Ray Benzino may be a successful hip-hop recording artist but before he appeared as a performer, first with Made Men andthen solo, he made his name as a top-shelf producer. As such, his credits include Nas and others. Making his own artistic statement on REDEMPTION, he certainly makes good use of his phone book, enlisting the aid of Jadakiss, Wyclef, Scarface, and a host of other hip-hop luminaries. However, it's Benzino's own production smarts and lyrical skills that lead the charge here, whether on the sensually undulating club track "Rock the Party" or the mission statement "Stayin 4Eva". Benzino's authoritative but unhurried rhyming style and his innovative tracks make REDEMPTION a standout.