Mack 10 = Eastside!  I think not!  But this album pulsates both the East and the West styles throughout your body.  It features more artists than Puffy's got remixes.  In all there are 24 artists featured over a span of only 14 songs.  Mack 10 manages one solo joint - "The Letter" in which he explains his motives behind the game to those who dis gangsta rap.  He introduces us to many of his Hoo-Bangin artists and lets them add lyrics to 3 of his songs.  Lets just put it this way: they ain't no Ice Cube or WC.  I wasn't surprised to find that almost all my favorite songs on "The Recipe" were produced by Mack 10.  I find that his style leaves something to be desired at first, but after a couple of listens, you realize its slick as hot synthetic oil.

My two favorite songs provide a definite Westside feel.  "LBC and the ING" fronts you wit an LBC chyme sound, a Westside beat and a definite 213 feel.  It features Snoop Dogg and is definitely bumping.  "Get Yo Ride On" features the late Eazy-E and MC Eiht (who seems to be poppin up on quite a few albums - watch out for his upcoming 'Section 8' album)  "Get You Ride On" puts the westside hoo-bangin action in effect!  It's hot.  "Let The Games Begin" features Fat Joe and Big Pun.  The song takes on an interesting feel that revolves around the intriguing french-horn sound that resonates throughout the whole song.
The chorus is very appealling, providing a westside feel.  "Ghetto Horror Show" might make a good song for Halloween.  It features Ice Cube and Jayo Felony.  Ol Dirty Bastard even makes it on this album and you know that he's gonna keep "For The Money" jumpin wit his lyrical style.  Jermaine Dupri and Foxy Brown also appear and apply a bubble-gum feel to "You
Ain't Seen Nothin".  These tracks are all pretty dope.

"The Recipe" has all the ingredients to provide you with a filling meal.  The meal will be decent but only barely compares with Grammomma's home-cooking.  Had Mack 10 cooked up all the tracks on this album, it'd probably be da bomb, cause too many cooks don't usually make for the best meals.  If you're hungry for a westside feel, then this album'll probably be a disappointment.  Otherwise, it's pretty good eating, the equivalent of my momma's, but not my grandmomma's, and is probably worth checking out, just be prepared to give it time settle like a good home-cooked meal.

- Troy Neilson
 

Track Listing & RealAudio Sound Clips
Click on an underlined track to hear a RealAudio sound sample.
01. Intro   02. The Recipe   03. You Ain't Seen Nothin   04. Made ******   05. Get Yo Ride On   06. Money's Just A Touch Away   07. Suck Down (Insert)   08. Get A Lil ****   09. For The Money		10. Ghetto Horror Show   11. LBC & The ING   12. Radio Insert: Funk Master Flex   13. Let The Games Begin   14. #1 Crew In The Area   15. Gangsta ****'*   16. The Letter   17. Should I Stay Or Should I Go   18. Outro