Amerikaz Nightmare

Everyone knows Mobb Deep can grind out harrowing, thugged-out street anthems like nobody’s biz. But for the second straight album, Queensbridge’s second sons (word up, Nasty Nas!) are trying to diversify their game. Havoc’s stark beats have reliably backed Mobb’s grimy tales in the past, and though they’re still in evidence here, there’s also a surprising dose of melody. On “Dump,” Nate Dogg’s familiar singsongy croon brightens an otherwise menacing track, Thomas Dolby’s haunting synth progression from “She Blinded Me With Science” underscores “Got It Twisted,” and a dusty sample of a soulful female vocal with disco strings loops, Kanye West–style, behind “Win or Lose.” Kanye himself turns up to produce “Throw Your Hands (In the Air)” but doesn’t really bring his A-game, and as for Lil’ Jon, who lends his talents to the appropriately crunky “Real Gangstaz,” it’s hard to hear him hollering “What?!” and “OK!” without hankering for a Chappelle's Show marathon. Newfound hooks notwithstanding, the subject matter remains predictably gangsta: Mobb Deep are taking this “change” thing one step at a time.