Ode to the Ghetto (2008)

Underground-rap fans have been jonesing for Guilty's debut ever since the protégé of the late J Dilla appeared on the '03 Dilla-Madlib collab, Champion Sound. But expectations ain't always your friend. Even with beats from Madlib and Black Milk, Guilty's tight flow and authentic street bravado aren't enough to buoy Ode to the Ghetto's recycled tales of guns and cops, ''gettin' b----es, gettin' riches.'' Solid punchlines (''Therapy over a Red Lobster meal, now this is love for real'') and a singsongy playfulness help balance out the thuggery, but there's still a disappointing lack of fresh ideas. B-
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