Rating: NN
Dollar-conscious Eminem knows there’s some serious cash to be made in the mixtape market, so just in time for the holiday season, he’s tossed together The Re-Up, primarily assembled from his own lacklustre productions (with help from Luis Resto), involving 50 Cent, Obie Trice, D-12 members and recent signings Stat Quo, Ca$his and Bobby Creekwater with a couple of pointless remixes. The cynical marketing scheme here is to use the promise of new Eminem and 50 Cent material — however lame — to introduce impressionable buyers to the family’s new moneymakers, primarily Stat Quo. He notably rhymes over choice beats provided by Dr. Dre and the Alchemist, only he’s unexpectedly out-thugged by the sinister Ca$his joints. Unfortunately, there are none of the ridiculous disses, insane freestyles or wacky interludes that make real mixtapes entertaining. This is just a straight sales pitch for the 2007 models. Shady fans are better off with the Clinton Sparks & Eminem Shade 45 Anniversary mixtape.
