Coming of Age is heavy in cameos (a novel idea), which can be good. N.O.R.E., Diamonds In Da Ruff (D.I.D.R.), Ranjahz, and Ja Rule are on par with Bleek. The album’s tighest cut, “Memphis Bleek Is” features future-star Beanie Sigel and Bleek flip-flopping hoods (Philly & Marcy, respectively) and bouncing off each other with ease. However, on the album’s other heavy-hitter, “What You Think Of That” f. Jay-Z, Memphis is left in the shade. Jigga’s cameo is easily the LP’s highlight: “Like, I aint the n*gga who mastered all flows / And the reason they can’t sell them 4.0′s./ Like, I ain’t 5 mil & what’d your joint go? / Excuse me? / You confuse me”

The M.E.M.P.H. man has the voice & delivery along with some tight rhymes, but he’s not coming with material on this level. It is unfair to compare him to Jay, but when someone shines on your album as bright as Jay does in just one verse, it’s just natural.

The Swizz Beatz-driven “Memphis Bleek Is”, the Tunnel-banger-type-rugged joint, is definitely on some thug-bounce isht to keep NYC hardrocks happy. Ja-Rule is featured on “Murda 4 Life”, which is more laid-back than the title suggests, but is still worthy of rotation. The solid 1st single “I Won’t Stop” is more of the same good material, but no A+ stuff. Aside from “What You Think Of That” & the Beanie banger, the rest of the album is a good listen but doesn’t leave you reaching for the rewind button. “Who’s Sleeping” rehashes a loop used by Rahsheed & Ill Advised (although you NEVER know who uses these things first). “You a Thug” has that annoying whistle (a la Big Pun’s “You Ain’t A Killer”) that they probably threw in, thinking the West Coast peoples would be feeling. Both songs are still worth playing, but would kill brain cells after extended listening.

Being a Bleek fan, this was one of the few albums I have been checking for this year. The review may be overly critical because I was hoping for more. Diehard Memph Bleek fans & BK headz will happily have Coming…. in heavy rotation, and will probably be mad at me for not calling this album a banger. Unfortunately, most others may find it to be another rap album worth a few listens and a spot in that dusty corner under your bed with that old RedHead Kingpin tape. Memphis Bleek is definitely someone to check for in the future, but this album leaves room for him to improve. Coming of Age is more like Going Through Puberty.

Internal Affairs is an underground album at heart, but it crosses boundaries in an easy-to-swallow manner. Pharoahe spits his usual fast-paced fireballs throughout the album, in similar fashion to his highly-acclaimed Organized Konfusion days of yesteryear. Yet he rarely flips nearly-incomprehensible tongue lashings that may have scared listeners in the past. He also may be a bit more thugged-out than in the early 90′s, but who isn’t these days? Aside from the rougher edge (which sounds authentic), this album is super-saturated with lyrics for the real heads to spend countless hours analyzing, staying true to previous form, but his rhyme style isn’t quite as overbearing.

Pharoahe delivers the bulk of the albums material to satisfy his core following. On the Lee Stone produced “Official”, Pharoahe jacks the names of various sports figures and flips them into analogies (“Se-au like #55 on the Chargers…”). “Rape” is a twisted sexcapade involving the forceful penetration of the track by Pharoahe’s rhymes because other MC’s “ain’t fucking it right…” There is also the reunion of Organized on “God Send” where Pharoahe finishes in typically cryptic fashion (“trail of the octopus…”). “Behind Closed Doors”, “Hell” w/ Canibus, and the “Intro” adequately fill out the album’s underground requirements.

On the other hand, Internal Affairs shows the growth of Pharoahe as a visual MC that is able to capture the mind’s eye of the listener. “Queens” is an interesting journey in Pharoahe’s stomping ground, through the life of a young lad named Donovan. Equally impressive is the “The Truth” f. Common & Talib Kweli , which is not exactly a tale, but is filled with vivid images. However, these aforementioned tracks cannot hold a candle to the album’s crown jewel “The Light”. The Diamond D produced medley is an initially awkward combination of a melancholy string selection and a warm-hearted guitar loop that takes a few listens to appreciate the brilliance of the combination. It’s a love story featuring Pharoahe singing the hook, that melds like melted cheese with the production and flows with emotion (don’t hate you non-fucking nerds). Call me a lovestruck sap, but this song grabbed me like no rap track has in years. Any hetero male over the age of 14 should be able to relate in some way or another (and females will love it too!)

Moment of tenderness aside, Pharoahe’s finest step is his newfound ability to move the crowd. “The Ass” is a brilliantly penned ode telling the tales of how it goes down in the bedroom… (including a groundbreaking verse for Apani B-Fly Emcee - props). Kudos as well to Diamond D (again) for re-emerging on the scene with his first club-ready banger in recent memory on that one. “The Next Shit”, featuring newfound Pharoahe amigo Busta Rhymes, has a captivating latin bounce without sounding too much like a contrived club hit. And the insanity of both “Simon Says” & the “Simon Says Remix” (feat. Lady Luck, Method Man & Redman, Shabaam Sahdeeq & Busta Rhymes) should go without saying, but there are a few bags of kids out there that will hate… The freshest part about all of these club-bangers is that they are still thick with lyrics. No they’re not “releasing hypnotical gases”, but they’re still light years ahead of most MC’s dropping verses these days.

This album has something for everyone. There’s even some straight up thug-shit on the Alchemist produced, M.O.P. featured, “No Mercy” (Nutso!). If people take the time to listen, it will open the thugs up to the underground, the backpackers to the streets, the club-heads to some lyrics, etc. Despite a few mediocre beat choices this album is a work of art that is made for all to appreciate. Take the time out to listen no matter what you usually bang in the whip or walkman and you are sure to be pleased with something, if not the entire Internal Affairs offering.

The already released singles are the standout tracks on the album, whether its the stutter-step funk of “Right Now”, the fast-paced “Check 1,2″, or sure-fire bangers “Symphony” & “Symphony 2000″ . Few will be able to front on either version of “The Symphony”, whether you fiend for the M.O.P. realness (those that front please put your backpacks in the closet) or the bang-factor of Method Man & Redman on “…2000″. As for album cuts, the E. Sermon produced “Pioneers” & “The Fan” are some personal favorites. “Rap Is Still Outta Control” (f. Busta Rhymes) may leave you wishing for a revamping of the classic original track, and Erick Sermon’s carefree crooning from song to song may prove annoying, but those are minor flaws that can be overlooked. Perhaps the only real dents are “Hold Me Down” (ay-yo!?!? - not a hook that I would run around chanting around the fellas) & another less-than exceptional Jane effort (” Jane 6″). As for the rhymes, neither Erick or Parrish are breaking any barriers when it comes to the mic skills these days, but the hooks are tight as usual and the production (mostly Sermon) is thumbs-up material. The only mic blaze I noticed in limited listens was Parrish boasting “As I dust bust, crush your rush, catch u flossin, turn your icebezee into slush”. It sounds better than it reads, the hunt for an Erick Sermon one-line winner is ongoing.

Overall Out Of Business, is solid satisfaction all the way through, with only the occasional fast forward material; tight tracks to be enjoyed by both the Company Flow zealot & the DMX kennel member. How bout that! You’ve also got to respect the fact they didn’t go out to make a str8 up commercial radio single, especially when isht like that is so predictable these days (see Ma$e and Soundscan). As a closing note: For all of you that were upset that EPMD is hanging up their mics after this album, you can hide your hankies. They are just retiring the Business titles (and hopefully the Jane series). Look for EPMD to continue to rep hard through 2000 & beyond.