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Rick Ross – Port of Miami

Angus Crawford — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 07:00:00 +0000

   Former hustla builds a buzz in the South, then signs with Def Jam, and releases a debut album with top notch production. Sound familiar? Last summer Young Jeezy set the streets on fire with Thug Motivation 101 and in 2006 Rick Ross’s Port of Miami will be bumping in car stereos in every hood across the country.

    By now everyone is familiar with the street anthem “Hustlin” and the remix with labelmate Young Jeezy and President Carter. The simplicity of the lyrics and the kickin drums courtesy of new beatsmiths The Runners made it a summer favorite and made Ross someone to watch. On Port of Miami, Ross sticks to the successful formula of “Hustlin” making his debut pleasantly consistent or nauseatingly redundant depending on the listener.

    The strength of Ross’s style is that he is unapologetic for anything his persona has done in the past and its that conviction that makes some of the mundane drug references bearable and sometimes enjoyable. Lines like “I was birthed in the crack house/But what made it worse every first it’s a packed house/Little brother knowing life illegal/No toys just playing with pipes and needles” on “Cross That Line” featuring Akon, show that Ross may not have actively chosen this life of crime, but like Jay-Z it was the life that chose him. To him, his past makes him legitimate, and he sets to prove it through out the album. Songs like “Pots and Pans”featuring J Rock and “I’m A G” featuring Brisco and the always improving Lil’ Wayne may sound like Ross is forcing his street credibility down listener’s throats, but he manages to sound authentic and occasionally insightful. The strongest track is the catchy “White House” with Ross confidently spitting lyrics like “I don’t fuck with pussy niggaz took my shit to Jigga Man/Went to Manhattan and come home a young millionaire” and “You niggaz go and fish I got a plate of sharks”.

    Sticking to his strengths works well for Ross, but there are only so many different ways to talk about the hustler’s lifestyle. “Where My Money (I Need That)” sounds a little too much like “Hustlin’” (and Lil’ Wayne’s “Money on my Mind” for that matter) right down to the Runner’s in house rapper on the chorus that it probably should have been left on the cutting room floor. The Shaft-esque sound on “I?’m Bad” and the cheesy “Blow” featuring Dre would be other examples of addition by subtraction. While there are some serious misses, “Hit U From The Back” (featuring Rodney) earns the dubious distinction of “most likely to break the skip button” with its sad attempt at recreating the “romantic” feeling of Biggie and R. Kelly’s “Fucking You Tonight”.

     Clocking in at nearly 80 minutes, Port of Miami has plenty to offer fans yearning for more of Ross. For some it may be 75 minutes too much, but no matter what Def Jam has another banger from their southern rap roster.

Lost Children of Babylon – The 911 Report

Angus Crawford — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 07:00:00 +0000

   Somewhere Paris is smiling, because the Lost Children of Babylon may hate Bush II more than he hates Bush I. Following in the footsteps of Paris, Chuck D, and Brother J, the Philadelphia collective’s latest album, The 911 Report The Ultimate Conspiracy, is condemnation of President Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and any person associated with their perceived view of a corrupt government. Using the events of September 11th, 2001 as the crux of their argument, The Lost Children of Babylon deliver plenty of politically charged lyrics that could make them heirs to Mista Chuck’s throne.

   The strongest track on the album is “Guerilla Militia” with each member doing their best Noah Chomsky over a chaotic beat filled with heavy drums and heavier guitar. Lines like, “We need help here / We spend billions on probes to Mars / When there are people who need healthcare,” sound a little simple, but are delivered with surprising conviction and authenticity that most learners should feel what they are saying. Songs like “Never Die” and “Baptized By Fire” showcase the groups feelings about race relations in the United States. The latter includes an intro from Fred Hampton before leading into the soul sampled beat.

   While The Lost Children remain political through out the album, they may be a little limited as rappers. The group does not deliver many memorable lines, including some that sound as if the group had just watched Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 911. On “Media” one member rhymes, “As I stand next to the window pain / Holding an AK like El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz / Better known as Malcolm X / Blasting my tech”, sounding a little contrived in order to get his Malcolm X allusion across. Some will say that the group may cross the proverbial line, especially when they say, “Capture Ariel Sharon and stone him to death / And make him internally bleed to death / And let the lead open up his chest”, but we have heard more violent lyrics in rap before. However the victim usually is an unknown/unidentified black male and not the former leader of Israel.

   Certainly this album is going to be too radical for some people, but others may gravitate towards The Lost Children’s message. Unfortunately with an album that invites so much controversy, most people will not notice The Lost Children as rappers. That could be both a gift and a curse for the group.

O.C. – Smoke And Mirrors

Angus Crawford — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 07:00:00 +0000

In a perfect world rappers would be paid based on their rhyming skills and not the label’s marketing skills. Unfortunately we do not live in an ideal world and rappers like O.C. have yet to achieve the financial success they deserve. By refusing to conform to the candy rap standards, O.C. may never experience the proverbial champagne, caviar, and bubble baths, but fortunately for rap fans those things do not appear to impress him. Its been over a decade since his classic debut, Word Life, and O.C.remains as raw as ever on his latest album, Smoke and Mirrors, crafting an album that does not rely on gimmicks and frills to sound good.

The album opens with “You Made Me” with its clever sampling and the banging “Martyr”, which set the tone with O.C. spitting lines like “This ain’t something to dance to / This is something to blow your mind and discuss with your crew”. Mike Loe’s boom bap drums and gritty sound blend nicely with O.C.’s relentless flow giving the album remarkable consistency. This, represents both a gift and a curse, because some of the songs begin to sound a little too similar.

However its a minor flaw as O.C. maintains his frantic pace through out the album. Tracks like “Change Ya’ All” and “Distortion” show an intensity that would make M.O.P. proud. On “Going Nowhere” O.C. ask fans the seemingly rhetorical question, “What you want truth or trash or that bubble gum shit? / Silicone or saline or sucking on some real tits?”. Undeniably, O.C. does not really care if the whole world chooses the “bubble gum shit”, because he is not going to change. In fact he is less polite when discussing critics like on “What I Need” as he says, “To be perfectly frank / Don’t give a fuck about rap columns or ratings / Determining my rank”. While it may belittle the purpose of writing this review, it is still refreshing to see an artist worry more about his craft than his critics.

Jim Jones – Harlem: The Diary of a Summer

Angus Crawford — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 07:00:00 +0000

    In a little under a decade, Jimmy Jones has gone from “Cam’ron’s friend” on “Horse and Carriage” (remember me too?) to “Capo” of one of the hottest rap clicks around. Along the way he has negotiated numerous business deals for himself and other members of the Dipset, as well as release a successful independent album and two Diplomats records with Cam’ron and Juelz Santana. After proving himself as an astute business man, Jimmy Jones further establishes himself as a rapper on his second release, Harlem: Diary of a Harlem Summer, by making a solid album.

    Most of the album is typical Dipset, including the Treblemakerz produced “J.I.M.M.Y.”, which evokes memories of “S.A.N.T.A.N.A.” and classic DMX, with Jimmy confidently rhyming “I’m a boss I said/ Dipset gangsta I don’t cross my legs”. Jimmy fills the album with similarly braggadocios lyrics like on “Penitentiary Chances” where he says, “Who suffered the loss?/ My new truck is a Porsche/ This is one-eyed Willie/ And I am from fucking New York”. Santana comes through with his usual lyrics, style, and ever-improving flow on “Honey Dip” and “Ride With Me”, but Cam’ron, the third member of the trinity, is missing.

While Cam’ron is mysteriously MIA, the album does not lack guest appearances. Max B., 40 Cal, and J.R. Writer are featured as well as Diddy, Paul Wall, and Jha Jha on the posse cut “What You Drinkin’ On”. None of the “rappers” distinguish themselves on the song, and Diddy’s delivery is especially bad which comes complete with his signature voice-overs and “yeah’s”. Although a Diddy appearance would easily be the low point for most albums, the annoying chipmunk sample on “Harlem” challenges him for the dubious distinction.

The best song of the album is the Pete Rock produced “G’s Up” with the traditional “soul” feeling expected of him. Jimmy shines on the song with a smooth delivery and semi-conscious lines like “The majority of the time/ I’m trying to stay above the poverty line/ And that’s a major part of my grind”. Unfortunately the overused hook and Max B’s violent and graphic lyrics “Beat a niggaz’ bitch/ Til she bleedin’ from the lips” partially ruin the work of Jim and the Chocolate Boy Wonder.

Jones also strays from the characteristic Dipset sound in favor of romance, on “I’m In Love With A Thug” and “Summer Wit’ Miami”, with mixed results. The latter features Trey Songz singing the hook over a sample of the Isley Brother’s “Between The Sheets” (as sampled on “Big Poppa”) as Jimmy flosses over the beat in his best Don Juan. Although the song is unremarkable, the introduction may or may not have some interesting “subliminal” disses towards Jay-Z, including “That bitch [Summer] might be cheating on you”.

With each passing year Jimmy Jones improves as a rapper, but his real talent is as a business man. The Dipset have carved their niche in the rap industry and The Capo smartly sticks to what their fans want. Love him or hate him because, Harlem: Diary of A Summer is what people should expect from The Diplomats.

C-Rayz Walz – Year Of The Beast

Angus Crawford — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 07:00:00 +0000

With the exception of Eminem, most battle rappers have difficulty translating their rhymes into something that is enjoyable for a full length album. Unlike battling, which relies mostly on witty one-liners, creating an album often requires a concept. While C-Rayz’s championship battling skills are displayed on his second Def Jux full-length recording, The Year of the Beast, the lack of cohesion and conceptual material results in a barely decent album from a pretty good rapper.

Considering C-Rayz’s history, it comes as no surprise that the strongest cut on the album is the Belief produced “Pink”, featuring Jean Grae on the hook, which allows C-Rayz to dismantle pseudo-gangsta rappers with battle style lyrics like “All the thugs I know is really into calmness/ While you wanna walk by and scream Onyx” and “You ain’t bout it/ But since you frontin’ ain’t got no limit/ I see your future/ You about to die in it”. Belief also comes through on the gritty “Street Reppin”, featuring Vordul Mega, with a beat seemingly tailor made for Pretty Toney that
should keep the necks moving for the entire four minutes.

The producer lends his talents once more on “Music Take Ovah” featuring Pudge where C-Rayz shows a more conscious side with lines like “80,000 dollar for a chain you sick/ It only costs 10,000 for a barbershop where you can employ your click/ Thats just sheisty selfishness” . On “Black Soap” featuring M-1 of Dead Presidents, C-Rayz delivers gems like “Fear of a Black Planet and black economy/ I tried to get job but my sideburns was stoppin’ me/ Am I too strong? I use to wonder?/ Or is it the digits of my social security number?” and “If the noose around your neck got you moody and broke/ Then you know why we all pump peruvian coke” that aptly match M-1′s style. Unfortunately these songs are forays for C-Rayz who
mostly reverts back to his comfort zone with one liners.

Aside from a few stand-outs it is hard to distinguish most of the songs from each other. Part of the problem is the similarly mediocre beats from a plethora of produces, but mostly its C-Rayz’s reliance on non-sequiturs. Lines like “But I won’t dumb it down to double my dollars/ I’d rather piss on your lawn than leave a puddle in my boxers” from the El-P assisted “First Words Worse” and “Its getting pretty cooky in here/ You want to be my friend and buy me beer?/ Get the fuck outta here” from “Say Werd” show a lack of creativity and wit that should not plague a
tested battle rapper.

At times its easy to see why C-Rayz could be talented enough to defeat Supernatural, but those moments are too far and few in between. It is simply too hard to make a whole album revolving around punch lines (ask Canibus), and while he does have some polished songs
he could use some more.

Black Eyed Peas – Monkey Business

Angus Crawford — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 07:00:00 +0000

When The Black Eyed Peas debuted, they were critically acclaimed, with many claiming them the heirs to the Native Tongue movement. Three albums later, the Black Eyed Peas have undergone a huge makeover, mainly the addition of former Wild Orchid member Fergie, and have gone from acquired taste to world pop stars. While some of their original fans may have jumped off the bandwagon, their fan base is larger than ever, which their new style reflects.

The group’s latest offering, Monkey Business, should solidify their status among TRL’s elite with infectious beats that will have the biggest BEP detractors tapping their feet. will.i.am does the majority of the beats, producing 11 of the 15 tracks, providing the album with a consistency rarely seen on album’s today. On “Audio Delite At Low Fidelity”, he does his best Prince Paul impression (circa 1991) with dark drum patterns coupled with high pitched flutes, which works surprisingly well. He also equips Fergie with booming drums for her “solo” as she looks to fill Gwen Stefani’s void in the clubs on the less than inspiring “My Humps”. The album is dominated by will’s sound, and he is able to make diverse yet similar beats to keep the fluidity.

One notable exception comes from Timbaland, who produces “My Style”, featuring Justin Timberlake, with signature drums and style (pun intended), which fits seamlessly with will’s sound. Dante Santiago, James Brown and Sting make guest appearances as well as Q-Tip, Cee-Lo, John Legend, and Talib Kweli on the posse cut, “Like That”. Unfortunately will.i.am’s
tribute to A Tribe Called Quest seems contrived with lines like “Can I kick It?/Yup really far though/From El Segundo to Toronto” and “But I wasn’t that cute when I didn’t have the loot/ And I don’t smoke herbs but I’m still real nice with the verbs/So FUCK (hey!) what you heard” tarnishing the gleam from the guests.

Overall the lyrics from the BEP members are mediocre at best. The group’s second single, “I Lied”, is full of uninspiring lyrics such as will rapping, “I admit I have been a little immature/ “Phunked” with your heart like I was the predator/ In my book of lies I was the editor and the author/ I forged my signature”. The BEP are not going to be confused with great lyricists like Rakim, Jay-Z or even Canibus, but they should not be conjuring up memories of Blinky Blink in a Rug Rats car either. Eventually the simplicity of their lyrics catches up with them and the album becomes nauseating cliched (I was predicting the next line before I heard it).

Fame and fortune come with a price and the Black Eyed Peas have been sacrificing some of their creativity to reach new heights of popularity. However unlike many other “pop” groups, The BEP follow Bono’s blueprint and try to stand for something. On the Sting assisted anti-war song, “One For All”, will rhetorically asks “Do you really think Mohammed has a problem with Jehova?”, and the group’s sentiments are genuine through out the song. While they are no longer considered the next De La or Tribe, the BEP are much better alternatives than N’ Sync or Britanny Spears to hear on the radio.