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Street Credibility
Let me start by saying, Cali Agents aren't your typical cats in this hip-hop industry. They're hungry for the cash, yet still, they refrain themselves from "selling out" in the game.

Rasco (Cali Agent #1) is my favorite of the two, but most would disagree. This dude has one of the best flows I've heard in a good while. Planet Asia (Cali Agent #2) is the other half of Cali Agents. This dude's more on that lyrical tip. Both cats are extremely gifted with their own unique techniques.

How the West Was One isn't exactly classic material, but it's one of hip-hop's better albums of 2000, but if you're not really into the underground scene, don't expect How the West Was One to be a work of art. The production was solid from my view, but most rap fans wouldn't buy into it. The beats are a nice blend of the dark side of rap, mixed with a dash of that battle tip music. I found it fairly ear pleasing.

These cats have some major street credibility, not just on the West, but all across the entire map. You'll never see these two incredibility gifted emcees on 106 Park, but keep your ear to the street, and you'll eventually see why these cats are so vastly respected.

Now thats Hip Hop!
Planet Asia and Rasco are great. This is one of my favorite albums of all time, and not just beacuse I am from the West. The beats are great, and both MC's do an even better job flowing to them. This is a must for anyone that is into hip hop.

Good, but could have been better...
Planet Asia and Rasco are two really good emcees, so the idea of them coming together as the Cali Agents should create excitement for a very good album. This is a solid album, but there are a lot of missed opportunities. Songs like "Up Close and Personal" ft. Chuck Taylor and "Faces of Death" are amazing. Two of the best songs of the year, no matter whose album they appear on. Chuck Taylor's guest appearances is a huge addition to this album. Another plus was this albums intro. This has to be the funniest intro/skit I have ever heard.
On "Talking Smack" Rasco drops one of the dopest verses of the year:
"you can just save the little praisin' accolades/
I'm more concerned with my bills getting paid/
I'm not in the game to try to brake my neck/
my little baby girl can't eat your respect/
and that's real and I don't care how you feel"
However, that verse tends to contrast a lot of their album as they rap about money and selling records more than most so called "underground" groups. This leaves the listener wondering whether they are representing underground hip-hop or are bitter over their failure to sell a lot of albums.
Most will probably agree with their past work that they're happy doing work off of independent labels. But that leaves the album with some lazy subject matter.
Despite these downsides the album is still very good. The good songs are extremely well done and the majority of the album constitutes of solid songs. The only real "bad" song that shouldn't have been included is "Real Talk" where they try to create an underground party song that doesn't work.
All in all, anyone who is a fan of Rasco and Planet Asia will be satisfied with this album. Others should definitely check the sound clips before buying.

Not so underground Cali rap
I would have to give this a 4.5 out of 5, yet 5 is better than 4 and I love this album.....Rasco is dope, he knows what sounds good and goes with it, Planet Asia is a good lyricist yet together they feed off one another and prove to make a damn good album......the skit with the record producer is almost enough to go buy the album, anyways buy it, support good artists that are true to their messages in music............Adios
Answering the East Coast critics who think Cali's all about surf and turf are the Cali Agents--Rasco and Planet Asia. Anchored by staccato beats courtesy of M-Boogie, Paul Nice, and His-Panik (among others), the dynamic duo lay a verbal smackdown from the start and don't let up for 15 tracks. Their braggadocio is impressive, but it threatens to leave the listener punch drunk, as it's the only real style on How the West Was One. As two of the West Coast's fiercest rhyme slingers, they are impressive on one level, but still have to reach for greater depth to become multidimensional MCs. --Oliver Wang