“Slam the Soundtrack”

Various Artists

Sometimes a movie has a soundtrack that is actually more popular than the film it comes from. “Slam” should be no different.

If there was a simple word to explain how sweet “Slam the Soundtrack” is, it would be superkalafragilisticexpyaladocious.

And even that word may be a little too short to fit the greatness of the record.

From the song with Big Punisher and Next to the cuts with the Flipmode Squad, Brand Nubian and Goodie Mob, “Slam” continues to impress and please the hip-hop ear.

Even “The Park,” featuring two of the last people you would expect to see doing a duet, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Coolio, is decent enough not to skip over.

Fugee co-founder Pras appears with Most Wanted and the Product on another jam, “Ain’t No Stopping,” that may actually make you shake your booty a little bit.

The entire album has a feeling of hopelessness, yet there is clearly an underlying theme of being able to conquer anything.

Is it possible somebody put out a soundtrack that doesn’t feature Puff Daddy and Mase? Yes it is, and the album actually pulls it off with the help of the likes of KRS-One, Q-Tip, Mobb Deep and some poetry recitation taken from the movie that sends the entire album right over the top.

Even without a presence from the cameo masters, “Slam” succeeds.

5 stars out of five

— Rhaason Mitchell