girls wit fat backs and pimps with cadillacs/ Mean muggin looks get ya laid on your back." He displays another unique style in UI, and this track is a good introduction to those who haven?t heard him much.
Track 5, "Common Sense" is a remix to Noreaga's "Oh No" and is another Kriminals group track. This is one of their hottest songs on here. Playboy kicks it off hype and raps a strong verse throughout. The second verse on here though is raw as hell. It?s split half and half, and 2Tymin' starts this verse and plays the beat brilliantly. 2Tymin' was top quality on this one and showed his skills off well. He snapped with "Accidentally start flaunt-in/ Aint my fault no sugar-coat-in/ Cake batter niggas start to rise when the heats on/ Now your peeps gone/ Scared talking fast like a Puerto Ric-awn." "Common Sense" features some great verses from each Kriminal and a solid hook.
"Destination" is track 6 and one of the hottest tracks on here. The track is done to the "Blaze A 50" beat by Nas. This song is off the hook from start to finish and features Lil' Reap and Emce Sol at their finest. They each spit two verses back to back with one hook in between. The high point of this song comes on the last verse by Emce Sol where he snaps off with one of the hottest verses I've heard from him. The wordplay in this verse has to be heard and not read to get the full effect. He spits "More like snatching objects/ This the new project aint doing it for profit/ Just new music for the projects/ And the logic behind this topic, just pop it/ I guarantee no one can top it, no stoppin/ Just nodding of you noggin/ UI running this rap game yall joggin/ Yall asthmatic, Reap and Sol back at it/ Dope music so gather around crack addicts/ So labels don't panic/ Under Investigation the iceberg yall the Titanic/ So sink in the Atlantic/ That's your destination." Props go out to Emce Sol and Lil' Reap on this track. This is a raw ass track.
Track 7 is "Secret Weapon" by Ynot?. This remix solo to some dope Timbaland beat by the white boy of the UI Family shows off his skills on a solo level. Not only a strong lyrical group member but on this one he shows off great lyricism and storytelling at the same time. I really like the way he delivers with his music. Revealing a secret weapon to the nation, Ynot? comes out and shows the people that UI has some tricks up it's sleeve. Explaining his part in the family and letting everyone know he can hold his own ground. Throughout the track he uses weapon examples to compare to his words as weapons. It is clear he has potential with the lines in the second verse, "Duck for cover though bomb shelters will not protect/ Verbal anthrax and the illness is starting to infect/ Unseen by radar make KRS envy my "Sneak Attacks"/ Got my enemies running quicker than shit after X-Lax." This track is hot without a doubt.
Track 8, "The End" is a 2Tymin' solo song done to the Fabolous "Keepin It Gangsta" instrumental. Much props to 2Tymin's display of his talent on this one. He shows how much potential he has right here and style wise and lyrically he snapped. His second verse starts off with the dope line, "Why is everybody trying to bring peace to da hood/ fuck that I bring a piece to da hood." The song is deep yet still gangsta as Kriminals like to keep it. The hook is straight, not the catchiest one, but Channel Zero's harmonizing in the background makes it sound more complete. Real Tight song.
That brings me to one of my favorites on here, Track 9, "The Time Is Now" with Channel Zero featuring Lil' Reap and Yari in the chorus. This song is the perfect chill track featuring great lyricism from Channel Zero on both of his verses. The hook is the highlight of this song though with Reap harmonizing, "Now if you want Ill take you there the time is now/ You cant hold me down/ You cant block my cheese/ You wont crush my dreams/ You cant compete with me/ I'm out the woodworks now/ So tune in now, Zero break it down/ And let the world know now how you touch a crowd." Then Yari comes in and snaps with her singing part and honestly this needs to be heard not explained. This song is guaranteed to be a favorite.
