If you were a fan of hip-hop and where in high school/college in 2000, you’ve been waiting for the 3rd official LOX album for about half your life. Yeah, we got a good handful of solo albums, a ton of mixtapes and even the Trinity series over the last decade plus, but Filthy America...It’s Beautiful proves we still didn’t get that follow up to We Are The Streets until now
The LOX aren’t “trapped In The 90’s ni**as” and they prove that with tracks like “Omen”, “Secure The Bag” ft. Gucci Mane and Infa-Red, and “The Agreement” ft. Fetty Wap and Dyce Payne. You hear them testing out the new flows and sounds that the young kids abuse today while still giving you some real lyrics to vibe to.
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“What Else You Want To Know” provides all the answers to the stories and situations that the new era is googling to catch up. This is a great history lesson on who The Lox are and why it’s never been a game to them.
“Family” is the track that confirms that all of our favorite rap groups just aren’t who they say they are, except The LOX. The LOX are one of the only rap groups thats more than a rap group. The game, the money, chicks, nor the or jail time didn’t change that. It’s great to know that all of their raps were applicable to real life. That, and they took their principles more seriously than their fans and comrades.
“Move Forward” is The LOX with DJ Premier. I mean, what else do you want? I actually like this one more than “Recognize”. It just has a refreshing feel and sound right now, even though every element is a “throwback”.
“Don’t You Cry” and “Filthy America” are vintage LOX music. You’ve got to love it, man. Songs like these are why you mess with the LOX in the first place.
16 years later and this album somehow feels right on time. This is their reflective “been there, done that, and got successful” LOX album, and it sounds really good. They don’t go overboard on the street ish. Rather, they embrace elements of today, and all three of them are still rhyming at an above average level. That’s very rare, and much needed. I don’t want to be in my 50s for the next Lox album though. Whether you are 18, 28 or any of the ages in between, don’t let the ball drop without hearing this album.
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