C-Rayz Walz - Ravipops (The Substance)

C-Rayz Walz is one of the greatest emcees ever.  As El-P puts it: "The dude just oozes hip-hop out his skin."  He has a pretty extensive, and incredibly consistently dope catalogue of albums.  This one is probably my favorite though.  Named after his son, Ravi, (get it Ravipops?) this was his first official Definitive Jux release.  This album has it all, braggadocio tracks, heartfelt dedication tracks, and some just messing around having fun tracks; every song soaked in his entertaining personality.  I originally saw the "Buck 80" video on a Def Jux compilation dvd and had to seek out more of this dude.  I have heard rumors that C-Rayz has been banned from competing in nearly every emcee battle league in New York, and not because he causes problems or has a bad attitude, but because noone can compete with him.  He is like 1,000-0 on the battle scene.  Listen to "Battle Me" and you will find out why.  But unlike the majority of successful battle rappers, he translates into an amazing artist as well, even if he is criminally overlooked.  My favorite tracks are: Guns and Butter, We Live, and Protect My Family; although there is not a single track that I don't like on this album, and how often can you say that anymore?  Not to mention that "The Lineup" may be the greatest posse cut ever.  Now we just need him and Immortal Technique to do another Stronghold album with the rest of their old crew.......and I will leave you with this little piece of advice from the album: "Go back upstairs, eat ya mac cheese and fishsticks/ You ain't 50, you gon' die trying to get rich."

                                 

1 Floe
2 The Essence
3 Guns And Butter (Feat. Natural K.A.W.S.)
4 Protect My Family
5 Thug Melody
6 '86
7 The Lineup (Feat. Wordsworth, J-Treds, Thirstin Howl III, Vast Aire, Breezly Brewin & MF Doom)
8 Buck 80
9 Battle Me (Feat. Natasha Elossaint)
10 Elephant Guns
11 We Live
12 Yeah
13 Seal Killa (Feat. 4th Pyramid)
14 Dead Buffalos
15 Camouflage
16 3 Card Molly
17 Moses [Madd Cold] Revelations 15:2 fuhks

Download Link:   http://www.mediafire.com/?dzvotsnem410t5d