Irv Gotti Presents: The Remixes

by John BushIrv Gotti's The Remixes functions as much more than just a cash-in effort; it's a chance for one of hip-hop's most respected trackmasters to revamp tracks from his solid 2002 LP, The Inc. Gotti disses P. Diddy's We Invented the Remix with a spoken intro, then launches with "Unfoolish," his production hit for protegé Ashanti also heard on P. Diddy's record. Ashanti does well on mixes of "I'm So Happy" and "The Pledge," while Gotti detours into hardcore with a tough remix of "O.G." with Caddillac Tah. The new tracks "Poverlous" and "Me & My Boyfriend" also shine, showing Gotti's way with a production -- smoking tracks that borrow from hardcore, funk, old-school but always sound original. It's obviously not as necessary as the original Irv Gotti Presents: The Inc., but much fun for the already converted.