Scarface: Emeritus

Emeritus is a title given to retired professors. The title establishes the authority of the bearer, in case they want to speak about their given field of expertise after they retire from teaching. Appropriately, Emeritus is the name of the new, and final, Scarface album. Scarface has professed about the ghetto, and we, the listeners, are his students. We listened to lecture topics such as: How Minds Can Play Tricks on You, How Good It Feels to be a Gangsta, and How Men Don’t Cry Until They Die.

Scarface‘s last lecture certainly doesn’t feel like the last day of school, though. For the most part, he avoids the “farewell tour”-type of feel that was prevalent on Jay-Z‘s supposed farewell album, The Black Album. Instead, Scarface gives you what you expect from his albums: the life of a gangsta, stories of crime, a corrupt and racist government, and cautionary tales about those who lived the hard life.

The Cool and Dre-produced “Forgot About Me” is a banger that is a departure from the usually calmer, subdued beats that ‘Face has rapped over during his lengthy career. Lil’ Wayne and Bun B both appear on the track and drop dope verses. Scarface is “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper” and it would be a shame if two of the South’s best don’t come correct with the rapper who built the South. “Can’t Get Right” is Scarface‘s take on the state of affairs in America. ‘Face tackles gang violence, racist law enforcement, and even shares his feelings on the War in Iraq: “Bombs over the skies in Baghdad/ They fighting and they don’t know why/ What they said about Hussein was a goddamn lie/ Waged war against a religion for oil, don’t lie.”

The smooth production from Anthony Gilmour on “Soldier Story” perfectly fits Scarface, Z-Ro, and The Product. The song takes the side of the hustlers, blaming the government for introducing crack and guns to the hood, which leads to its destruction. The personification of the county jail and the streets as a father and mother and the hood as a hungry beast who swallows people whole paints a picture of a dark situation that many live in. It all goes back to the old adage that some people will do what they must do in order to survive, no matter if they know what they do is wrong.

On the last track, the title track, Scarface finally offers us something in the way of a farewell track. Scarface goes out guns blazing, and doesn’t even need a hook. Instead of reminiscing about his life and legacy in hip-hop, ‘Face spits for 3 minutes straight, proclaiming his greatness, cementing his legacy, and reminding us that while he may have came up listening to N.W.A. and Rakim, we came up listening to him. His final bars?

“It’s over when I leave this stage/
I’ma turn the page/
Say goodbye to ‘Face/
Wave”

While Scarface most likely isn’t gone forever, as he has stated he’s open to working on an album with past collaborators like Ice Cube, Bun B, and Jay-Z, this album is almost a fitting end to his discography. “High Notes” and “We Need You” unfortunately prevent this album from coming anywhere near the caliber that The Diary and The Fix attained. The longevity of this album is also called into question because there aren’t any timeless tracks on here; 2010 probably won’t get to see Emeritus. But when you’ve had the career that Scarface has, having a solid farewell album pales in comparison to the heights he’s achieved throughout his career as one of the greatest to ever do it. If this is truly good-bye, then he will be sorely missed.

81.5/100

Standout Tracks:

Emeritus

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Soldier Story

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Forgot About Me

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