By: Ben Salvo
Rating: 6/11

Remember when rappers were angry, gun toting MCs with tough-guy, street-life, thug-code lyrics and heavy bass beats?  Since the recent advent of electronica-meets-pop dance music, rap and hip hop artists have stuck a foot in the door of the club, creating DJ-friendly, melodic sex music for the “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” generation.  What about the gangstas?  Where are the police sirens and slamming jail doors and threats to counterparts on opposite coasts?  Did we forget about Dre? 

Straight out of Brooklyn comes lll Bill, and he’s laying down verses about politics, conspiracies, social issues and national tragedy.  As part of La Coka Nostra (a group mostly made up of former House of Pain members), Bill has released a single featuring Snoop Dogg called “Bang Bang,” which is basically a handbook for becoming a violent felon with anger issues.  So, we can all rest easy knowing rap is back on the right track. 

Sarcasm aside, Ill Bill proves himself to be an extremely worthy MC and producer, with a voice that recalls Xhibit and Killer Mike, and his lyrics do share a uniquely open perspective.  His song, “My Uncle,” is a biopic of an actual family member struggling with addiction, and he vividly portrays the struggle of a family gripped by substance abuse.  La Coka Nostra’s album A Brand You Can Trust is currently out in stores and all over the Internet.