AMG Review of 534 [Clean]

Andy Kellman
All Music Guide

For all its action-packed Frank Stallone bombast, the opening track of Memphis Bleek's fourth album, 534, opens the door with a key instead of a battering ram. Things then get flat-out bizarre: a brief interlude lifted from an obscure folk artist (Lisa Koch, known for a song titled "Beaver Cleaver Fever") sets up "Dear Summer" -- a (decent) Jay-Z feature with no other MCs present. The Swizz Beatz-produced "Like That" is T.I.'s rallying "Bring 'Em Out" at half power; "Infatuated" is the obligatory track for the ladies, containing the phrase "You complete me" in the hook. The album improves in its latter half, although it's usually the production work -- from the likes of 9th Wonder, Just Blaze, and Bink -- that attracts the attention. [A clean version of the album was also made available.]