VA - New Jersey Drive, Vol. 1 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1995)

Just another case of a stellar soundtrack outshining a lackluster film. Volume one of this star-studded set of songs inspired by the ill-fated urban car-jacking film highlights the movers and shakers of mid-'90s hip-hop. The Notorious B.I.G. lends a classic verse on Puff Daddy girl group Total's "Can't U See"; the song is fueled by a time-honored sample from James Brown's "The Big Payback." Other lesser-known gems include Newark, NJ, representer and one of Jacktown's finest, Redman, on the Cosmic Sloppy "Where Am I"; the country-fried automobile-lover's anthem "Benz or a Beamer" provided by Outkast; and "East Left," a cut from cold wildin' Long Island native Keith Murray. While some irritating filler is sprinkled in with the hits, there is also a strong West Coast flavor provided by the likes of MC Eiht and Young Lay and a taste of dancehall stylings from Black Panta. This volume also features the classic dance hit "Before I Let Go" by Frankie Beverly and Maze.~New Jersey Drive, Vol. 1 Review by M.F. DiBella