Song Review-Home Again by E-40 featuring Mike Marshall

by Dan-O

Criticism by its very nature is reductive, by writing an “angle” or “theme” into a review you cut away all the other rough edges that don’t fit. It’s been a gift and a curse for E-40. Being from the East Coast I always knew you had to respect the man’s slanguage but the music was supposed to be far too silly.

In reality, songs like Home Again off Block Brochure 4(he dropped 4,5, and 6 same day) have always been a core part of E-40’s identity. He doesn’t do sensitive songs that feel forced or mandatory instead he peels away all the layers of thesaurus bravado and street encyclopedia to give us warm thoughtful insights and sometimes shockingly honest statements. How many platinum selling rappers do you know who have the stones to say “I’m on the phone with my auntie she’s my bread wearer giving me scriptures to read to protect me from the destroyer. This is my letter to God I hope that he reads this please cover me with the blood of your son Jesus.” He talks about prisons overfilling, unnecessary violence and amidst it, like so many other E-40 songs, you can find axioms to live by “All I got is my word and my name, a good reputation is better than fame.”

For the last two years E-40 has given us three albums a year and they represent him best. They include everything; disgusting sex songs, Cornell West shout outs, cocaine conversation, somber recollections about death and inequality, and chair dance causing posse tracks about having a ball. It’s almost like the real legacy of Earl is talking about absolutely everything. How can you not respect that?