Despite first coming to prominence while rapping alongside A Tribe Called Quest in the late ’90s, it wasn’t until 2007 when Consequence released his official debut album through Kanye West’sG.O.O.D. Music imprint. Despite their fruitful working relationship, personal issues have come between Cons and both of his former teams, leaving him standing on his own for Movies on Demand 3. While the mixtape does enforce his capability of making solid records without Q-Tip or Kanye, their shadow still hangs over him, darkening the tone of his work.
Most of the direct shots fired at friends and family are confined to “Career Killer,” a somewhat standard diss record primarily directly at Kanye and Pusha T (no subliminals here). Before that, however, “The Kumate”
and “They My Juniors” seem to exist solely to emphasize the presumption that Consequence is hard because he’s from Queens. Whether you believe the threats or not, the dark and hostile tracks feel a little out-of-character for the usually laid-back emcee. Tough-talk and posturing isn’t Consequence’s strong suit, so starting with these tracks somewhat drags down the experience.
After he’s let out all of his aggression and the happy Cons returns, things do pick up. “Crying Broke” (with Rapper Big Pooh & Elzhi) is a particularly smooth palette cleanser with production from relative newcomers The Produce Section. Later, “Comic Book Flow” puts Consequence’s sense of humor back on display as he weaves his rhymes while name-checking a long list of classic heroes and villains. Some of the production feels a little flat compared to what we’ve come to expect from previous editions of Movies on Demand (“Mr. RapFix”), but Consequence’s rhymes usually make up the difference for less memorable beats.
Ultimately, it’s not surprising that Consequence is handling the transition fairly well. Unlike most rappers who publicly split from their high-profile crews, Consequence was already established before he joined G.O.O.D. Music and, if Movies on Demand 3 is any indication, he’ll be able to pick up where he left off fairly easily. That said, now that his feelings towards his former crew are officially “on record,” hopefully he’ll be able to let it go and get back to having fun—after all, the best revenge is living well.
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