Set It Off: Music From The New Line Cinema Motion Picture is a solid collection of hip-hop and R&B.  A lot of the hip-hop is far better than much of the crap that comes out these days.  (The game's been overrun with wannabes just tryin' to get rich.)

A good deal of the soundtrack, though certainly not all of it, is fairly laid back.

Set It Off: Music From The New Line Cinema Motion Picture is opened by “Set It Off,” a slow groove with engaging vocals, a fitting beat, and a compelling hook.  Queen Latifah not surprisingly throws some ill rhymes.

Brandy joins Tamia, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan to deliver “Missing You,” a moving song about overcoming the loss of a loved one.  All four ladies put forth a tremendous vocal performance, which earned a Grammy nomination.

En Vogue follow with “Don't Let Go (Love),” another song with all the makings of a hit.

In “Days Of Our Livez,” Bone Thugs-n-Harmony give their trademark blend of melody and quick, rhythmic rap.  While the rhymes themselves are expediently articulated, the song itself has a very relaxed flow.

One of my favourite rappers, Busta Rhymes, busts onto the scene in “Live To Regret,” on which he drops tight rhymes, as usual.  Busta achieves an interesting pulsated vocal effect on the raps.

You can't get much more blunt than Blulight in “Sex Is On My Mind.”  Provocative as the name is, it's by no means tasteless.

Next, Simply Red gives the laid-back but very expressive “Angel.”  Wyclef Jean produced the track, and also makes a brief appearance on it.

Queen Latifah drops an utterly crafty no-holds-barred diss session with “Name Callin'.”  My two favourite licks: “you'll never be the woman that your father was,” and “she couldn't come up if she was gettin' ?? in an elevator,” lol.  As well, the track's got a classic-style beat.

“Angelic Wars” follows with a slow, articulated instrumental.  While southern, some of the rhymes are pretty decent.

Next is Billy Lawrence, with “Come On.”  The vocals have somewhat of a dollish timbre, though not unskilled.  MC Lyte drops some rhymes in the track.

Ray-J follows with “Let It Go,” an upbeat, funky number.

Seal then delivers a strong performance on “Hey Joe.”  Whoever Joe is, he needs to check himself.  (He shot his lady down, for cheating!)  The well-suited instrumental is initially quiet, but becomes appropriately noisy (almost too much so) towards the end.

It shouldn't be all too surprising that “The Heist” chronicles a bank robbery.  Cute hook.

X-Man and H Squad close out the soundtrack with “From Yo Blind Side.”  The rapping is unexceptional.  The beat is cleverly crafted for the theme, though.

Set It Off: Music From The New Line Cinema Motion Picture is on the whole quite enjoyable, with a number of strong tracks, a few misses aside.