New studio LP & the 10th overall from Detroit, Michigan emcee Bizarre. Emerging as an original member of D12 led by the late Proof, he was also among the first in the crew to put out solo efforts with his 1998 debut EP Attack of the Weirdos being a hometown classic in my eyes. Fast forward 7 years later, Biz followed it up with a worthy full-length debut Hannicap Circus & has continued to put out music on his own since. The Foul Mouth-produced He Got a Gun has since become an entire series of it’s own spanning 5 entries, coming off Basement Jazz to switch things up for Don’t Cross the Street.
After the intro, “Amityville” takes it all the way back to the Dirty Dozen’s stomping grounds accompanied by a boom bap instrumental whereas “Rise Up” continues from there with a 2-parter produced by Blizzard containing a dusty start unloading the shock value hardcore raps he’s known for & a trap switch up accompanied by an uncredited guest verse from a female rapper. “Garlic Sauce” featuring One Be Lo however makes up for it having both of them aggressively boasting their penmanship.
“Mercy” brings a more somber beat to the table advising everyone to stay their asses on the other side of the street just before “Get That Doe” featuring Trizz finds the pair joining forces for money making anthem instrumentally treading funkier territory. “Brightmoor” featuring Bareda & Dave Hill has the trio representing the neighborhood of the same near the northwestern border of the city while the title track featuring Chyna Baejing & Northside Lord grimly gets in their hardcore bags again.
The song “Beans” spends 120 seconds talking about always been a spot worker instead of a drug dealer & consuming a bunch of narcotics while “Sunday School” featuring Cory Gunz dismantles any opponents in a battle over a symphonic boom bap beat. “Blinking Light” featuring Dango Forlaine, D-Noe, Lokye, J-Classic, Nolaj & Tru Klassick concludes Don’t Cross the Street with a 6 & a half minute Motor City posse cut where Dango, Lokye & J-Classic deliver the hardest verses of the 7.
Some people have claimed that my appreciation for the He Got a Gun saga was ragebait when I really think it’s some of the best material Bizarre has done by himself, but Don’t Cross the Street doesn’t hit as hard mainly due to only a few guests punching under their weight midway through & Blizzard’s half of the production outshining Big Shaady’s despite appreciating both of them demonstrating their ability to create an entire sound together.
Score: 7/10