review: D12 “Devils Night”

D12
“Devils Night”
(Shady/Interscope)

D-12 (or the Dirty Dozen) is the rap group made up of Eminem and five of is boys from Detroit: Bizarre, Proof, Swift, Kon Artis, and Kuniva. While none of these guys is in Eminem’s league when it comes to rhyme skills (Bizarre, with his lethargic flow and warped-ass mind, is a distant second), this isn’t a fair criticism because Eminem is really in a league of his own. His verse on “Shit Can Happen” is straight fire, and the verses he spits on the other tracks, especially the hypnotic “Purple Pills,” which he also produced, (I know, I know, I’ll be off his johnson in a minute) will not disappoint anybody. If he’s not already there, Eminem is on his way to becoming the illest lyricist on the planet (alright already, I’m off). The lesser known D-12 members do manage to hold their own, even though their vocal styles and shock-value subject matter show the distinct influence of you-know-who. Their group dynamic is a definite plus, though, as the interplay between the six MC’s is one of the strongest points of “Devil’s Night” Although there are some misses here (“Pimp Like Me,” “Blow My Buzz,” and the title track), Em’s crew is surprisingly good, and as a result, “Devil’s Night” is a quality album with some real thump.

C-Train