This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Too many rappers can spoil the rhyme.
That’s the sad lesson gleaned from Harlem World, a septet of rhymeslingers ring-led by Ma$e. It’s bad enough that the backing tracks — the usual assortment of pumping beats, soul samples and pimp-roll grooves — are less than distinctive. But with seven separate voices over top (not to mention the usual crop of guest stars such as Nas and Jermaine Dupri), it’s impossible for anyone to stand out from the pack. It may be a small world, but Harlem World is still overpopulated.
