RZA - Digi Snacks: Album Review
RZA, Digi Snacks (Koch Graveyard, 2008)
After the travesty that was 8 Diagrams, I figured I might be done with the RZA. But I was a huge fan of the first two Bobby Digital albums, even though they were kinda retarded (pardon my use of the term). Plus, let's keep it real. It's not like I had anything else better to do.
DIGI SNACKS (INTRO)
A kid reads a sort of Liquid Swords-esque comic book intro, then RZA spits some hot fire over some shit that doesn't really sound like rap music. It's got all these (fake-sounding) strings and horns and what have you.
LONG TIME COMING
Lyrically, this picks up right where Digital Bullet left off. I'm reminded of how much I enjoy this shit. But what's up with this track's sub-Neptunes bounce? RZA never made tracks like this before. Why now?
YOU CAN'T STOP ME NOW
If you were one of the eight people who kept the King Gheedorah album on repeat back in '03 or whatever, you're gonna have a hard time listening to this and not thinking MF Doom flipped this way better. Otherwise, it's not that bad for what it is.
STRAIGHT UP THE BLOCK
A David Banner record on a RZA album? I suppose it could have been worse. It's not nearly as obnoxious as his work on Tha Carter III. (Is anything?) Other issues here: whatever the effect is on RZA's voice, and the Jay-Z sample on the chorus.
BOOBY TRAP
Another one of these ones that sounds like he's rapping over some garbage incidental music he put together for the Adult Swim network. And then there's the chorus. This might have actually been salvageable, if it wasn't for the chorus.
TRY YA YA YA
This, on the other hand, I enjoy, despite its bizarre chorus. It's got that "La Rhumba" feel to it. They should shoot an Uncut video for this. If they don't maybe I'll make my own. Any ladies wanna volunteer?
GOOD NIGHT
This one goes that last one one further by actually being about sex. It's extra-shitty though. The girl on the chorus sounds like Erykah Badu. Don't let me find out the RZA caught Baduism.
NO REGRETS
RZA might have just pioneered a new genre on this one: Skinemax rap. If only he would have gotten someone to play a sax solo right there at the end. Koch Graveyard probably didn't have it in their budget.
MONEY DON'T OWN ME
One of these ones where he bribes a really old black person (probably with some PCP) to lend guest vocals. Think "Chrome Wheels," or whatever that garbage was from side two of 8 Diagrams.
CREEP
Sadly, this is not a cover of the Radiohead classic that they're too good to play in concert anymore, regardless of how much you pay. Nah, this is just some garbage, with Fake Erykah Badu and some of RZA's Cali-based weed carriers (you can tell because of the accents).
DRAMA
The "Bong Bong" drums + an eight year-old banging on a piano + Fake Chrisette Michele = kids, stay off the crack!
UP AGAIN
Another one that kinda works despite itself. The eight year-old piano player from the last track is back, and RZA gets introspective in his verse a la "You Can't Stop Me Now."
PUT YOUR GUNS DOWN
Like if Rick Ross decided to make an anti-Iraq War anthem. But Def Jam didn't want to pony up too much for the production, because he's got a lot of fans in red states.
LOVE IS DIGI (PART II)
Not a particularly worthy follow-up to the original. Not that the original was such a landmark, but I'm developing a newfound appreciation.
O DAY
RZA kicks some of his zig-zag wisdom over a track that's fairly conventional-sounding, if not actually that good. I suppose at least there's no salad metaphors. However, he does call Ol' Dirty the greatest rapper of all times right at the end of this.
BONUS TRACK
Feminist broads, of which I'm sure none has even heard of this album, would get a kick out the rape metaphor RZA employs on this one.
COMMENTS: As it turns out, I probably shouldn't have bothered. It's not so much that the RZA has completely lost it, it's that he's not even playing the same kind of music he used to play. And this new shit's just not that good. This is like another 8 Diagrams, except with RZA and his weed carriers in the place of the rest of the Wu.
BEST TRACKS: "You Can't Stop Me Now" "Try Ya Ya Ya" "Bonus Track"
BONUS VIDEO: "You Can't Stop Me Now"
