Follow-up soundtrack is mediocre
By ROBERT CALLEROS
Scene Music Critic
It's Friday!" Actually it's the Next Friday.
Ice Cube is back with the movie sequel and another soundtrack in hopes of getting those booties bouncing and those heads ringing again.
With as many big name artists contributing to the follow-up soundtrack and production by none other than Ice Cube, it is a shame that Next Friday barely manages keep pace in a world filled by mediocre soundtracks. This is not to say that the Next Friday soundtrack does not have its bright spots.
Actually, it's just the opposite. There are a few tracks which are noteworthy, such as N.W.A.'s first track in ten years, "Chin Check." Ice Cube, MC Ren and Dr. Dre are all back, with the addition of Snoop Doggy Dogg to replace the late Easy-E, in a track definitely worth checking out. The song, however, does not reflect the hardcore attitide of the original N.W.A.. Instead, "Chin Check" sounds much more like the usual laid-back funk of West Coast rap. If this song is any indication of the rumored N.W.A. reunion album, it definitely looks promising.
Ice Cube is also adds to the hype as he combines with Mack-10 on the first song of the album. "You Can Do It" is a club jam, which will definitely get those bodies moving around the dance floor. Although the movie is a comedy, one wouldn't be able to tell from the soundtrack because like "You Can Do It," most of the songs are serious club jams.
Keeping with the popular wave of "Latin music explosion," Next Friday also boasts a track by Frost (aka Kid Frost), Don Cisco and Kurupt called "Mamacita." On the R&B tip, "Make Your Body Sing" by the Isley Brothers is a definite highlight. The Isley Brothers are back with their seductive style of 70s funk and soul. In addition Wyclef Jean, Bizzy Bone, Krazy Bone Aaliyah, Eminem, Ja Rule, Wu-Tang Clan and several others make contributions to the album.
Overall, Next Fri-day is a big name compilation of some of Hip-Hop and R&B's brightest stars which tends to sparkle and fade into an at times amusing soundtrack.
All Scene Stories for Tuesday, February 22, 2000
