The album kicks off with "Shoot To Kill" which is a hard hitting song that has a cello/violin-like melody and a hard snare-influenced beat. There is no Top Dog on this joint. I think he's great with his reggee flow but he's not here. Instead, the leader Starang kicks it with Louieville Sluggah. Starang Wondah (no relation to Stevie) kicks the album off proper: "..This year n*ggas put up or get out, / fore' i put the hit out, / have me smack sh*t out, / these b*tch ass n*ggas, / it make em all spit out, / blood and teeth, / yo what the f*ck y'all want beef? / word up, I roll heavily in my LX 470, / pull up at all the spots, /make my enemies remember me, / I jet from the scene, /spliff in the sunset, / I get out ya friends and I ain't go for my gun yet, / ain't no mystery, /or how I came to make history, / big up on behalf of all the n*ggas that was missin me, / aiyo they feel around, / we laugh, / on how we devour guys, / shower guys with lead, / show em where the power lies, / f*ckin with Starang, / you ain't got a pot to piss in, / can't stand the brain, / just another new edition, / taped up in the back of my man's Expedition, / got you wishin you wasn't in this position, /now whether you live or not is up to a Henny's say, / go ahead pop sh*t, / you gon' die anyway, / f*cked up in the game, / you wasn't f*ckin with lames, / going against the brains like goin against the grains..." Starang has this loud, old school flow delivery where you have to listen to what he says. Like Inspectah Deck from the Wu-Tang Clan, his voice and delivery makes it easy to memorize the lyrics. Louie, on the other hand has a smoother voice which sounds young and childish sometimes.. sounding brattish but still, he has lyrical skill. The hook is rapped and has a cool flow by Starang with the help of Louieville : "..Yo what's my mother f*ckin name? - Big Will, - Hennyville, - aiyo we shoot to kill, -and we won't stop until, a n*gga see a mill, - with a house on the hills, - livin out in the burbs,  - with his choice of full will. - Yo what's my mother f*ckin name? - Hennyville, - Big Will,- shoot to kill, - aiyo we won't stop until, a n*gga see a mill, - with a house on the hills, - takin a truckload of b*tches, - back to  brownsville..." It's a shame that Top Dog is not on this track since it introduces the trio. His ragga-voice is dope. Still, it's a dope way to open the album up.

"Joe Clair-Skit" is a funny little skit where Joe Clair (who should still be hosting Rap City now instead of Tigger!!!) is up in D&D studios talking about how the "Empire" which is O.G.C. is about to strike back on those "Tight-shirt wearing" emcees who are selling out hip-hop and the African American community. It's funny and makes me miss Joe Cleasy on Rap City...

"M-Pire Strikez Back" is a dope song which features Thunderfoot and Rock from Heltah Skeltah. Rock, who has an amazing deep voice, handles nothing but the hook: "..It's plain to see - you can't change me - you down with MFC for life - FOR LIFE! - ... - You tell them MFC for lliife - FOR LIFE!!!...." The beat is dope. Some may remember the first 2 minutes of this joint was on the extra CD that came with Heltah Skeltah's "Magnum Force". Everyone does a dope job on this song though it's a little too long. Still, it pounds..

"Sometimey" is an upbeat song with another pouding beat. So far, the ambient atmospheric OGC which was displayed on "Da Storm" is gone musically but lyrically, they have grown. Musically, they are hitting harder with the beats and melodies. On this joint, they trade lines as they tell the about the broad spectrum of what they like to do and how they are. This could be a catchy single. "....Sometimes I like to drink - sometimes I like to smoke - Sometimes I got money - Sometimes I'm flat broke ...."  This is a dope song with a dope beat. It's also very tight lyrically. Length wise, it's perfect. It never gets boring or too long.. nor is it too short.

"Sh*t Happens" is the first filler-type song on the album. It's not a bad song.. far from it.. The song just does not stand out as the others. First, the beat and melody and very mellow which reminds me of "Da Storm". The beat is not as steady as songs on "Da Storm" though. The mellow guitar loop is depressing as the three emcees rap about "sh*t" that they go through.. Louieville says, "I need a vay-cay..." as one of the others raps about getting pulled over by poe-poe. There's no hook or chorus on this track. At the end, Top Dog just gives some shout outs by saying in a mellow voice, "VA- up in here, NY is up in here.." All of the emcees use a very mellow voice. It's a very atmospheric piece that does not slap you or wake you up.. It makes you drift to sleep... That all changes when the next song kicks in..

"Bounce To The Ounce" is probably the most popular song off this album (during this time of writing). It's a dope hip-hop song that hits hard and gets people out of their seat. This joint is filled with energy and passion along with a party vibe. It was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia. The orchestra cello/violin melody creates a perfect atmosphere as the snares pound hard for the beat. Top Dog kicks the song off with an intense energy which keeps the party vibe with references to LL and Will Smith. Louieville handles the second verse as he raps about a woman in club. Starang Wondah takes care of the hook: ".. All my New York n*ggaz! - Gotta bounce to this - Grab your blunt and your leak - Smoke an oounce to this - Wherever y'all n*ggaz is at- Gotta spark up your spiff - Cuz only O-G-C - could put it down like this!..." Starang, who handles the third rap verse too, steals the song right from under them. Though Top Dog comes in a close second, Starang's flow and lyrics are perfect for the song. "Girls suck on me like a pasa - fire - for real, Will ain't not liar.... I smoke and smoke until I can't get no higher..." There's even a bridge or a second chorus that comes before the last hook.. It's a great change which is original, innovative and daring.. This is not your ordinary single.. all poppy and dance-friendly. This is a modern hip-hop classic.. Unfortunately, it will probably be slept on.. The next song changes the OGC formula again and strays away from "Da Storm" vibe.

"Girlz Ninety Now" featuring The Boot Camp Clik is an old-school joint in sound and rhyme. The pounding old school beat and the old keyboard melody reminds me of 80's hip-hop in the days of Run DMC. Here, The BCC go line for line sharing verses on members of the opposite sex. Each rhyme is simple... yeah... but the song is fun.. Ruck rhymes: "...I knew a girl names Tanya, smoked marijuana, called her snake eater cuz she sucked my anaconda..." All of the BCC peeps rip the mic with this funny song but Rock from Heltah Skeltah is not there..His deep dark voice usually is too low and slow for the fast rhymes but it would have been cool if he was on it. The hook doesn't come until the second half of the song. When the beat changes, the hand clapped old school beat pounds. The hook is handled by Tek of The Cocoa Brovaz: "..Ain't got to spit no game - She know we do our thang - See me at the club, with my N*gga ???(Starang?) -  She don't like guns - but she lusts ones -Half of her income fuurrnished by swiss funds- She be looking tight - body be looking right- Your friends can meet my friends, Let's get it on tonight - Always got a plan, know how to make a grand - She's on her own paper chase, she don't need no man...." This 5 minute (average) long song is dope and adds variety to the album. It shows that OGC, though new school in vibes and delivery, have respect and the knowledge of the old school, the foundation of hip-hop.

"Bless The Mic (skit)" is a short but funny skit. Most of the times skits suck.. period.. This is a phone conversation about a blowjob where everyone starts yelling "Bless the mic! Bless the mic! Bless the mic!" The skit goes great into the next song.

"The Big Ooh" features Smokey Light and finishes this little section of the album that is about the opposite sex. Smokey Light is NOT from the Cocoa B's! He is not Smokey Lah.. His performance is nothing amazing but it's not horrible either. It has a dope beat and semi-old school flows but with a very new school vibe. The chorus shouts out women around the world: "..To Nicole out in New Jerz - And to Keesha in D.C.- It's all about the GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!. Bob Marley spliff and Hennesey..." Most of all, the song is about getting oral sex...  "The Big Ooh" is a clever way of saying getting head instead of "she can suck a golfball through a straw bossdog!", which is said by Starang in the background (in "Girlz Ninety Now"). The guitar loop in the background is mellow enoughbut the beat head-nodding dope. Starange does a greatjob of moving the Clappaz where he makes them say "Girls! Girls! Girls Girls!"  loud at one time and softer on another time..It's cool..

"If You Feel Like I Feel" featuring Hardcore is a cool song too but will probably be slept on. Hardcore was first heard by me on "Call Of The Wild" by Heltah Skeltah off of "Magnum Force" He's a young kid and his voice displays the fact. He kind of reminds me of Lil Wayne but without the smooth vocal tone. Lil' Hardcore kicks it off and does a good job keeping the energy strong. His lyrics are not amazing but his flow and energy is great. The hook is done by Strarang and Louie: "[Starang].. Hennyville, feel the same way I feel - He wanna kill, then I kill - We all got whips so when they peel, then I peel..... [Louieville] It's like that I suppose - Smoking tons of weed, LB's and cocoa..." Then, they repeat the hook  but switch parts. It's a dope song with a dope beat. It's up there with "Sometimey" and "Bounce To The Ounce".  I say that because "Sometimey", "Bounce To The Ounce", and "Feel Like I Feel" were all recorded in Atlanta, Georgia and produced by The Black Market. They did a great job and OGC made some original joints that make Duck Down enterprizes sound like a strong force in the hip-hop nation. It bumps,dun!

"Slo Mo" is pretty self explainitory but still very cool.The beat is obviously very slow. Louieville handles the hook in a soft-spoken half-sung voice which is not deep but very soft and smokey: "... Well if you ride - an I ride -- Get together - your place or mine..If I''mm high - and your high - get together - your place tonight.." It's a little hard to understand the chorus but it sounds like he's singing that. Starang steals the song when in the middle, he kicks his verse in a down-south delivery. "...Yo, You see me in the Benz / Counting Endz / I know you gotta man / Can't you have friends? / You wanna look at me up and down saying it depends / Yo, I treat you like a queen untill I hit the skins..." This is a great smoked-out ambient song with some great performances. Once again, this will probably overlooked as filler but it truly is not...

"You're Not Sure To See Tomorrow" featuring Lil Knock, MS, Doc Holiday, and Illa Noyz  is a dope song with a reggee feel. I'm not sure if Top Dog is dope! He should use his regge influence more in the songs. The hook is a regge chant that brings the listener to reality: "You're not sure to see tomorrow! You're not sure to see tomorrow - woah - oh!..." Doc Holiday and Illa Noyz do a dope job and MS is cool too. Still, Starang steals it with the flow but Top Dog really shines on this joint.

"From The Table To The Label (skit)" is a short skit that is hard to understand because the voice is so low but it's steal better than the stupid skits that are on most albums.

"Suspect N*ggaz" featuring Buckshot and Havoc from Mobb Deep is an amazing song! This gem, also produced by Mobb Deep's Havoc, pumps like a Mobb Deep song but has the lyrical flows of the BCC. It's a great combination and I hope they do more collabs in the future. The moody cello/violin creates a serious atmosphere and the full beat thumps in mid-tempo. The hook is done by the one and only, Starang: "..(Who is) Starang Wondah - no relation to Stevie - Henniville -guzz - Buck - da M-O B-B.- ...... - You want beef - no prob - Come and see me..." Starang changes tthhe hook up too so it's not too repetitious. Everyone does a good job on this joint. It would have been perfect if Prodigy was on it but Havoc hold his own. Buckshot also rips the mic on this jewel: "..Let's take a walk through Park Slop - Not what you eat - but we practice the Art-a-choke.." His voice is menacing yet cool.. Though Prodigy would have made this joint hard to the bone, Havoc still does a good job of ripping a raw deadly flow on his own beat: "..Twenty stitches - collect call - stressing mad bitches - Got you in the home, a house of snitches - Dig that, they dug you - Only hit from (moms?) on the humble - Fall building, watch it crumble...." This is a great collabo!!!! Mobb Deep and the BCC are dope together!!! Heltah Skeltah would also rock it with them to make a dope song!!!  We can all wish for that... The next song is another amazing gem!

Probably one of the best on the album, "Dirtiest Players In The Game" features the Fab 5 which is Heltah Skeltah (Rock and Ruck), and OGC. "Lafleur Laflah Eshkoska" was a dope jam with classic old-school flow and deliveries but a new school beat. This joint hits hard with a pounding beat and rough and strong rock guitar melody. Don't worry though, this is NOT one of those Rock jams that rappers are doing nowadays.. The hip-hop beat is over-powering and the rhyme flow of all of the emcees are pure hip-hop and pure dope. Ruck kicks it off and set the record straight: ".Aiyyo I step in the ring weighing two-hundred and twenty / Cuz I do gotta get money, mad dudes wanna confront me / But they can't, f*ck wit my speed and my power / The combination will f*ck you up just like weed and some powder / The Iron Mike of this rap sh*t, mad n*ggas appear / Spit some sh*t from my mouth piece that'll rip your f*ckin ears off / Leave you punch-drunk when I hit you wit bottles of Smirnov / Rap style is rusty, took too many years off / Wipe ya tears off ya cry baby, why should I save thee / Life as a trife n*gga sayin "Bye baby!" / Remember what the rapidness rappin, we make it stackin caps / Chill, 'fore I pull out my steel and something real happens..." Top Dog follows and rips the mic with a cool regge sing-song but then switches his style to this rap: "..I'm at the three-point line no time wastin in case / There's another player up in my lane, and then I lace him / The point is taken, drop the loss upon your board / I'm checkin all of y'all because your game is so fraud.." Starang handles the hook, which steals a line from "Operation Lockdown" from Heltah Skeltah's album: "..Aiyyo Fab 5 mad live, blowin up the spot - Grab the mic if ya like, show me what ya got -Better drop that shit if it get too hot -Fab 5 mad live, blowin up the spot - This is the MFC, and Double-D  -In the ninety-now, we lock it down - This is the MFC, and Double-D -In the ninety-now, we lock it down.." Rock, from Heltah Skeltah, almost steals the show with his deep-ass voice and his wild flow. Him and Ruck are dope together!!! Rock's verse does just that.. rock: "..First of all, Alcatraz I master my craft / Got the Power to Bomb that ass like I'm Kevin Nash / Cuz every game the same, n*ggas is tryin to blow / If this was wrestling, we'd be NWO / The same sh*t, they started out havin the bullsh*t fights / Like we had the bullsh*t shows rockin the bullsh*t mics / Made a little cheese and left, and that sh*t ain't right / But had our monkey-asses back the same time the next night / Starvin, finally they noticed n*ggas got talent /  Get busy for dolo, plus a tagteam we be wildin / Step in the ring DEEP, let it begin / PEEP, CREEP and jump all except for my kin / Those are the breaks man, we take wins / Buy hook-up by crook man / Smack you wit a chair if ever the ref ain't lookin / Winnin the belt's like goin gold or platinum / I swear this year, we gon' do it and we ain't playin fair...."  Starang comes in again and does the hook but does not use the line from "Operation Lockdown".. His voice is lower and mellow but the energy of the track makes you want to let off shots in the sky. Starang's verse is excellent. It's no wonder that he outshines the others: "...Yo son I lace up my cleats, and then I step out on the field / Look out in the stands, I see my n*ggas from the 'Ville / I keep my eye on they QB, grillin em, thinkin 'bout killin em / Simply for the fact that we ain't feelin em / Word up them faggots on the other side don't know Starang / Sacrifice myself just to win the whole game / Sack ya ass, dance like I'm on Soul Train / I'm just hype, they testin me for the use of cocaine / Two minutes, gotta win it for my Magnum Force / Give me the chance and the ambulance'll drag em off / We blastin off, that crown y'all wore, pass it off /Ain't ya wifey a cheerleader? N*gga her ass is soft /It ain't nuttin, we ain't frontin, f*ck the fortune and fame / We will forever remain, the dirtiest players in this game...." Starang rocks this jam!!!! Louieville then comes in with his baseball metaphor. He does a good job too. Starang then, handles the final hook.. Damn!!! This is one bangin jam!!! This is my favorite joint on the album!!

"Set Sail" is a mellow track which brings a nice change to the final parts of the album.  The beat rolls along as Louieville handles the hook in a soft sing-song manner: "...Set sail, love, we going to the world - Living in no fear, so hang on to your girl- Lovely in naps, I got no time for curls - Cuz nothing can stop us like Duke Of Earl - Set sail, love, we going to the world - Living in no fear, so hang on to your girl- Lovely in naps, I got no time for curls -Cuz destination M-F-C - the world..." Each of the verses by the emcees are short but cool. This is a tight song and it tries to be catchy but it does not grab you as the others. It's dope, don't get me wrong but it will be slept on probably by even fans of OGC...

The final jam is amazing!!! "Boot Camp MFC Eastern Conference" is a banging joint!!! It features both MFC and BCC. The beat thumps hard and the melody is uplifting using an orchestra loop that sounds like a violin. Tek from the Cocoa Brovaz kicks it off: "..Ain't no time to waste / We in the race / All my people with me / We trying to get to first place..." Then, Lidu Rock of The Representativz comes in and does a good job too but no where near as dope as the others. He can hold his own though. Tek comes back in and claims the mic: "...When n*ggaz got their tongue numb from stashing the crack / I was thrown in Poppi's Store down with the taped up Gat / I moved up from that / Now I flip legal tracks / Tied up in mutual bonds, stocks and raps..." Tek does a great job of keeping high energy in the track. Supreme of The Representativz then comes in. His voice can get annoying because it's so high but his lyrics are good and so is his flow. He can hold his own like Lidu Rock of the Reos. (not to be confused with Rock from Heltah Skeltah).. Rock from Heltah Skeltah rips the microphone next! Lyrically, he eats it and makes a hip-hop bowel-movement.. He's a dope emcee!!! Rock rocks: "..Yo! I got cha! / Rap sissy fags under pressure / Shake it like earthquakes the richter scale couldn't measure / Who let the monster out the cage? / Sharks swimming through your sector..." Rock's voice, flow and lyrics are dope!!! I'm so glad he's on the album since his presence was limited on "Da Storm". Steele from the Cocoa Brovaz drops in the song next and gives us a preview of what he does on the new Representativz album: "... News flash! / For all you b*tch n*ggaz who bruise fast / I cruise past your sensitive ass / Cuz you won't last..." He's dope too... The original BCC is amazing! Ruck from Heltah Skeltah mixes it up next. He is amazing! He may not have a voice as attention-getting as Rock's but lyrically he spit sharps bullets with an amazing flow: "..Sean Price in the house n*gga / never forget that / Dead that / N*gga / I'm a split his sh*t back.." Sean P aka Ruck is amazing on this track!  Newcomer Doc Holiday has a pretty cool appearence on this joint too. He raps some deep lines while keeping it hardcore. His voice and lyrics are cool.: "..The fewer the men, the greater the share of honor / Same sh*t applies when you're smoking marijauna.." I'm psyched for his solo joint. I think he has the power and energy to hold his own. Starang is the star of the album though. His presence is amazing. He could take the OGC to summits higher than many. When he drops his solo joint, forget it!! You know I'll cop it.. He kicks it: "..Ya n*ggaz suck d*ck / My crew be on some I don't give a f*ck sh*t / All bobbing our heads to that new Rock and Ruck sh*t -.....- I like when the hoes / Come out to my shows in the GS 3 O-O's / Come back to my hotel and take off their clothes / Participating in all the big ooh's.." Starang rips it!!! Did you catch that oral sex reference by tying in two of his songs.. See, he's making the album have a theme...hehe.. Starang is amazing! Louieville ends the song. He's at the same level as The Representativz on thisjoint. "...I get hype son and set it on the scene / It is he, Hennyville from N-Y-C..." Though he says he gets hype, he really doesn't sound like it.. Still... he's a good emcee. Though he's no Starang..  he's still shining..

"The M-Pire Strikez Back" is a dope album! I think it's one of the best coming out of Duck Down.. The cameos by Havoc, Heltah Skeltah, Cocoa B'z, and the not so well known Reps are in perfect places. It's a shame that this wonderful joint will be slept on!!! Well, then.. I'll be able to appreciate it more... The beats are dope! There's not one wack beat on the entire album. They are also diverse. Though the 3 songs produced by The Black Market (Somtimey, Bounce To The Ounce, & Feel What I Feel") sound similar, they bang hard and can stand alone strong. While the beats on the previous album sounded like they all were the same, OGC brings a diversity with  the beats on this one. "Girlz Ninety Now" has an old school pounding beat that reminds me of Run DMC while "Suspect N*ggaz" sounds like Mobb Deep since Havoc produced it. Most the beats are thick and many songs have a full orchestra-string loop. I do not miss the Beatminerz here... I never thought I'd say that. I must admit.. The beats are not only hardcore but complete... very well done and ready for a head bob. The production is right up their with the beats. Choice of Havoc Queens and The Black Market from Atlanta, GA show the groups diversity. Even the Fab 5's joint "Dirtiest Players In The Game" uses a heavy hard-rock guitar loop that rocks hard but still does not sound out of place. The only problem with the production is that I wish they used more scratches and slices from othert hip-hop joints. Lyrically, Starang steals the show. Top Dog is great too but Starang stands in a class by himself. His solo is going to be banging. While Louieville's voice is cool, his flow sounds forces sometimes. Top Dog's reggee feel and Starang's loud ol-school flow compliment each other well.  Louie's new school flow sneaks it's way in and out of the songs. Louie does not get annoying but he can come no where near the Wondah!  OGC are creative and original. While having party jams that remain hardcore like "Bounce To The Ounce", they still can have some deep tracks with serious topics like "You're Not Sure To See Tomorrow". They can have dope posse cuts like "Dirtiest Players In The Game" and "Boot Camp MFC Eastern Conference" while they can have menacing and serious tight jams like "Suspect N*gaaz" Songs like "Slo Mo" and "Set Sail" also show the diversity. When talking of the opposite sex, they can have childish old school rhymes on "Girlz Ninety Now" or they can have some humorous but more complex rhymes about oral sex on "The Big Ooh".  The Originoo Gunn Clappaz stand in a class by themselves. They share the torch with Buckshot, Heltah Skeltah and The Cocoa Brovaz. They are right up their with them. Though some may think that getting sex and getting high and getting paid are the usual rap topics. What makes OGC stand out is their approach to these topics. They sound cool and not dumb. The album flows very nice due to the diversity. I do not need to hit the skip button at all except to hear a dope song again. The old school beat of "Girlz Ninety Now" is complemented with the new school seriousness of "Suspect N*ggaz" and is mellowed out by "Set Sail".. This album is diverse and is a perfect length. Even the skits are decent and not too long nor mind-numbingly dumb like many skits. OGC are hard to the core! Come on.. they are "Gun Clappaz!" and they don't care about spelling!. Songs of sex, drugs, murder and gunz all wrapped up in the stress of being a Black male in America is part of the DuckDown lifestyle. These Boot Camp soldiers know how to party yet they can kick your ass physically and lyrically. OGC has learned discipline as soldiers and emcees. They "shoot to kill". Hardcore tracks like "Shoot To Kill", "Dirtiest Players In The Game" and "Suspect N*ggaz" are just a few but are dope. OGC are ones that fans of true hip-hop can depend on. Even though the BCC album had some R&B hooks, there was never one R&B hook on an OGC album!!! The storm came and went and the record company slept on DuckDown.. now.. The M-Pire is striking back!!! It's a dope thing because hip-hop needs The Originoo Gunn Clappaz!
Beats: 9.5/10
Production: 9/10
Lyrics: 9/10
Originality/Creativity: 9/10
Album Flow: 9.5/10
Hardcore Rating: 9.5/10
[ Overall Rating: 9.3/ 10. ]