Struggling to cut through the suddenly cluttered myriad of Dirty South albums getting substantial distribution in late 2000,
Kane & Abel's second post-No Limit album on their blossoming indie label finds them moving forward.
Most Wanted bases a substantial amount of its content on the duo's drug bust, trying to turn this unfortunate incident into a positive one. As exploitative as this may be, it at least allows them to break away from strict cliché regurgitation. Yet for the most part,
Kane & Abel stick to what got them to this point: gangsta posturing backed by thick Dirty South drum machine percussive rhythms. Despite the familiar feel of the production -- a blend of No Limit's and Cash Money's sounds -- there are few moment when the two Louisiana twins prove that their songs aren't merely generic, such as on the heavy metal guitar-sounding "Somebody Gotta Pay" or on the bounce sound of "Snakes" and "Lemme Get Up in Ya." The duo even contribute yet another entry into 2000's collection of booty anthems; "Shake It Like a Dog" isn't much of a departure from "Back That Azz Up" or "Wobble Wobble," surely
Kane & Abel's attempt at commercial breakthrough. Still, even though this album rates above the majority of generic Dirty South rap circa 2000, it's still highly derivative. Had this album hit the streets a year or two earlier, it would have been an exciting album, but in late 2000 they come off sounding a bit like laggards, despite the album's appeal. Most importantly though, this is a positive step forward for the duo, who inch even closer towards being noteworthy rap artists. ~ Jason Birchmeier