Gravediggaz

After several years of inactivity, Gravediggaz returned with Nightmare in A-Minor. Unfortunately, this is the group's last album, first of all, because the more well-known half -- RZA and Prince Paul -- had left and, second of all, because Poetic, one of the two remaining group members, passed away in 2001 after fighting colon cancer for two years. Though Nightmare in A-Minor showcases Poetic and Frukwan no doubt trying their best to make the album on a par with the group's first two albums -- 6 Feet Deep (1994) and The Pick, the Sickle & the Shovel (1997) -- it falls short of the mark. More than anything, the departure of RZA and Prince Paul leaves Gravediggaz sounding a little weaker than you'd expect. Poetic and Frukwan carry all of this album's weight, and with 19 tracks filling this album to the brim, that's a lot of weight to carry. Thankfully, the duo have producers LG, Diamond J, and True Master to help out with the beats, but even that's not quite enough. Still, even if Nightmare in A-Minor doesn't measure up to the group's earlier albums, Poetic's unfortunate passing does make it somewhat of a novelty, particularly for longtime fans of the artist. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide