"Ride Around Shining" features Re-Up member Ab-Liva and one of the most memorable beats on the album. Once again this isn't the sound that any other mainstream album would have, and that's good. It's so strange and different, but still dope. This time the Neptunes use some kind of xylophone and an "Ugh!" sample that hits three times in each loop. It's chilling, yet dope.
I'm sure you know what this is about; still, I can't stress how well the Clipse can keep you interested in what they say even though you know what is coming. It's as if they try hard to cover every single aspect of the coke-pushing lifestyle and demand that you listen to each part. This particular song deals more specifically with the riches they get through it. No, this isn't another "Escalade with the 20's, Jacob watch, and a platinum grill" ode. Nobody raps like the Clipse; at least nobody is quite as imaginative in their descriptions.
I think "Dirty Money" is an interesting idea. It's a song that deals with spending money, but not just any money. Oh no, Clipse talks about the dirty, evil, corrupted money they have not earned justly, but through their nasty trade. It's not just about how they love using it, but that the dirty money is really attractive to women. The females love some danger, so when you get the dollars through such a method, you're a chick magnet in a jif.
The hook is probably the most radio-friendly on the whole album, and the electric guitar loop on the production is dangerously catchy. Some sources say this will be the next single, which I think is perfectly appropriate. On the opposite side of the spectrum is "Hello New World," as there is nothing poppy about this one. I find this to be the centerpiece of the album, and a classic. "Hello New World" is about the rise from the slums into the lavish lifestyle. This is Thug Motivation 101, fuck Young Jeezy! The ambiance of the song is powerful indeed, and Malice and P rap with pure sincerity. Everything about the song just screams "classic" and it is easily one of the gems from the LP.
Leave it to the Clipse to frighten the shit out of you. The production of "Keys Open Doors" is something out of a horror movie. The hair-raising opera and the small triangle clanging in the back make for a menacing beat. The subject matter? Look no further than the title because you know when they talk about keys, they don't mean the small metal ones that you need to get home. Once again, the topic isn't anything particularly new, but Tha Clipse certainly spit like nobody else does, with a charismatic flow and the deadly rhyme scheme.
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