Alcatraz is arguably the most infamous prison on our planet. Built in the early 1900's, housing names like Al Capone, Alcatraz is considered one of the harshest, most impenetrable prisons ever. San Francisco rapper Rasco, living near the facility himself, utilizes the prison as a metaphor for his label struggles. The label in particular that he is implying about is Copastik Records, headed by Jon Saxton. After "escaping" that "prison," Rasco found his way to Coup D'Etat Records, and he relishes his new freedom with this new album.  
 
The Intro kicks off the album with sampled soundbites describing the hopelessness of Alcatraz, the desolate inescapable prison. After this setting-setter, we get Get Free. Here, Rasco uses Alcatraz to symbolize two separate things. First, he uses it to urge people to "escape" from whatever is holding them back in life. The second meaning is more personal, which is his own struggles with his previous label. He calls out Jon Saxton here, talking about his previous adversity in the industry. Building upon personal setbacks is U Got The Time. Over a relaxing, soulful guitar loop, his verses flow easily on this uplifting song. Here he once again urges his listeners to break free of everything keeping them from doing what they want. Rasco's songs have an uplifting message, while managing to keep his tracks down-to-earth and more happy than sad.  
 
The Sweet Science features Jurassic 5 member Chali 2Na, and the two MC's trade the first two verses and share the third. Here, they use a boxing metaphor as a symbolism for their battle rhymes. The beat is more bouncy, featuring samples and strings, and it seems more geared towards Chali 2Na. There are other nice guest appearances as well. San Fran To The Town features Casual form the Hieroglyphics. Here the thick guitar loop meshes with Casuals nice-sounding flow, and its laid-back and relaxing. And on Endless, Planet Asia pops in for an upbeat track that complements their speedy flow. My Life is another bouncy track, where Rasco touches on an array of things, from politics to morals (politics and morals in the same sentence?!).  
 
After an Interlude, Rasco drops the passively venomous Snakes In The Grass (The Jon Sexton Story). Rasco calmly tells of his legal brawls with Copastik Records and Jon Saxton, accusing them of stealing his songs, his money, his career. He tells about how he was fighting to leave them, and his reaction now that he is free. Then it shifts from a narrative to a battle track, and he calmly rips apart Jon Saxton's label, rapping like he couldn't care less about the label, yet dropping vicious lines. This sort of song is reminiscent of Common's Cube-diss, because both songs feature an artist who is not known for his viciousness who lashes out and obliterates his opponent in the most laid-back way possible.  
 
All I Wanna Be closes out the album, with guitar strings and Kisha Griffin singing the chorus. Here, Rasco raps as if he is confessing, telling us what he wants in the future, and his desire to "escape" the route his career in rapping has taken to this point in time. And with this personal note, the album ends. Rasco's newest LP is one of the best of 2003, get it now.. his talent on the mic was not "imprisoned" on this album, and your urge to buy it should not be either. Ras branches out into many different aspects of rap. From dissing, to introspect, to retrospect, Rasco lays it down skillfully with enough greatness to make Jon Saxton wish he wasn't such a moron. Congratulations Copastik, Rasco just made all of you look like the conformist "imprisoning" label you really are. 
