EDITOR'S NOTE: All of the reviews found in 'The Singles File' are being presented WITHOUT scores. You are left to interpret the dopeness/wackness of the single on the words of the writer alone. If you have any questions about this format, please e-mail Matt Jost for more information.

Artist: Daz Dillinger
Title: Daz Thang feat. Kurupt
Label: So So Def
Writer: Pedro "DJ Complejo" Hernandez

Daz Dillinger and J.D. fail dismally in Daz's highly anticipated So So Def debut. J.D. either got producer's block or more likely got straight lazy as his beat could have been made by anyone. Using the same sample used on Jay'Z's classic party track "Ain't No Nigga" AND EPMD's "It's My Thing," JD's copy and paste job is unoriginal and amateurish. Daz and Kurupt do their best impression of Erick and Parrish, but this type of track would have been best saved for another installment of "In The Beginning There Was Rap" rather than for the lead single of a highly anticipated album.

Artist: Macromantics
Title: Four Facets b/w Conspiracy (Remix)
Label: Quake Trap Records
Writer: Pedro "DJ Complejo" Hernandez

While nowhere near as horrendous as Lady Sovereign, Macromantics seems to take full advantage of the added hype she gets for being both a foreign and a female rapper. At times it is difficult to decipher her thick Australian accent, but when you do it seems she is trying to convey some sort of political message. Most of the time the message she is attempting to promote is either muddled by her accent or by her own abstract ramblings. Of the two tracks, the remix to "Conspiracy" features the more interesting and energetic production. "Four Facets" suffers from good, but uneventful underground production that won't leave a lasting impression. I'm willing to admit that Macromantics may be over my head, but even so, she does little to motivate me to try and understand her past the surface.

Artist: O-Solo
Title: 6 Minutes
Label: TVT Records
Writer: Pedro "DJ Complejo" Hernandez

O-Solo's claim to fame is winning the legendary Fight Klub underground battle competition. Having signed to Rockwilder's label, his first single looks to take advantage of the buzz. Rockwilder's beat is interesting - a pounding mix of instruments and sound effects. O-Solo decides to interpret verses by both Eminem and Biggie. While the track isn't bad, it is more fitted for a mixtape appearance and nothing else. O-Solo doesn't convey his style well by choosing to mimic others' verses and frankly doesn't do much other than make you want to hear the original songs he borrows from. Rockwilder's beat is a new sound and outstanding, but may be too different and hardcore to catch on.

Artist: Pastor Troy
Song: Break it Up
Label: 845 Entertainment
Writer: Tom Doggett

Pastor Troy's new single is fittingly grand, highlighting the sounds that make much Southern music immediate descendants from g funk. From his upcoming "Stay Tru," the track burns along slowly with multiple groups of horns over a constantly twitching drum tick. Troy accentuates a typically raucous message with an excitable delivery, maintaining energy without demanding much of the listener. It's an ideal single, then, which minces no words between the abrasive chorus and simple lyrics, all set to a disruptive beat that still sounds nice.

Artist: Slow Suicide Stimulus
Title: Roll Up b/w I.C.U.
Label: FloSpot Records
Writer: Pedro "DJ Complejo" Hernandez

At first looking like an obscure and unknown project, Slow Suicide Stimulus is actually a side project of none other than Tame One. That association quickly explains the production by DJ Mighty Mi and Camu Tao. Mighty Mi's uptempo beat on "Roll Up" suffers from having a somewhat interesting and funky sample but not much else. The crew itself delivers unimpressive rhymes and little energy to the track. Even Grandmaster Caz does little to save the track. "I.C.U." features a decent but average beat from Camu Tao, sounding like another East Coast take on Southern funk. The track's menacing hook doesn't fit the crew well and overall the track sounds like it would be more at home as a D-12 filler track.

Artist: Yo Gotti
Song: Gangsta Party feat. Bun B, 8Ball
Label: TVT Records
Writer: Tom Doggett

Yo Gotti nabbed up two halves of different legendary duos for this single. The appropriately but unimaginatively titled "Gangsta Party" features 8Ball and Bun B, and it crashes because the beat cannot hold. I refuse to believe that this collection of characters doing their strip club act can actually make a song, and the production is too subtle to make this song stand out today. Of course, as singles seem to be designed to, this cut gives absolutely no hint of what Yo Gotti may have to offer as an artist, as they all resort to shameless (but harmless) misogyny. Suffice to say, this song is not very good in the way that a salad from Macdonald's fails. It sounds fine, and wouldn't be out of place in the middle of a record somewhere, but it doesn't hype me to Yo Gotti's album like it's trying to do.

Originally posted: June 6, 2006
source: www.RapReviews.com