This is the 7th full length studio LP from Rochester, NY Emcee/Producer Eto. Learning him through his verse at the end of the 6th installment of the infamous Westside Gunn HWH Series of mixtapes and eventually his full-length debut produced by DJ Muggs Hell's Roof a few months later, this followed Long Story Short as well as & Front row & Its beauty. Produced by Futurewave Dead poets it would be as acclaimed as his debut and debut Integrity 2 Produced by Body Bag Ben which was a solid follow up to the original EP itself, Eto was taking it Long Way Home.
The title track has that unsettling vibe at the start of the instrumental, talking about the fact that money comes a long way when you take the longest route back to the swing, while “Purge Night” strips the drums completely, referencing the film series of the same name. The sharp 'Yes Lord' with Flee Lord finds the RocAmeriKKKa The duo get into their hardcore bag lyrically before the Chup-produced “Judas” finds him stuck on both ends of the fork.
“New Money” ties in a guitar sample thanks to V Don talking to him about the new paper he was speechless on just before “The Light” with Tony Yayo seeing both artists over a boom bap instrumental from Nottz to talk aggressively about how it went dark. out. “No Pun Intended” with Kurupt warns that neither of them wants any trouble as the extended can be extended in minutes and “Tearz” brings it all back effortlessly.
Kicking off the latter leg, Mephux brings a gospel trap to the table on “Oath” thinking back to when he was playing in the cold, while the Dark Lo & Nyce da Future co-produced “3 Strikes” jazzily refuses to make any kind of deal with Devil in the future boasting that they can go on for centuries. Closer “Durnan” ties the album together by refusing to split the proceeds choosing between a Desert Eagle or a box cutter.
Long Way Homeit is not at the same level of excellence asDead poets&Integrity 2Both stood on their own, yet it still stands as an enjoyable offering from the Rochester lyricist & beatsmith. Yes, the production on the last two albums has been more consistent, but Eto undeniably sounds like he's taken his time with the lyrics, and the short number of guests involved all perfectly match his level of lyricism.
Rating: 7/10
