It's been nearly a decade since
MC Eiht came to the attention of the world with "Streiht Up Menace." Since then,
MC Eiht has built up a fledgling acting career and released several albums of West Coast G-funk.
N' My Neighborhood is more of the same. On "Hood Rats." he rhymes about girls from around the way on a track underpinned by a smooth bassline and '70s guitar. "Hood Is Mine" is a typical piece of West Coast rap, with wave upon wave of synths and thugged-out rhymes provided by
MC Eiht and
Mack 10. "So Ruff" offers a pulsing,
Zapp-influenced electronic beat and some of the best rhymes on the disc. For fans of West Coast rap, there isn't much to complain about on
N' My Neighborhood. Still, after eight albums into the game, it's hard not to think that
MC Eiht should be able to provide a bit more insight into street life. ~ Jon Azpiri