The Detroit News
Fort Minor, "The Rising Tied" (Warner Brothers): As one fifth of the multi-platinum, grammy-winning rock-rap group Linkin Park, Mike Shinoda gets to spit the occasional rap over lead screamer Chester Bennington's wails. "The Rising Tied," is a pure hip-hop album where Shinoda doesn't have to share scream time. Executive produced by Jay-Z, which means he had a cup of coffee with Shinoda, "The Rising Tied" proves two things: 1. Shinoda is a master beat maker as "Tied" has some of the phattest beats of the year -- "Petrified" and "In Stereo" come to mind. 2. Shinoda as a rapper is slightly above K-Fed territory. Luckily for him and us guest rappers abound including Styles of Beyond and Common. Despite Shinoda's lackluster MC skills, "The Rising Tied" is a surprisingly good album making Fort Minor more than a minor threat.
