We Come Strapped

by Jason BirchmeierFresh from his small role in the 1993 film Menace II Society, MC Eiht followed "Streiht Up Menace," his breakthrough hit single from the film's soundtrack, with We Come Strapped. The album may be his full-length solo debut, but Eiht was no rookie here. He had come of age as a member of Compton's Most Wanted, a semi-successful gangsta rap group, and brought along the defunct group's producer, DJ Slip, to join him. And that's pretty much all there is to this album, Eiht and Slip. Make no mistake: We Come Strapped is a sparse and straightforward album, just Eiht's ghetto rhymes and Slip's showering keyboards. And that's it: no extensive guest appearances, no P-Funk interpolations, no lavish extravagances, just Eiht's rhymes and Slip's keyboards. "All for Money" is the album highlight. Here Eiht rhymes gently about doing whatever it takes to get paid while Slip's keyboards hover alongside some smooth, jazzy guitar and "la-la"s in the distance. It's simple and laid-back, for sure, and it's distinct and evocative as well. Moreover, the same can be said about We Come Strapped as a whole. This is a bare-bones album stripped down to the G-funk essentials: gangsta and funk. Unfortunately, there's a lack of standout songs, and fresh ideas are few and far between. But it sure sounds good while it's playing.