Seeing so many unheralded artists from hip-hop’s golden age finally getting their just due is a beautiful thing for b-boys who remember the golden age. Hearing said artists put out contemporary albums is a mixed blessing, though, as The Black Life demonstrates. An interlude reminds listeners that Lowe and Dooley-O are the ones responsible for bringing the classic Skull Snaps break to hip-hop, but elsewhere, Lowe’s attempts to modernize his sound bring pedestrian results. It’s not a bad album by any stretch, but Lowe leaves his comfort zone to attract younger listeners when he might have been better served sticking to his strengths.