Reviewed by Greg Inglis

This CD brings together some of the hottest names on the US hip-hop scene from the likes of T-Bone, Grits and Manafest plus exclusive material from John Reuben and Verbs to name but a few. Standout cuts are the Percussionists funky old-school joint "Introducing (What's Your Name)", which is guaranteed to have you dancing about in the most public of places, and the amazing "Fabulous Dramatics" from 4th Avenue Jones, an eclectic number best described as like Outkast meets Black Eyed Peas in one big musical blender. The biggest disappointment here is the repetitive TobyMac track which lacks the spark and originality which makes his music normally so essential. Across the album there are elements of reggae, rock and Latin vibes which keep the listener's attention in a collection dominated primarily by male artists. Overall, this is an ideal stocking filler come the festive season if you can't make up your mind which artist's album to buy. The accompanying DVD features eight additional bonus videos for tracks not featured on the compilation, making this even more of a value for money release.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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