Let me introduce ya'll to someone. C-Bo has been grinding a long time with over 10 years invested in the game and even dropped memorable verses on 2Pac's classic 'All Eyez On Me'. Now he's making plenty of independant noise as CEO of West Coast Mafia Records (www.wcmentertainment.com) and 2005 is the year of the west. Although currently incarcerated, C-Bo has helped launch Spade's career with the above average 'Real Talk' and now seems like as good a time to release his greatest hits. A greatest hits package seems a good way to introduce C-Bo, so lets begin.

The album begins with the track 'Sunshine'. Over a haunting piano loop C-Bo spits 'Boy you can't fuck with this, you bust caps at my regal and you miss'. The track is a dark start and the perfect first impression for C-Bo. 'Rat Heads' featuring Young Meek is the run-of-the-mill female degrading track which depicts a certain type of woman. C-Bo and Young Meek spit memorable lines like 'Rat heads, bad credit, bad checks, rat heads, bad backs, bad necks, rat heads, got a new baby daddies, rat heads, got a few baby daddies'. Overall the track is slightly forumulaic but an original flow and excellent electric guitar a ssisted soundscape save this track. 'So Fresh' with Da Luniz legend Yukmouth is another strong track. Yukmouth spits strong lines like 'We goodfellas like Tommy and Henry, since I got me a Bentley, bitches gimme the winski'. The track is a braggado filled self bragging affair which should sound generic but has that West Coast Mafia twist on it. 'Cowboy' is a weaker track but shows off C-Bo's storytelling skills with him painting a verbal picture of life in California. The track comes across as an over-exaggerated picture of a gangsta lifestyle but has it's moments. The chorus is also slightly over the top and the production isn't excellent. 'My Lifestyle' is the second of two tracks produced by Pizzo and comes across as a stronger, more truthful version of 'Cowboy'. The track begins with the lines 'Every reflex is drawn with a magnum cloak, aim for the upper body and bag em in the throat, my lonely life has no hope, feel like i'm walking a tightrope'. Along with 'Sunshine' (also produced by Pizzo) this is one of the stronger tracks, with C-Bo spitting over a sympathetic string sample.

'Bald Head Nut' is another storytelling track with C-Bo once again referring to himself as Cowboy. This is a strong track which uses a familar G-Funk sample which I just can't put my finger on. C-Bo talks about being a Bald Head Nut shooting up crowds with his powerful lyrics. 'I'm A...' is another strong track with C-Bo spitting the chorus 'I'm a rider, I got stripes in this game, i'm a gangsta, i'ma represent my game, im'a hustler, flippin bricks stackin chains, im'a baller, coppin whips, nice chains'. However the track comes across as egotistical at points. 'E40 & C-Bo' is the last track i'm going to mention and is a matching of lyrical giants. Westcoast legend E40 swaps lines with C-Bo over a jumpy but mellow beat.

At the end of the day C-Bo has his fans. Those fans will just see this as a compilation of some of his best work. This album however has a bigger purpose and that is to open up C-Bo and his label to the public. A strong 20 tracks will make any hip-hop fan fall in love with the lyricism of the Bald Head Nut. Just don't expect anything too complex, this is westcoast lyricism and that means vivid imagery with simple lyrics.

i-Pod Worthy : 'Sunshine' 'So Fresh' 'My Lifestyle' 'Bald Head Nut' 'My Life'

Skippable : 'Cowboy' 'Flippin' Chiccens'

Overall : 4 out of 6 Shots; C-Bo comes with another strong release to keep the mafia poppin'