Loved by Few, Hated by Many

by Jason BirchmeierLoved by Few, Hated by Many marks Willie D's return as a solo rap artist as well as his return to Rap-a-Lot Records, the label he left after the success of I'm Goin' Out Lika Soldier (1992), his last hit solo album. If not for Willie D's exceptional thoughtfulness, Loved by Few, Hated by Many unfortunately sounds like a run-of-the-mill Rap-a-Lot album, suffering from bland production values. It doesn't help either that Willie D sounds uninspired at times and that the album runs so long at 18 tracks. A few collaborations help break up the monotony -- especially "Dem Boys" (featuring Scarface and Lil Wayne) and "Freaky Deaky" (featuring Pimp C of UGK) -- and "Dear God" is a true standout, but you'll have to scan through much of the album to find them. Loved by Few, Hated by Many is best left to devoted Willie D fans, for as welcome as his return may be, it's rather uneventful overall.