by Roxanne Blanford 　　  　　As one-third of the California rap trio Tha Alkaholiks, Tash has been responsible for some of the most raucous and rowdy lyrical gems ever laid down by any West Coast crew. But in 1999, Tash branched out on his own for a solo debut, and committed his talents towards broadening the hip-hop audience with his own brand of smooth yet compelling beats packaged within the hardcore tradition. Rap Life delivers easy, bass-heavy compositions right alongside the requisite B-boy and club tracks. On "G's Iz G's," rapper Kurupt battles with Tash through a saucy stream of verbal punches and counterpunches, and on "Rap Life," Raekwon joins Tash to rap about life as an MC. Standout cuts "Fallin' On" and "Ricochet" allow Tash to freely exhibit his rap skills with masterful fluidity. Featuring appearances from B Real, Big Boi, Carl Thomas and OutKast, Rap Life represents the merging of West Coast and East Coast styles to deliver a record that is not only accessible, but more than likely to reach commercial success.