Juelz Santana – What The Game’s Been Missing!

Artist: Juelz Santana

Title: What The Game’s Been Missing!

Label: Def Jam

Rating: 6/10

FILE UNDER: Cam’Ron protégé brings the heat.

CORPORATE LINE: Juelz Santana has been everywhere of late. Whether it’s his near-constant guest-hosting duties on BET and MTV, his ubiquitous presence on the mixtape circuit, or his addictive new heat rock “There It Go (The Whistle Song)” – Blender Magazine’s “Song Of The Month” – blasting from every car stereo and club sound system in the country, Juelz has become everyone’s rapper-du-jour. Even the hipster set has joined the movement: indie-dance darling M.I.A. frequently namedrops Juelz as her favorite rapper, and the Dipset lieutenant even teamed up with UK Grime hero Kano for a free outdoor concert in New York’s ultra-hip Lower East Side. What’s next? A hotline, of course. 1-888-DIPSET7 announces the November 22 release of his new Diplomats / Def Jam album What The Game’s Been Missing.

Of course, all this heat didn’t just happen overnight. Over the past few years, the game has watched Juelz Santana grow from his role as Cam’ron’s protégé to become one of hip-hop’s brightest stars, its biggest personalities, and its finest MCs. With a certain cooler-than-thou swagger, and plenty of uptown attitude, Juelz has become, as he so eloquently puts it, “Human Crack In The Flesh.”

And now, with his second Def Jam effort, What The Game’s Been Missing, the hip-hop nation is headed back to Santana’s town, to rediscover Harlemworld’s distinct style as only Juelz can bring it.

THE GREAT:
“Good Times” – A good song although it is little more than a rehash of Ice Cube’s “It Was A Good Day.”
“Mic Check” – Santana hits his stride and finally found a track to match his arrogance. “Am I here to save the day?/ Oh yes I most definitely am”

THE AVERAGE:
“Oh Yes” – Santana samples the Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman” as he bags and boasts.
“Kill ‘Em” f/Cam’ron – Killing for money isn’t exactly a new topic—or one we care to hear anymore. We have an idea—how about going against the grain and writing one about being good and stopping all the violence?

THE BAD:
“Gangsta Sh*t” – Weak lyrics offer up proof that Santana has a long way to go if he wants to be great—a very long way.

FRANKLY: Juelz Santana talks a good game but can’t back it up. His lyrics aren’t on par with the top lyricists in hip-hop today. Twenty-one songs might have seemed like a good idea at the time—it only goes to prove that Santana has limited skills.

+ CC Morris