'Harlem Classics' provides fresh beats, unique mixes

Editor's Note: Track names and artists listed in this review may vary.

When I arrived at MSU five years ago, my freshmen floormates at Hubbard Hall knew exactly what to expect when they walked past my dorm room.

High pitched vocal screeches, vibrant beats, and thumping kicks that wore out my subwoofer beat by beat - qualities that could only be produced by The Diplomats.

The Harlem-based supergroup, also known as Dipset, emerged onto the hip-hop scene a few years ago, creating a loyal fan base across the country.

The group released platinum and gold albums from 2002 to 2005, and made superstars out of chief members Cam'ron, Juelz Santana and Jim Jones.

Although The Diplomats haven't produced a new group album for a couple years, their new "Harlem Classics" compilation CD has the same edge as past albums.

"Harlem Classics" is a collector's edition CD that should please both die-hard rap loyalists who appreciate material from their numerous underground mix tapes, and casual hip-hop fans who might remember mainstream hits such as "Oh Boy," "We Fly High," and "There It Go."

Each artist's superstar swagger, combined with the "street soul" theme of the album, serves as the palette for the CD's highlights on tracks such as Jones' "145th and Broadway" and Cam's "Cali Love." Each of these tracks provide more style than substance, which give the album an authentic vibe.

The importance of the mix tape in hip-hop is embodied in this release, as it gives the artists a license to use unfiltered creative freedom.

As is the case with any group effort, however, there are a couple stumbles in this album.

Those detractors of Jim Jones' overall rapping ability will find little here to reverse their opinions about him, as this early work exhibits a lack of professional polish in some of his appearances.

Furthermore, the track "The Slaughter" is an inadvertently appropriate title for the song, given what the scatterbrained production does to the listener's ears.

The glory days of The Diplomats' dynasty might be over, but "Harlem Classics'" stroll down memory lane is still a suitable candidate for rattle-your-trunk worthy rap in 2008.