Tragedy Strikes Again!

Tragedy Khadafi
"Thug Matrix"
Fast Life/25 To Life

Tragedy has easily been in the rap game for 20 years, yet notoriety outside the underground seems to escape him. While many emcees who borrowed his street intellect style have gone on to platinum and gold plaques (Capone N Noregea, Nas, AZ, most members of The Wu), Tragedy has remained a small player and is only recognized by true heads and his peers, not unlike Kool G. Rap.

For his latest release, "Thug Matrix," Tragedy has probably made his most commercial album to date (and that includes 1996's "Thug Paradise"). Like the title, "Thug Matrix" as a whole seems to be a little on the outdated side. The flaccid obligatory club jam "On Grind" is something that Diddy and The Family would've put on "The Saga Continues," and the fact that Nature (The Firm) is on it doesn't help the cause.

"Straight Death" is equally boring. It's Tragedy's usual religious/drug rhymes but it's buried underneath a shitty beat and a lazy horn loop.

Those two songs aside, the rest of the songs are pretty good. Again, a little dated, but "The Game" and "Blinded By Science" are relatively strong tracks and signal that Havoc (Mobb Deep) still has some beats left in him. "No Equivalant" with Cormega is a Moog-driven banger; "Salute" leans a little more towards a Dre-style production, but it still maintains a rawness to it.

I wouldn't necessarily say that Tragedy is 10 years too late with this album, but he may be 10 years too late of getting that platinum plaque. "Thug Matrix" is still worthy of a spin or three.