Let's Get Ready

Mystikal was the last rapper anyone expected to cross over to the mainstream. His delivery fluctuated wildly between a menacing whisper and a full-blown scream, often within the span of a few seconds. His songs portrayed an artist at once certifiably dangerous and unapologetically silly. Beneath his violent mood swings, fans must have detected something lovable, because by the time “Shake Ya Ass” and “Danger (Been So Long)” were released in 2000, Mystikal was one of America's most popular rappers. Of course, a big part of this success was due to The Neptunes, whose snappy beats were quickly becoming the dominant paradigm of mainstream hip-hop. The crispness of The Neptunes' style energized Mystikal, who knew just what to do with sharp edges. Besides its two hit singles, Let’s Get Ready features a handful of overlooked songs produced by Southern rap masterminds like KLC (“Big Truck Boys”), Mo B. Dick (“I Rock, I Roll”), and Earthtone III (“The Braids”). In 2000, Mystikal was one of only a few rappers who could match OutKast for unbridled creative energy, an affinity evidenced by their classic duet “Neck Uv Da Woods.”