Win Lose Or Draw (Explicit Version)

Pras (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 30, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Universal
• ASIN: B0009NZ3VY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #408,175 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Win Lose Or Draw

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars 1-1/2 stars -- It shouldn't even be possible for music to be this wack, December 23, 2005

By 

Anthony Rupert "shut up, Shut Up, SHUT UP!!!" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Win Lose Or Draw (Explicit Version) (Audio CD)

Now, Pras Michel couldn't rap at all when he and the Fugees were known as Tranzlator Crew and they delivered Blunted On Reality (remember his verse in the otherwise dope "Nappy Heads"?). He had improved a little by the time The Score came out, but he still didn't have the skills to venture out on his own; maybe he did it because Lauryn Hill and Wyclef did the same thing (although only their first two respective albums were any good). Pras DID do a good job with the SONG "Ghetto Supastar", but I don't know anyone that picked up the album, or THIS album, Win Lose or Draw, which is just crap.

One main problem with this album is that Pras is calling out to wack emcees. Now, Pras is hardly the authority on washed-up rappers, which is pretty obvious by the failed party joint "Party's Ova". And the album's first song, the title track, is so bad that I didn't even want to listen to the rest of the album (not to mention that it doesn't make any sense).

Another song that doesn't make sense is "One Monkey Don't Stop the Show". And the lead single "Haven't Found" (which interpolates U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For") is confusing because the chorus is about a troubled relationship while the verses are condemning war. Speaking of that, anti-war songs also fall flat, like "For Love", "Angels Sing" and "Mr. Martin". The latter two songs feature Wyclef and Akon, respectively, and they do nothing except bring the songs down.

The same can be said for the necessary song for the kiddies, "How It Feels", and unsurprisingly, the kids can't sing. Another skippable joint is the obligatory reggae crossover, "Dance Hall" (with Sean Paul and Spragga Benz), but it's also odd in that the chorus says you "can't test Spragga, Pras, Roundhead and Sean P". Who the hell is Roundhead?

Pras also falls when he makes songs for the ladies. "Mistakes" (which...nah, that's too easy) and "Dreamin'" are nothing special, but the latter is strange because guest vocalist Sharli McQueen sings the chorus: "See, I'm better off without you girl/Because the things you do I just don't approve." Why is a WOMAN singing that?

And you'd be better off not listening to this album. In fact, I'd even listen to any post-Carnival Wyclef Jean album before I listened to THIS again. This album came out in August and you see this is only the fourth review for it. It's because nobody cares about this album, and there's no reason TO care.

Anthony Rupert

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Win, Lose, Or Draw? I'm Just Surprised I Was Able To Listen To This All The Way Through!, October 1, 2005

By 

Charles L. Hubbert "of Urban-Reviews.com" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Win Lose Or Draw (Explicit Version) (Audio CD)

I actually got through the entire cd, although I almost wish I hadn't! I don't know what it is about Pras and solo albums, but it's almost like he is lost without his Fugee counterparts on the tracks to save him. When there isn't someone there to guide him as far as his lyrics are concerned, he just goes off the deep end. That was his main problem with Ghetto Superstar, his debut solo album from 1998 on Ruffhouse Records. The only thing worth having from that album was the bonus disc with exclusive and unreleased Wyclef Jean tracks! This time around, he gets a little help in the production department which makes his album at least listenable. But Win, Lose, or Draw is nowhere near the success he wishes to have on his own.

The title track starts the album off okay with some stellar production, but then Pras opens his mouth and ruins it to the point where it doesn't matter how good the beat is. The same can be said about a bunch of songs on the album. "Dreamin" and "One Monkey Don't Stop The Show" both incorporate some decent R&B background singing, but then the kindergarten raps that plagues Pras' thought processes comes out again. This repeats again on "For Love" where the R&B singer does a better job than Pras! He desperately tries his hand at being compassionate on the song "Mistakes" where he pleas for a woman to give him another chance at love.

Even Wyclef Jean, who hasn't had a hit in years, brings little to the song "Angels Sing." But nothing gets as bad as "Mr. Martin," which features both the uninspired rapping of Pras alongside the tiresome singing of Akon all on one song! The calypso sounding "Party's Ova" sounds robotic when Pras proclaims "Time to turn off the lights....Party Is Over." And things go from bad to worst with "Haven't Found," where Pras borrow's the hook from U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." He does more borrowing on "Friend A' Foe" when he uses elements from Whodini's "Friends" and "Ghetto Politics" where he uses BDP's lyric "Criminal minded, you've been blinded" to start off this horrible track. He even goes as far as pulling a chorus of kids into the mix for the song "How It Feels," an obviously overused tactic that many others have utilized fruitlessly.

When the Fugees supposedly drop their reunion album in December '05, hopefully everybody will have forgotten about all the failed attempts of solo success from Pras as well as Wyclef's more recent works and Lauryn's Unplugged disc. Win, Lose, or Draw? When you compare Ghetto Superstar to this album, it's like comparing an 'F' to barely passing! Let's just say Pras didn't lose entirely with this album and leave it at that...because you certainly didn't win any brownie points from Fugee fans or the record label!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars We all lost listening to this album!, July 17, 2007

By 

Nuisance "the rebel" (Miami) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Win Lose or Draw (Audio CD)

Just when you think Pras couldnt get any worse. BAM! He drops this album. Pras has not only gotten worse lyrically but he has the personality of a corpse. Still! The only songs I could tolerate from him was Ghetto Supastar featuring the late ODB and Avenues featuring Ky-mani Marley(I dont even know why I like the song myself so dont ask). The Good: No good tracks on here just some songs with decent production like Win Lose Or Draw, Friend A Foe and Ghetto Politics. The songs stink lyrically so lets go to the next category. The Bad: The title track is bland and Dance Hall featuring Sean Paul and Spragga Benz would clear the most accepting of dance floors. Light My Fire not only suffers from a weak beat but also a nonsensical hook and wack performance by Pras himself. Dreamin is his vapid song for the ladies and why is a girl singing a hook like that? /See Im better off with you girl because/ the things you do I just dont approve/(?????!!!??). Not only does Pras fumble with the flow but he also bites rhymes and phrases from 2pac on Friend A Foe, Win Lose Or Draw etc. Ghetto Politics not only suffers because of Pras but it also suffers because of his weak homeboys who in all honesty rap better than than him and they are at their worst. How It Feels is another offence that has kids singing offbeat in the chorus. The Ugly: Wyclef busts the worst verse of his rap career on Angels Sing and it was still better than Pras's verses! HOW INSANE IS THAT?
as for the worst songs on the album its a tie between Havent Found(dreadful rendition),Mr Martin featuring Akon(the beat is so bad it makes me chuckle just like the beat for Angels Sing) and One Monkey Dont Stop The Show(humorously bad). Party's Ova jacks the beat from Wyclef's Life In New York(also done in creole on his last album) as Pras spits booty lyrics/ya n***** bone thugs man skull and bones/(HUH?)and a booty hook to match /you used to be hot/but now youre just pimping in a parking lot/(It should be a crime to be so corny). Dishonorable Mentions: For Love and Mistakes.
Bottom Line: While Pras's Win Lose Or Draw is not the worst release of 2005(D4L's Down4Life has that honor)its easily one of the worst rap releases of 2005. Pras further proves that he cant carry a full album by himself with this one. Why he's still around is a mind-boggling thing to figure out. All I know is that you have to question the sanity of anybody who can say that this album jams with a straight face.