Album Review: obie trice bottoms up

Obie Trice. He makes for an interesting study. On one view, his was a missed opportunity. Taken under Eminem's wing at the absolute height of his relevance and influence, nursed along with help from Dr Dre, the paths Trice and 50 Cent walked bear some comparison. No more; 50 Cent is, by some measures, the most successful rapper there has ever been. Obie is at risk of becoming a footnote in a story about more prominent men. This risk forms the backdrop to any of Obie's music. What is it, we ask ourselves, that Obie lacks? Is there something audible that explains his disappointing career to date?

If there is, it's certainly not the first verse on Going No Where (yes, that's the song's name. Apparently only successful rappers can afford sub editors). Melodic, frenetic, dynamic; Obie's first appearance on this track is exceptional. Sadly, the other verses are sub-par and the hook is terrible. Even sadder, the heights Obie reaches early on this track are never reached again. Instead we get BME Up, cursed with a beat that sounds like a G Funk era practical joke. And we get Battle Cry, a would-be Narcotics Anonymous theme song, if it wasn't strangely sombre and atonal. For all its faults, it does feature one line of searing accuracy and poetry: “my name is an asterisk”.

As we wade through Secrets, Spend The Day, My Time and others the truth slowly reveals itself: Obie can rap but he's not smart, and he's certainly no fun to spend time with. Plus the beats are B-grade. So if it sounds boring, and there's nothing worth hearing, what does it all amount to? Arguably: an explanation. This is why Obie finds himself where he is.