After the release of “Tell Me When To Go” in 2006, Bay Area rapper E-40 enjoyed the release of his first mainstream hit and has continued to produce great music while staying true to his underground roots.

On March 26, he released an unprecedented three albums in one day with “The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil Volumes 1, 2 & 3.”

By not trying to portray himself as the richest, coolest, or most popular rapper in the industry, he manages to keep his music fresh and genuine.

“Block Brochure” is a raw and authentic musical tour of life in some of California’s most notorious ghettos. E-40 spits clever raps about living on a tight budget in a rough economy.

“I’ve been sittin’ in the dark for a week, no lights for a week, finally made up my mind. Gonna have to do what I have to as a man and get on the grind,” he raps.

He manages to rap about dangerous things like drugs, crime and poverty without glamorizing the “’hood life” like many other rappers do today.

In the bass-filled jam “I’m Laced,” E-40 rhymes “The problem with this new generation is that they’re quick to bust their guns. But I think about their relatives and loved ones.”

His style and voice sound smooth in laid back beats on tracks such as “Can You Feel It” and “In the Ghetto.” He also shines on fast paced songs like “The Other Day Ago” and “Memory Lane.”

The list of artists that E-40 collaborates with here is huge.

Rap veteran Snoop Dogg is featured on the party song “What You Smokin On,” and comedian Katt Williams is a guest in the hilarious track “Get Ya Weight Up.”

Other big name collaborators include T-Pain, Too-Short, Andre Nickatina, and Richie Rich.
The album proves that E-40 has cemented his place amongst the best in hip-hop.