Kid 'n Play's final album,
Face the Nation, simply doesn't feel as effervescent as
2 Hype or Funhouse. That's partly because the duo tries to get more serious and substantive in their lyrical content, much as House Party 2 suddenly developed a social conscience that left fans scratching their heads. Despite its admirable intentions,
Face the Nation gets a little preachy at times. The title cut takes on issues like drugs, crime, and education, and "Slippin'" is a cautionary tale about a street hustler who falls victim to drugs and violence. "Next Question" disses
the 2 Live Crew for having nothing positive to base a career on once their schtick wears off (and they were right, even in spite of the points made on the
J.T. Money answer record, "Pussy Ass Kid and Hoe Ass Play"). The other problem with
Face the Nation is that the dance tracks don't feel as effortless as before, possibly because the duo's heart isn't in them. A few make reference to being young and rich, which starts to dispel their rappers-next-door appeal, and the chorus of "Back on Wax" makes rather painful references to their movies, kick-step dance move, and cartoon (no rap group should ever call themselves "the ones that made Saturday morning fun"). In the end,
Kid 'n Play might have lost their audience anyway, but
Face the Nation only hastened the process. ~ Steve Huey