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The Ownerz
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 17 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 8 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Virgin
Release Date: 24 June 2003
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap
Summary
This is the first album in five years for the duo of DJ Premier and Guru.
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
All Music Guide
All the Gang Starr trademarks are in place, from Premier's perfect upchoruses to Guru's reedy voice cutting or instructing, and sounding better than ever.
Read Full Review >Launch.com
The pair simply revert to the beats and concerns that made them an institution in hip-hop's golden age; except for the occasional cameo (Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss), The Ownerz could have hit the streets a decade ago without raising eyebrows.
Read Full Review >Uncut
All told, a class act still in their prime. [Sep 2003, p.97]
Neumu.net
A welcome return to that good stuff Gang Starr has delivered over the years.
Read Full Review >Spin
Guru is as bluntly eloquent as ever. [Sep 2003, p.115]
Pitchfork
There's plenty here to celebrate for consistency's sake-- because for what they've lacked in evolution, Guru and Premier have more than repaid in reliability.
Read Full Review >E! Online
While it's not as immediately user-friendly as the group's early jazz-rap infusions, this album still bubbles with head-nodding boombox pleasures.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Hitting that formula and riding it has drained some of the passion out of this sound.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Their continued presence is reassuring, confirming that there are enough people sufficiently interested in old-fashioned rap music to ensure the group's survival. And this album, logically, is made for those listeners, not to pander to a theoretical multitude. [Aug 2003, p.94]
Vibe
While The Ownerz does not spark any new rap trends, it brings back the power of the basics. [Jun 2003, p.153]
The Wire
Guru is... pushing the same grim consistency that makes folks describe Gang Starr albums as 'solid', not budging, not boring, but not better than Moment of Truth. [#234, p.73]
Q Magazine
It's almost a carbon copy of their early work. [Sep 2003, p.101]
Blender
Dignified and confident but slightly starved for ideas. [Aug 2003, p.125]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Premier does a solid job throughout The Ownerz, but nothing here approaches his past classics.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
"Skills" and "Rite Where U Stand" show the group's formula can still sizzle, but on the more mundane tracks... Gang Starr sound comfortable, and that's the last thing they'd want. [11 Jul 2003, p.78]
Austin Chronicle
So while The Ownerz does in some ways succeed in its quest to succinctly define the foundation of basic beats and rhymes, its insistent pining for bygone days ultimately reveals itself as lackluster nostalgia.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Maarten V. gave it a7:
This album has some very decent tracks, but not as many as i was used to find on Gang Starr albums. I'm a huge Gang Starr head and ive got all the albums, but i must say that i place this album at the bottom of my Gang Starr album pile. still, it has some OK tracks for instance Capture, Same Team No Games and Who Got Gunz, imo this album is worth an overall 7.
Benjamin H. gave it an 8:
I love Gangstarr, but on The Ownerz, there should be more tight tracks. There are about 5-6 really tight ones, some ok, then some were like, what?? I expected more, but all in all it is hot.
cool fearthefuture gave it a 10:
This is pure hiphop here gangstarr returns.
Ryan T gave it an 8:
While its no Moment of Truth, its still better then the Hip Hop garbage out right now ex: Ja, Nelly, Cash Money etc. etc. Highlights include Rite Where You Stand, Who Got Gunz, Same Team No Games.
