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ONYX SHUT 'EM DOWN Def Jam  If You're An Onyx Fan You'll Like This One No Anthem Type Songs Like 'Slam' If you like Onyx you will like their new album 'Shut 'Em Down'... They manage to maintain their rough rugged and raw gritty sound throughout the lp's 16 cuts.. Songs like the piano ladden 'Raze It Up', the Wu-Tang like 'Black Dust' and 'Broke Willies' which has a small sample from the bassline of the Rolling Stone's 'Missing You', will all leave your head boppin'.. There will be no mistaken why Onyx was so popular a few years ago.. The only thing missing form this album are anthem type songs.. We have gotten to know Onyx for such tracks like 'Slam' and 'Throw Your Guns In The Air'.. No such memorable songs exist on this album.. However, almost all the tracks uses some sort of beat that hits without the relying upon rehashed songs from the 80s.. Onyx succeeds in supplying a solid album that captures their essence.. No, they don't break much new ground..Most of the songs deal with murder and mayhem..They don't drop too much science.. However, that is how Onyx has pretty much always been..so one should know what they're getting into when they buy an Onyx tape...Musically they hit..They aren't rehashing songs and most of what you'll hear is good head boppin' material...How this album will do depends.. Onyx may unfortunately find themsleves lost in the hordes of rap tapes flooding the market. They don't have anything that's commercial sounding which may lead to airplay. The fact they've been off the block for so long may result in them having to rebuild their underground fan base.In any case this is a good album if you should find your way to the record store. I give them a B+
6-29-98
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