Harlem World: The Movement

For the artists assembling them, posse albums are a win-win proposition: They get paid for doing very little work, they get to find jobs for their friends and relatives, and no one really holds it against them if the records suck. After all, does anyone even remember the Bobby Brown Posse, let alone hold it against the volatile former New Edition frontman For listeners, however, posse albums are far riskier: They're usually slapped together and brought down by misplaced nepotism and non-existent chemistry. Harlem World, Ma$e's first non-Bad Boy venture, features five MCs whom Ma$e insists are among the finest Harlem has to offer. And, wouldn't you know, two of these finds (Little Stase and "Huddy" Combs) just happen to be relatives of Ma$e and mentor Sean "Puffy" Combs! What are the odds Harlem World, while far from the embarrassing failure it could have been, is still a staggeringly mediocre collection of songs that drive the successful Bad Boy formula into the ground. Want big, glossy hooks and songs about soulless excess Want overused samples and lyrics that sound like third-generation Biggie Smalls rip-offs Want skits that run the gamut from embarrassing to incomprehensible Want unconvincing soul-searching and inner torment a la the most recent DMX album Want sleepwalking performances by guest stars Nas, Jermaine Dupri, and Kelly Price Look no further than The Movement for all your Bad Boy-by-numbers needs. But if you want to hear more than just competent, unremarkable rapping and serviceable but overly familiar beats, let The Movement pass you by on its inevitable voyage to the bargain rack of the used-CD store where it belongs.