Mac Dre

There have been seemingly hundreds of new Mac Dre releases since the Bay Area rapper's murder in 2004. This one has 27 guest spots scattered across its 15 songs, so it would seem that new Mac verses are scarce. But despite that qualifier, Starters has a lot to like. The remix of "'84 to 2004," originally released on the great Ronald Dregan, is predictably great. As with many post-hyphy Bay releases, the best tracks here are more silly than hard. Mac's droopy, psychedelic take on street life fuels the loopy "Unreleased," while Mistah F.A.B. adds absurdist euphoria to "Gangsta Mac."