The full-length debut for Ruff Ryders trackmaster Swizz Beatz is that rare thing in the rap world: a record with a single production style. Considering most mainstream rappers hire out two producers for every three tracks they release, hearing an entire LP with a uniform sound is as welcome as it is surprising. Still, Swizz Beatz' Kasseem Dean does vary his sound a bit, and experiments more than any you'd hear on a randomly selected 17 of his productions from other artists' albums. G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories finds him moving from quasi-acoustic soul (with the LL Cool J feature "Ghetto Love") to a few in the usual Ruff Ryders style (for Jadakiss on "Big Business" and Eve on "Island Spice") to a ragga track with Bounty Killer, but also introduces Ja Rule to Metallica for a heavy metal extravaganza called "We Did It Again." The highlight "Endalay" features Busta Rhymes livening up what would've been a comparatively bland production on its own, and Styles hits on all cylinders for "Good Times." Dean is actually a great rapper too, able to command the mic and the mixing board for three tracks here -- he should've given himself more. As it is, despite the great sounds and great features, too much of G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories finds one of the hottest producers in hip-hop resting on his laurels.
Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories
Swizz Beatz
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Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories Review
by John Bush
Track Listing
Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Swizz Beatz | 01:47 | Amazon | |||
2 | Swizz Beatz | 03:38 | Amazon | |||
3 | Swizz Beatz | 04:34 | Amazon | |||
4 | Swizz Beatz | 01:45 | Amazon | |||
5 | Swizz Beatz | 04:58 | ||||
6 | Swizz Beatz | 04:31 | ||||
7 | Swizz Beatz | 05:06 | ||||
8 | Swizz Beatz | 02:13 | Amazon | |||
9 | Swizz Beatz feat: Styles P | 04:25 | ||||
10 | Swizz Beatz | 04:27 | ||||
11 | Swizz Beatz feat: N.O.R.E. | 04:18 | Amazon | |||
12 | Swizz Beatz | 04:23 | Amazon | |||
13 | Swizz Beatz feat: Eve | 04:27 | Amazon | |||
14 | Swizz Beatz | 04:42 | Amazon | |||
15 | Swizz Beatz | 03:58 | ||||
16 | Swizz Beatz | 04:44 | ||||
17 | Swizz Beatz | 03:57 | Amazon |