Two-Five

If rappers were comic book characters, then Two-Five would be Bizarro. Although the young MC might be protégé to older cousin and G-Unit general/rap mogul 50 Cent, don't get it twisted. The new kid on the block holds his own on the Who Is Two-Five? mixtape.

The similar voice and rhyme structures aside, it's apparent that Two-Five is a hungry individual. His versatility and cleverness in disseminating tracks for the streets ("Listen Homie," "What's Good"), the clubs ("Superman Remix"), and the radio ("New Kid," "Woogie") show his ability to cater to various markets. On the street-smart "Illest Turned Iller," Two-Five's rapper/dope dealer/guerrilla verses break down the rules of hustling the drug game and getting dat money. The track features the King of Coke, Frank White (Notorious B.I.G.), himself, slaughtering the mike from beyond the grave. But as the saying goes, "Mo' money, mo' problems." Evoking images of paranoid nights of sleeping with one eye open and one hand on the heat, "Homicidal Thoughts" contemplates the underbelly of the streets. Apparently Two-Five has picked up the bad habit of making redundant party tracks ("Poppin My Collar"), most of which are easily overlooked. The bow-throwing "Superman Remix" (featuring Bone Crusher and Super Slip) redeems the slump via a gangsta bounce that hits harder than three cups of Incredible Hulk. Despite the family connections and G-Unit references, there's something about the MC that makes you want to know: Who the hell is Two-Five?