LL has said that 14 Shots To The Dome waz he most unfocused album. His career waz just kinda exhausted at that point. Going away then coming back. I love 14 Shots To The Dome. He said that it waz his weakest album, but that it did have it's strong moments. I remember he mentioned "Pink Cookies..." (one of my fav LL joints) and i think "Diggy Down."
At the same time, FP said Code Red didn't work becuz he waz lacking confiedence. He calls "Boom! Shake The Room" the weakest songs he's ever recorded. It just seems like alot of true skool emcees look back at that 'just after early 90's' era in a bad way. Commercially, people who listened 2 Hip-Hop now listened 2 gangsta rap. Old skool legends releaxed a lil' bit and focused more on their street edge (JJ+FP, LL, Queen Latifah, Run-DMC, UMC's)...all resulting in good music, but staggering sales (except 4 Latifah). I don't know, i think that dark era brought out alot of good music, but the artists who made it don't seem 2 feel that way.