Comptons Most Wanted Music To Driveby

There are West Coast classics, and then there is
Music To Driveby, the third LP from the group that
birthed MC Eiht: Compton’s Most Wanted. Although
the group started in the late ‘80s with multiple MCs
(including Tha Chill and Boom Bam), by 1992 Eiht was
pulling the group’s vocal weight – supported by DJ
Mike T on turntables and production – and even
producing and co-producing tracks.
Music To Driveby might lack beats-per-minute variety,
but to fans that’s not a bad thing. Across the board,
this is mid-tempo, super deep, funky hip-hop, made for
cars creeping along boulevards across the West and
South, and it’s about as good as it gets for such
purposes. Just about filler-free, the album struts
intensely and with purpose, as Eiht throws tales of Cali
street life at fans for an hour straight, almost without
a break.
This solo marathon is given a respite only once, with
Scarface’s guest spot on “N 2 Deep,” an excellent
hood roller supported by a soulful guitar lick sampled
from Lyn Collins’ “Do Your Thing.” Elsewhere, Eiht rolls
alone and intensely, on cuts like the classic smash
single “Hood Took Me Under”; the album’s second
single and Tim Dog attack “Who’s Fu**ing Who?”; the
hometown big-up “Compton 4 Life”; and hustle tales
like “Jack Mode” and “I Gots To Get Over.”
After this album, Eiht released more classics under his
own name, and with similar fan worship. It was the
continuation of a legendary career and Music To
Driveby still ranks high on anyone’s “West Coast
Legends” playlist.