The Best of E-40: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

iTunes Review

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow may sound like a contrived title for a best-of collection, but the phrase is actually a perfect summation of E-40’s musical philosophy. Though he is one of the most individualistic figures in hip-hop history, 40 has amassed a catalog of classic albums by means of a simple formula: pay respect to the past (“Yesterday”), embrace the voices of the present (“Today”), but always make sure to innovate and produce something that has not been done before (“Tomorrow”). The Best of E-40 includes all the major anthems of the man’s career (“Captain Save a Hoe,” “Sprinkle Me,” “Rapper’s Ball”) and several essential album tracks (“Da Bumble,” “Sideways,” “Carlos Rossi,” “Gas, Break, Dip”) but more importantly, it imparts a sense of the man’s artistic ethos. 40 can hook anyone with a taste for the low-end rumble of West Coast funk, but once he has you on the line, he will perform feats of lyrical wizardry that make brilliant rap albums look like kindergarten homework.