This Week

Second full-length from underground hip-hop's most deadly female emcee boasts production work from MIDI Mafia and 9th Wonder.

The ups, the downs, the come-ons, the threats, the observations, the actions -- it's all in there, it all fits together, and it all transpires without the MC having to cram an inhuman amount syllables into one breath (as she has before). Jean Grae continues to improve in every respect, but the negative aspect is that too many of the beats bleed into one another. None are certifiably lifeless. But, when strung together, they add up to an album that numbs the mind around the second half. In one respect, it's a blessing in disguise -- you often have to recall the words, not the sounds that support them, in order to distinguish one track from another.