"HIStory" Review

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JD Riggz's 'HIStory'

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Star ratings
1 star: Awful2 stars: Subpar3 stars: Good4 stars: Excellent5 stars: Masterpiece
Written by Troy L. Smith
(July 3, 2008)
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"I got a story to tell," says local MC JD Riggz on the intro to his new mixtape, HIStory.For the most part, it's a story that's been told before � about the poverty, drugs and violence that make up the life of a young street hustler � but rarely, at least on a local scale, has it been laid out with the kind of wit and charisma Riggz brings to the table.
It's not just his metaphors � though they're quite good ("The flow's sick like an AIDs patient.") � it's the precise punch lines. "You a ridah? I'll turn ya'll into crash-test dummies," he warns on the intro.
And who cares if the gun talk's just for show? Built in the mold of quick-witted MCs like Cam'ron and Juelz Santana, Riggz rides the beat with a slow-paced drawl so that listeners will hang on his every word.
And Riggz certainly chooses the right beats to perfectly match his style. Producers INFO & Nova's triumphant horns on "Road To Riches" match Riggz's uncompromising bravado, boast for boast, while the low-key Isley Brothers sample on "Weight of the World" (produced by Majik and Riggz) takes the ideal backseat to Riggz's words like "I'm the rap world's David Ruffin/But the label's say a n**ga's not buzzin."
With 19 tracks, HIStory is a bit overloaded, and it does drag slightly when Riggz freestyles over other rappers' beats such as Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" or Kanye West's "All Falls Down."
Still, even the few weak points can't take away from standouts such as the soulful "Rebel Without A Cause" or the fantastic "Yellow Tape Rap," on which Riggz spits gems like "Why I beef with n**gas when I know they shook? I have 'em talking through a box like a T-Pain hook."
Troy's rating: 3.5 stars