Alpha Dog

You don't have to be a hustler to love the soundtrack to Alpha Dog. You don't have to be a sucker for a wistful yet deeply ironic rendition of "Over the Rainbow," either. You don't even have to know the difference between speed metal and speed rap, though you'll find bits of those on here, too. What you do need is an ear for a skillful assemblage of non-hits and a willingness to insert yourself into the previous decade. Then, the loving comes easy: With the exception of Citizen Cope's "Bullet and a Target," a hand-clappy but street-wise hip-hop/pop hybrid that's as distinctly modern as it is infectious, and Eva Cassidy's "Rainbow," Alpha Dog culls a generous selection of 90s-inspired rap, Latin-tinged R&B and pop. Where it scores highest is originality--producer Aaron Zigman and director Nick Cassavetes could have leaned on Coolio or early Snoop to put their retro-ghetto point across, but they tapped talented newcomers like Mic Holden, a Snoop soundalike, and the rising Midwest rapper Tech N9ne instead. In less capable hands, meaningless bark (consider grunge, another 90s export) might have been the result. Track for track, though, what the soundtrack to Alpha Dog produces is genuine bite. --Tammy La Gorce

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Soundtrack Review: ‘Alpha Dog’