Philadelphia Freeway

Even if what he does is wrong, Freeway does it impeccably. The latest signeeto the Roc-A-Fella camp comes from Philadelphia and carries all the weight ofthat city's streets, much like his Roc partner Beanie Sigel. Most of hisdebut album details the struggles of the street life, sprinkled with the occasionalclub anthem and the odd reference to Islam (Freeway is a Muslim—a lapsedone, though, if you believe what's on this record). The detail on songslike "On My Own" and "Don't Cross the Line"is impressive,and Freeway is skilled at telling stories as well, like on the moving song "Life."Philadelphia Freeway also benefits from being the best-produced hip-hop albumin recent memory. Apart from a troika of R&B-hook-sporting numbers at theend of the record, every single song here is a wonderwork of beatmaking. "LineEm Up" imagines what would have happened if the blues got into a bar fightwith hip-hop. "What We Do" is bombastic soul nonpareil, and "Life"flips a sample from Eddie Money, of all people, and turns it into a mournfulode.

It's rare that a debut album is this fully realized, and it's a testamentboth to Freeway's skill as an MC and to the faith his camp is placing inhim. Shouldering the weight of production this good is a daunting responsibility,but Freeway has more than stepped up to the task.