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Various Artists
Take A Bite Outta Rhyme: a Rock Tribute to Rap
Given his honored stature at the podium, Public Enemy's Chuck D could easily dismiss the mass of aggro racket that now briefly flickers on vidTV's TRL. After all, his band was using Living Colour's scorching fretprophet Vernon Reid on their '87 debut. Instead, in his essay for this collection (worth the admission alone), D makes a historical connection between '50s blues, '70s breakbeats, and back again. His analysis and cataloging tracks are dead nuts accurate (and worth validation) for a mongrel style that's oft-denigrated as metal rap. While nothing here roars with the impact of Run-DMC' s King Of Rock or even the Judgment Day soundtrack, there are some interesting facelifts in the sequence. Fred Durst and DJ Lethal help groove gauchos Staind re-ignite the watershed "Bring The Noize" (Anthraxed flavor), as Bloodhound Gang let off with a low-fi bludgeon "It's Tricky," while Insane Clown Posse chug up some respectful dub for Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Posse On Broadway" (probably their most straightforward session, ever), while Sevendust churn along some subterranean riffage for LL Cool J's "Going Back to Cali," and Everlast (with Lordz of Brooklyn) provide a unsuspecting folk-rock spin to "Sucker MC's." Includes tracks from Kottonmouth Kings, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Dope, Driver and bonus Jerky Boys nonsense. –gloria collins (Republic/Universal)
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