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The Rice Thresher
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Firestarr, the debut album from former Onyx rapper Fredro Starr, certainly wasn't the most anticipated of the three 2001 solo albums from the hardcore Queens trio. But unlike Sticky Fingaz's much-hyped Black Trash, Fredro's album actually dropped on time, and although it takes a different path than Sticky Fingaz's concept album, it is an excellent offering in its own right. Fredro was always the quietest member of Onyx, which is to say that his flow is calmer than the rantings of Sticky Fingaz and Son See. His flow allows him more credibility as a solo artist, whereas Sticky Fingaz will always be associated with Onyx because of his trademark loud and angry style. On Firestarr, Fredro's flow is balanced with more complicated beats that fit his style better than many of the raw Onyx beats did. Still, much of the production resembles both older Onyx tracks and the soundtrack from Light It Up, which Fredro starred in and contributed to musically. Two of the strongest songs on the albums are "Thug Warz" and "Soldierz," both of which feature Sticky Fingaz, while the former also features 2Pac affiliates the Outlawz. The first, albeit poorly promoted, single, "Dat Be Dem" is also a highlight of the album. "Dyin 4 Rap" and its remix, however, suffer from an overly simplistic beat that makes the songs monotonous. Other than those two songs, the album is marked by the solid production of Fredro and in-house producer DaVinci. Finally, there is the surprise of the album, the song "Shining Through" from the movie Save the Last Dance. This rap remix of the song "True Colors" may be somewhat corny, but it features some of Fredro's deepest, most heartfelt lyrics. Firestarr will probably be lightly regarded, especially by those who cling to the belief that Onyx was a one-hit wonder. But Fredro's album is enjoyable and creative enough both lyrically and musically that such criticisms seem misguided. - Todd Makse
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