Apologies to my guy Beanie Sigel. According to my notes, I’ve been putting off completing this post since … 2023. Whenever I’d plan to dive deep into his discography, I’d get sidetracked by bigger artists or breaking news.
Sadly, that’s the story of Beanie Mack’s career – an artist who showed so much promise (remember when Jay-Z said: “If my life is a movie then Sigel gon’ be the sequel?”) but was constantly overshadowed by label politics, outside beefs and his own personal demons.
But make no mistake, there was a time when the rap world thought that Beanie was the next to blow. Let’s look back at the albums that backed up those notions. As a note, I won’t be including his run of mixtapes, nor his extensive work with State Property (with one exception, short of).
Beanie never got his due, so we’re gonna change that today. Finally.
7. The Broad Street Bully (2009)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Beans’ “worst” album isn’t that bad at all! The Broad Street Bully is intentionally going for a mixtape vibe – a straightforward delivery with bars that are as brutal as ever. As for most projects on this list, his State Property brethren make appearances, with Freeway stealing the show every change he gets. However, the album’s biggest flaw is it’s middling production, which feels especially lackluster when compared to his higher-profile releases.
Forgotten favorites: “Ready for War,” “Tear Drops,” “Bang Bang”
6. The Roc Boys (2010)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: So, I mentioned above that we weren’t highlighting State Property projects on this list, but this collab between Beanie and Freeway feels appropriate to mention. Free and Beans became one of hip-hop’s most dynamic duos in the 2000s, especially after “Roc the Mic” became a surprise hit. The Roc Boys album arrived a little too late, well after the Roc’s early 2000s peak, but better now than never. Showcasing the same grit as the State Property projects, this is just a couple of spitters going toe-to-toe in the booth. While there’s nothing outright bad here, there’s very little that stands out (besides Beanie airing his Jay-Z grievances on a solo track). Fun but forgettable.
Forgotten favorites: “The Last Two,” “Serious,” “Average Cat”
5. The Solution (2007)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: After taking a brief hiatus following a slew of legal issues, Beanie resigned to Roc-A-Fella Records and delivered The Solution, his fourth studio album. Lyrically, he sounds rejuvenated and sharp as ever, but the party-centric vibe on the first half of the album isn’t the best fit for his rugged style. The second half’s more soulful vibe gets it right, and that’s when the Mack Man really finds his groove.
Forgotten favorites: “Bout That (Let Me Know),” “I’m In,” “HHEH”
4. This Time (2012)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Hard to believe that it’s been 13 years since Beanie delivered a solo studio album. This Time, his final LP to date, dropped before he headed off for a prison bid, and clearly he wanted to go out swinging. This album is a composite of everything that made his previous projects great – soulful cuts featuring his playboy bars; deep, introspective songs that reflect on past mistakes; and of course State Property coming through for one last cypher. Beans’ delivery occasionally lacks the punch of his peak efforts but this was a surprisingly strong way to cap off his career (for now).
Forgotten favorites: “Kush Dreaming,” “Expensive Taste,” “Dangerous”
3. The Reason (2001)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Beans had something to prove here, and you could feel that energy throughout the project. After opening eyes on his debut, Sigel was ready to rip eyelids off with The Reason. And he had plenty of help. Kanye West, Just Blaze, Rick Rock, No ID and more were behind the boards, creating one of the best produced efforts in his catalog. Of course, Beanie wasted no time rampaging over that top-tier production. A few of the trendier tracks don’t work out so well (and feel especially dated today) but the stronger cuts overpower the weaker moments, especially on the second half of the album when things truly begin to gel. Great follow up to similarly great album. And speaking of that album….
Forgotten favorites: “Mom Praying,” “What Your Life Like 2,” “Nothing Like It”
2. The Truth (2000)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: If Memphis Bleek wasn’t going to be the second coming of Jay-Z, a lot of people were placing bets on Beanie claiming the throne after this album. Bouncing between hard-hitting 2000s era production and blaxploitation-era soul samples, Beanie brings and intensity and earnestness in every bar. It’s not always perfect (the “Mac Man” beat still makes my eye twitch) but at its best, tracks like “What Ya Life Like” play out like the bleakest Amazon Prime documentary. Beans was more than a MC, he was the realest man in the booth. The Truth was the perfect title for his coming out party.
Forgotten favorites: “Die,” “Stop, Chill,” “What Ya Life Like”
1. The B. Coming (2005)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: As solid as his first two projects were, I never quite bought the hype of Beanie Sigel as the MC to lead the 2000s. But after I heardThe B. Coming, even I had to realize that Beanie is more than just a street-savvy rapper. He’s a storyteller of the highest order. The B. Coming is an album wrapped in paranoia and dread. Completed just before his prison sentence, Beanie contemplates the ramifications of his actions, backed by some of the best soul beats the decade had to offer. It’s haunting, it’s sorrowful, it’s angry – but it’s deeply personal and totally captivating. It’s a shame Beanie was never able to properly capitalize off this album. It was the one that made me a believer.
Forgotten favorites: “It’s On,” “Bread and Butter,” “I Can’t Go On This Way”
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