Hits Vol. 3

Album review

Spice 1's second of two greatest-hits collections in two years, Hits, Vol. 3 compiles a modest number of the notorious West Coast hardcore rapper's performances. The dozen songs featured on this best-of come from a variety of obscure sources, and it's very questionable whether or not these songs were really so-called "hits" since Spice 1 had few, if any, hits since the mid-'90s. Furthermore, though you'd probably presume that a greatest-hits collection such as this would encompass Spice 1's numerous albums for Jive during the '90s -- like the excellent Hits collection had -- that is not the case here. As mentioned, the dozen songs on Hits, Vol. 3 are obscure recordings most fans probably have never heard. Thus, you should think of this best-of album as a rarities collection since it's the more accurate description. Unfortunately, Thug World Entertainment assumed titling this collection as a hits rather than rarities collection would no doubt sell better, even if listeners were misled in the process. Regardless, many guests appear over the course of this album -- Too $hort, Rappin' 4-Tay, MJG, Three 6 Mafia, Jayo Felony, Tray Deee -- and that may be reason enough for many to seek out this collection.
© Jason Birchmeier /TiVo