Noreaga has been through a lot. He’s obtained some success
but he’s fallen short a lot, too. After gaining praise with CNN’s War
Report, his partner in rhyme was doing time. With Capone
in prison, Nore got back in the whip and took control of the
wheel solo. He obtained even more buzz from songs such as “Superthug,” “Banned from
TV,” “Oh No,” “Grimey,” “Nothin'” and more recently “Oye Mi Canto.”
Still, faced with and plagued by label drama, flops, and more of the same, he
had to take some losses. After pitfalls and spills in recent years, he is
dropping Noreality, where many expect Nore to bounce
back triumphantly now that he is going the independent route.
The album sets off with the Swizz
Beatz-produced “Set It Off,” which definitely sets the tone. Other bangers
follow such as “That
Club Shit” and “Throw ‘Em Under the Bus,” which features Jadakiss
and Kurupt. These tracks stand out, much like most of his
hits. The production is fresh and upbeat, while Nore’s flow is
casual and fun. That makes for a great combination.
Nore even gets a little more thought-provoking on “Cocaine Cowboys”
and “The Rap
Game.” This is hopeful. Sadly, that doesn’t last long. Before we
can get to fully enjoy the LP, Nore begins to drop
questionable rhymes: “Got whatever you need, like street e-bay/Matter
of fact, just call me Nor-bay/Don’t care what you say/John Legend look gay!”
“Most Valuable Pussy Eater: MVP of the sport.”
“K-Federline the game…Get my money and bounce.”
“Queens stand up like your seat got a whoop-e-cushion.”
Lines such as those above simply illustrate how corny and nonsensical the
rhymes can actually be. Whole songs take on these traits, as well. “Drink Champ,” “Shoes,” “Pop
a Pill,” “Eat Pussy” and other tracks sound like throw-away joints
that somehow managed to get on the album. While we do expect some crazy, goofy
lines from Nore, it’s almost like he didn’t even try on some
of these songs.
There is still some freshness in Noreality, but most Nore
fans will be disappointed. Here, he doesn’t come back with a statement.
Instead, the album is unorganized and it lacks cohesiveness. Again, he succeeds
in small ways but falls short in many more.
