The Solution is the third collaborative studio album by American rapper Buckshot and record producer 9th Wonder. It was released on November 13, 2012 through Jamla Records/Duck Down Music. Production was entirely handled by 9th Wonder, who also served as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Dyme-A-Duzin and Rapsody. The album debuted at number 196 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 2,300 copies in the United States.[1]
A music video for the album's lead single "The Change Up" was directed by Kenneth Price.[2] Another video was released for the song "Shorty Left".[3]
The Solution was met with generally favorable reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 73, based on seven reviews.[4]
Bogar Alonso of XXL stated, "The Solution finds Buckshot doing a better job than in his past two at-bats to keep up with the super producer, and he does so by using his relaxed spitting as an anchor".[10]AllMusic's David Jeffries said, "The nostalgia and artistry will take you back and warm your Coogi-covered heart".[5] Ryan B. Patrick of Exclaim! said, "It's a gritty, soulful sound that holds The Solution together, seemingly aspiring to be nothing more than "Boot Camp meets Little Brother": familiar and stress-free for an audience seeking a vintage feel in their hip-hop".[7] Jesse Fairfax of HipHopDX said, "The Solution once again combines Buckshot and 9th Wonder's accomplished and refined skill sets as pioneers of the '90s and the past decade respectively".[8] Grant Jones of RapReviews said, "The Solution doesn't differ from the previous instalments at all. If you're a fan of either artist then it is certainly worth picking up".[9] Jon Hadusek of Consequence of Sound said, "Although The Solution is too hung up on the past to be relevant in the present, it remains a competent throwback to hip-hop's golden age, an era that both artists seem to be yearning for. That nostalgia pervades The Solution".[6]
Track listing
All Tracks Produced by Patrick "9th Wonder" Douthit
