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Greatest Story Ever Told
by David Banner
The fifth album for the rapper includes Akon, Chris Brown, Chamillionaire, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, UGK, and Yung Joc as guests.
| LABEL: |
Motown |
| RELEASE DATE: |
15 July 2008 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Rap |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
70
All Music Guide
Dismantle, reconstruct, then split, and The Greatest Story Ever Told earns decent marks--it's just hard not to focus on the handful of cuts that point to what could have been.
63
The Phoenix
The Greatest Story would be a stronger statement if it weren’t for the conflicting cornerstones of conscientious-rapper soapboxing and standard-issue gangsta themes he’s laid at its foundation.
60
Billboard
The extremes offer up a portrait of a man far more complex than what we get from many of Banner's peers, and the inventive beats (by Banner, Cool & Dre, Akon and others) add vital life to his gruff flow. But you have to wonder if some of these tracks simply reflect the rapper's desire to be all things to all consumers.
58
Entertainment Weekly
All things considered, we like Banner much better when he's angry. [25 Jul 2008, p.71]
55
RapReviews.com
Rather than staying true to political and social roots that got him signed in the first place, David Banner has chosen to mimic what's popular.
50
Rolling Stone
The political commentary could be stronger--"No justice for us blacks/But they send just us to Iraq" is as sharp as it gets--and though Story has got radio-ready appeal, Banner could learn a lesson from his buddy Wayne: Interesting and crowd-pleasing aren't mutually exclusive.
50
The New York Times
But much of The Greatest Story Ever Told might as well be running down a familiar checklist--guns, rough sex, big cars, club brawls, anti-snitching--and Mr. Banner is running out of variations.
50
Blender
He tries to atone on the bluesey and somber 'Cadillac on 22's Part 2,' but--like much of this album--the sequel is a downgrade compared to its wrenching and confessional original. [Aug 2008, p.82]
50
Boston Globe
It's angry and compelling, but it's also offset by his indulgence in the worst hip-hop clichés and the stereotypes he often derides.
46
Pitchfork
The beats on Story never quite cohere, and tracks like 'Uncle Swac Interlude,' an endless phone conversation with Banner's drunk uncle, further interrupt the flow.
The average user rating for this album is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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