I know we are a day late with this week’s installment of Song of the Week, but as the old saying goes, “better late than never”. This week’s edition of SOTW is delivered with a heavy heart. You guys know that King Jerm is an avid sports fan, and today one of the most popular and beloved mascots, UGA VII suddenly past away. For you guys that don’t know UGA VII is the mascot of the University of Georgia. UGA VII was 4 years old and compiled a record of 16-7 during his tenure as UGA mascot. The Bulldogs will have to take the field with a replacement for this Saturday’s home finale against the Kentucky Wildcats. RIP UGA VII.  So sit back and take a minute to reflect on anyone that you have lost. I’m out.

Download: Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)”

Rick Ross is the latest rapper to try his hand at being an executive with the release of his group Triple C’s debut album Custom Cars & Cycles. The group consists of Ross, Gunplay, Torch, and Young Breed. Don’t think that these were some rappers that just got put on; they have been down with Ross from the beginning. Now it’s their turn to bring the country deeper into Miami, past South Beach, past all the beaches, and straight to Carol City. Ross has been on a roll this year, now he has to show that he really is a Boss and can manage a team. Let’s check it out.

Custom Cars & Clips
Produced by Schife & OhZee
The album starts off with Ricky GOING IN over some nice production. Say what you want to about Ross, but the dude has that IT factor about him. The rest of the group made a good impression on me on the first song. There wasn’t any doubt that Ross & Co. wasn’t going to come out the gate stumbling.

White Sand
Produced by DJ Speedy
The chopped beat has me OPEN over here! Of course Ross starts it off to set the tone, the group follows him up. When Ross is out the song, it seems like they are doing their best NOT to lose the lead. The production is so tight on this one; I think that made up for the average lyrics from the squad.

Break It Down
Featuring Bun B; Produced by Best Kept Secret & Nasty Kutt
Once again the crew gets dealt some nice production and they put in some nice work on the song. Of course the stand out verses belonged to Ross and Bun. Ross is doing a good job carrying the team so far.

Go
Featuring Birdman; Produced by Schife & OhZee
Four songs in a row with nice production is making this album very listenable. Ross again sets the tone for the song, I can’t complain, it has been working, STICK WITH IT. This is the first single from the album and this isn’t a bad one to come out the gate with.

We Getting’ It
Produced by Schife & OhZee
All of the momentum of the album came to a standstill on this track. This song didn’t fit in with the flow of the first four songs. The hook on the song is a problem, the production could have been better, and since the production wasn’t that good, some flaws got exposed with the group. Ross couldn’t save this one.

Trick’n Off
Featuring Gucci Mane; Produced by Drumma Boy
The album swings back on track with an appearance of one of the hottest dudes in the street…GUCCI! You can tell Ross dumbed his lyrics down for Gucci. Triple C’s sound more comfortable rapping on these topics. HOT SONG.

Throw It In The Sky
Produced by The Olympicks
Ross sets the tone again on the track over some pretty good production provided by The Olympicks. This would do some good spins in the club because of the hook and the topic. I like the feel of this one.

Erryday
Featuring Young Jeezy & JW; Produced by Schife & OhZee
Schife and OhZee bounce back after their first slip up to release a BANGER. When Triple C’s get good production, it disguises the fact that they might not be the best MC’s out there, but they do better when they stay in their lane.

Customized
Produced by Schife & OhZee
This is one of those songs that sound so FLORIDA that it’s screaming on the production. I’m on the fence with this song. Half of me likes it, and half of me hates it. The song just doesn’t do enough to win me over.

Gangster Shit
Featuring Game; Produced by Rich Harrison
Game lends a hand on this track and he does what he usually does, but this time he went first and Ross batted clean up on this track. The production does sound like some gangster shit. This song has some good moments, but it’s obvious that this is a one man team.

Finer Things
Featuring Masspike Miles; Produced by The Olympicks
This sounds like your typical Ross track, only problem is that everyone isn’t on Ross’ level. The crew took the Boss’s lead and did enough to keep the listener entertained after Ricky’s verse. The Olympicks did their best J.U.S.T.I.C.E League cover on the production. No diss just noticed.

Chick’n Talk’n
Featuring Mack 10 & Warren G; Produced by The Olympicks & The Dream Team
Don’t adjust your eyes, yes Mack 10 and Warren G are still rapping. This song reminded me why I never listened to Mack…I hate his delivery. What were they thinking with this collab? FAIL.

Diamonds & Maybach Pt. 2
Featuring Suede Royale; Produced by Bink!
Ross is always good for a nice smooth one for you to ride clean to. I can’t even get mad at Ross on this one. Yeah, it’s long (PAUSE), but it’s so smooth that you have to let it ride out. I really like the hook on this one. HOT.

Hustla
Featuring Masspike Miles; Produced by DJ Khalil
They change up and let Gunplay open up on this one and to my surprise he sets it off for the crew. Is this Lloyd on the hook? Sure does sound like him. The production on this one is pretty good, and the Cartel did some good work on this one.

Yams Pt. 2
Featuring Yo Gotti; Produced by Drumma Boy & Zaytoven
“Grandma Kitchen/cooking yams/same pot/she use for the yams”. I guess you know where this one is going. Yo Gotti has become one of the more popular dudes in the streets. If you like dope boy lyrics, this will be one that you jam EVERYDAY. If you are tired of the drug rap…skip this one. I like drug rap when it is executed well, and they did just that on this one.

Bottom Line:
Ross and Triple C’s had a respectable debut album. It was evident that Ross had to be on every track and on most of those tracks, he carried them. Not like his shoulders were not strong enough to do it, but he did get help from the supporting cast, had some nice features, and got a big help from the production. The album will not push a ton of units because it is still being marketed towards the streets. We all know the “streets” don’t buy albums, and as long as that is your targeted audience…you will not do numbers.

nappyPicks: “White Sand”, Trick’n Off, “Erryday”, “Diamonds & Maybachs Pt. 2”, “Yams Pt. 2”

Download: Triple C’s feat. Yo Gotti – “Yams Pt. 2”

You talked, WE LISTENED. We had no idea that you guys cared about the reviews until this week. We tried to broaden our horizons but we put our bread & butter on the back burner. BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. The nappyafro boys are back focused. We took a little time off to fall back and re-evaluate the team, ourselves, and where we want to take this. BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. You got to understand that we are regular folks just like ya’ll that work a 9-5, have families, and run a Hip-Hop site. So let this be a warning to all of you out there. The FRO IS BACK! I want to shout out the crew individually…B-Easy aka (the Diva), Saule Wright aka (Mr. 314), SBK aka (Billz), H2O aka (my godson), Kareem Abdul Jamar aka (where you at cuz?..for real?), Arkitekt aka (the noob), VG aka (Kid Knuckles), Infamous F aka (Forum champ), Mr. Jones aka (Mr. Jones), and last but not least, Mr. Chew.  We want to thank all of our long time supporters DJLP, Boricua, TS, Chip, SBA, and the rest of the readers that stop by everyday (even if we don’t put up stuff) WE THANK YOU. We are taking it back to what got us out there in the first place. We are still going to focus on the and More, but we have to bring the focus back to the Hip-Hop Reviews part. In the future, when we slippin…PULL OUR COAT and let us know. We was burnt out, but no excuses from us. WE BACK ON THE GRIND.

This weeks edition of Song of the Week is dedicated to someone who puts in ALOT of work, but doesn’t get the credit they deserve, or they even care to have. But I got to let you people know who is the engine powering the car…B-EASY. The dude puts in the most time for the site, and without him, there would be no FRO! The man posts, does all the graphics art, the design, ALL HIM. (I’m the brains and the VOICE..so that matters…) So I decided to make this a B-EASY appreciation post instead of your typical SOTW. So give it up for B-EASY and enjoy a song…which is FIRE and really doesn’t fit an appreciation post, but I’m the KING!

Download: UGK – “Murder”

WOW! Beans finally breaks his silence on the whole Roc/Jay-Z deal. All I can say is WOW! I know I have been accused of not liking Jay, I do, I just think that he’s a dirty dude. Well someone besides Dame finally lets us know that Hov is a shitty individual. Before ya’ll say that Beans is jealous and all that…remember HE DID DIRT FOR JAY. If Jay should keep it 100 with anyone..it should have been Beans. Listen to song and tell me what you think. ALOT of cats are starting to throw rocks at the throne…Jay might be due for one. I would love to see Jay involved in a rap battle. Maybe someone needs to do to him what he did to Nas? Wake his ass up and light that fire again. Why is it that all of Jay old running mates don’t mess with him anymore? Is it them or is it Jay? Hmmmm?

“Compared to Beans, you wack” – Esco

Download: Beanie Sigel – “What You Talkin’ Bout (I Ain’t Ya Average Cat)”

Update: Charlamagne Tha God interviews Beanie Sigel about Jay-Z & “Whay You Talkin’ About”

Update: Jay-Z answers Beanie Sigel during The Blueprint 3 press conference

I was recently listening to Nicki Minaj the other day when it hit me, “Where are all the Female MC’s?” It’s like the only ones you hear are Minaj, Khia, and…who? I know Hip-Hop has always been a male dominated industry, but there was always room for the female MC. Now it seems like there is no place for the female MC in the game. The female has always had a place in Hip-Hop. If you were a crew, you had to have a female. Roxanne was associated with the Juice Crew, Queen Latifah and Monie Love were part of the Native Tongue crew, Mrs. Melody was associated with BDP, to more present year acts like Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Eve, and even Trina. But now all it seems the only roles females are used for in Hip-Hop is EYE CANDY. Sad, I know.

Where did it all go wrong? Do we lay the blame on Lil’ Kim and Foxy for their raunchy lyrics that doomed all other females behind them? Because of them, artists that don’t push SEX aren’t even listened to by the mainstream listeners. You have some talented FemCee’s out there that don’t get any recognition because they aren’t sexy or even rap about their sexual exploits. Is that fair to them? I am guilty of not giving certain FemCee’s a chance because of their looks, but I think that is part of the brainwashing that Hip-Hop has underwent.

Going back to the place of FemCee’s, where would you put them? Since Hip-Hop is being dominated by the streets and thuggery, can a female rap about that and be believable? Or is it more of the same and they have to stick with the SEXY rhymes for them to be heard? I feel bad for the legitimate FemCee’s out there that want their music heard, but all we get is every chick wants to be a “Black Barbie”. Will the real FemCee’s please stand up? The game is missing you right now, and some positive “Ladies First” type songs might help out some of these younger girls that big rims, expensive clothes, and orgies are not the way to go.

This weeks edition of Song of the Week is dedicated to Bryan “Baby, Birdman, Stunna” Williams. This coming off of his recent comments about Jay-Z being #1 on MTV’s Hottest list. Lists sure do make for ALOT of blog material. Now I can understand you going to bat for your team…but let’s be real Birdman, Weezy isn’t on Jay’s radar moneywise. You might be, but not your son. Back to the music. I know Birdman isn’t going to make anyone’s list of Top MC’s, but you can’t kid yourself and say Baby didn’t lay a gem down on this one. I know some of you “purists” out there are going to turn your nose up to this one, but this song still goes hard to this very day. As always, this is King Jerm reminding you to help control the pet population by having you pet spayed or neutered…WRONG SHOW! Enjoy this installment of Song of the Week!

Download: Big Tymers – “#1 Stunna”

I know this mixtape series came out last night, and believe this or not, but B-Easy really wanted to do this. He didn’t want his name associated with it, so he passed it to me. I guess he didn’t want you guys to know that he is a closet Gucci Mane fan. Oh well, since he is scared to admit the truth, King Jerm will give the people what they want. How better to celebrate making MTV’s 10 Hottest MC’s list than to release a TRILOGY of mixtapes! WHO DOES THAT? Ya’ll might not like his music, but Gucci loves his fans and he gives them what they want. All I can say about this is…DOWNLOAD. Gucci may never come out with an official album, and if I was him, I WOULDN’T. You can’t transfer this type buzz over to album sales.

Download: Gucci Mane & DJ Drama – The Cold War: Guccimerica

1. #6
2. Street Cred (feat. DJ Drama, Drake, & Killer Mike)
3. Diamonds
4. Follow Me (feat. Drumma Boi)
5. Throw Money (feat. Sean Garrett)
6. Guccimerica
7. In My Business (feat. Drake & Sean Garrett)
8. Gucci Bitch (feat. Kandi)
9. Bachelor Pad
10. Boiy
11. Outro
12. Dangers Not A Stranger

Download: Gucci Mane & DJ Holiday – The Cold War: Brrrussia

1. Gucci Talk Intro
2. Good Money
3. Break Ya Self
4. Gucci Talk P.S.A.
5. Ha Ha Ha
6. Party Animal (feat. Snoop Dogg)
7. I Am Legend
8. Diamonds
9. Gucci Talk
10. Foreign
11. Euphoria (feat. Waka Flocka Flame & Rocko)
12. Street Cred
13. Gucci Talk Outro

Download: Gucci Mane & DJ Scream – The Cold War: Brrritain

1. Great BRRRitain Intro
2. I’m Expecting (feat. Juvenile)
3. N.E.R.D.
4. The Other Day (feat. Jim Jones)
5. Outta Me
6. Burner
7. I Be Everywhere
8. Hush Ya Mouth
9. Greeat BRRRitain Outro
10. Timothy

“This goes out to you, this goes out to you, this goes out to you, and you, and you, and you!” It’s hard being a King, hell it’s hard wearing a crown all the time. I’m not complaining because someone has to do it.  We have all these Carl Thomas ass niggas in the World..they EMOTIONAL. So for this week’s edition of SOTW, I decided to dedicate this to all of you HERBS out there that think King Jerm doesn’t know HIP-HOP? Are you serious? You really think because I fucks with Gucci, Soulja Boy, and other new school acts that I don’t have any knowledge about the “real” artists out there? “YOU STILL RECOUPIN..STUPID!” As always sit back and do what you does and enjoy this edition of Song of the Week!

Download: Notorious B.I.G. – “Kick In The Door”

Fat Joe is a Hip-Hop pioneer in his own right, having put YEARS in the game, rapping with some of the illest MC’s out (D.I.T.C), and he had a couple of protégés under his wing (Big Pun, Remy Ma). But times have changed and so has his crew. Long gone are the days of Pun, Remy is doing a bid, and Joe has been in a public skirmish with 50 Cent years. Joe has not given his fans that “personal” album that they have been waiting on. This is the year of sequels (Blueprint and OB4CL2); will Fat Joe’s be considered on that list of “New Classics”? Let us find out!

Winding On Me
Featuring Lil’ Wayne & Ron Browz; Produced by Ron Browz
Fat Joe didn’t take long going after the younger club crowd with this one. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering this is the same guy that brought you “Lean Back” and “We Thuggin’”. I know people give Ron Browz a hard time, but I kind of like this song, maybe the Wayne feature helped. This beat sounds similar to “Pop Champagne” but the club crowd will still eat it up.

Joey Don’t Do It
Produced by DJ Infamous
The production on this song is SICK! I’m pretty sure this is a sample from some Doors Hendrix song, (guessing) but DJ Infamous did his thing on the track. I can’t sit here and act like Joe didn’t do the production any justice, he did, just wish the song would have been longer than 2 minutes.

One
Featuring Akon; Produced by The Inkredibles
It seems to me that every song Akon is featured on sounds the same. This is Fat Joe’s ode to keeping it real with ONE woman. I can dig it; I just don’t like Akon on the track. WHY? They could have gotten a legitimate R&B singer to do what he did on the song.

Aloha
Featuring Rico Love & Pleasure P; Produced by Rico Love
I guess Joe is keeping up with the ladies with the last two tracks. On this track it sounds like Joe is endorsing TRICKING. I really don’t like the featured artists on the song, they could have been left out, and maybe been replaced with Ne-Yo.

Put You In The Game
Featuring T-Pain & OZ; Produced by Schife, G-Boi, & Joe Boom
Three straight songs aimed at the females? This one is executed better than the previous songs with T-Pain on the track. What stands out to me is the production. The bass will have the sound systems working overtime. I can see know this will be a favorite by the females.

Congratulations
Featuring Rico Love & T.A; Produced by Eric Hudson
I like the feel on this song, but this might not be a crowd favorite. This production is simple, but sometimes simplicity makes good songs. The hook is on some “Empire State of Mind” or some Kanye influenced music. Whatever you want to call it…I’m feeling it.

Porn Star
Featuring Lil’ Kim; Produced by Jim Jonsin
Only two people could have done this song, Trina or Lil’ Kim. They have the latter on the track. Joe breaks out the Auto-Tune for this one, and to keep it 100 with you, I don’t want to visualize Joe doing the dirty. I’m not sure about this one; I can’t give it a co-sign.

Cupcake
Featuring Benisour; Produced by Schife
Now Joe is going back to his Young Jeezy roots. I know this is what is hot in the streets right now, but certain things Joe is too old for. This is one of them topics. I don’t want to hear 40 year old rappers talking about moving work. Leave that to the new cats out there, you better than this Joe.

Ice Cream
Featuring Raekwon & T.A; Produced by T-Weed
This is the song I have been waiting for from Joe. The production on this one is Johnnie Walker Black SMOOTH. Once again Joe’s subject matter is going at the females, which is okay, but the production makes up for the questionable subject matter. Raekwon doesn’t sound too enthused about rapping on the track, but maybe that is the way he sounds.

Okay Okay
Produced by Andrews “Drew” Correa
Joe has gotten some good production on this album, and he didn’t waste the opportunity to make decent songs. The only problem I have with this one is the hook. Joe could have done much more considering the subject matter and the production. The song is still FIRE though.

Blackout
Featuring Swizz Beatz & Rob Cash; Produced by J Buttah
It’s kind of funny seeing Swizz featured and not behind the boards on a song. This time Swizz does his best to get the crowd amped on this one. The beat will have all the girls off the dance floor, and nothing but the LIVE NIGGAS will be left standing. Joe definitely mixed some South and North on this one. DOPE.

Music”
Featuring Cherlise; Produced by DJ Infamous & Slick
FINALLY, Joe gives a song that lets us into his life. Joe doesn’t understand that he is a likable guy that his fans really don’t know him. Joe drops some gems on this one, “They say Joe too selfish, he won’t let us in the door/I say, Shit, I could’ve left Pun in front of that store/Could’ve left Remy Ma ass in Castle Hill/Where every other day another nigga get killed?/They say, What’s Cool without Dre?/I say, Shit what if them niggas never met Jose?/LV was a great DJ/Now he produced “Roc Boys”, headed for a Grammy/What if I would’ve told Khaled to stop buggin’ me??He’d probably never be president of that company/Shit, you probably would have never heard the movement/I ain’t gotta talk, I ain’t gotta prove shit/Scott Storch was the best, they kept sleepin’ on him/’Cause he’s a white boy, he kept ghostbeatin’ for ‘em/Dropped “Lean Back”, and that shit hit/And guess what? I made the nigga rich, cocksuckers.”

Bottom Line:
Joe still didn’t give us THAT album that we wanted, but don’t let that sound like this album is a failure. I don’t know what album Curly was listening to, but this one is ABOVE AVERAGE. Joe did go at the ladies on a third of the album, but seeing what his recent successes with the singles have been, I can’t fault that at all. I really don’t believe he had any major slip ups, just some questionable features, but the songs I felt weren’t the strongest were some of the songs aimed at the ladies. All in all, Joe can be happy with this release, and with the right timing with the singles, he may come home with a Gold plaque.

nappyPicks: “Winding On Me”, “Joey Don’t Do It”, “Congratulations”, “Blackout”, “Music”

Download: Fat Joe feat. Cherlise – “Music”

Download: Fat Joe – “Hey Joe” (”Joey Don’t Do It” Original Version)