Black Rob
The Black Rob Report
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A Harlem emcee down with Bad Boy, Black Rob is best known for his huge 1999 single "Whoa." Though legal trouble has kept him away for a while, he proves he hasn't lost a step on his sophomore LP. No-nonsense street raps and catchy beats dominate the album, "Watch Your Movements" (with Akon) and " B.L.A.C.K." are standouts.
Five years ago, Harlem rapper Black Rob's hit "Whoa!" singlehandedly saved Bad Boy Records after the death of Notorious B.I.G. But instead of crafting a masterpiece, Rob spent his hiatus battling a kidney disorder and serving jail time. Rob's storytelling skills remain undiminished here: On "Long Live B.R.," he recounts a dark night to a jury, and ill similes flourish
Read More throughout (one standout: "Put the 9 to his throat/Watch him shake like the pope"). The thirtysomething veteran seems a little out of touch, though, when he gives a shout-out to Fred Durst and claims that "tabloids try to treat me like I'm Brad Pitt." The music drifts between grimy street beats ("You Know What") and candy-coated clunkers like "When You Come Home." This rapper's rehab is less than complete.
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