Music Review: Crunk Hits - Vol. 2: For Hip Hoppers Who Love to Dance

Turn up yo speakers coz' we got some Crunk Hits comin' yo way!

For those of you not in the know, crunk has a few different meanings. Depending on the speaker and the usage of the word, crunk can mean fun and exciting, or it can refer to someone getting drunk or having fun at a party. In other situations, like this one, crunk is a style of hip-hop music that is energizing, upbeat, and filled with an electronic sound.

Crunk Hits - Vol. 2 was put out for all of the hip-hop lovers who want to get pumped up and have a good time. I am not usually a huge fan of compilation albums. This is due to the fact most compilation CDs have three good songs and a bunch of songs not worth your time. But Crunk Hits - Vol. 2 does not disappoint. There are many songs on the album I have heard while listening to my favorite radio station, channel 95.5 in Detroit. However, there are also songs I had not heard before.

The cover art represents classic crunk, hip-hop living. The text for the first Crunk Hits has the look of being written with diamonds. Meanwhile, Vol. 2 has the appearance of platinum. Under the text, in the background, there are a series of diamonds in round and square stones. The bling has to be represented because, after all, this is crunk and no crunk is complete without obvious symbols of the hip-hop lifestyle.

As I mentioned previously, I immediately recognized some of the music and/or artists presented on Crunk Hits - Vol. 2. It's cool to hear familiar songs by Daddy Yankee, Three 6 Mafia, and Bubba Sparxxx on this compilation. Additionally, the tracks of Chamillionaire and BG are also preferential to other songs, but the tracks they recorded for the earlier Crank Hits were not songs I had previously heard, despite knowing other music by them.

There are at least three remixes on this CD. "Gasolina," by Daddy Yankee; "I Smoke, I Drank," by Body Head Bangerz; and "Bojangles," by Pitbull. All three offer you a new chance to hear popular songs if you have not heard the remixed versions.

The quality of Crunk Hits - Vol. 2 is excellent. If you want to crank up the crunk, you can do so without worrying about distorting the quality of the songs. There were a few songs or artists I did not care for or would have wished had not been included, but this is the case with any compilation album. Truth be told, there were far less un-likeable songs on this album than on other albums I have heard.

The Ying Yang Twins' "Shake," Paul Wall's "Sittin' Sidewayz," and Lil' Scrappy's "No Problem," could have been left off without my disappointment. While the songs do seem to follow the crunk philosophy, they just weren't doing it for me. They didn't impede my pleasure of the entire CD but, like I said, they could have left them off with my satisfaction still intact.

There were many songs I like, with my favorites running from Dirty South-style rap to new music by some of my favorite old school artists.

"Move Around" was reminiscent of my childhood in the trailer park. Lyrics such as "I'm from the ghetto homey, I was raised on bread and bologna," brought back memories of eating bologna sandwiches and drinking Kool-Aid as I sat on the porch with my friends. Meanwhile, "Ms. New Booty" and "Turn it Up" just make you want to get on the floor and dance.

The best song of this compilation, though, is "Go to Church", the new track by Ice Cube, featuring Snoop Dogg and Lil Jon. Despite Cube's break for movies and regular life, it's obvious he hasn't lost his skill in the rap arena. This new single has all the classic elements of Cube with a strong, confident, more mature edge to it that was slightly lacking in his much younger (yet still equally amazing) NWA days.

All in all, Crunk Hits- Vol. 2 is a good buy. If you are a crunk fan, you will love it, and if you don't like hip-hop, then you may want to pass for the latest Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood, or Barry Manilow CD. For me, I'll stick with the crunk and pass on the rest.