JR Writer, along with the rest of the Diplomats, have developed their own distinct sound over the last few years, becoming more of a movement than just a set of rappers. One can always distinguish a Dipset beat riding underneath a husky Harlem voice. Listeners who are down with Dipset usually have their favorite rapper of the crew, and those who have a lust for punch-line rap often lean towards JR.
Not even a year after Writers Block 5 was released, JR brings to us the Babygrande-distributed Politics and Bullsh**. At a time where hardcore rap has taken a backseat to PG rated hip-hop, one might grab Writer's CD off the shelf in hopes of getting a fix of staple New York hip-hop, but unfortunately, fans will be faced with a watered-down version of the usual poignant punch-lines he produces.
"It's Like A Jungle" starts things off on a good note, followed by "Hate On Me" and "Come With Me," which are also admirable efforts and definitely showcase JR's love affair with witty wordplay. "Your girl aint' try to work out, but she wanna do the Dips," he raps. But fast-forward towards the middle of the album and the fire starts to fizzle.
"Dimelo," produced by M. Dot Murda, is an ode to JR's Dominican background. Fans of Spanish-laced rap will recognize the track's title as an overused slang, which makes it one of the weaker outputs on the album.
What's a Dipset CD without at least one sampled hook? Keeping the original name of the song the record samples, "Uptown Girl," is an infectious hit that, unfortunately, doesn't even run past one and a half minutes. "How You Want It," featuring Fred Money, is the type of track that thugs listen to on their way to take care of beef, and Fred Money's verse blends in perfectly with the other tough talk on the record. While "You Know I'm Nice" comes through for those who marvel at JR's polysyllabic stanzas.
Regardless of the mediocrity of the album (or wait, JR are you sure this isn't a mixtape?), it's still worthy of getting some stereo time, and of course, Dipset disciples are sure to defend any bad reviews the albums gets. While there's no denying JR has a way with words, the album falls short of giving us anything greater than what we're used to from the lyricist. With a handful of lackluster tracks that run way too long and the better tracks coming in under three minutes, Politics and Bullsh** might not be on par with his usual opuses, but it would be a stretch to deem it "bullsh**."
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