I know you’ve been hearing me talk about this album since I first heard it a few weeks ago. Straight off my interview with 100dBs, I wanted to give this album its proper respect by writing a full review. Here’s my take…

The Adventures of the One Hand Bandit & the Slum Computer Wizard is a new adventure using the classic hip hop formula of one emcee and one producer on one album. This formula was hot in hip hop’s hey-day, with such acts as Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth and Gang Starr (Guru & DJ Premier). However, since the turn of the century, this formula has kind of fizzled out as many acts have chosen to go the route of the all-star super producer, get all of them on one album deal. One exception I must add, in addition to this album, is Foreign Exchange; which paired Phonte (of Little Brother) with Nicolay. If you look at history and you look at the acts I just mentioned, this formula works pretty well.

Enter Ryan O’Neil (emcee) and 100dBs (producer). They released their debut album, The Adventures…, in August 2007. Still under the radar, these cats are showing promise that they can be the next hot super duo. 100dBs’ production style is one that brings you back to times when hip hop was original and fresh. His beats are tight with sample heavy joints that’ll have you nodding your head and eventually moving your whole body. Ryan on the other hand has a flow that is so laid back and relaxed, it’s almost reminiscent of the late Tupac Shakur. He’s so comfortable behind the mic and his words are so real, that his rhymes seem to just fall off his lips like a light mist in the air.

On “Killer Combo”, the first track on the album after the intro, Ryan exclaims, “I swear to God I thought hip hop was dead” over a jazzy 100dBs beat. Right away the album captivated me. As the journey continues, Ryan introduces himself on “The One Hand Bandit”. This is a catchy little number that shows these guys aren’t all business. Hearing 100dBs come in on the chorus, “You’re listening to the hottest rapper on the planet; goes by the name of the One Hand Bandit”, has me trippin’ every time I hear it.

One of the hottest tracks on the album, “Do You Feel Me?” has Ryan exchanging rhymes with J-Ill (who sounds super hot on the track). If this track does not make you “feel good” then you really cannot appreciate real hip hop. Another one of my favorite tracks is “Get Down”. This track is classic in every sense of the word. It has a groove that just makes you wanna play the track over and over again after it’s finished. 100dBs really nailed the beat on this one and Ryan’s chorus brings you back to the catchy choruses of the ’50s R&B of Fats Domino and Chubby Checkers.

Another track that really showcases the diversity of this album is “Get Low”, featuring Crystal Joy singing the chorus along with Ryan. That’s right, Ryan switches up his swagger on this track as his rhymes are sort of sung in a smooth cadence style. On the chorus, he doesn’t hold back and sings to Crystal how she makes him feel. Production on this track is like an updated ’70s soul track. This is one of the highlights of the album that show how 100dBs and Ryan O’Neil work so well together.

“Paper Planes” is one of those numbers that we should be hearing on the radio today. It has every ingredient needed to be a hit. The beat just makes you feel good all over and Ryan’s storytelling is top notch; up there with the likes of LL Cool J and Slick Rick. “She Got A Body” reminds you of a funky James Brown track, with a smooth bassline and the “ugh’s” and “good gawd’s” in the chorus.

At 21 total tracks on this album, The Adventures… plays like a journey through hip hop, soul, and funk. As diverse as each track is on the album, it plays seamlessly well and shows that you can have one producer on a whole album without every song sounding alike. If you are a true hip hop fan, you will want to pick up this album and definitely look out for 100dBs and Ryan O’Neil. They are the next best thing in hip hop… marks my words right now.

Notable tracks: “Paper Planes”, “Get Down”, “Do You Feel Me?”, “Get Low”

• Order/Download The Adventures… online
• 100dBs’ Official Web Site
• Ryan O’Neil’s Official Web Site
• 100dBs’ MySpace Page
• Ryan O’Neil’s MySpace Page

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