Survival of the phattest

By REBECCA BARRY

You could be forgiven for thinking Skinnyman was ripping off of the Streets. Make the mistake of judging his album name alone and Council Estate of Mind sounds too much like Mike Skinner's famously gritty testament to life in the concrete jungle - he even resembles the pasty Brummie who made his name writing hip-hop poetry about his banal, lower-class existence.

But this is not a good-time album in the sense Skinner makes light of his crappy life. In fact, you're likely to come away from it feeling down in the dumps: "Me just trying to be living my life but like I said before it ain't that nice." Rather than dazzling with speed his style relies on the profundity of his narrative, an up-yours to all those who knew he would wind up on the dole with no cash or prospects.

Add intelligent production that traverses sleazy 70s samples, gospel and R&B, a slightly Jamaican diction that suggests he's been hanging out with the London ragga crowd and an assertiveness that grows as the album progresses, and this skinny man has proved his survival of the phattest.

Speaking of which, 213 - AKA Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Warren G - have long fuelled rumours they would return to the collective they began as upstarts in Long Beach more than a decade ago.

Not surprisingly, the result sounds like Snoop's little side project, with laidback, gin-fuelled cuts Groupie Luv and Another Summer revisiting the rapper's favourite doggie past-times: partying, liquor and chicks galore. Meanwhile G's laidback rhymes get a bit lost in the mix.

While The Hard Way oozes sex appeal care of a stellar cast including Kanye West and DJ Pooh, Nate Dogg's soulful croon dates it immediately, as do the tinny, kitsch hallmarks of sleazy, West Coast G-funk. Not exactly brimming with obvious singles either but it's a nostalgic family reunion all the same.

Lloyd Banks on the other hand doesn't need his G-Unit posse to back him up - the cat can rap and hold a tune. That's a massive advantage in the singles-driven world of commercial hip-hop and one his verse-chorus-verse-chorus structures exploit to great effect. This is hip-hop you can sing along to, from the rolling Californian funk of Warrior to the sterile New York crunk of Playboy and the melodic, come-on groove of Karma.

At the other end of the spectrum, the X-executioners have always been a formidable DJ crew - and in their corner of the world, you ain't one unless you can scratch. No surprises then that Revolutions is full of innovative tributes to vinyl culture, from rare Motown and gospel samples to old-school throwdowns, hardcore beats and futuristic mutations fusing hip-hop with girl-punk and industrial metal. Just peruse the guest list to get the jist: Ghostface Killah, Black Thought, Cypress Hill, Fat Joe and Rob Zombie and many more.

As always the New York turntablists sound inventive, stylish and rhythmically clever but like so many albums that fuse genres, the mechanics of some of their hip-rock beats tend to over-ride good, old-fashioned catchy tunes.

It seems to be Kool Keith's problem too.

The Big Apple veteran - who is featured on the new Prodigy album - reckons he still has what it takes to get the ladies to bare all on the strength of his flow but it's just not possible to strip off to beats as dull and dawdling as Kutmasta Kurt's diesel truck-inspired "trunk funk".

Misogynist attitude and laboured production aside, Keith sounds far too obnoxious for such hilarious lines as "Jump jump jump jump jump, move it like a dump truck, face get fixed up, niggaz get mixed up ... on I Drop Money. And you can't help but wonder what Andre 3000 of Outkast did to deserve his dissing on Mental Side Effects.

SKINNYMAN: COUNCIL ESTATE OF MIND (LOW LIFE)

(Herald rating: * * * * )

Your miserable life ain't a patch on this.


213: THE HARD WAY (SHOCK)

(Herald rating: * * * )

Sexy but dated romp with the canines kings of the West Coast.



LLOYD BANKS: THE HUNGER FOR MORE (INTERSCOPE)

(Herald rating: * * * * )

G-Unit MC gives Fiddy a run for his money. He can sing too.

THE X-EXECUTIONERS: REVOLUTIONS (COLUMBIA)

(Herald rating: * * * )

Genre-busting turntablists mix with a legion of guest stars.


KOOL KEITH: DIESEL TRUCKERS (SHOCK)

(Herald rating: * * )

A white-trash road trip with plenty of bumps in the road.