Happy F*ck You Songs

The quartet Extended F@mm came together on this EP project with a throwback approach and a uniquely humorous posture. Mixing acerbic wit and playful rhyme treatments with traditional b-boy swagger, the crew calls to mind such underground forerunners as De La Soul, Souls of Mischief, and Leaders of the New School. But while the against-the-grain/satirical angle was appreciated in an era where carbon-copy hip-hop had been pervasively proliferated, EF's sound was simply not compelling enough to truly wake up the ears of dormant hip-hop heads. At its best, this release mimics the blueprint of De La's classic debut (3 Feet High and Rising), but the problem here is the crew seemingly can't make up its mind if it wants to be taken seriously or if it simply wants to farcically send up the rap game. Skills-wise, EF's lineup can hold their own against many of the 21st century rap's top sellers (a legion that EF quite obviously despises), but unfortunately the beats (Tonedeff, Elite, Deacon the Villain) tend toward the tinny and gimmicky (for example, sampling the theme from Tetris on "Line Drop"). This is not to say that the piece is not without memorable moments, including the outrageously comical (albeit in poor taste) "Pebble Jam," featuring a faux freestyle battle between an American militarist ("I.W.") and a Middle Eastern caricature ("Osama Gin Laden"). A number of incredibly funny skits ("Intro," "Pause," and "Fin"), the aptly titled "Obligatory Posse Cut," and a show-stopping hidden track also make this joint worth a listen. ~ M.F. DiBella, Rovi