2nd II None: Classic 220

When Too $hort began selling homemade tapes out of the trunk of his car more than a decade ago, few could have guessed how influential the foul-mouthed Oakland rapper's music would become. His scatological pimp raps paved the way for an entire hip-hop sub-genre, explored to unimpressive results on DJ Quik affiliate 2nd II None's sophomore album, Classic 220. Produced almost entirely by Quik, Classic 220 gets off to an ugly start with "Stragglaz," a nasty bit of sci-fi misogyny that embodies many of the themes of the album, from rampant sexism to dick-waving braggadocio to, well, really rampant sexism. Things pick up a bit on the strongest track, "Don't U Hide It," a typically raunchy song powered by a catchy chorus and vintage, laid-back production by Quik. But other than that and the AMG collaboration "Up In Da Club," the album remains fairly dire, with monotonous leering and DJ Quik's live-instrumentation-enhanced production veering unpromisingly into Warren G territory. The album doesn't really hit its nadir until "Princess," a trite would-be love ballad that does little to offset the rest of Classic 220's nasty sexism. Though 2nd II None's silky rapping-and-singing style can be entertaining in small doses—as it was on Quik's most recent underrated solo album—here, the duo comes off less like the life of the party than the drunken guests who steadfastly refuse to leave.