Known for his mixtape massacres and one-liners, Dipset affiliate JR Writer returns with the fifth addition to his Writer's Block series. Making the transition from mixtapes to albums is like going from day to night. The public demand is more crucial; the standards are higher, and a strong foundation and mind full of ideas usually is the recipe. The question is did JR deliver?
The "Intro" kicks things off with J.R.'s slick delivery. With his penchant for punchlines backed by a "fruity loops" sounding beat, the Harlem native starts things off the right way. Other tracks like "Major" and "Got It Covered" are mundane and mediocre in comparison to the aforementioned track. You can't ignore JR's wordplay, but the computer beats with the sped up high hats drastically weigh this project down. Most of these tracks are like mixtape joints that somehow made it to the master copy. "Heavy Jewels" is a weak attempt at a Southern sounding song. The remix should feature some other Dirty South mimics like Mims and Fat Joe.
"Make A Move," featuring Slim from 112, is nothing more than locker room talk with blazing synths and a weak kick and snare. The hook saves this track from being fast-forward worthy; hearing Slim's smooth vocals again is refreshing. On "Beast Mode," JR sounds like a Killa Cam impersonator to the fullest, with his nursery rhyme flow. While "Runner" is a unique addition to Writer's Block 5, it makes you wish that Mr. Writer would push the creative boundaries more often.
You can compare ninety percent of the music on this project to a hollow tree -- it looks tuff on the outside, but there's nothing in the middle. Writer's Block 5, unfortunately, is the most suitable title for this album. The only excuse for this waste of plastic is that the writer couldn't think of any decent concepts or songs of substance. Many songs are indistinguishable, and even the album's artwork is marred with clichés: rapper holding a gun (check), rapper counting money (check), rapper puffing a cigar (check), and rapper making a bad album (check).
There's more to hip-hop than guns, drugs and money. Everything JR brings to the table is mixtape material. The sales that accompany JR's music shows that a change needs to be made. If making an album was all about punchlines and no substance then JR would be the king.
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