I Want It All

by John BushAfter a disappointing sophomore album that failed to cement his superstar status, Warren G. returned to what made him famous -- his production skills -- and for the most part, left the rapping to his many guests. For listeners who haven't kept up with the rapper/producer since his 1994 chart run, I Want It All will sound completely familiar. It's an album of impeccably produced deep-groove G-funk, with tight harmonies anchoring the choruses of highlights like "Gangsta Love" (featuring Kurupt, Nate Dogg, and RBX), "I Want It All" (featuring Mack 10), "You Never Know" (featuring Snoop Dogg, Phats Bossi, and Reel Tight), and "We Got That" (featuring Eve, Drag-On, and Shadow). While scads of guest shots are the norm on hip-hop albums and often grow tiresome, most all of them work on I Want It All simply because Warren G. is, above all, a great producer. He knows how to team rappers together and he knows which types of productions best emphasize their delivery talents. Though I Want It All occasionally skirts the borders of hip-hop lite, it's chocked with quality mid-tempo productions and excellent rapping.