Ayres told me he was working on this mix a while back, and it kinda slipped into the back of my mind until a few months later, when Eleven said that he'd just finished up a Houston-themed CD. How could such a thing happen? Was there miscommunication in the Rub camp? No, friends - it was all part of a larger plan, unveiled here for the first time. Headlining the show is "Houston," a retrospective that spans 15+ years of H-Town history, from Geto Boys to UGK, Scarface to Slim Thug. Mixed by Ayres and genuine TX native JD, and hosted by big Bun B himself, it's a top-notch lesson in a regional sound that's only recently come to the attention of most people. It's also a perfect primer for the second CD, tucked away as a 'bonus' in the back of the case. "Houston Rocks It" offers a 40+ track survey of Houston as we know it today - Cham, Paul Wall, Flip, etc. - all masterfully mixed by the big homie, DJ Eleven. Chalk up two more for the Rub with this quality double-pack.

reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red