Blame One

In a genre where crew affiliations can often guarantee a solid first impression, employing stalwart producer Exile as both promoter and corner man can definitely tilt the odds of approval in your favour. Of course, it's a different story once the bell rings, and San Diego MC Blame One takes a while to heat up on his Exile-presented new disc, Days Chasing Days. Things are a bit sluggish in the early going, with the lazily sampled loop of opener "Supreme Beings" (used on Lupe Fiasco's "Kick Push II" to far greater effect) dragging the MC's reflective rhymes down into a plodding morass. Blame's verses are far more suited to the brisk snap of tunes like the Blu- and Exile-blessed "Wonder Why" and percussive b-boy cut "Street Astrologist." The capable lyricist finds proper room to breathe over the melodic late night brew of "Saturday Night Special" and puts wigs in check with Sean Price on "Disturbed," but some poor sample choices along the way (see the grating, Timbo set focused "Bring To You") hamper repeat spins.