It's no surprise that an album from the label that dumped Interscope and Ice T for being too hard would produce product as bland as M.A.D. Kutz's Reelizm. These two obviously couldn't cut it in the Rotten Apple where they're from, so they loaded up their clippers and wandered west to settle in Chatsworth (about 20 miles north of LA and anywhere real Black folk chill at).

Now considerably westsidier and terribly proud of their record label (they mention it at least four times on the album, can you say "nutriding?"), these two barbers of the hillz kick crime stories (whole lotta ridin' goin' on in Chatsworth) over Casio keyboard beats and nondescript drumlines. Lyrically they sound like everybody you never remembered, from the underrated Colorado of Shadz of Lingo to the industry's hardest white boy, Mad Flava's Cold Cris the Soulman. One almost expects Skee-Lo to pop up on songs like "Makin' Money" (the singer sounds just like the one on "Crenshaw"), with production from the likes of Soul G, Gerald Baillergeau, T-Smoov, One EYE, and a host of other names you'll never hear from again. Hopefully.

Is there anything interesting on this record? The Sticky Fingaz guest shot on "Live for Today?" Maybe the interludes are tight? The "For The Love Of You" Sample that Masta Ace flipped, redone on "Chocolate Dream?" Let's see if any of those answers are on our board ...

*EEEEEEECCCCCCHHHH!* So-rry!

This album's candy coated feel may appeal to teenage girls walking around malls with disposable income, but for the average hip hop head, it's not doin' it. Perhaps the East Coast could ship some rowdies out here to beat some flavor into these guys, but until then it's all good in the Valley, baby.