I hope it doesn’t count as hating if I say that ever since 2003’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’, 50 has gotten worse with time. I hope it doesn’t, because the truth in that statement is fact; Get Rich or Die Tryin’ has sold over 10 million copies worldwide to date. 50 Cent recently struggled to move units after an album leak and competition from Kanye. He’s also been charged with getting soft, making a lot more commercial songs than he used to. In response, 50 replied that he’d really been waiting for Curtis to come out so he could release his “real” album, Before I Self Destruct. Claiming it to be his hardest album since his debut, we finally get to hear the album that everyone has been waiting for. Does 50 exceed expectations with BISD?

The Invitation
Produced by Ty Fyffe
Now THIS is how you start an album. 50 sounds REAL hungry on this one, jumping on with little hesitation: “You want some? Come get some!/Nigga it’s Murder One when you see my gun/I just squeeze and squeeze ’till the whole clip done!/You just bleed and bleed ’till the Police come!/Huh? You want some??” If this first song is any indication of the entire album, then 50 may have been right about his promise (thank you!!). Ty Fyffe definitely brought the fire with the beat, and 50 flowed on it like a proven vet: “I’m far from a centric, I’m so psychotic/I don’t need you to shoot for me, nigga I got it!” Great song.

Then Days Went By
Produced by Lab Ox
The sampling here is flawless. This beat is hot as hell courtesy of Lab Ox. 50 sounds good flowing on this track, rapping about his younger days in the hood. While his flow over the track sounds really good, he doesn’t really spit anything notable lyrically. He makes up for it with the hook, which is crack: “I seen niggas gettin’ rich, then days went by/Then days went by, then days went by…” The hook make the track much more appealing. Good song.

Death To My Enemies
Produced by Dr. Dre & Mark Batson
Dre’s first appearance on the album, and it’s BLAZING!!!!!! “Dre, niggas think we bullshitin’!” The the beat drops and it’s fire!! “I bring money to my niggas that bring death to my enemies”. 50 keeps up the pace as with the first few tracks and keeps it truly gutta over a Dre (& Batson) production. Did anyone else catch the Wayne diss? (“This ain’t Tha Carter/Nigga this is Sparta/It’s harder I die I be a matar/Respect me like your father”)

So Disrespectful
Produced by Tha Bizzness
I think this song is more popular for it’s disses to Jay, Game, and others than it’s actual quality. Not saying that the quality is bad, the beat is pretty good, and the repeated “So disrespectful” was a good choice to use for the hook: simple, yet effective. Anyway, the disses in question are: “Jay’s a big man, he’s too big to respond/I’m a big dick, you know the one everybody on” and “Come on Game, you’ll never be my equal/Your homies shoot doors, my niggas shoot people!” The disses aren’t bad, but c’mon we all know Fif can do better than this. He almost sounds asleep on this track. Not bad, could have been better.

Psycho
Featuring Eminem; Produced by Dr. Dre
The Three-Headed Monster reunites on one track for the best effort I’ve heard from Fif in a very long time. Fuck best song on the album, this is one of the best songs of the YEAR!! The beat is perfect, sounding just like those old fashioned 1950’s horror movies plus 50 and Em both showed up for the track. Well, you know Em murked the track and it’d be hard for 50 to even match him on this considering its Em’s style of subject matter. But 50 did a very good job:

“Look look, I come from a different crew, you fuck with me, I’ll get to you/A clip or two’ll cripple you, just ’cause I ain’t got shit to do”.

Wow. Don’t think Em slouched either:

“You pop off the top it’s like opening vats of acid/Beat the Octamom to death with a Cabbage Patch Kid/Attack a snatch, yeah there’s something to jack a batch in/Impregnate her then shoot up the embryo sack with Mac 10s/Triplets, quadruplets and a couple of back to back twins/Dead fetuses fallin out all over, Jack is back again”

Damn. What more can I say? Excellent song.

Hold Me Down
Produced by Team Ready & J. Kevs
What a transition. We went from killing everything in sight to a song for the girls guns. This is the usual 50 throwaway female song; ABC style beat, with 50 using a couple clever metaphors to get by. I will give him props for doing the whole my gun is my girl (See 2Pac’s “Me And My Girlfriend”). The hook ain’t bad, but this song gets kind of boring and is pretty short anyway. I’m not skipping this one, but it’s pretty blah. Not really feeling it.

Crime Wave
Produced by Team Demo
This is what I’m talking about. I heard this on the local radio and this was crazy. The hook is perfect, the beat is hot, and 50 is spittin’ crazy shit on this one too:

“I’m not tellin you to shoot somebody, but if somebody try to shoot you shoot ‘em/Don’t waste time, lil’ nigga just do it/Any nigga out of order, must be serviced/See now now you hesitatin boy you makin me nervous/The Feds know I clap heat felonies on my rap sheet/Front on me try to run from me hollows be up your back B!

After the last song, this was the perfect recovery! BANG THIS ONE!!!

Stretch
Produced by Rick Rock
The pianos on this one are ridiculous, and make the beat sound really hard. The hook fits, but the “stretch…” is a lil suspect. 50’s flow on this one is pretty good: “Your favorite bad guys gone!/The Joker’s dead!/So for now till forever your stuck with the kid./I ain’t supposed to be a boss, I’m supposed to be a enforcer!/I’m supposed to hold a gun, not be stuck in the office!” The lyrics probably won’t wow you, but at the same time, it’s a serviceable song.

Strong Enough
Produced Nascent & OB Da Problem
DAMN!! This song is hard as hell!! The sample is: “Your life is over…” again and again. Damn. 50 didn’t play around on this one either: “These niggas ain’t strong enough/They money ain’t long enough/When they bump heads with me, they find out the guns do bust/We gettin’ money in god we trust/Suck on this nigga!” You gotta hear this one to believe it. Great song.

Get It Hot
Produced by Black Key
Can’t believe this wasn’t one of the first singles. It sounds like “Get Up” and “I Get It In” combined with a much hotter beat. This would have blazed the charts! Fif came correct with lines like: “I’m a made man, a Don Corleone/No matter where I’m at, I’m doin what the fuck I want!” This one was obviously made for the club, but that’s not exactly a bad thing since it works well on this song. Good song.

Gangsta’s Delight
Produced by Havoc
This is a gangsta play on the classic song “Rapper’s Delight”. While I appreciate 50’s creativity, I wasn’t really feeling it myself. It could have been executed much better. The way it is now, it’s actually pretty skippable. However, I’m sure some people will like it. The beat isn’t too bad, it’s just something that you can tell was meant to be filler.

I Got Swag
Produced by Dual Output
The beat on this is really hot; Fif chose great production on this album. This is basically what the title looks like: 50 flossing to the max. The hook is kind of hot though and this definitely could have been a single. Lyrically, 50 is aiight, nothing too shocking: “Me, I’m into me/I destroy my enemies, even if they kin to me.” Good song, but again, you can tell this was meant to be filler.

Baby By Me
Featuring Ne-Yo; Produced by Polow Da Don
This was the first official single off this album, steadily getting more and more airplay. Compared to the other first singles from 50 Cent, this definitely underwhelming, even compared to “Straight To The Bank”. It’s grown on me though; the sample was perfect for this song. 50 was definitely asleep on this one: “I need you to be what I need/More than liquor or weed/I need you to maybe give me a seed/I need you to give me reason to breathe, I need you/I’m tellin’ you so now you know what I need.” Damn. Even 50 fans have to admit that sucks. Ne-Yo definitely controlled the song here. Overall, it’s a fun little song but 50’s parts bring it down. Sadly.

Do You Think About Me
Produced by Rockwilder
What was 50 THINKING!?!? This is the exact same song as the previous one without the awesome sample and Ne-Yo. Instead, you get 50’s same lackluster rhymes and some no-name singer on the hook. The beat is aiight, but it could have been used a lot better if 50 woke up and chose a really singer to do the hook. Sadly, this is the second single…
SKIP!!!

OK, You’re Right
Produced by Dr. Dre
The street single off the album. Dre was on point here, this beat bangs and has that classic eerie sound to it. Sadly, 50 barely showed up for this one. It’s like he realized even being on a Dre beat would make him sound good so he didn’t need to come correct with the lyrics. I mean, he comes with two verses, each 12 bars long, and with the same sounding monotone delivery. Disappointing. The song still sounds good without 50’s help and proof that Dre can make any rapper sound good flowing on his beats.

Could’ve Been You
Produced by DJ Khalil
Why would anyone end their album like this? SKIP!!

*Bonus Tracks*
I fucks with “Flight 187″ and “Man’s World”, but the new original version of “Baby By Me” could definitely have been left off. And by the way, why are “Man’s World” and “Flight 187″ not on the official album?? Damn!

Bottom Line:
Did 50 live up to his promise? Well, yes, I think he did. He’s got some ridiculous songs on here that definitely live up to the Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ pedigree. But at the same time, he’s got some shit songs on here that are some of the worse he’s ever done (read: “Do You Think About Me” and “Could’ve Been You”). I was actually a little surprised there weren’t any shots thrown at Rick Ross seeing as that was pretty much the biggest Hip-Hop beef of the year. Speaking of Rick Ross, I think that this was the better album between the two of them because some of the good songs on this album are better than the best songs on Deeper Than Rap. 50 did a prettty good job here all things considered, but at the same time, I think we all know he can do much better than this. After all the hype surrounding this album, some people might feel he under-delivered.

However, just because King Jerm gave Deeper Than Rap a 4.5 and I think 50’s album is better doesn’t mean I’m gonna give 50 a 4.5. Ross’ album deserves a 3.5 in my humble opinion, shit, maybe even a 3 flat in my book. So I’m rating 50 based on that.

nappyPicks: “Stretch”, “Crime Wave”, “Psycho”, “The Invasion”, “Death to Enemies”, “Strong Enough”

Download: 50 Cent – “Flight 187″

Download: 50 Cent feat. Jovan Dais – “Baby By Me” (Original Version)

Download: 50 Cent – “Man’s World”

Download: 50 Cent feat. Gucci Mane – “Crime Wave (remix)”

Alright, if you’ve been to the forums, then you know that I’m not the biggest Kid Cudi fan. He’s just too different. I mean, can you even call what he does Hip-Hop or rap? Plus, what is his appeal? The man can rap, but he’s not running for “Best Rapper Alive” anytime soon, and his singing is mainly monotone talking. Damn. Was I really the right person to review this album? I figured I’d take it since Chew pretty much dished this one to me. And anyway, the cover for this album looks cool, it looks like one of those special artistic albums that hardly even come out anymore. Plus, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like “Day ‘n’ Nite”, and “Make Her Say” has got to be some of Kanye’s best production ever. Still, can Cudi make a fan out of me? Let’s experience The End of Day.

*Act I: The End of Day
Explanation: Kid Cudi here is dreaming; in his dreams he can do anything he wants to do, and he is happy. The first part of the CD.

1. In My Dreams(Cudder Anthem)
Produced by Emile
This intro immediately caught my attention. “Here in my dreams…” Cudi sings. His singing still hasn’t really caught me as being good, but it’s a catchy song with a very cinematic beat behind it, and it really sets up the album and starts it up on a very good note. You could play this song, sit back, and relax with the synth and the violin like sounds in the background. I’m impressed! After two verses, Common comes on as the narrator of the album, spitting some poetry, introducing the story of a young man who believed in himself, “The man on the moon…”. Great song, gets you in the mood for the album.

2. Soundtrack 2 My Life
Produced by Emile
Alright, this is about as close as we get to actual Hip-Hop on this entire album, and it’s good. I mean, like I said before, Cudi is not going for best rapper alive anytime soon, but he’s got enough skill to keep it fresh at the same time. The song is basically a biography of his life and how this album/song is the “Soundtrack 2 His Life”. The beat on this is nice; the production is spacey and street at the same time, so it really does fit Cudi’s style very well. The songs on this album have a weird, kind of cinematic feel to them. Overall, great track, on of my top tracks of the album..

3. Simple As…
Produced by Plain Pat
The sample of “A…B…C…” and “1…2….3″ was a little weird at first, but then when Kid Cudi jumps on the track, he straight up kills it. I mean, again, I wouldn’t exactly call this Hip-Hop, but it’s great. The hook is infectious; this guy can’t sing, he makes infectious hooks basically by talking! It kills me. Anyway, this track is hot! At the end of the track, Common comes on and basically introduces us to the next section of Cudi’s life: the Rise Of The Night Terrors.

*Act II: Rise of the Night Terrors
Explanation: Suddenly, Cudi must now deal with a horrible intrusion into his dreams; the night terrors have entered his dreams, and are showing him flashbacks to the dark times in his life. Note: This is my favorite part of the album.

4. Solo Dolo (Nightmare)
Produced by Emile
This song is very spacey and bare bones, and first I didn’t really like it because I thought it went on for way too long, but I started to like it after awhile. Cudi sings(?) about how throughout his life, he was alone and he was: “Mr. Solo Dolo”. Like I said, when I first heard this, I was thinking: “SKIP!” But, it grew on me after a couple listens, and I like it now. It’s a good, but not great, track.

5. Heart Of A Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music)
Produced by Free School
I laughed when I heard the title, but this is a great song! I guess at this point in the album, Cudi has realized that he can handle these night terrors, and is standing up to make sure they don’t stop him from realizing his dreams. Cudi’s back to rap on this one, and his flow on this high speed track really impresses me. The Kid’s got skills! Also, the infectious hook on this one had me putting this on repeat a lot. This is definitely without a doubt one of my top songs off the album; when someone has doubts about Kid Cudi, just point them to this song. Not only is it his theme song, but it’s also good for pumping you up, trust me. Excellent song.

6. My World
Featuring Billy Cravens; Produced by Plain Pat & Jeff Bhasker
Ok, this is my favorite song off the whole damn album. This one song instantly made me a Kid Cudi fan. This song is like “Solo Dolo” and “Heart of a Lion” mixed together. In saying that, I’m saying that Kid Cudi is talking (call it rapping if you want, but there is NO FLOW AT ALL) about how he felt as a child. Not gonna lie, the parts with Kid Cudi are a little drab, mainly because he’s talking to us in straight up monotone right here, but then Billy Cravens comes on and just kills the hook, because his singing is amazing on this track. It’s weird cause it’s just one sentence: “This will be my world”, but it’s AWESOME!! Plus the story Kid Cudi has to tell is deep: how he spent time as a child in his room, on the moon, dreaming, and how it was only place he really felt safe. Damn good track!

*Act III: Taking a Trip
Explanation: Still haven’t figured out the exact meaning of this section, but if I had to make a ballpark guess, I’d say its all about taking drugs. So Kid Cudi I guess wakes up from his Night Terrors and starts to take drugs…? I mean the lyrics really fit that explanation, but I’m not exactly sure.

7. Day ‘n’ Nite (Nightmare)
Produced by Dot Da Genius
This is the song that made Cudi an international star. I’m not gonna spend a lot of time on this track because we’ve all heard it by now. Well, when I first heard it, I didn’t like it. I mean, the man is TALKING! But that hook is hot! So is the really spacey production that is provided by Dot Da Genius. Real good shit, but you already knew this. Good choice for the first single also, by the way.

8. Sky Might Fall
Produced by Kanye West
Wow, it’s kind of hard to believe that Kanye only produced 2 tracks off this entire album! This track he did a really good job on, despite the fact that he brought his synth-like Graduation sound to the track. Unsurprisingly, that sound fits perfectly here on the album. Cudi, I assume, is very high right now, talking about how the sky might fall, but he’s not worried at all. His singing on the track is actually good, I like this track a lot. ‘Ye’s production helps to assist this song from being just OK to Great.

9. Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part 1)
Produced by Matt Friedman of ILLFONICS
This on some 80’s/pop/Michael Jackson tip (R.I.P. King of Pop, we miss you!). This song is about taking ’shrooms with your girl! No, I’m not lying. Cudi’s singing here is also great, he’s started singing more I suppose because as the album goes on and he begins to conquer his fears, he is more willing to show us the real him instead of hiding behind a rapping facade.. At least that’s my guess. The beat’s on point, the singing is great, the lyrics are…eh? But all-in-all, good song.

*Act IV: Stuck
Explanation: Well, again, I’m not exactly sure what is going on here, but it’s basically I assume that Kid Cudi is stuck between his dreams and reality(?). Here, you see a lot of different tracks from what we’ve seen earlier, and that, plus the less spacey sound on this compared to previous tracks, tells me that this is a realistic part of Cudi’s life. Of course, this album is all about Cudi accomplishing his dreams, so I guess it all fits.

10. Alive (Nightmare)
Featuring & Produced by Ratatat
I can’t tell exactly if Ratatat is doing the hook or if Cudi is, but either way it’s good. Ratatat showed up with the beat; it makes me want to check out some of their stuff. Cudi also showed up for this one. At first, I didn’t really like this song overall, but the hook and the beat grew on me as time went on. Overall, a solid track off the album.

11. Cudi Zone
Produced by Emile
This basically Kid Cudi in his own little world again. The track never really grabbed me, which is weird because it sounds very similar to the other tracks. I’m not skipping this one, but at the same time, it’s not one my favorite tracks, it almost feels a little bit like filler to me. Average track.

12. Make Her Say
Featuring Kanye West & Common; Produced by Kanye West
The second single off the album, this basically Cudi showing off his lyrical chops alongside lyrical heavyweights Common and West. He holds his own, and the refrain: “She said she want whatever she like/But she gotta bring her friends/And we can have one hell of night/And a day” is simply genius. ‘Ye sampling is straight up the best sample of the year IMO; the acoustic version of “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga (Don’t see the appeal!) is superb, and fits the song perfectly. Overall, this is an excellent song, definitely one of the album’s highlights, at least production wise.

13. Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)
Featuring MGMT & Ratatat; Produced by Ratatat
This is supposed to be the third single off the album, and this one didn’t really grab me either. The rock style of this track doesn’t really seem to fit with the rest of the album, and Cudi seems a little bit off on this one. Once again, not a skip, but it’s one of the lower parts of the album in my opinion.

*Act V: A New Beginning
Explanation: Kid Cudi, upon realizing that his dreams are just dreams, has realized that he had the ability to put his dreams into reality, and the end is simply a new beginning…I think.

14. Hyyerr
Featuring Chip Tha Ripper; Produced by Crada
Nah, I’m not feeling this one at all! I’m sorry, SKIP!!

15. Up, Up, & Away (The Wake & Bake Song)
Produced by Free School
Damn, what is up with these titles?!? This is a great way to close out the album despite the fact that there is no cohesion between the previous track and this one. Here, Cudi is basically realizing that no matter what happens, he’ll be “Up, Up, & Away” because no matter what, there will always be obstacles in his path, and he’ll overcome them anyway. That’s the deep version of it anyway, haha. Anyway, this is a great track. At the end, Common comes to basically say what I already told you in the explanation, except that Cudi has a new enemy to face, the machine and the ghost within. Sequel, anyone?

Bottom Line:
Well, when you’re wrong, you’re wrong: this was actually a great album. I mean, everyone knows I’m a Jay-Z stan. I still think The Blueprint 3 is album of the year (haven’t heard that Raekwon yet, it’s probably better), and I’ve been bumping it like crazy; it’s at least better than Deeper Than Rap! But Kid Cudi’s album actually made me listen to something other than BP3, because it was that good. Everyone was telling me Kid Cudi was on that new shit and it was good, and I guess I was too close-minded to see what the possibilities were with an artist like him. Granted, can he sing? Hell no! Can he rap? A little, but he’s no Rakim. So what exactly DOES Cudi bring to the table? He’s unique, he can make VERY infectious hooks, and he brings an epic feel to every track he’s on. This whole album felt like damn movie! Like I said, when you’re wrong, you’re wrong. Kid Cudi’s debut is a breath of fresh air and should be a great start to an even better career.

nappyPicks: Cop the whole album! Only one slip up on the whole thing and we should definitely support artists an innovative as Kid Cudi.

Download: Kid Cudi – “Heart Of A Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music)”

Bonus: Kid Cudi – “I Hear Them Calling” (Not On Album/Produced by Eminem)

Glad I got back from Philly in time to write this…what do you get when you add a bottle of cognac to one of the world’s biggest egos?? Taylor Swift in tears, apparently. Damn. Kanye has jumped on stages before bitchin’ about not winning when he thought he deserved one, but he was out of line here for couple of reasons. First, Taylor Swift has never won a VMA before; it was her first ever award from MTV, and ‘Ye pretty much killed that moment for her. If somebody jumped on stage when Kanye won his first award, I bet he’d have something to say about it.

Second, he was even fighting for himself! He was fighting for…wait for it…Beyonce! Now I know Beyonce and Kanye are good friends, but can you even NAME all the awards that Bey has won in her career?? Plus later on that night, Bey ended up winning Video of the Year, so that kind of made Kanye look like a dumbass even more.

It was a good look for Beyonce to bring Taylor Swift back on stage with her. We all thought Kanye had calmed down after his mother’s death, but what he did here obviously shows that he hasn’t changed much at all. Kanye’s apologized like 3 times already, but c’mon: if Beyonce hadn’t won Video of the Year, do you seriously think Kanye wouldn’t have called MTV racist like he did two years ago??

Does this mean that I’m no longer a Kanye fan? No way, the man has a huge ego, but he makes damn good music. But for his actions Sunday, he is without a doubt THE DMF OF THE WEEK!

Kanye West Steals Taylor Swifts Spotlight

Kanye West Apologies On Jay Leno

Man, is it me, or is the Hip-Hop world asleep?? When every single major release is a mixtape and the latest interesting news is Joe Budden getting punched in the eye, you KNOW the game is asleep right now. This is one of the reasons why I hate summer. No high profile Hip-Hop releases, no good video games coming out, and crappy summer movies! Sure, we had Mos Def with The Ecstatic right before summer, but other than that, what were the high profile Hip-Hop releases? Maino’s debut album and Fabolous’ Loso’s Way. Loso’s Way is another good album from Fab, but he kept us waiting on that classic album AGAIN. Maino is aiight, but two high profile Hip-Hop releases for the summer?!? Wu-Tang’s Chamber Music was hot too; have to show them some respect. Same for the Slaughterhouse album; that was bangin’!!

But answer this question for me: What album are you really waiting for this year? A few of you will say The Blueprint 3 (I’m cautiously hopeful at the time of this writing), Detox (like that’s actually coming out this year), Relapse 2, Only Built for Cuban Linx II, and Before I Self-Destruct. Three of those albums are coming out next month, on the tail end of summer. But for real, a lot of you have been sleeping out there! What about Yung LA?? What about Lupe Fiasco?? What about Wale?? Exactly.

That’s why this edition of Boomin’ From The Stoop is called SLEEPING, cause all of ya’ll ASLEEP! Lupe released the first single off his album Lasers, which was formerly called The Great American Rap Album, which was formerly called Everywhere (whew!), called “Shining Down”. I’ve been listening to it, keeping it on repeat, but I didn’t hear not one person mention it on the site! Also, shout out to Spyzyda Myzayne for looking forward to Futuristic Leland. Someone is awake! How about Wale and his Attention: Deficit debut album?? Nah, everyone is too busy listening to his mixtapes!

This is exactly what the homie KAJ was talking about in his column. I’m sick and tired of seeing all these mixtapes during the summer. I’m not gonna lie to you, mixtapes aren’t really my thing; They don’t really appeal to me. I may download a mixtape here and there (who DIDN’T download So Far Gone??), but personally, I judge artists by albums, not their mixtapes. There have been some nice mixtapes lately, I’ll admit that. But we’ve said time and time again that we at nappyafro.com NEVER want to be one of “those” websites that post up a mixtape everytime it drops. Yet with the lack of Hip-Hop albums coming out, what choice do we have?? Reviewing R&B? Hell no!! The Hip-Hop artists in the game need to get they shit together and drop real albums.

But I digress, I didn’t exactly come here to rant. I came to put ya’ll on to three songs you may have been sleeping on.

Download: “Shining Down” by Lupe Fiasco Feat. Matthew Santos
First off, this song was leaked like 3 months ago, and no one said shit. Damn! At first I was a little skeptical about this song; getting Santos and Soundtrakk back together on one song sounds like he’s trying to make “Superstar” all over again. But the results here are nice. Santos’ hook is crack, and Lupe continues with the deep lyricism: “I don’t idolize America, I’m dancin’ with the stars”. Are any of you excited for Lasers? LupE.N.D. used to be my most anticipated album of the year, but since it’s not Lupe’s last anymore it fell out of the top 5.

Download: “Taser Gun” by Yung LA
For real, I don’t even know if this album is still coming out. If it is still coming out, I’ll bet money it does worse than Big Kuntry’s album (6k first week out!). I’ll be real though, to me LA is just ok. He comes hard with infectious hooks, but his whisper flow gets on my nerves a bit. I don’t know why, but I actually kind of like this song and the whole “space-futuristic” thing that LA is using as his theme.

Download: “Chillin’” by Wale Feat. Lady Gaga
Everyone should have heard this by now. This is official single version; it’s longer than the one on his Back To The Feature mixtape, and has a completely different beat. Personally, when I first heard the song, I thought it was aiight. Wale’s wordplay is cool, but I think in Hip-Hop nowadays, we already know to dismiss the first single from every album that comes out, which is actually kind of sad. Still, the beat is hot, courtesy of Cool & Dre, and Lady Gaga did her thang. While this song is kind of disappointing, I’m still excited for Attention: Deficit.

I noticed that none of De La Soul’s records have made in our Classic Material page, and I immediately decided to change that. A lot of you fans are gonna say: “What! De La Soul is Dead?!? Why didn’t 3 Feet High and Rising get any love?” We’ll get to 3 Feet High and Rising in time, but the reason I chose De La Soul Is Dead first is because that was the first album by them that I actually listened to. I thought the whole concept was cool: it was their second album, and already is was “De La Soul is dead…”. The cool thing about the whole album is it plays out like a storybook!

It’s starts out with a kid named Jeff talking to a couple of girls about how he found a De La Soul tape in the garbage. The girls beg to hear, but Jeff’s like: “NO!”, and the girls start buggin’! Then a bully comes by, beats up the little kid, and takes the De La Soul tape from him. After stealing the tape, the bully and his two friends sit down to listen to the tape. Hearing the bullies is actually funny as hell, it’s one of the things that makes the album great. The leader of the bullies is constantly talking about how wack the album is throughout skits on the album, and one of the bullies who actually likes the tape (voiced by Maseo himself) gets his ass kicked everytime he talks. The skits help to bring diversity the album, and, like I said, it’s funny stuff.

Now let’s get to music. Production, Prince Paul, you already know what it is. Prince Paul did his thing, as usual. It’s sad that as time went on, you began to see him gradually fade from the music that the group was making, but he definitely put it down here. All of the groups members were on point: Posdnous is, to me, the sharpest member of the whole group, but beyond even that he’s a really talented rapper who never seems to come up when people talk about best rapper. Don’t get me wrong though, Dave and Maseo definitely showed up on this album, with solid wordplay throughout the whole album.

The album had a bunch of memorable songs on it, too. One of my favorites is “Bitties In The BK Lounge”. Who could forget this song!? Posdnuos goes into a Burger King with one of his friends when the girl behind the desk pays them no mind, until she realizes he’s from De La Soul. Then, there’s the infamous second verse, where a manager of Burger King, gets confronted by an obnoxious woman and her friend. The two trade insults in rhyme, and it’s definitely one of the highlights of the album. “Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa” has got to be the most memorable song off the CD: you can’t talk about De La Soul Is Dead without bringing this song up. It’s about a young girl who is sexually abused by her father, and ends up bringing a pistol to where he works as a department store Santa to shoot him. That’s classic storytelling right there. Also there is the unforgettable “A Roller-Skating Jam Named Saturdays”, featuring Q-Tip. That was just one of those nice, feel good vibes that made you want to get up and dance.

I could keep talking about this classic, but you probably get the idea. Pick this up if you can; De La Soul is different, but if you give them time, they’ll grow on you. At the end of the tape, the bullies comment: “That was it!?? What about the pimps? What about the guns?? That’s what Hip-Hop is all about right??” De La Soul was one of the few groups out there that didn’t have to change their image to be one of the fore-front groups in Hip-Hop, and this album is one of those reasons why they are so good.

I’m not gonna lie. I’m not a Twista fan. Don’t get me wrong, he’s got skills and I don’t hate him, but it’s not like I’d stop what I was doing just bump some Twista. His verse on “Slow Jamz” with Kanye and Jamie Foxx in ‘04 is what made him a lot more prolific in the game, but even before that, he was well known and was even in the Guinness Book of World Records for the title of “Fastest MC In The World”. But since then, he’s kind of slowed down a bit when it comes to commercial appeal. Let’s see what he brings to the table this time.

Misunderstood
Featuring Buk; Produced by The Legendary Traxstar
Twista quickly comes on the track to explain the album’s title, Category F5. Tornados are ranked from Category F0-F4, but rarely a large one, an F5, appears, which basically causes total destruction. After this intro, Buk raps on the track and trades verses with Twista. Twista got him, but overall the song is kind of boring and definitely too long. OK song.

American Gangsta
Produced by Toxic & John Gant
Someone might want to tell Twista that the whole “American Gangster” thing was popular back in ‘07 when the Denzel movie came out, but then Jim Jones came out of nowhere and killed the whole thing. However, this song is great. I guess Twista figured if you fell asleep on the intro, he could wake you up with a banger on the second track. Nice job on this one, it’s hot!

Fire
Featuring Lil’ Boosie; Produced by The Legendary Traxstar
This song is all about rolling up and blazing. Twista’s got a nice flow on this one, and he sounds good, so does the chorus. The beat is really chill, as it should be, and Lil’ Boosie steps up on this. Not lyrically, but I heard his Phelps reference in there and I laughed. Great song.

Talk To Me
Produced by Tight Mike & Solo
This is the first dud. Twista sounds strange flowing on this one, the sample just sounds weird, and all together I’m just not feeling it. The beat is nice and soulful, but I can’t hear Twista flowing on a track like this one. It just doesn’t fit. SKIP.

Yellow Light
Featuring R. Kelly; Produced by The Legendary Traxstar
This one of those: “slow down for my girl” songs. R.Kelly’s crooning on the track is great. Twista rides slow beats exceptionally well most of the time, and this definitely no exception. Good song, not really standout worthy, but at same time it’s better than the last track and it’s a good recovery.

Walking On Ice
Featuring OJ Da Juiceman & Gucci Mane; Produced by Zaytoven
A song about ice had to feature Gucci! Despite the features, I’m not gonna trash this one (I think OJ is starting to grow on me). The beat on this is, of course, hard; What else would you expect from Zaytoven? OJ rides it well, Twista, you already know it’s a done deal. Gucci was the weakest on the track, but he still turned in a solid performance. This is the banger of the album, ladies and gentlemen. Great song.

Wetter
Featuring Erika Shevon; Produced by The Legendary Traxstar
I wonder what this one’s about?? Twista is great on the slow tracks, probably why he has so many of them on this album. Lyrically, he’s alright, but his flow is great, as usual. Erika did her thing too, her voice is perfect for this song; picking her was a good choice. Overall a good song. This was the first single off the album, I’m surprised it didn’t make much more noise on the charts.

Billionaire
Featuring Busta Rhymes; Produced by Caution and Velly
The beat on this is hot!! Twista and Busta go head to head on this one, both delivering quick, tight flows that sound great over this banger. Busta shoulda had more content like this on Back On My B.S., it would have made the album much better. Twista had the better performance, but all-in-all it’s still a great song.

Yo Body
Featuring Do Or Die & Johnny P; Produced by The Legendary Traxstar
Damn, another slow/ladies track. Is it me, or is Legendary Traxstar only dishing out the songs for the ladies? Still, this song is better than the other slow tracks, the hook is hot, Twista’s flow continues to be on point and everyone did their thing on this one. Good.

Hustla
Produced by Streetrunner & I.L.O.
Seems like this whole album has a pattern: Slow track, Banger, Slow track, Banger again and again and again. That’s not a diss, I’m happy with the results so far. Back to the song, it’s hot; Streetrunner makes great beats like these and Twista knows how to use them the right way so it all works out. Still, this song sounds just like the other bangers. Again, not bad thing (mostly), just an observation.

Gotta Get Me One
Featuring Static Major; Produced by The Legendary Traxstar
First off, I wanna say R.I.P. to Static Major because he seriously did his thing on this song. This is ANOTHER song for the ladies, but it works because it’s the best and the catchiest. In fact, if Static was still alive today, I guarantee this would be the first single off the album; it feels like “Slow Jamz II”. Twista flows nicely on this one, as usual, and this is definitely my favorite cut off the album.

On Top
Featuring Akon; Produced by Good Will & MGI
The beat is kind of weird at first because it’s got a techno vibe to it, but then the drums come in and it’s much better. Still, I’m not really feelin’ this song for a couple of reasons. One, it pales in comparison to the last song and it’s close to exactly the same formula: R&B singer + Rapper= song for the ladies. Two, Twista didn’t come correct on this one: his flow still sounds great, but at the same time lyrically he’s asleep on this one. That’s why I’m kind of leaning towards a skip.

Jump Off
Produced by Chad Beatz
Yes! This track is short but sweet. It’s a banger for sure and the hook is extremely hot! Twista lyrically sounds tired at this point, but the beat and the hook help this song to be slightly above average. Good song.

Wanna See ‘Em Buss
Featuring Liffy Stokes; Produced by Toxic
Looks like to compensate for giving us two tracks for the ladies in a row before, Twista is giving us two bangers in a row. This song is hot, Twista showed up for it but Liffy Stokes was weak. Despite that, the song is good enough…to be another average track.

Birthday
Produced by Marlin Hookman
This song actually sounds like a Swizz Beats production with the screwed hook. This song is OK, I mean it’s nothing that I would personally bump. I guess it’s an alright way to end the album, but he could have chosen a better song.

Bottom Line:
This is why I like writing for nappyafro.com; if I wasn’t, I probably wouldn’t have ever given this album the time of day. I’d probably be too busy waiting for Loso’s Way (which I personally think will flop). Still, it was a solid listen, thoroughly enjoyable. It’s got everything you need: the bangers, the songs for the ladies, the songs to blaze to, and even the soulful songs (even though it wasn’t my thing personally). Even though Twista made a great album, let’s be honest here: it won’t crack the Top 20 when B-Easy hits us with the numbers for the week. That is, unless ya’ll go out and cop the album!! Trust me, you won’t be dissapointed.

Download: Twista feat. Gucci Mane & DJ Da Juiceman – “Walking On Ice”

Download: Twista feat. Kanye West – “Alright” [Bonus Track]

Download: Twista feat. Tech N9ne – “Problems” [Not On Album]

It seems like you can’t start a conversation about Hip-Hop without talking about one of the following: the latest hot single on the radio, Auto-Tune, and whether or not Hip-Hop is dead. Well, I’ve compiled a list of five things that we, the listeners, can do in order to save Hip-Hop.

1. Appreciate The New School
I’m not gonna lie, I’ve trashed both Soulja Boy and Bow Wow. I think both of them are cutting themselves short of their true potential. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t blast “Turn my Swag On” and “You Can Get It All”. And I have done the “Soulja Boy” dance. The point here is, the new talent that we’ve been getting is different in their own ways and we should embrace them. Not every song that Soulja Boy makes is garbage (Well, I guess that’s everyone’s personal opinion) and we should say: “Hey, he reallly did it here” when he does. Beyond that, we’ve also got a lot of new faces in the game, like Drake, Asher Roth, B.o.B., Wale, Mickey Factz, J. Cole, Saigon, etc. All of these artists bring something new to the game and it’s up to us to listen to their music with a open mind; not being so critical of them.

2. Buy The Records
You can’t expect rappers to function without sales. We’ve gotta stop downloading the album and not buying it. I mean, you don’t have to buy EVERY record but if you do download an album and you like it, buy it. If your favorite rapper drops an album and you want it, buy it. That’s why everyone was so surprised when Rick Ross only sold 160k in his first week. His album was hyped and everything, but we as a community have to buy these albums in order for Hip-Hop to be successful. Rick Ross’ album was good and it should have sold at least 300k in the first week to be completely honest that’s how hyped up it was. But because of the increasing downloading, no one actually went out to buy it. Look at the Weezy fanatics: Tha Carter III leaked almost 2 weeks before it dropped and STILL sold a million in the first week. Hip-Hop artists need fans like that.

3. Stop Comparing The Legends
2Pac and B.I.G. were two of the greatest to ever do it. But they’re dead now and they ain’t coming back. Ever. Even 2Pac’s new content sounds bad in the shadow of his earlier music. We need to move on from that. I’m not saying stop listening to 2Pac’s songs but at the same time stop taking someone like, say, Drake, and comparing him to 2Pac. “Drake’s wack, he’s got nothing on 2Pac”. That’s because he isn’t 2Pac! Just because he’s not as good as 2Pac doesn’t mean he’s bad. That’s like saying “A-Rod sucks, he’s got nothing on Babe Ruth.” If you like the man’s music it shouldn’t matter. You can still have your top 5 lists and your personal G.O.A.T., but if you like an artist that’s all that should matter, not whether or not they are better than a legend.

4. Stop Blaming The South
The South has been blamed for the quality of music that has been put out, but if anything, the South saved Hip-Hop. When rappers were in limbo, a bunch of rappers from the south held it down. T.I., Jeezy, Weezy, Lil’ Jon, Ludacris, Outkast, Khaled and his entourage, hell, even T-Pain! They came up out of nowhere, started dropping hot singles in the game and making all this money. The South and the Midwest have been holding the game down more than anywhere. The East? What was the biggest record from the east before Jadakiss? American Gangster 2 years ago! And the West is basically composed of four rappers: Snoop, who’s still barely hanging on, The Game, Ice Cube past his prime, and Dr. Dre, who may never release Detox. The South deserves credit for stepping up, so stop blaming them for Hip-hop’s condition.

5. Welcome Change And New Ideas
I ain’t gonna front, if you’ve seen my comments in the forums you know I hate Kid Cudi. It’s just too different. At the same time we should accept and welcome changes like the ones he’s made. How many different genres/types of rock music are there? You can’t name them all can you? That’s because there were so many different artists out there redefining what you could and couldn’t do in rock music, and that’s exactly what we need in Hip-Hop. Artists like Kid Cudi, Charles Hamilton, and B.o.B. along with albums like 808’s & Heartbreak, help to broaden the scope of Hip-Hop, and it allows people of all ages and musical tastes to join the community.

I was listening to this album as I was preparing for my final exams coming up this week, and in many ways, Ol’ Dirty Bastard was the Lil’ Wayne of today. That comparison definitely doesn’t do ODB any justice at all; he was one of the originators of what we call Hip-Hop today. But at the same, looking at both of them, they are very similar, except for the fact that ODB was crazier than Weezy could ever dream to be.. Yeah, you heard right.

Even before you pop in Return To The 36 Chambers, and you start listening to one of the strangest, yet at the same time, undeniably classic albums of all time, your eyes get wrapped around the cover. When I first saw it, I was like: “Oh shit! He did not just put his Welfare Card as the cover!” The cover alone should let you know this is something different. Ol’ Dirty Bastard got notoriety after the Wu-Tang Clan’s first album because when people heard his shit, they thought he was out of his mind. His flow was slurred like he was drunk, his lyrics were crazy (“Do you want to get your teeth knocked the fuck out?!?! I’ll fuck yo’ ass up!!”), and he had a weird style when he rapped, singing and rapping at the same time. At this point, he was the second most popular member of the group, next to Method Man, who had just released Tical. ODB was all about delivering the rawest songs he could possibly put out.

Take “Brooklyn Zoo” for example. First off, the beat was produced by ODB himself with help from True Master, and it’s banging! This is the original Hip-Hop sound right here! Then ODB comes on the track and just kills it: “I’m the one-man army, Ason/I’ve never been tooken out, I keep MC’s lookin out/I drop science like girls be droppin babies/Enough to make a nigga go cra-a-azy”. The production by the RZA was simply flawless on this entire record. The RZA was, and arguably still is, one of Hip-Hop’s greatest producers of all time, and on here he proved it, keeping with the raw focus of the album by stripping the beats down. Take “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”; the beat is only a piano key and bass in the background. Mixed with ODB’s signature flow, the result could only be classic.

Ol’ Dirty Bastard came with a variety of topics on this one too: “Don’t U Know” is a warped account of his first sexual experiences, “Damage” is basically just lyrical onslaught, and in “Harlem World”, ODB raps about life when he was a kid; at the end of the song, you even hear his mom beating him!

I could go on and on about how great this album is; Ason definitely came hard on this one. He reinvented the wheel and changed people’s opinions on what you can and can’t do in Hip-Hop. That’s why this album is nothing less than Classic Material.

When I first heard about this album, it seemed almost too good to be true: Freeway was not only making another album, but it would be the sequel to his debut album, Philadelphia Freeway, a solid album that, to this day, remains a hood classic. Freeway burst on the scene with hard lyrics and popular singles like “What We Do” & “Flipside”. He caught the sophomore jinx though, and his last album, Free at Last, tanked with only 100k sold to this date. Now with an album on Real Talk Records, can Freeway get back in the game in a major way?

Pay Attention
Freeway just comes back, talking about the album. It’s basically the introduction into the next track.

Finally Free
Now this is the shit I love to hear! Freeway came with this one: the first single off the album, and for good reason. The track bangs, and the hook is hot too: “Finally Free, Free back finally!” I’m glad he’s back too. This is a great way to start the album, it makes up realize that we’re happy Freeway is back on his grind. “Be in it for the whole duration/Fuck waitin’, get dough!”

Gotz To Be Tha Bomb
This is song for me was just OK. I mean, he’s got more Osama references than you count (you know, the whole Bomb thing…), but the hook is kind of lazy and drags on. Lyrically, Freeway shows us more of the skill and ability that he’s been known for, talking about days in the past, but I feel like he could be a lot better at times, like here: “I used to keep the lazer on my hip/Same days when I used to keep the pager on my hip/That was back when you could sell a million on the strip/And next…but now shit all fucked up.” Average song at best.

Hands Up
The beat on this BLAZING! I have no idea who produced it, but it’s amazing, sounding like the East and the South merged together into greatness. It’s got an epic feel to it; strong enough to be a banger, but at the same time good enough that Freeway can take out his lyrical skill. And Freeway rides it like a vet, constantly switching flows on it:

“I do it without a pen/
this shit comes right out my limbs/
and then you get my lyrics/I’m the man/
I do it with no hands/
I’m totally focused, I do it with no smoke and mirrors”

Freeway really did his thing here, you gotta check for this one.

Think About It
This a quick skit from a movie clip about how the drug game has changed things in the ‘hood.

Crack Rap
The production here was amazing!! I was going crazy as soon as this song came on, easily my favorite track out of them all. Freeway is rapping some real shit on this album too: “Half you niggas ain’t even been a gun battle/Ya’ll niggas just lyin’ rappin’, high as a scaffold/But if a nigga start to clap at you, you won’t know what to do/Crying to your mother, standin’ frozen like a statue.” Free definitely stepped it up for this one, and all 5 minutes of this song is fire.

Murda Muzik
This song was aiight. The beat goes hard, but it doesn’t stand up to the production that came before it. Freeway sounds almost uninspired right here, and the hook is suspect: it’s too long and awkward to make this song a banger. I’m not skipping this one, but it is a disappointment.

Around the World
This one shoulda been the first single: the production on it sounds really clean, and the beat is hard enough to pass as street and yet at the same time club-ready, which is what makes it so genius. Freeway here raps about traveling: “I’m bi-coastal, the black hopeful/The Obama of rap, with a gat, holla!” That’s a cold line right there, but Freeway again isn’t as lyrical as he was in the early parts of the album. Still, a great song.

Streets Won’t Miss ‘Em
I’m really loving the production on this album a lot. When the pianos on this song come it, it just becomes too hot. Only problem is that even on song #9, these songs are starting to sound very similar, and it’s hard to tell them apart. This one is only 3:10, so it’s short and it doesn’t do a very good job of standing out from the aforementioned tracks on the album. Average song.

The Nation
This is a clip from Menace II Society, the scene with Caine and Sharif’s teacher talking about Sharif’s conversion to Islam and how it made him a better person. You know I gave ya’ll this as a Friday Night Fro’, so if you still haven’t seen the movie, go check it out.

It’s A Good Day
This song is alright, but it’s nothing you haven’t heard before. I mean, this is a commonly tread topic in rap. Freeway even calls this his version of “It Was A Good Day”. He talks about a good breakfast, fly clothes, and hooking up with a girl, so basically exactly the same as the original version, only not as good. The lyrics sound like Freeway was sleeping on this track, just going through the motions. Average track.

Keep Yo Hands Up
Featuring Sheek Louch
This is essentially a remix of the original track, but Sheek Louch comes on as a guest feature. Truth be told, his verse is aiight, I think this version should have been put on in place of the other one, instead of putting both versions on the same album. It makes the first version seem mainly like filler.

Philly Freezer
Freeway just comes on, telling us that more new music is on the way soon, and he also gives a shout out to Roc-A-Fella Records and State Property. Didn’t he get dropped?

Bottom Line:
This album is too short. I don’t know why, but Freeway’s albums are always really short and leave you wanting more. This album did leave me wanting more, but it doesn’t even feel like a real album, more like a mixtape that was pieced together and rushed to the shelves. It’s 10 tracks and 3 skit like tracks. Hell, you could even say it’s actually only 9 tracks because “Hands Up” is essentially on here twice. Another thing that disappointed me was that while the tracks on here were good, I think the tracks I heard before from Freeway’s “Month of Madness” were easily much better than this, and it seems disappointing that he would even call this the sequel to his excellent debut. If it seems like I’m bashing the album right now, I’m not, I just think the album could have been a lot better if he spent more time perfecting it. Still, this is a solid effort from Philadelphia Freeway.

nappyPicks: “Hands Up”, “Around the World”, & “Crack Rap”

Download: Freeway – “Crack Rap”

I figured someone on the site would call us on DJ Paul not being in, but no one said anything (Maybe everyone was too busy downloading Relapse). While we could just forget this album and check it under the “who gives a shit” column, it’s on the album list, so we gotta do it. DJ Paul is known for being a founding member of Three 6 Mafia, which made a buzz last year with their single “Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)”. Now, he’s back with his second solo album in seven years. Can he stand on his own? Let’s see.

Get Right
On this track, Paul just talks about coming back, no rapping yet. Then he takes pill, marijuana, and drinks until he finally asks for a gun and kills himself. Why??

You Don’t Want It
Featuring Lord Infamous
Lord Infamous makes his first of eight featured appearances (Damn). I know that’s a lot, but think about it: they haven’t work together for minute. The beat on this is smoking. So much so the hook is excusable. The lyrics are what you’d expect, ABC, but the beat helps to forgive these errors.

Doin’ All the Doin
This song is about basically doing what you talking about instead of just saying it. It’s aiight. Once again the beat saves it. The lyrics are whatever again, but the hook and the beat are hot as hell.

Stay Wit Me
Paul here talks about people who say they with you and then turn their backs on you. The message is good, the beat is hot, and the lyrics finally rise above sub-par. Decent.

Jus’ Like Dat???
There’s only so many brain-dead lyrics and hooks you can take…SKIP

I Spoils
Paul basically talks about how he spoils himself with all the cash he’s got. It’s the same you’ve heard before, but it’s not so awful that I have to skip it.

She Wanna Get High
Featuring Lord Infamous
I feel like they got lazy on the beat right here. They have a Middle-Eastern style beat and a Middle-Eastern style girl on this one. While I dig that kind of music, the hook is terrible. I like the parts when they lay down their verses because the beat on it is fire. Alright track; could have been good with a better hook.

Walk Like A Stripper
The beat on this is smooth. Paul is talking about how a woman, no matter how she look, always look good walking like a stripper. I don’t know how true that is, but the beat smooth, and I can’t really say anything bad about this track.

Liquor And Powder
Nah, not feeling this one…SKIP

Jook
Featuring Lord Infamous
They tried to make this into a nice dance song and the beat would set the club off but it’s not a song you listen to, if that makes any sense. That’s why this is a SKIP to me.

Bumpin’
The beat on this is bumpin’ (no pun intended), but the song is mediocre. It’s like he didn’t try on this at all; these ABC lyrics are just not cutting it.

Pop A Pill
Featuring Lord Infamous
This about…well, what else? The hook is awful, the beat disappoints, and it’s just a SKIP.

Fuckboy
Featuring Lord Infamous
Really? SKIP!!

Wanta Be Like You
Ok, this track I can co-sign, finally! I don’t know who is singing on the track, but they did their thing. Paul talks about how most of the people out here hating on you just want to be you. It’s a good track, you can tell where his coming from.

Gotta Eat
Featuring Lord Infamous
15 songs into this album, and all these songs are starting to sound the same: same beats, same recycled lyrics, etc. Damn! This track is average, nothing you haven’t heard before, probably on this same album as a matter of fact.

Don’t Get Up On Me
The hook is awful and the beats are slacking late in the album. SKIP!

Ima Outlaw
This track is alright. I mean, it should be expected by now, but it’s alright. The beats are good, the hook is enough to pass, the lyrics…well, who cares about the lyrics at this point? Alright track.

Internet Whore
Featuring Lord Infamous
The punch line of the song is: “She got DSL: Dick Suckin’ Lips.” We’ve heard that one numerous times before, but here he tries to connect it to the internet theme. It’s again just barely enough to pass.

I’m Drunk
Featuring Lord Infamous
This a song about getting into a bar brawl and is done over a rock style beat. I don’t know whether I’m just getting tired of the album or not, but this is a definite SKIP.

I’m Alive
This is the sequel to the first skit: Paul wakes up and basically realizes he didn’t shoot himself, he just passed out from the drugs he took and barely missed the bullet. He laughs and says he’s gonna listen to the part where he kills himself again. Once again, why??

Bottom Line:
I took this album from B-Easy because he’s done a lot of the work around here lately and I needed to take more than one album review for the month. That said, this album is just terrible: 20 songs is way too long and this album lacks diversity. It’s the same topics, drugs, money, and women. It’s funny: Paul has made so much money in his career as a rapper, and once Three 6 Mafia was a well-known and respected name in hip-hop. I might be overrating them a bit, but you get the point. Now where are we at: he releases an album that no one even knew nor cared was coming out. With his wealth, he probably could just sit back and stay caked up for the rest of his life. I hope he does that and quits while he’s ahead…oh, wait…

Download: DJ Paul – “Walk Like A  Stripper”