Skillz

Though the Detroit native known as Skillz hasn't quite hit the jackpot since his ill-fated debut From Where??? had the misfortune of coming out the same day as Tupac's All Eyez On Me and The Fugees' The Score, the rapper has been able to keep his (ahem) skills sharp by penning hits for the likes of P. Diddy and Foxy Brown. After years of watching others rocket to the moon on his tank of gas, so to speak, Skillz finally breaks out of his own rut with The Million Dollar Backpack.

While this isn't a release that's going to shake the pillars of hip-hop heaven, there are a handful of goodies to be found by reaching into The Million Dollar Backpack. The opening title track's mellow vibe, accentuated by the throb of a stand-up bass, sets a nice mood that all but fades away from the record, until "So Far So Good" (featuring Common and Talib Kweli) rolls around. Said track's jazzy flow and grooved-out energy recall everything right about hip-hop.

Similarly, "Sick" and "Crazy World" deliver a swagger that proves to be entertaining as hell. Aside from these and a couple of other standouts, The Million Dollar Backpack comes across as largely average. None of the album's 14 songs could fall under the category of forgettable, but not many are worth going nuts over either.

—Ryan Ogle
08.25.08