Mixtape DJs have sure come a long way over the years, and no one knows that better than
DJ Clue? The NY-based spinner got his start peddling mixtapes on the streets. A few years later, his album
The Professional, Pt. 2 hit the Billboard Top Ten album chart. Looking at the list of artists on
Clue?'s play list, it's easy to see why the album has had such success. This time out,
Clue? enlisted the likes of
Jay-Z,
DMX,
Beanie Sigel,
Redman,
Nas,
Foxy Brown,
Trick Daddy, and
Eminem among many others. What is likely to draw the attention of hip-hop fans are the exclusive tracks on the album, including "Change the Game (Remix)," which mixes artists from both coasts such as
tha Dogg Pound,
Jay-Z,
Beanie Sigel, and
Memphis Bleek. Another exclusive track is "What the Beat" with
Method Man,
Eminem, and
Royce da 5'9". Also impressive are "Live From the Bridge" by
Nas and "The Best of Queens" by
Mobb Deep. While there aren't any dead spots on the album,
The Professional, Pt. 2 suffers in comparison to some of
Clue?'s other mixtapes because he plays it safe, relying too heavily on big-name rappers. One of the joys of a good mixtape is discovering new artists alongside more established ones, but
Clue? offers too few opportunities to check out something new. Also annoying is
Clue?'s habit of shouting over all of the tracks. While it's common for mixtape DJs to shout and give shoutouts over tracks,
Clue? takes it to an extreme. There is a lot to like about
The Professional, Pt. 2. He should let the music speak for itself. [
Professional, Pt. 2 was also released in a "clean" edition, containing no profanities or vulgarities.] ~ Jon Azpiri