Based on Yin and Yang, the Chinese characters that symbolize nature’s mutually dependent opposites, Cappadonna’s album was meant to discuss “different things...a lot of love, a lot of hate.“ However, there is no real backbone that holds the songs together and the lyrics of the album’s first half often seem like senseless babble. Take, for instance, the chorus of War Rats: “Star Wars, storm troopers, evil rulers/New maneuvers, Black German Luger laser beam.”

Fortunately, the lyrics improve in the second half as they begin to relate to the title. In “Revenge,” Cappadonna includes verses that discuss his inner self and relationship to God. Still, his songs continue to make allusions to Pillage (his rookie album), the Wu-Tang Clan, Shaolin, Staten Island, and even the Verrazano Narrows bridge. They serve to remind listeners of his rap roots, or better yet, to remind them why they made the CD purchase in the first place.

Majority of the album consists of more mellow or laid-back rap. Examples include “The Grits,” featuring 8-Off, “Super Model,” featuring Ghostface Killah, and “Big Business,” with Shyheim & Crunch. On the other hand, “Love is the Message,” featuring Raekwon, has a faster-paced, danceable beat, while J Dup’s general style takes over “We Know, ” the track that features himself and Da Brat. One song in “The Yin and the Yang” that deviates from the rest is “Shake Dat,” with Jammie Sommers. Unlike the others, it has a Dirty South flavor mixed in with a powerful bass beat.

Still, much like the concept of the Chinese Yin and Yang, the emphasis of Cappadonna’s album concentrates on process rather than structure. Cappadonna is definitely not as talented as co-Wu-Tang members Redman and Method Man, and he knows that he is not like Nelly or Jay-Z, as he mentions in the Spanish-influenced “One way 2 Zion“: “I'm not a Roc-A-Fella or Jay-Hovah.” Becoming a successful rapper is a long process, and Cappadonna has a long way to go. Lacking much structure, this album merits three stars.