Last 2 Walk

VINYL FORMAT. With a multi-platinum previous album, a remarkable Academy Award win for the Hustle & Flow soundtrack, a once six-piece crew now shrunk down to a duo, plus a street date pushed back for more than a year, Three 6 Mafia's ninth official album, Last 2 Walk, went through a difficult birthing process. It also could have been "highly anticipated" if it weren't for leadoff single "I'd Rather" knocking expectations down a peg. Put the odd and very MTV-friendly choice of Good Charlotte on the guest list and things began to look grim and embarrassingly forced, but Last 2 Walk features enough of the group's original gutter stance and scrappy attitude to reclaim fans, at least ones who remember the good old days when minimal, pounding hooks and one thug track after another were more important than crossover potential or cohesive albums. Sure, the very good Lyfe Jennings collaboration "Hood Star" has polish and the Akon appearance is a platinum move, but there's a scrappy charm to a Three 6 Mafia album that puts so much of its raw and ragged baller music up front. And plenty of appearances from longtime friend Project Pat help to reinforce the "back to our roots" attitude. Remaining members DJ Paul and Juicy J stay true to the "Intro"'s promise of "giving you some bump!" with the intense numbers like "Trap Boom" and the cold "Corner Man," plus "On Some Chrome" -- which features UGK and one of the last performances from the late Pimp C. "Lolli Lolli" is the best mix of slick and syrup-sipping in a "Stay Fly" manner, and there's enough creativity and humor in the skits to make them worthwhile. -allmusic.com