Naughty by Nature - IIcons

Though not groundbreaking by any means, IIcons reaffirms that Naughty still has their party groove going on, and the groove is fine. Treach definitely isn't shy about saying so, laying claim to his group's place in hip-hop history throughout with words like "When you say 'Naughty by Nature' you say the word 'icon.'" And if you think about it, he's right. The Illtown, New Jersey, duo has been around since the early '90s, and they boast a string of monster hits (notably "O.P.P." and "Hip Hop Hooray") that helped prove rappers can cultivate a pop sound while maintaining their ever-important street credibility. But can these icons hang in today's uneasy rap scene? Of course. Treach's sharp flow and Vinnie's personable delivery are complemented by an array of producers and guests. Da Beatminerz lace a squealing trumpet riff throughout "Naughty by Nature," adding emphasis to Carl Thomas's reggae-inflected hook. Elsewhere, Pink's sultry vocals and dry asides power the club-friendly "What U Wanna Do," while "Feels So Good" is a surprisingly dance-oriented treat, thanks to 3LW's giddy chorus. --Rebecca Levine Amazon.com

 sucks like all their stuff
no kay gee minus 20 points
outdated
played out
treach and pepa divorced
rap was moving towards the midwest and south

yeah this group's datys were numbered. February 13, 2008

 Average album from an above average group
If this was your first Naughty By Nature album, you would think it was the best. But those of us that heard their earlier work know that they are capable of much better work. The thing that kills this album is how weak Treach's rhymes have become. Listen to Yoke The Joker, Wickedest Man Alive, It's On, and Craziest off of their previous albums. Now listen to this album. Notice the difference. IIcons is not a bad opener and Rock & Roll with Method Man and Redman is good track to follow it up(even though Red And Meth stole the show on that one). Whatcha Gonna Do feat Pink is forgettable as well as their anthem Feels Good feat 3LW. Rah Rah feat Rottin Raskals is good. Swing Swang is an average track. Let Me Find Out is borderline cheesy and I never thought I'd see the day that Vinnie(no disrespect to him though) had a better verse than Treach in a song. Vinnie not only outdoes him on that track, He outdoes him on What U Dont Know. I like Treach's wordplay on Naughty By Nature but that beat is awful as well as Carl Thomas's out of place vocals. Chyna Whyte floors NBN on the Lil Jon produced Wild Muthaf***s and Icarus and Bumpy Knuckles steal the show on Ashes To Ashes. NJ To LA(feat Road Dawgs and Rottin Raskals) and Red Light(feat Queen Latifah) are hot garbage tracks that should have never made it to disc. The album ends with a mediocre track called Family Tree. Bottom Line: IIcons marks the end of New Jersey's finest MCs Naughty By Nature. Production wise its better than Nature's Fury but lyrically its a lot worse. Plus its never a good sign for the guest appearances to outshine NBN on their own tracks. Only cop this to complete your collection. Standout Tracks: IICONS, ROCK & ROLL, SWING SWANG, RAH RAH, ASHES TO ASHES and WILD MUTHAF****S. November 20, 2007

 Naughty Not 02
not a horrible cd. but its only got a few songs on it that are good. a lot of ok songs. and few not very good ones. The Best song is FAMILY TREE and its the last song. every other naughty CD atleast a 4 rating. but if your a fan and a collector pick it up otherwise pass on this one. August 10, 2006

 Didn't feel this at all
It pains me to see how far these dudes have fallen. No ones heard a peep out these dudes since this trash tanked like muthaph***. The best and only good track is Rock and roll feat. RED & Meth. The rest is trash. That track wit 3L hoes... Trash. If you want good music by naughty by nature pick up Povertys Paradise. That s*** is a classic. Next to they early albums this aint nuthin at all. April 15, 2006

 Not what they used to be...
I'm sorry to all you Naughty By Nature fans and as much as I [respect]them, this garbage has put them in a new low. No acting grimy like in Uptown Anthem or O.P.P., but you got them dancing in videos with the song Feels Good with 3LW, and on other songs trying to act hard with Lil Jon. There are a few good songs here like Rock and Roll with Method Man and Redman, which manages to somewhat keep this album alive (suprisingly giving this album 2 stars and not 1), and I'm feeling the song with Pink, but the other songs are just swings and misses. I miss the Naughty By Nature's: 19 Naughty 3 and their self titled album. Hopefully there next album (if there is one) will be better than this right here, because if they keep this up, and they maybe down to the point where they won't be able to come back. January 22, 2006

More reviews at Amazon.com ...