I think it’s safe to say that being a legend in the hip-hop industry is not an easy job. Critics always compare your latest release with your best album and fans can be even worse, often claiming that an artist has sold out once they sign to a major label or do a single endorsement. If one thing is certain though, there are a number of legends who have managed to please both fans and critics throughout their careers by simply sticking to what works for them. Snoop and Ghostface come to mind, but so does Scarface, whose latest album, Made, is a perfect example of his unwavering commitment to a certain style of down south hip-hop.

That commitment, however, can sometimes be a double-edged sword, as some styles can tire after years. Scarface’s new album, Made, is an impressive album but there really isn’t anything innovative about it. Honestly, this album sounds like it was “made” about 10 years ago, but that doesn’t automatically make it a bad album. I guess I just expected way too much. Anyways, the album starts off with “Never,” which is one of the only relatively upbeat tracks on the album besides “Big Dogg Status.” Even though this song leaked months before the album came out, it’s still probably the highlight of the album.

“Girl You Know” is another impressive track on the album, where Face obviously draws from personal experience and addresses some problems with a long-term relationship. The way he tells the story throughout the song is interesting and keeps you listening up until the very end, wanting to know if Face is going to dump this girl or stay with her. “Burn” featuring Z-RO is another quality track, where Face rhymes about a murder that he just committed and alludes to the troublesome resurgence of violence in the inner city.

This is where the album pretty much goes downhill. “Go,” featuring Nina, is another song about a relationship, but way more mediocre than “Girl You Know.” Things jump back on track with “Dollar,” where Scarface molds his rhyme delivery almost perfectly to the beat. “Who Do You Believe In” is an interesting commentary on the clashing ideas and values between different religions and generations. But things get even more depressing on “Boy Meets Girl,” where Scarface raps about a relationship between two people who just can’t seem to get things together. The last track, “Suicide Note,” is even more somber, as Face talks about a close friend who commits suicide.

Overall, I think longtime Scarface fans will be pleased with Made, but it will leave many people just wanting more. The lyrics and production are pretty impressive for the most part, but the album contains only 10 songs, many of which are so depressing that they’ll leave the listener emotionally drained by the end of the album. Consequently, I wouldn’t recommend this album to anyone with seasonal affective disorder.