Skratch Bastid, John Smith & Pip Skid — Taking Care Of Business

Though it features the talents of prolific Winnipeg MCs John Smith and Pip Skid, Taking Care Of Business is primarily a showcase for Halifax DJ Skratch Bastid. He's skilled on the decks, as his wax-shredding on "Murphy's Law" amply demonstrates, but he's missing an ear for compelling beats. Smith and Skid rap over slow, sleep-inducing tracks that seem half-finished, and they respond with b-grade rhymes that wouldn't cut it with their regular Peanuts & Corn producing partner McEnroe. Someone who appreciates the old school as much as Skratch Bastid should know that scratching is only a small part of his job.