When I first heard about Loud Rocks I was completely jacked. The idea of a CD with rappers teaming up with rock bands to do re-makes of hip hop classics just seemed like such a great idea. When Loud Rocks came out I went out and got it. The concept of this CD is great is was just poorly executed by Loud records.  
 
This CD has a great line-up. With tracks by Xzibit & Sevendust, Sugar Ray & the Alkaholics (now the Liks), Incubus and the late Big Punisher, Ozzy and the Wu Tang Clan, System of a Down and Wu Tang, and many more. The line-up is stacked, but this CD is not. The main problem that faces almost every pairing of rap artists and rock bands is that there is no chemistry between the two, and the songs seem forced. Some songs dont even sound like the two parts were even recorded together. On a few songs I doubt the rapper was even involved, it just sounds like they edited him in from past recordings. I know for a fact that Old Dirty B*stard was in jail when they made this album so they obviously just edited his part from shame into the System of a Down version. All the songs sound worse than the originals. The rock parts are also sloopily throw together, and dont sound like time was put into them. It just sounds like the bands adapted guitar riffs to the beat of the original hip hop beat. This whole albums is flawed, I think it was just a gimmick. Im sure it lined the pockets of some Loud executive. They cashed in on the rap-rock trend. They sure suckered my nieve self in and got my cash.  
 
This CD isnt horrid, there are a couple tracks that stand-out. The Shootyz Groove song Caribbean Connection is pretty good. Its mainly because Shootyz Groove is a hip hop group with some rock influences. If one good thing came out of this album is was that I was introduced to Shootyz Groove. The have a real band backing their lyricists. Kind of like a Latin version of the Roots. The System of a Down cover of Wu Tangs Shame also doesnt blow, mainly because the lead singer of System of a Down can rap.  
 
On the other hand, there is a ton of pure sh*te on this album. Crazytown is so bad it hurts my ears. The Incubus cover of Still Not a Playa is pure bubble-gum pop. They sound like a bad cover band that should be playing childrens birthday parties. A lot of these covers ruin the originals. I have no clue why Everlast needed to re-make the Mobb Deep classic Shook Ones, he just made it sound band. The MOP song How About Some Hardcore was butchered by Butch Vig. Im not sure who Butch Vig is, but their blend of rock and techno ruined How About Some Hardcore.  
 
All of the songs on this album sound forced and will never get that rap-rock chemistry that songs like Bring the Noise by PE and Anthrax or even Walk this Way by Run DMC and Aerosmith had. None of these songs will ever be performed live by the two groups that laid them down for this album because its all studio magic. Dont waste your money on this album. If you want good rap-rock check out Confrontation Camp. Loud Rocks is a train wreck that you should avoid at all costs.  
