My Ghetto Report Card

With his tenth studio effort E-40 continues his rap reign

Throughout the '90s and into the next decade, E-40 led a generation of Cali Bay Area rappers and attracted a large cult following of listeners that spread from the West Coast to the South. Forty's uncanny rhyme delivery set him apart from the mainstream, as he coined a plethora of slang terms and experimented with overdubbed vocals. Moreover, his longevity and sincerity earned him many alliances, first among his Bay Area colleagues, then with Jive Records and numerous Dirty South camps, among them No Limit and Cash Money Records. Forty never did completely crossover to mainstream success, remaining mainly a regional sensation, yet influenced many over the years with his unique style and stayed true to his principles throughout. With his tenth studio effort, My Ghetto Report Card, his first for Lil Jon's Warner Bros. distributed BME imprint, E-40 continues his rap reign. Already off to an astonishing start, with the set's Lil Jon laced, jump-off single, Tell Me When To Go, which has single-handedly taken the whole nation by storm thus sparking off a brand new movement known simply as Hyphy, the slick talking King of Slanguistics continues his verbal assault throughout the 20-track magnum opus.

E-40 opens his door to a host of guests

Basically the Bay Area's version of Crunk, Hyphy is a jittery, fast paced, synth-powered strain of hip-hop that will keep the clubs bouncing and the heads nodding as long E-40 has anything to say about it. The album can feel a little repetitive at times, but it's also a sound that plays well in clubs, cars, and earbuds. E-40 opens his door to a host of guests, including local talent like Keak Da Sneak (Muscle Cars) and The Federation (Go Hard or Go Home), but he wisely collaborates with others like NY's Juelz Santana and Houston's UGK (White Gurl borrows its hook from the Boogie Boys' classic of a similar name) as well as R&B crooner T-Pain (U And Dat). Maybe Crunk fathered Hyphy, but Lil Jon created a new sound for E-40. While it has the crashing bass and the loud ad-libs, E-40 does a lot more lyrically with Jon's music than most. However, it's Bay Area alum Rick Rock that stuffs the heat into this album. Yay Area, which is built upon Digable Planets' Rebirth of Slick, increases the energy tenfold. Gouda uses quirky sound effects to build very quickly, very loudly, and very club-friendly. Other standouts include the 8 Ball and Bun B collabo, She Say She Loves Me. Last, but certainly not least, is the reflective closer Happy To Be Here, a rags-to-riches, feel-good autobiographical track.

My Ghetto Report Card is 2006's United State of Atlanta

It's the strength of Earl Stevens vocal performances that carry "My Ghetto Report Card" in 2006, even though there are some musical miscues and a few too many guest rappers that steal a spotlight which should by all rights be almost solely his. My Ghetto Report Card is evidence that 40's innovative musical style continues to influence the genre both musically and linguistically. On a bevy of crunktastic sonic gems provided by the likes of A-listers, Lil Jon, Rick Rock, Studio Ton and 40's super-talented offspring, newcomer Droop-E, Mr. Charlie Hustle continuously drops solid gold nuggets on the competition with his off beat, start-stop, scoot type delivery. My Ghetto Report Card is 2006's United State of Atlanta: inventive, creative, and a balance of humor and intelligence. E-40 tucks street-lore into his verses that have a more radio-friendly, more energetic music. The slang is as sharp as it ever was, and in a punchline era, E-40 is easily a consistent quotable. From the ghetto streets to the executive suites, Vallejo vet has finally reached his peak, and with My Ghetto Report CardE-40 has well earned his rightful place in the hip-hop hall of fame.