The man known as Joey Crack needs no introduction.  From his debut album Represent, to his dealings with the Diggin in the Crates crew, to his outstanding remixes with the one and only DJ Premier, Joe has been around the block.  Joe has even had a taste of that commercial success, with “What’s Luv” in 2001 to the club banger “Lean Back” last year, the man who can scathe 50 Cent and escape without a scratch has nothing to prove.

     With the success of “Lean Back” and with a strong first single in “So Much More” b/w “Safe 2 Say”, you would think that “All or Nothing” would bring Joe back to classic status.  Unfortunately this is not the case, with lackluster production and just plain pop appeal, Joe needs to decide who he wants as fans and who he doesn’t.  The album starts off very strong with the Streetrunner produced “Intro”, Joe reintroduces himself to the world as a street emcee and reps his crew of producers and emcees to the fullest.  Regardless of what critics might say, Fat Joe is still and always will be a street emcee.  The Nasty Beatmakers produce arguably the best track/song on the entire LP with “Does Anybody Know”. Flipping a “Joe” soul sample on 45 which allows Crack to shine on the mic. “Safe 2 Say” and “So Much More” continue Joe’s barrage on the mic, but these are the highlights.  

     The Cool and Dre produced “My Fofo” is an unnecessary inclusion with the 50 beef being old news, while the duo’s other two tracks “Rock Ya Body” and “Can Do U” sound like bad 80′s samples and the sappy R Kelly assisted “So Hot” is just played out.  The album continues to falter with the Scott Storch produced “Get It Poppin” featuring everybody’s favorite pop icon, Nelly and the sing songy “Listen Baby”.  Even Timberland fails to deliver on “Everybody Get Up”, which just doesn’t reach his usually high standards.   The inclusion of “Hold you Down” and the “Lean Back Remix” are pointless and with all the hype around DJ Khaled, his tracks just don’t make the grade.

    Fat Joe is still that street emcee we all know and love, but this album is more hype than anything.  Boasting up and coming producers and enlisting guest appearances doesn’t always translate into good music and “All or Nothing” is a perfect example of the album that could have been.