When dropped in 1997 and claimed New York's throne upon 's demise, many smirked and some even snickered. Four years later in 2001, when he released , no one was smirking and no one dared snicker. At this point in time, nobody in New York could match rhyme for rhyme and nobody in New York had fresher beats -- and many would argue that 's reign was not just confined to New York but was, in fact, national. Yes, had risen to the top of the game in the late '90s and solidified his position with gigantic hits like and Furthermore, 's leadoff single, dominated radio numerous weeks before the album hit the streets, generating so much demand that had to push up the album's street date because it was being so heavily bootlegged. So when opens dropping rhymes about "runnin' this sh*t," it's not so much arrogance as it is a matter of fact. And by the time he brutally dismisses two of his most formidable opponents, , less than ten minutes into the album, there's little doubt that 's status as the top MC in the game is justified. But that's just one song. There are 12 other songs on -- and they're all stunning, to the point where the album seems almost flawless. Besides rhymes that challenge those on as the most crafted of 's career to date in terms of not only lyrics but also flow and delivery, also boasts some of his most extravagant beats, courtesy of impressive newcomers . Moreover, if the rhymes and beats alone don't make a career highlight for , the minimal guest appearances surely do. For once, listeners get exactly what they want: and nothing but , over beats so loaded with marvelously flipped samples the songs don't even need big vocal hooks. Besides, when you're already the top MC in the game, there's no need for crossover attempts. Uneven albums like were the crossover attempts, and now that is "runnin' this sh*t," a fully realized masterpiece like is the glorious result. ~ Jason Birchmeier