Similar to how the rap game is full of rookies it is also
full of protégés. Meet the newest, Ice
Cube‘s sidekick who pushes rhymes
like weight, Mr. Short Khop
(pronounced ‘chop’).
Although Khop has not constructed a
masterpiece, his debut is nevertheless very promising. Khop has a very energetic flow, which combined with the right beats
makes for an intoxicating composition such as on Braveheart and Da Ready Rock.
Throughout the album Khop displays a
knack for concocting humorous word associations such as in the Kurupt assisted Kingpin And Da Kockhound. One
Way To Win featuring Cube on the
hook, although not spectacular, does flow in the same vein as recent Ice Cube club hits. Unfortunately, most
of the guest appearances fall short of their billing. Kurupt, WC, Cube, and even Shaq all show up but do little to further the cause. The one
exception is the collaboration with Ice
Cube on My Loved One Remix which features some brilliant mixing techniques
and is definitely a slamming track. Another entertaining moment arrives with Khop‘s humorous remake of Ice Cube‘s classic I Ain’t The One in Ya Baby
Daddy. This time around Khop
addresses pregnancy woes from the woman’s perspective, and at the same time
displays a keen sense of humour. Despite these numerous hard-hitting tracks
there is also a fair share of misses. Many songs are steeped in funk in
throwback Parliament style and would
have been much more fitting had they been released 5-10 years ago. Short Khop & The Brain and Flashbacks both with Ice Cube suffer from lackluster
production and weak hooks. The same maladies beset Dollaz, Drank & Dank with Kokane.
Although Da Khop Shop has bits and
pieces of excellence, it is indeed a chop shop, complete with parts that don’t
always fit together.
Reviewed by: Adam Low
