The controversy starts here: beef with Eminem

This veteran Boston rapper's recent rivalry with Eminem has given him something that has been missing from the rest of his lengthy recording career: attention. Long ignored by most of the music industry, Ray "Benzino" Scott started the beef in November when he called Eminem a "modern-day Vanilla Ice" on his dis track "Pull Your Skirt Up." That someone with such average skills would launch a lyrical assault on the much more talented Eminem is unbelievable. While playful and occasionally humorous, Benzino's mediocrity is evident throughout his second solo album, Redemption. \nThe Bacardi-approved club anthem "Rock the Party" has been enjoying some success, but it's the only track that packs any punch. The majority of his album includes more than a dozen gravel-voiced flows backed up with tiresome beats. The collection is only improved by a group of guests more talented than its host: Jadakiss, Wyclef Jean and Scarface. This commonplace album is a boast-heavy project whose biggest attraction is the controversy surrounding it.