Album Review: Beanie Sigel – “This Time”

By Hardcore Critic
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

As both a man and an artist, Beanie Sigel finds himself in a unique position, in the middle of a comeback, while being forced away. Since the official demise of Roc-A-Fella Records in 2008, the Philadelphia rapper has been trying to get things together. Five years passed without a Beanie Sigel album and the game went through drastic changes.

Beanie Sigel signed a new label deal and prepared to reunite his State Property crew, when he was sentenced to two years in prison for tax evasion. Nothing like prison was going to stop Beanie Sigel, however. In the face of adversity, Beanie Sigel announced his first album in five years, This Time.

On his new album, Beanie Sigel reunited with State Property and also has collaborations with the likes of Game and Akon on the project. A comeback album for Beanie Sigel, the album is a must-hear for those who love the hardcore genre of hip hop. Over the past few years, Beanie Sigel has remained relevant through collaborations.

This Time, however, is clearly headlined by Beanie Sigel, as his typical dominance shines through on each track. While Beanie Sigel has delivered one of the most-solid albums of the year, the overall lack of promotion may be his only downfall. Waiting five years in between album releases, Beanie Sigel returned with a strong force. However, the long gap in time may lead to many newer fans not knowing who he is and the lack of promotion leading to many longtime fans not knowing he has anything out.

While This Time will likely be overlooked, it will definitely be a hidden gem, as one of 2012’s best albums. An eleven track opus, Beanie Sigel is not asking much time of his listeners. The album may not be the best in his overall collection, but it is the perfect “hello/goodbye” comeback album from the Philadelphia rhymeslinger. This Time comes as the bright spot for Beanie Sigel, as the album was released last week, as he will soon have to report to prison on September 12.

Hip Hop Vibe’s Rating: 8/10