While the G-Unit explosion has been an enormous marketing success, it hasn't exactly been a breeding ground for good music.  With the exception of mixtapes predating 50 Cent's signing to Shady/ Aftermath and his debut on the very same label, there has been a long line of cookie-cutter rap coming from the Guerrilla Unit camp, most notably the group debut and Lloyd Banks' The Hunger For More (Not mentioning the heinous amounts of shoddily-made mixtapes leaking from them).  This all changes with Young Buck's blazing first album, Straight Outta Cashville.  The only official G-Unit member not from New York City, the Tennesse native brings pure intensity to the table, while in the process making the undisputed best Southern album of 2004 so far.

While this album is a banger, it does not appear so at first.  The opening track, "I'm a Soldier", which features 50, is another song that just sounds like it came off the G-Unit assembly line.  The drums are a straight retread on the highlight of G-Unit's album, "Footsteps".  Fortunately, he follows this up with an angry song, "Do It Like Me", which cements his stance as one of those MCs who aren't hot because of what they say, but how they say it.  Next is the lead single "Let Me In", who's beat is made especially for neck-cracking head-nodding.  While Needlez's soundscape provides for maximum elbow-throwing, Buck doesn't dissapoint with quot ables like "The reason why niggas like Eric Benet prally can't stand me/ Cause I know money'll make Halle Berry come out them panties".  "Welcome to the South" is a crunky stomper that features Southern fxtures Lil' Flip & David Banner.  While everything the three Dirty, Dirty natives say is cliched, the beat certainly carries this one.  "Prices on My Head" is an excellent gem that perfectly sits in the middle of the album: it's Buck's "Many Men (Wish Death)".  It's a simple, melancholy piece of Southern hip-hop that even makes Banks sound like he belongs.  "Bonafide Hustler", another 50 feature, sounds like pretty much everything on Hunger For More.  It pretty much makes the listener remember this is a G-Unit song.  Lil' Jon makes his customary, "I gotta be on every Southern album" appearance on "Shorty Wanna Ride".  It's supposed to be a booty-shaker, while it's just another synth-heavy piece of music courtesy of 808.  Buck comes completely correct on it's follower "Bang Bang", though.  In another spectacular Needlez production, Nancy Sinatra's song of the same name is beautifully sampled (The Sinatra version was made famous as the intro to Kill Bill Vol. 1).  This argument makes a good argument that Needlez and Buck are great collaborators, as Buck shows off his introspective side on this track.

"Thou Shall" is another production gem where Buck actually compliments the beat, complete with an almost scary chorus where Buck furiously chants "They say 'Thou shall not steal'/ 'Thou shall not kill'/ But rub me the wrong way and nigga, I will".  "Black Gloves" is a horn-heavy blast of calculated anger, where Buck makes himself into a hitman-of-sorts, making every move in the chorus seem like it's been said before.  His flow is insane, but his lyrics really don't sound bad: "Cops comin/ I'm not runnin/ If I do die, don't cry/  I didn't plan on stayin long anyway/ I ain't gon lie".  "Stomp" is a waste of three talented Southern MC's, as the crunk mess of a beat doesn't compliment any of the rapper's flows.  The fact that Ludacris and T.I. are dissing each other doesn't exactly make the chemistry work either.  "Takin Hits" is another convoluted piece of mess where Buck sounds EXACTLY like Juvenile in the chorus, and guest MC D-Tay doesn't help nearly as much as he did on "Prices On My Head".  He fortunately ends the album on a good note, though; "Walk With Me"'s beat is a nice piece of soulful sampling, and Buck even overcomes Stat Quo's extremely subpar verse.  It's a microcosm of the album: Buck isn't the best, the beats aren't the best, but together, they're damn good.

Straight Outta Cashville isn't just the best Southern album this year (at least until a Mr. Benjamin or Mr. Jordan puts out a new LP), it's the best album from the G-Unit camp, perhaps even better than 50's indie label banger, Guess Who's Back.  He's the best MC out of the crew, and he possesses a delivery so good, it's eerily reminiscent of 2Pac circa All Eyez on Me.  While his flow and delivery make the abum's vocal side, the beats are simply fire.  While he was never the golden child of G-Unit, after this record, you'll definitely have the hunger for more Buck.

iPod-Worthy: "Prices on My Head", "Bang Bang", "Thou Shall", "Let Me In"

Blehhhhhhhh: "I'm a Soldier", "Shorty Wanna Ride", "Takin' Hits"

Overall: 4 out of Six Shots

(Writer's Note: This album review was on the adavnce copy of Straight Outta Cashville.  Whatever changes have been made to the album, especially to the song "Stomp", that were not up to date in the review can be attributed to the date of this review)