Editorial Reviews

The soundtrack to The Wackness does a wonderful job representing the film's setting, 1994 New York City, and the hip-hop soundtrack any small-time weed dealer of the time might be listening to. If Josh Peck's character from the film made you a mixtape, this would be it and you would no doubt give him props for his taste, right before begging for another one. Having the Notorious B.I.G.'s "The What," Craig Mack's "Fava in Your Ear," Nas' "The World Is Yours," and A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?" all in one place is awesome enough, but where The Wackness completely betrays its title is with the details. Take the inclusion of "I Can't Wake Up," a forgotten masterpiece where KRS-One dreams he's a blunt being passed from Kid Capri to Yo-Yo and on to Chubb Rock plus plenty of other Golden Age names worth remembering. Biz Markie's joyful "Just a Friend" plus the reggae chestnut "Long Shot Kick de Bucket" kick the feel-good vibe into overdrive, and suddenly you realize you're listening to not just one of the most fitting but also one of the most uplifting hip-hop soundtracks -- throwback or otherwise -- available. [The Wackness was also made available in a clean version, with all explicit material removed.] David Jeffries, All Music Guide

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