Buff1 & DJ Rhettmatic Are Crown Royale

iTunes Review

Known for his many years in the game as a critical member of the Visionaries and World Famous Beat Junkies, Los Angeles-based deck diablo/producer DJ Rhettmatic needs little introduction to serious hip-hop heads. Buff1 isn't quite as well known, but has built up a formidable reputation as a fast-rising MC out of Ann Arbor, down with the Athletic Mic League, who has dropped two solid albums, Pure and There's Only One. Together, they form Crown Royale, joining the burgeoning crop of 2010 collabo projects. As expected, Rhett's production is on-target throughout, a neck-breaking mix of hard beats, finely chopped samples, and plenty of razor sharp cuts to support Buff's direct rhymes about everything from the dog-eat-dog mentality of the industry ("The Path I Chose"), to the intoxicating allure of money ("World Go Crazy"). Far from gangsta but a lot catchier and well-produced than the standard indie rap offerings, it also gives us a spectacular posse cut in the organ-laced Cali-meets-Michigan anthem "The Chosen Show," featuring rowdy verses from MED, Bishop Lamont, Chino XL, OneBeLo, Guilty Simpson, Fashwan, Tres Styles, and Marvwon.