What a coincidence - in the same month that Will Smith releases his dire new solo album, along comes his old partner Jazzy Jeff to show him how it should be done. Since splitting with the Fresh Prince a decade ago, Jeff (aka Jeffrey Allen Townes) has stayed largely behind the scenes, nurturing the early careers of his proteges Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild and producing tracks for the likes of Michael Jackson. His new effort contains some of his best work to date - it's a rich, satisfying exhibition of quality hip-hop which features over a dozen guest vocalists over the course of its 17 songs. The results are both smart and funky, filled with the kind of sharp dialogue that could come from nowhere except the streets of Philadelphia. Standout tracks include the string-soaked 'We Live In Philly', which features a superb performance from Scott herself, and 'How I Do', on which Boyz II Men star Sean Stockman shows what he can do when he's given some decent material to work with. Let's just hope someone has sent Will a copy.

Your Comments

No comments have been posted for this article yet. Be the first!