Depending on whose lawyers you ask, Young Buck may or may not still (begrudgingly) be a member of G-Unit Records, but despite his ongoing drama with 50 Cent, he delivers âLive Loyal Die Richâafter a somewhat lengthy absence. For his return, Buckâs hunger to move on with his life and career comes through loud and clear, but 50âs talent for picking hits is notably absent.
While âLive Loyal Die Richâ has some issues as a whole, Young Buck still seems to be in fighting shape and anxious to make a comeback in earnest. Itâs not easy to suspend disbelief for âMoney in the Wallsâ so soon after Buck talks most honestly about his career troubles on opener â2nd Chance,â but the song still works well enough from a technical standpoint. He works in a few different flows (âGo Locoâ) and shows energy through the whole affair. So while you wouldnât quite mistake this for an official album, the better songs feel like more than just leftovers.
Buckâs excitement is better than the alternative, but he ultimately goes overboard with 20 tracks. The production is decent despite the lack of many obvious big names, but mixtape or not, a lot of âLive Loyal Die Richâis just filler. âDeath of Meâ and âGet it Allâ are fairly by-the-numbers, and â21 & Upâ is only amusing once (if that). As mentioned, thereâs also the problem of Buckâs selective acknowledgement of his real-life issues. One minute heâs blowing his advance, the next heâs rich forever; and while Buck seems ready to embrace the age of Emo Rap at moments, he canât shake his baller habits.
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Young Buck doesnât need the cover of a group to make a good album, but thatâs not to say he couldnât use a guiding hand when it comes to maximizing his talents and assembling a tracklist. Assuming he is in fact a free man and can find a good home, his next full album could be something worth looking for. If heâll be stuck making low-budget mixtapes, however, itâll be hard to keep everyoneâs interest either way.
DX Consensus: âEP-Worthyâ
