"Intro - The Formula" by 9th Wonder & Buckshot
North Carolina super-producer 9th Wonder's back must be tired from the strain of carrying Buckshot for two consecutive collaborative albums. From the halcyon days of Black Moon's classic debut Enta Da Stage to his current position as capo of the Duck Down/Boot Camp Click brigade, Buckshot has brought his gruff flow to a lot of classic material, but he's less a great rapper than a good-enough rapper lucky enough to rap over some great beats. True to its name, The Formula retains the template that's fueled every successful Buckshot project: lush production fused with gritty, thuggish rhymes. But Buckshot remains the weak link: Wonder dips into his bottomless bag of soul for buttery retro goodness, but Buckshot's rhymes and delivery are adequate at best, a waste of good production at worst. The Formula should please 9th Wonder and Boot Camp Click cultists, but hip-hop heads eager to hear 9th Wonder collaborate with rappers worthy of his talents are better off waiting for his next album with Murs—or praying for a reunion with Little Brother.
A.V. Club Rating: C+
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