Statik Selektah:Stick 2 The Script

Statik Selektah
Stick 2 the Script
(SHOWOFF RECORDS/BRICK)

Statik Selektah likes to get right to the point. That was clear from the Massachusetts DJ/producer’s star-studded ’07 debut, Spell My Name Right: The Album. Judging by his aptly titled second LP, Stick 2 the Script, he doesn’t plan on changing anytime soon. On “To the Top (Stick 2 the Script),” Statik matches Cassidy, Saigon and Termanology with tickled strings and knocking drums. The artist pairings remain fluid throughout, as Talib Kweli, Joell Ortiz and Skyzoo spit game on the soulful “Talkin Bout You (Ladies),” and State Property alums Freeway, Young Chris and Peedi Crakk reunite over the bassy “All 2gether Now.”

Guests aside, the album’s strength is its boardwork. Statik digs deep in the crates on the murderous “For the City,” bridging M.O.P. and Jadakiss’s tough-talking verses with a doo-wop hook. He later gets experimental on “Sounds of the Street,” manipulating isolated inner-city noises to construct a melodic backdrop.

The LP dips on the overcrowded “Streets of M.A.,” where eight mostly unrecognizable MCs from Statik’s home state square off atop grave keys, while the West Coast toaster “Cali Nights” sounds slightly out of place among the album’s East Side vibe. Still, minor knocks don’t detract, as Statik not only sticks to his script but also manages to flip it as well. —JOHN KENNEDY