Montana Diary

RATING: XXX ½

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 | Author: William E. Ketchum III

Aside from Mr. Jackson himself, Young Buck seems to be the member with the least questions. Contemplation on whether the Memphis, Tennessee MC would fit in with the East Coast aesthetic of G-Unit was quelled with his performance on the group’s Beg For Mercy album, his solo talents were proven with Straight Outta Cashville debut, and his street cred was famously verified at the VIBE Awards a few years ago. Considering G-Unit’s present losing streak—albums from Tony Yayo, Mobb Deep, Lloyd Banks each flopped, respectively—they need Buck’s workhorse consistency to help pull them out of their rut. With Buck The World, Young Buck continues to provide all of the answers.

A pleasant surprise on Buck’s sophomore set is a rejuvenated embrace of his southern roots ,with much of the disc’s production and guest list. While much of Straight Outta Cashville focused on the contrast between G-Unit’s NY grit and Buck’s southern drawl, Buck The World sees Buck prospering in his own element. Lil Jon’s bouncy Money Good is a just-add-water strip club anthem, Pocket Full of Paper sees DJ Toomp’s tried and true synthesizers continuing to work to perfection, and Polow Da Don’s minimalistic horns and bass on Get Buck sound like they’re straight from an HBCU’s marching band. Buck keeps the theme with his artist collaborations as well, piling 8Ball & MJG, UGK (each member on separate tracks), Young Jeezy, and T.I. on four tracks drunken with southern comfort. Unlike his Unit bretheran, Buck has always existed outside of his clique and this shows in the one and only G-Unit guest spot. The collabo in question comes from 50 Cent on the Dr. Dre produced Hold On, a trumpet fueled track with swagger for days.

Buck still displays his production adaptability and song versatility throughout the album. He easily shifts between the previous southern numbers, the west coast G-Funk on Haters, and Hi-Tek’s midwestern guitar licks on I Ain’t Fuckin With You. Buck also shows multiple dimensions lyrically. Expectedly, Clean Up Man and Buss Yo Head are filled with generic gangsterims, and the Letoiya Williams-featured U Ain’t Goin Nowhere is an enjoyable (albeit unoriginal) ladies’ joint. But instead of the usual, obligatory single heartfelt track, Buck opens up on several instances. Buck The World features him recounting his days of struggling with empty pockets, complete with a well-placed and performed hook by Lyfe Jennings. Buck tells the story of a black girl lost and touches on a laundry list of familial issues on Slow Ya Roll, and on the closing Lose My Mind, Buck manically yells his frustrations over a murky backdrop by Eminem. On his more personal tracks, Buck seems to genuinely struggle between maintaining his hard, nonchalant persona and expressing how he really feels, giving himself vulnerability unseen by his G-Unit cohorts.

The flaws in Buck The World are debatable. While Buck’s versatility serves him well, none of his subject matter is anything new, and he doesn’t retread traditional ground much better than anyone else. However, Buck makes up for a lack of originality and artistry with a consistent bar-to-bar tenacity, charisma that appropriately seesaws for the occasion, and his gruff, southern drawl that somehow sounds perfect on every track. Buck doesn’t seem to be aiming to break any molds, or to push the envelope; he’s just being himself, and in that quest, mission’s accomplished.

BucK_MarleY_07

Good Read,but why no reviews mention "Do It Myself"?

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Murderer Bill Jesuit Coadjutor Clinton laughing then caught fake crying at Ron Brown's funeral after seeing camera.

coookthvs101

damn 3 1/2? i tried listening to it in the car but it was pretty boring.. i like hold on and slow ya roll and get buck..the others are trash

Europe Guy

cuz its not on the album

The Rotten Apple

"Do It Myself" Didn't Make The Album.

#1_G-Unit_Fan

Propz good read

Tha Unit On Top

Buck The World is hot, its def a 4 star album, not 3 1/2, 3 1/2 stars is what Banks shit was, Bucks album is better than Banks was. And this reviewer dont no shit about Buck, Bucks from Nashville, not Memphis homey. And since when is Yayo, who is the worst rapper in the crew, while he came out with Kanye and like a week or two before 50's re release, on house arrest, since when is selling 500k in the US and over 700k worldwide a flop? ITs not, thats dam good for yayo, while Mobb and Banks albums were flops, but Yayos wasnt.

BARS NOVEMBER 6TH

cuz it aint on the album

BARS NOVEMBER 6TH

i d give buck the world 4 stars

Gbones

good review... i like the album

Supreme

HHDX give Banks album 2 1/2