From their first massive hit single, "Jump," onward,
Kris Kross had a difficult time shaking the novelty tag bestowed upon them. They literally grew up in public -- and the
Kris Kross of 1996 were a lot different than the
Kris Kross of 1992. For starters, they were tougher and harder, flirting with gangsta rap and G-funk, and they had become more imaginative, fluent rappers. That doesn't necessarily mean
Young, Rich and Dangerous, the duo's third album, was more enjoyable than
Kris Kross' previous releases -- it just means they tried harder. Parts of the album click, but much of the music sounds generic or underdeveloped, which makes
Young, Rich and Dangerous nothing more than an admirable, but failed, effort. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine