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Thugged Out: The Albulation by Yukmouth

Yukmouth
Thugged Out: The Albulation
Rap-a-Lot Records

With a name like Yukmouth, it's not that surprising that garbage flows forth. From the group formerly known as the Luniz, one half of the "I Got 5 On It" guys drops -- get this -- a double album with more allegiance to bullshit than bustin.' Pull up a pillow, you may feel yourself yawning soon.

Now, it's important to say that Yukmouth has talent, and in one or two moments on this album that talent shows through. The Luniz may or may not have broken up (at one point Yukmouth says his old label is suing him, and the Luniz are no more, but at another point he and partner Numskull go all out on a track with that other "are-they-or-aren't-they" duo, Daz & Kurupt), but the slightly gritty sound of Yuk has gone almost Onyx level on this criminal opus.

Originally sponsored by Dru Down but lately owing more to Digital Underground (DU took the Luniz on their last tour, the live show was incredible), Yukmouth here shows undying allegiance to Tupac, with the crowd of Peter Parker webbing on Mr. Shakur's rotting scrotum getting another thwip from more than twenty individual mentions of Makavelianism. It bores. Of the 28 cuts (some skits, mostly songs) perhaps two or three are aight ("City of Dope" has some appeal to it, as does a Luniz reunion on "Baller's Feud", the aforementioned Luniz/Dogg Pound "My Buddy" and the Rap-A-Lot roster-filled "Rap-A-Lot Mafia"), but few are out and out memorable. The album is predominated by products of the Ant Banks School of Production -- bass heavy, monochromatic notes from stock keyboards, simple chord arrangements and plenty of room for lyrics that people aren't really listening to. This should be another world-famous-in-the-Bay album, a local classic destined for gold status and niche superstardom.

If you live outside of that part of the world, however, or have no interest in gangsta themed music, you'll find this a yawner of epic proportions, the Waterworld of rap albums. With the innovative and wacky side we heard in that now legendary single, we'd have hope for something ... funnier. Oh well.

-- Hannibal Tabu/$d®-Parker Brothers

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