MC Ren Shock Of The Hour review The Source Magazine No.53 Feb.1994 3.5/5

«Seven stranded castaways, they’re here for a long, long time / They’ll have to make the best of things / it’s an uphill climb / No Cube, no Dre, no D.O.C / Not a single luxury / like Hammer and Bust it, as primitive as can be….»
These days the once powerful Ruthless Records is starting to look like Gilligan’s Island as Eazy-E (The Skipper) and Jerry Heller (Gilligan) have found themselves stranded in hip-hop and forced to rely on talent like Blood of Abraham and Hoes with Attitude bolster their depleted roster. Lucky for them MC Ren (The Professor) still has the skills to bring them out of this desperate situation.  Out of all the group members, MC Ren was the only one who never really  got a chance to shine in the N.W.A spotlight. A consummate team player player he never made any waves, he just stayed on the DL and did his job. Ren was ahead of his time as far as West Coast rappers go, he could flip the script fast or slow, coming straight off the dome with ill gangsta shit or air-tight battle ready rhymes. The shit he flipped back in the day on «If It Ain't Ruff," "The Grand Finale," "Real Niggaz» and "The Last Song" had us all eagerly awaiting his solo album. Years later Ren (now a Muslim) attempts to fully adjust to life in a post-Dr. Dre era. His experimental EP, Kizz My Black Azz, went platinum, but that was probably due to his popularity than his music or innovation. Thankfully, Shock of the Hour is enough of an effort to re-establish his anxious fan base and set the stage for him to win over new fans. But it was not the straight-up bomb that that we know that he is capable of delivering. Upon hearing the news of his conversion to Islam I was expecting some Death Certificate type shit, but I was pleased to find that he is still on the "Broomstick up the butt/She swallowed it/Niggas shootin' dice on the basketball court/R-E-N spells Ren but I'm Raw" tip.
"Same Of Shit" is an eerie mix that combines the flavor of "The Devil Made Me Do It" and «Dre Day," as Ren kicks dope rhymes about the daily routines in LA. "Fuck What You Heard" has a pimped-out Ren telling you how "listening to gossip might get your ass shot, kid." "All Bullshit Aside" freaks N.W.A's "To Kill a Hooker" beat with some dope scratches, and for those who want a little consciousness raising Ren delivers the goods with "You Wanna Fuck Her» and "Attack On Babylon.» Aside from Ren's talented flow and menacingly distinctive voice, the album's greatest asset comes with the production. Rhythm D and Night Stawka Prod. avoid the trap of trying to duplicate the popular Dre-esque "G-Funk" sound. The result is some straight up no-frills gangsta shit, but you kind of wish that he would have heeded his own words from long ago: "I heard a dope beat/Somebody told me that Buck did it/But if Dre didn't do it I can't fuck with it.» What really keeps this record from reaching the next level is the fact that the Villain plays it too safe, keeping things well within his previously established boundaries. We also have to deal with the rhetoric (a.k.a rehashed slogans that we've all heard before, mostly) of a novice Muslim. It doesn’t seem right, somehow, to hear a man who was so publicly opposed to the the Afrocentric bandwagon ("I'm not with that Black shit so I'm not gonna yell that») turn around and jump into the role of the preacher. But it all balances out in the end, with Ren injecting some much need authenticity, lyrical talent and honesty back into gangsta rap. While the album is better than his EP and certainly much better than Eazy’s recent work, Ren still hasn't stepped up to the Ice Cube/Dre level. To do that, he's going to have to place all caution aside and go for broke. And when he does that, then he'll really be the shock of the hour.
ALLEN S. GORDON THA EBONY CAT

263 MC Ren; The Villian in Black review in Rap Pages April 1996

40 MC Ren; Shock of the hour review Hip Hop Connection

Re: MC Ren solo album produced by Dr. Dre
I used to always wish that album 'life sentence' that was listed in the EP''s sleeve would get released. A solo lp by MC REN in 100% NWA mode. That would of been heavy with the vibe he had at the time.

I came over this N.W.A interview in The Source Magazine interview from july 1991.



https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/source-magazine-july-1991-slick-rick-1824476803

Re: MC Ren Osiris Album Reaction & Review {D.P.T.V} S6 EP 51

In this episode, we feature the brand new album from MC Ren from NWA entitled "OSIRIS".  Enjoy guys and don't forget to subscribe.
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