Search - Mack 10 :: Hustlas Handbook

Decent album from Mack 10

Dorrie Wheeler | 10/24/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mack 10 is back with a brand new album titled Hustla's Handbook. Mack 10 who is also known as being 1/3rd of Westside Connection and the husband of TLC member T-Boz offers up 17 tracks of that West Coast gangsta music for his fans. The album opens up with the bangin' track "Like This" which features Nate Dogg on the track. "Da Bizness" is a slowed down track about how vicious the Mack is. "Pop" is an up-tempo song with a really nice track. Mack 10 is joined on this track by Red Cafe & Wanted. "Dome Shot" is one of those classic Hoo Banging gangsta tracks. "The Testimony" is a song with a hypnotic track. Young Soprano and Pastor Steven Hamilton area featured on this song which is one of the best songs on the album. Mack 10 discusses his relationship with the man upstairs and talks about how he goes to church. In "Step Yo Game Up," Mack 10 let's everyone that thinks they are on top now that he has had a long career that has lasted 10 years. The track is decent. Mack deviates from his regular West Coast sound on the track "I'm A Star," this song captures that Memphis flavor that Three Six Mafia have popularized. "My Chucks" is a song about the popular shoes worn out in Cali. "Keep It Hood" is a mellow song with female singer Bre Perry on the track. This song would make a nice radio single. Honorary West Coast MC Chingy (who recently collaborated with DJ Quik on the song "Get Down.") is featured on the bonus track "Livin Just To Ball." Another good song on the album is "Living Just To Ball" in which Mack raps about his family life and his lifestyle. He sounds like he is really enjoying himself on this track.



The album has a real West Coast gangsta sound too it. This sound was probably captured so well because Hustla's Handbook was executive produced by Mack 10 and classic West Coast producer Fredwreck Nassar.



Overall, Hustla's Handbook is a decent album but it seems as if Mack 10 is migrating to underground status as most of the featured artists are not very well known and there aren't many songs that make lasting impressions. If you are a Mack 10 fan you may be pleased by this album but it lacks the flavor of a Westside Connection album."

First real solo in almost 4 years is decent

G$ | B-More, MD | 10/07/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Four years since his last real solo (I'm not counting "Da Hood" or "Ghetto Gutter Gangsta" as solo's since a ton of guests are on them and Mack isn't on all the songs on those) Mack Dime comes back pretty tight. Of the 15 songs on here, about half are good and half are ok, no bad ones. Guests rap on 8 songs and do the hook on a few others so once again as with most of his albums, guests are all over the place. Production is decent, but not really that good for one of his albums as usually he has real good production. Ron Feemster, Fredwreck, Midi Mafia, DL, and J Classic all do 2 songs, and a 5 people (most I never heard of) each do 1 song. A good album for fans of The Chicken Hawk to have but not his best.



#1 - 8.5 (f/ Nate Dogg)

#2 - 7

#3 - 7 (f/ Red Cafe, Skoop Delania & Young Soprano (who sucks and for some reason is on 6 songs on the album)

#4 - 8.5 (f/ Young Soprano -- nice beat)

#5 - 7 (f/ Skoop Delania & Young Soprano)

#6 - 9 (f/ Young Soprano -- song about God)

#7 - 7 (f/ B-Real & DJ)

#8 - 8 (f/ Butch Cassidy)

#9 - 8 (f/ Ruka Puff & Bigga Brown)

#10 - 9 (about Chuck Taylor's -- tight beat)

#11 - 7.5 (f/ Bre Perry)

#12 - 7.5 (f/ Butch Cassidy & Young Soprano -- about Cognac & Weed)

#13 - 7.5 (f/ Kanary Diamond, Young Soprano, Skoop Delania)

#15 - 8.5 (f/ Traci Nelson -- good beat)

#16 - 8 (f/ gay @$$ Chingy (who actually ahs a decent verse for once)



D. Rolison -- b. 8/9/71 -- Inglewood, CA

Check all my reviews"

Off the hook!

R.S. | USA | 10/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been waiting for How Long? for the WEST SIDE to drop a decent album, and this one more than meets the requirement. Hot beats, bangin' bass and catchy hooks make this CD well worth the listen to. I even like the song with Chingy. But my personal favorite is I'm A Star, which has colorful hooks and a most righteous, belly-buzzing bass beat in the background. Rarely does one listen to a CD and ALL the songs are good. This CD is a blessing. I love it!"