Review: DJ QUIK & KURUPT, BlaQKout

Consider this a poor man's Oh My God. The pairing of DJ Quik, who doesn't get enough credit for his production skills, and Kurupt, who's paid tribute to Rakim on many occasions, should ellict that kind of a reaction, even though they've never reached the same heights in their respective fields -- and it isn't nearly as unexpected. But at least this one exists.

Among Kurupt's first lines is "How can you go wrong?" Twice, in fact. And it's a fair question, though they do manage to veer off course at times. One would be the unfortunately named "Cream N Ya Panties," which seemingly duplicates the opening title track's background screeches without duplicating the success of the original Quik sex-driven track, "Black P----." It at least should have been pushed back futher on the album to make it less obvious.

But those low moments are few and far between and the majority of the album is a solid listen, even if it's not stellar. The standout is "9x's Outta 10" with its simple, repetitive vibe, but "Ohh!" and the Moroccan-themed "Hey Playa!" also make an impact with their exclamations. "Do You Know?" also offers a "Back To Life" sample not to be questioned.

"F--- Y'all" takes the same concept as the Black Sheep interlude from 1991 and extends it into a full song. The highlight in the guest department is none other than Yo-Yo, who might have been a late addition as "Whatcha Wan Do" appears again without her as a bonus track.

The album gets lost again toward the end with "Exodus," a mess of an interlude, and "Jupiter's Critic & the Mind of Mars," which is one part '80s music, one part space odyssey and five parts trip, that only can be explained with a simple Quik lyric at the center: "I smoke a lot of weed." Thankfully, "The Appeal" grounds the starship before the album lands.

As Kurupt says early on, "This is one of those things when you put it together you make gumbo." There are a lot of flavors to digest here, but if they keep cooking together they'll get the perfect recipe before long. Click here to find out how to buy this album.

-- Mason Storm