The Broad Street Bully

Chronique

Coming out of seemingly nowhere, Beanie Sigel's effort The Broad Street Bully could be mistaken for his promised album, 2009's The Focus, but the Siccness label delivered the release with the message that it is "not an official studio album," further stating "It's like a mixtape." That explains the disjointed feel and the rocky flow, but that's worth overlooking for the fans who want the hard Beanie, the one who dominated the mixtape game for a spell with his vicious rhymes. Here, there's no ringtone rapping or superstar R&B ballad to spoil the show, just Beanie rocking the ominous sounds while threatening "Any disrespect, the weapons is drawn/Like artwork/Superman was Clark first/So heroes end up like Chris Reeves" (the aptly titled "Sicker Than Your Average"). Best of this jumbled bunch has to be either the reggae-fied "Run to the Roc" -- which gives Rocafella fans their 2009 fill of gossip -- or "Where's My Opponent" which combines blaxploitation beats with fine, boastful lines for an intimidating ring-entering theme. Production is credited to the Beanie Sigel Production Team while Beans himself gets an odd "concept" credit on every track save "The Ghetto."
© David Jeffries /TiVo