The Best of E-40: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

*Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow* may sound like a contrived title for a best-of collection, but the phrase is actually a perfect summation of E-40’s musical philosophy. Though he is one of the most individualistic figures in hip-hop history, 40 has amassed a catalog of classic albums by means of a simple formula: pay respect to the past (“Yesterday”), embrace the voices of the present (“Today”), but always make sure to innovate and produce something that has not been done before (“Tomorrow”). *The Best of E-40* includes all the major anthems of the man’s career (“Captain Save a Hoe,” “Sprinkle Me,” “Rapper’s Ball”) and several essential album tracks (“Da Bumble,” “Sideways,” “Carlos Rossi,” “Gas, Break, Dip”) but more importantly, it imparts a sense of the man’s artistic ethos. 40 can hook anyone with a taste for the low-end rumble of West Coast funk, but once he has you on the line, he will perform feats of lyrical wizardry that make brilliant rap albums look like kindergarten homework.