WC Albums (4)
'Guilty by Affiliation'
Release Date 8/14/2007
Tracks 14
Label Lench Mob
See Album Tracklist and Review
'West Side Heavy Hitter'
Release Date 2/8/2005
Tracks 25
Label Vista Media
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Def Jam's forays into the world of West Coast gangstas haven't always gone well (remember the bitter parting with San Diego thug Jayo Felony), but the label nevertheless signed up Jayo's fellow Crip-walker W.C., late of Maad Circle and Westside Connection, giving the underrated Cailfornia rhymer the break many felt he'd long deserved. Yet he doesn't take full advantage of it on Ghetto Heisman, despite an impressive parade of guests that includes Snoop Dogg and even old pal Ice Cube, lured back to the rap game from his silver screen duties. The rich, Clinton-sampling G-funk sounds just as good here as it did it in its early-'90s heyday, but W.C.'s verses too often lapse into gangsta boilerplate; when he gives it a fleet-tongued twist on "Bellin," the results really are Heisman-worthy. But the most impressive and troubling moment comes with "Something 2 Live 4," a fantasy worthy of Eminem in sound and subject matter. The gory fantasy about the kidnapping of Dub's daughter won't shock anyone who's lived through Slim Shady's "Kim" -- or the Geto Boys, Schoolly D, or a long list of other acts, hip-hop and otherwise. Using it to deliver a message about the important things in life, however, closes the album on an unnervingly twisted note. ~ Dan LeRoy, All Music Guide
'The Shadiest One'
Release Date 3/10/1998
Tracks 17
Label Payday/ffrr
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
As his first solo release since Westside Connection's hit effort, The Shadiest One was positioned as WC's breakthrough to the major league of rap superstars. The hardcore edge that dominated his earlier releases with the Maad Circle has been tamed somewhat, so he can reach a wider audience. Of course, he still retains his gangsta image, relying on familiar lyrical and musical trappings, but everything's a bit more subdued than before, with mixed results. In the case of "Keep Hustlin'," the slight pop makeover works well, but other times it falls flat. And, like any of WC's albums, The Shadiest One runs too long. On several songs, the music simply meanders without any hooks to bring it back into focus. But that isn't a fatal flaw, especially since it's a familiar one, and the best moments on the record are as good as anything he's ever recorded, making The Shadiest One another solid entry in his catalog. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
