Bugzy Bogart

Nineteen ninety-four was a glorious year in hip-hop and Culture VI Records CEO and artist Bugzy Bogart hopes to take us back 14 years with his "life’s a bitch” flow to Ninety-four, what he speculates is his last album. However, from the amount of R&B collaborations with an unaccredited songstress, it’s more of an homage to 1998. Nonetheless, Bugzy brings sincerity and anguish that either sulks or soars (with the exception of the Joe Budden-laced "Dangerous,” a feeble attempt to crack the Top 40). "Footprints,” a divine dialogue, starts with Bugzy blaming his creator and then his message is inverted with God’s response. Other songs like that and "Danny Boy” could leave a listener breathless, but the misery gets too heavy halfway through but before you put the blade to your wrist, Bugzy switches it up for the rawer, ’94-esque music that was promised. No song exemplifies the nostalgic hunger better than "If Y’All Don’t.”