The Shadiest One

04/07/1998 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Billy Johnson Jr

WC is most definitely the shadiest one of the Westside Connection trio, lyrically speaking. After releasing four albums as part of various groups--We're In This Together with Low Profile, Ain't A Damn Thing Changed and Curb Servin' with WC & the MADD Circle, Bow Down with the Westside Connection--the Los Angeles native releases, The Shadiest One, his first solo record. The production comes from some of the West Coast's production legends and rising stars Battlecat, Ant Banks, Crazy Toones (WC's real-life brother), That Nigga Daz, Barr 9 and Mo-Suavea, the beatminer behind The Shadiest's incredible second single, "Cheddar."

While the appeal of the releases "Just Clownin'" and "Cheddar" have warranted the self-proclaimed godfather of underground rap two singles in regular rotation on leading Los Angeles radio stations, the album bears its share of harder-edged songs that live up to the album's title. "Fuckin' With Uh House Party" chronicles the outbreak of drama at a house party; the title track features wicked braggadocio lyrics at its best; "Worldwide Gunnin'" exposes WC's "I don't give a fuck" mentality, down to his refusal to take groupies to Hollywood celeb hangout Hotel Niko, instead opting for Motel 6; "Call It What You Want" finds WC shocked to learn that his girlfriend is cheating on him with another woman; "Like That" is a fat posse cut featuring Ice Cube, Daz and Mad CJ Mac; "It's All Bad" ends with the song's villain getting killed in a police chase; and the final song, "Better Days," is an autobiographical piece that places the entire album in perspective. Even though WC's album is full of gangster tales, "Better Days" explains his hopes for and commitment to his community, something nonexistent on the typical gangster rap record.