Search - Ruff Ryders :: Ryde Or Die Compilation 1

First Double R Comp (3.5 stars)

Chandler | Atlanta (College Park), Georgia | 06/13/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Just about everyone has covered the main points of this album. This is the first installment of Ruff Ryder's compilation, possibly one of the biggest commercial comp albums released in 1999. I remember back when I was 13 years old, I was DYING to get a copy of this album, because everyone had it. In my young mind, I thought it was a classic, but as time grew on me it's just became an above average album.



Popular members like DMX, Eve, Drag-On, and The Lox get a chance to shine on this album giving you of what fans can expect on this album before they released their debuts from the label, later on that year (DMX already had 2 albums already, Lox had one from Bad Boy). They would also bring in some outside help to colaborate in some songs also.



The artists on this album do a decent job carring themselves. Lyrically, this album is not all that good. Most of the songs talk about violence and weapons, a topic that was very popular in rap back in the late 90's. Members like DMX with his loud voice, would come off hard on such tracks as "Ryde Or Die" and "Some X Sh.." Eve had he gangsta feel on the second single "What Y'all Want" that had me wishing that she would drop an album in that time period. The Lox had some weak spots on this album. The song "Dope Money" is very medicore for what I was expecting, along with the weak production. Jadakiss did a solo on the song "Kiss Of Death" that makes him sound like he does on his two solo albums.



As for the guests, some are good and some are awful. Some of the good ones were Jay-Z (how he got a track by himself, questions me) "Jigga My N****" that was very popular radio wise. Juvenile came on with Drag-On to do the song "Down Bottom" making it one of the best tracks on the album. Another hot colab is the song "Pina Colada" that Sheek (from the Lox) would team up with the late Big Punisher, that comes off good lyrically. The weak ones that should be pointed out is the horrible song "Platnum Plus" that lesser known Ruff Ryder member Cross teams up with Jermaine Dupri and Mase. The weak hook just makes the song terrible as JD says "Ruff Ryders, be on tours for this/All Out, make ya dance 'til ya fall out/So So Def make it hot to death/You ain't platinum plus? You ain't f'in wit' us", not to mention the weak production of the song. "The Hood" comes off pretty decent wise, but it is nothing special. Ruff Ryder's R&B group Parle sings on the song "I'm A Ruff Ryder" which sounds out of place on the CD, because, most of the album is somewhat gangsta type, and to put a R&B song in kind of messes up the albums momentum.



Overall, a decent first compilation album from the Ruff Ryders. It has some strong points and it has some weak points. Back in '99, I enjoyed it, but now it just sounds okay. 7 years later, if you don't have this, I recommend it to fans who like commercial rap music back in late 90's early 2000's, or to people who love Double R. Otherwise you are not missing anything.



Lyrics: B-

Production: C

Guest Appearances: B-

Overall: C+



Favorite Tracks: Down Bottom, Ryde Or Die, What Yall Want, Jigga My N****, Pina Colada, Some X Sh.."

Ryde or Die is hella dope

extremeridr | Seattle, Washington | 12/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When i first heard Vol. 1 I was stunned at how good the album was. I went right out and bought it. Down Bottom is tha best track. Ruff Ryders- keep turnin out the dope tracks -Peace"

It's off the hook

extremeridr | 10/27/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"the c.d is off it. DMX,EVE,JAY-Z,and the RUFF RYDERS did their thing in putting this album out everyone who don't like it need to quit haten foreal cause it's the 99 and yall need to trully give them their props."