Whether coincidental happenstance or a blatant step towards career longevity, many of Hip Hop’s long established emcees evolve into crafty chameleons, blending into multiple environments so as to increase their visibility and chances of omnipresence. LeFrak City’s Noreaga is one such character, recognized amongst New York’s most iconic rap figures as the outlandish counterpart to partner Capone and a riveting solo act since the late ’90s. N.O.R.E. has become a cultural mainstay largely due to taking pages from the books of East Coast legends such as Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G. with a duality reaching street toughs and party goers alike. No stranger to grandiose imagery, the title of his latest release Crack On Steroids symbolizes the unpredictability that plays companion to his persona.
Once esteemed as a leader of gritty dissemination, N.O.R.E. has undergone a questionable modernized reinvention with Crack On Steroids. While his trademark conviction and energy remain intact, he has run the risk of abandonment with an eager and determined departure from the crux of that which supporters have most endeared. Poor creative decisions include awkward utterances from the RZA on “Hare Krishna,”“Get Her” featuring Wale (with whom N.O.R.E. isn’t readily compatible), and Will.I.Am’s contribution “We Ain’t,” an awkward homage to Doug E Fresh & Slick Rick’s classic “The Show.”
The project’s missteps attempt rectification with songs familiar to the self-proclaimed Superthug’s most revered brutish style such as the DJ Premier produced “Thiz Iz Hip-Hop” featuring former adversary Bumpy Knuckles, Just Blaze behind the boards on “My Alias” featuring N.O.R.E.’s longtime comrade Capone, “Google That” featuring Styles P & Raewkon and the celebratory “Mazel Tov” guest starring Queens newcomer Action Bronson. M-1 (of the group Dead Prez) and Amanda Diva appear on “Proud 2 Be” – a favorable moment despite coming off as a ploy pandering for positivity as the only instance of redeeming value on the hour long dedication to flagrant degeneracy.
Crack On Steroids finds N.O.R.E. faced with the dual challenge of maintaining his core while seeking a place within today’s frontier. Formerly a focused and comedic lyrical force, he is now suffering from aimless tunnel vision as his punchlines are based in lazy vulgarity and his work is largely devoid of substance altogether. This effort’s sporadic bright spots aren’t enough to reconcile its glaring shortcomings of empty filler and a dependency on guest appearances, reflective of the once charismatic veteran’s inability to make much of a rousing statement on his own at this juncture.
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DX Consensus: “EP-worthy”
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