Black Mask

Audio Mixer: DJ Revolution.
Like most hip-hop movie soundtracks, Black Mask features a bit of everything. There's some West Coast underground rap, a bit of fast-paced Southern hip-hop, a heavy dose of New York thuggery, and even a dash of turntablism. Nothing on the album is terrible, but only a few tracks truly shine. D.I.T.C's "Get Yours" features the now-deceased Big L spitting over a minimalist though still infectious beat. Los Angeles native, Defari represents with "Killin' Spree," one of the more brutally effective songs on his album. And newcomers Screwball score with their gleefully depraved braggadocio anthem, "F.A.Y.B.A.N." Besides the splash of Southern rap from Crooked Lettaz, the rest of the Black Mask soundtrack features a host of groups from the East Coast. Natural Elements, DV Alias Khrist, Cardan, and the rest do nothing to rise above the ordinary brand of gloomy, crime-orientated hip-hop. Fans of the genre will be neither overwhelmed nor disappointed. ~ Chris Witt