Bad Meets Evil "Hell:The Sequel"

      When Bad Meets Evil you know that the album is going to be good. If this was an actual sequel it would be one of the best of its kind. The lyrical department gives you a greeting card that says "Welcome 2 Hell,” which feels like it also sent me back in time to when Em was known as Marshall, and he was a devil’s advocate that had a sense of humor; a twisted one, of course. Royce Da 5’9” compliments Em’s flow well in this minimalistic background to focus on said flow. Their lives are not the only thing in the “Fast Lane,” backed by some horn throughout and those auto-tuned assisted harmonies and strings to fill out the end. I must say I like Em’s verses when he mentions Ice and Swayze, and his crush; or whatever you call what Em has a case of for Nicki Minaj, but I think my favorite verse is from Royce: “war with' a bottle, this Captain Morgan attacks my organs/My slow flow is euphoric, it's like I rap endorphins/ made a pact with the Devil that says "I'll let you take me/You let me take this shovel, dig up the corpse of Jack Kevorkian'."  The chorus and backing vocals are real nice too. “The Reunion” tells an interesting story (based on true) and shows that Em can be as irreverent as ever, and Royce needs no introduction because his flow speaks for himself. This duo goes hard, there is no denying that fact, and the piano in the start may seem foolish, but is just what the song needs to start off this track with choral commentary sung by Claret Jai making her best Rihanna impression.                                                                                                                                                               No one is "Above the Law." Not even with  fiery flows like these: “Goin' overboard, like someone threw us off the boat, choke/Cough from all the smoke I'm tryna stay on fire/So you know if I hate f****' water-sprinklers I don't love the hose.” But this is just a squirt gun directed at an ocean; there’s much more. I bet some people are thinking “what’s this guy on?” I can easily retort “I’m On Everything” that isn’t listed in the song; which starts with an intro from Mike Epps (who also sings, or what production appears to make it sound like) and probably anything that is bad for you. This song seems like they are having the most fun; even with the improvised chorus sung by Royce, to the verses recalling the escapades after a certain hangover seen by millions. Mario Bros., Brett Favre (“Call me Brett Favre, spell it F-A-V-R, E, yep/It's wrong, other words I just f**** my RV up”) and other references, but “The sequel to Scary Movie, bad is to evil, the roofie to Roethlisberger.” If you ever want “A Kiss” from one of these two just beware because their lips can deliver more than just irreverence . The first single is a song that will be the closest to having a concert venue with a sky full of “Lighters” at a rap concert. Bruno’s vocals in the chorus seem to take you to Mars; this song is easily the most suitable to be a single. IF what you have heard preceding this track did not convince you to buy the music over downloading illegally than this song may cause you to do so out of pure guilt.: “But y'all better read my lips; I don't spit raps this ill/For you to just hack and steal and leak my s***, so peep my drift/I hope y'all don't think y'all helping me out with that s***/That s*** stressin' me out” or “Cause I break my back to give you my all, you steal my thoughts/It's like driving a spike through my heart/You might not think it's that big of a deal to steal from me/But music is all I got.” As if I need to comment on the quality of the rest of the verses, or the vocals of Claret Jai, but whatever information you “Take from Me” I hope you use it try this album out support this duo. I hear some “Loud Noises” in the Slaughterhouse, do you suggest I enter? I can say that this rap group goes by that name for a reason, and while our two hosts’ verses are bad enough, the guests inspire them to be a little more evil? Is that too cheesy? There are two bonus tracks, and the first song is not exactly “Living Proof,” but is a document of his struggle; while determination is to verses as grace is to no fall “As soon as I decided to put that bottle down and pick up my Todd Bridges/The writings on the wall.” Em’s verses effectively compliments those of Royce Da 5’9’’ as he tries to give him faith; they are uplifting, yet still a little shady. I like the instrumentals, they do work well with their verses, but if you just read the verses alone the music sounds a bit lighter than what it is. Whatever I have to say about the second bonus track may mean nothing by the time it reaches the eyes, so why waste an opinion bound to be ignored.  "I told these stupid h*** when I come back I'm a set this b**** on fire/And this time I don't mean I'm a pour gasoline on some chick and light her." All I can say is that this ferocity is much more than a mere "Echo" of what it started as.