Many of the hip-hoppers who heard
RBX's cameos on
Dr. Dre's The Chronic and
Snoop Dogg's Doggy Style recognized the L.A. rapper's potential and asked, "When will this guy have an album of his own out?" But regrettably,
RBX's first solo album,
The RBX Files, ended up being delayed a few years because of the MC's problems with
Dre and
Snoop, both of whom he vehemently attacks on the single "A.W.O.L." Accusing
Dre and Death Row Records of exploiting
Warren G and others,
RBX makes no attempt to conceal the anger he felt for the influential producer/rapper at the time. But
RBX's attacks on
Dre and
Snoop aren't the main things that make
The RBX Files noteworthy -- the thing that brings the CD to life is
RBX's distinctive rapping style. With influences ranging from West Coast gangsta rap and East Coast Afrocentric rap (especially
Professor X and the X-Clan) to Jamaican dancehall,
RBX has an impressive technique -- and that technique serves him well on this interesting, if uneven, debut. ~ Alex Henderson