Well imagine my surprise when I saw another M.O.P. album has come out. It came out of nowhere. Now my understanding is that St. Marxmen is not an official G-Unit release but more like tracks they've done while waiting to drop an album on Roc-A-Fella. At any rate, it really doesn't matter. It's another M.O.P. joint & I'm happy for it. These guys have a special place in my heart & there music is some of the truest & realist hip hop out there. They've stuck true to there roots & create those grimy street joints us older Brooklyn backpackers grew up listening to.

[Cue flashback effect] Reminds me of those cold winter mornings waiting for the 3 train & listening to a beat up walkman on my way to school. A cassette door being held closed with rubber bands and batteries being held in w/ tape cause the battery cover no longer stayed in place on its own.

Since that time a lot has changed...
Hip hop is now commercially acceptable & my walkman now holds 10,000 songs.

and some things haven't.
M.O.P. still keeping it real & I still rock a backpack.

So how's this album? Well it's the same old M.O.P.. Still repping the block & still peeling caps. Most of my people who aren't from NY, hell who aren't from brooklyn, never got M.O.P. And unfortunately they are still one of the most underrated groups in Hip Hop toady. They've been doing this for over 10 years & still get the job done. Not many artists last that long. Lyrically Fame & Danze still spit ''hot fire'' with their harsh & somewhat gravelly delivery it makes even the most sedate beat sound dangerous. Over the right track its down right riot inciting. There are a couple of guest tracks with the likes of Teflon, Foxx & Inf along with guest appearances by Wyclef, Jay-Z & the late ODB.

Production on the album is tight and traditional M.O.P., with gun cock effects & rocking guitar. There's 1 Primo produced track but it sounds like he oversaw the whole album.

Overall a great album & one every M.O.P fan should own. If you hear ''underground'' and think of the place beneath your feet, than you probably haven't gotten this far in the review. But just in case you did, skip this album, you probably won't get it. On the other hand if your getting a little tired of what passes for hip hop nowadays you might want to give it a try.

SonicAmp Rating: 9/10