...that I really need to find this album and listen. It's been way too long since I heard this shit.

I don't remember hating the beats and I agree with those saying that the style of beats being "minimized" to allow the listener to focus on the lyricism was probly done on purpose and was definitely the way to go.

Resurrection is another example of this, though I think the beats were a lot better on Res from what I remember of Soul on Ice. But NoID and YNot kept the soul samples subtle and groovy to allow Common to flex his lyrical muscles. I think Soul on Ice was similar.

I'm now excited to dig thru my crates to find this album and listen again.