Employing eight hip-hop DJs (including Funkmaster Flex, DJ Hollywood and Mister Cee) and various East Coast rappers (most notably, Luvbug Starski and the goofy Biz Markie), the Flipsquad All Star DJs are the rap equivalent of a hard bop jam session. Just as jazz saxmen and trumpeters would tend... [+] Expand

Employing eight hip-hop DJs (including Funkmaster Flex, DJ Hollywood and Mister Cee) and various East Coast rappers (most notably, Luvbug Starski and the goofy Biz Markie), the Flipsquad All Star DJs are the rap equivalent of a hard bop jam session. Just as jazz saxmen and trumpeters would tend to be especially extroverted at a jam session show their chops off, the Flip Squad is essentially about rappers showing off their "flow," or rhyming technique. No particular MC dominates the microphone; Biz, Starski, Canibus, McGruff and others take turns rapping and emphasize flow, flow and more flow. Most of the time, the results are exhilarating, if limited. But a few of the tunes tell a story rather than simply concentrating on technique. "Get Tough '98" and the menacing "Villain Guys" address the dangers of the inner city, while "Turntables" angrily speaks out against materialistic, golddigging women who dis rappers when they're poor but try to seduce them after they've made some money. Some politically correct types will whine that "Turntables" is sexist or misogynist, but in fact, the song is simply telling it like it is. "Turntables" doesn't insult women in general -- only golddiggers. All Star DJs isn't without late 1990s influences, but much of the material is a throwback to the New York hip-hop of the1980s. "How Ya Like Us Now," in fact, isn't unlike something the Treacherous Three, Grandmaster Flash or Kurtis Blow would have done 10 or 15 years earlier. Although not essential, All Star DJs is a spirited effort that seasoned hip-hop fans will find enjoyable. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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