In Brief

* * * Various artists, “Murder Was the Case,” Death Row/Interscope. Fifteen mostly rap tracks either on or inspired by the soundtrack for an unreleased, 20-minute movie directed by Dr. Dre. Though the three cuts featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg are the reason the album debuted at No. 1, they’re just so-so. The hard-driving Dre-Ice Cube collaboration “Natural Born Killaz” is the best cut. Other strong ones: Young Soldierz’ “Eastside Westside” and Jodeci’s “Come Up to My Room.”

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).