After the explosion of his boss/rhyme partner Young Jeezy back in 2005, Blood Raw and the CTE label had big things on the horizon. But after killing the mixtape circuit and appearing on the USDA album, Blood Raw’s time is now. Piggybacking Jeezy’s career is one thing but making it on his own is another. But Raw is up to the test and now is the time to show the world that he’s ready.

I’m the Truth
Featuring Big Rube; Produced by P-No
Raw starts the album off with the story of his life and how he got where he is now. Good way to start the album off, but what’s even more impressive is Big Rube doing his thing on the track.

It Feels Good
Produced by Drumma Boy
Raw talks about how it used to be back in his hood. It has a nice beat on it, but it sounds like what he said in the first song.

Louie
Featuring Young Jeezy; Produced by Midnight Black
The lead single off the album talking about men with their manpurses! I can’t imagine how they think it’s cool for men to walk around with MANBAGS! Nah, I don’t like this song…SKIP!

Almost There
Featuring Mannie Fresh; Produced by Mannie Fresh
Mannie Fresh lends a hand on the song, which is kind of funny with the message, “I’m trying to get my money right, I’m almost there” you know the feeling. The song will grow on you after a while.

What’s Happening
Featuring Trina; Produced by DJ Nasty & LVM
Trina helps Raw out with the ladies on this cut, but he sounds like Jeezy on this song. It could be a single because Trina’s verse wasn’t that obscene.

Fuck You
Featuring Slick Pulla; Produced by Tony Rey & Cliff Brown
Label mate Slick Pulla joins in on this track, the production, lazy hook, and Raw’s rhymes don’t hit you from the jump and Pulla’s rhymes doesn’t grab you like they used to. FREE SLICK PULLA!

Tryin’ To Get Home
Featuring Lyfe Jennings; Produced by T.A.
After hearing the production I thought Raw would do more with it, but he didn’t. He sounds like he’s saying the same thing on every track. SKIP!

I’m Fly
Produced by DJ Nasty & LVM
This sounds like a song that Jeezy passed on, but Raw gives the song its due. Nothing interesting about the song, it’s just some filler to make it an album.

Get Away
Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
One thing you can’t say is that Raw doesn’t have some of the biggest producers in the game on his album. The downside is the fact that Raw’s subject matter doesn’t match the production on the song. I would listen to the song just for the beat though.

News Reporter
Performed By Torica
An intro to the next song.

Go Head
Produced by Midnight Black
It sounds like he’s whining on the track and it gets annoying quickly! SKIP!

Still A D-Boy
Produced by Megaman
About time that he gave the people what they wanted to hear from him. When you rap with Jeezy all you’re supposed to rap about is TRAPPING! He went to that and it worked for him on this track.

I Miss You
Produced by The Runners
Raw looks back on his life and lets all his loved ones that are no longer here know that they are missed. The song isn’t HOT, but it’s okay. I have to say that The Runners dropped a dud on the production side.

Bottom Line:
Raw has successfully released his debut album, but it will get lost in the shuffle with all the other titles out there. He didn’t do anything to separate his music from the next guy. I didn’t think he could hold my attention for a whole album and he proved me right. He does have some of the top beatsmiths in the game on the album, but he wasn’t able to deliver with what he was given. What’s next for B. Rawstein? Who knows, but he might be better off being Jeezy’s goon than the future of CTE.

nappyPicks: “I’m the Truth”, “It Feels Good”, “Get Away”, & “Still A D-Boy”

Download: Blood Raw – “It Feels Good”

It seems like that when every rapper achieves some kind of success, they have a crew they gotta reach back for. Eminem had D12, Biggie had Junior M.A.F.I.A., Nelly had the St. Lunatics, Nas had Bravehearts; the lists goes on and on. Now after releasing back to back platinum albums, Young Jeezy does this and introduces the world to his group: USDA (United Streets Dopeboyz of America). I don’t have a problem with rappers helping others out with their careers; I guess it’s good to give back. But the only problem I have is that most of the time when these kinds of groups come out, they never live up to the quality of the rapper who put them on. I’m actually familiar with the other two members of USDA (they were on the cover of June’s XXL). Blood Raw and Slick Pulla both have been grinding on the Southern mixtape for a minute. Even though neither really made me take notice, I going into this review giving them the benefit of the doubt. Let’s get into USDA’s debut album, Young Jeezy Presents USDA: Cold Summer.

1. Focus
This song could’ve been on any of Jeezy’s albums (Which isn’t a bad thing). Jeezy starts it off and doesn’t sound like he’s mailing it in. Slick Pulla calls himself Bobby Drake again which for all you comic books fans out there know is Iceman’s government name. That alone makes me like this song. Not a bad start.

2. White Girl
This is the first single off this album. I guess you can probably figure out that this song isn’t about Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. I never really liked this song that much. I mean, it’s not bad, just not that much as far as a single. Kinda boring to me. It’s kinda funny that Christina Aguilera is mentioned in the hook though. Isn’t she part Hispanic or something?

3. Get It Up
This sounds like it could’ve been produced by DJ Toomp or something. I like the beat though. The song is about getting up your grind and money and what not. Jeezy tries a faster flow on this one too. I’m also starting to realize that Blood Raw’s style reminds me of T-Mo from Goodie Mob.

4. Check
The hook on this one is kinda suspect. They subject matter is also starting to thin out. Damn, you told me you was slanging and making big money on the first track. I did find out that Blood Raw calls himself Blood Rawsteen. Oh yea, I really wasn’t feeling this song.

5. Corporate Thuggin’
This song is a semi ode to their company CTE (Corporate Thugz Ent.). Young Jeezy verse in this one goes at the critics and is actually not that bad. Blood Raw verse is average. The beat is okay though. All in all, a good song.

6. Throw This Money
“This a strip club service announcement”. That’s how the song starts off so I guess this is the “let’s make it rain in the strip club” song. The hook goes: “Gone shake ya ass bitch, I’m a throw this money”. That’s it. In the strip club, this song would probably be a beast. Outside the strip club, its garbage.

7. Pam
I thought this was a song for the ladies. It really reminds me of that Lil’ Wanye/Hot Boys’ song “Kisha”. You know how they all mess with the same girl. It’s not a bad song at all; I’m just happy they changed up the subject matter.

8. Quickie
Okay, I think this one is a song for the ladies…or at least the chicken heads. It starts with Jeezy asking a girl, “Where your punk ass nigga at?”. The song basically dealing with keeping your Nike’s on, lifting up her skirt, and getting that quickie sex. I can’t front, I’m kinda feeling the message. Hey, we all can’t have sex for six hours!

9. Live My Life (feat. Scar)
I’m surprised this one wasn’t the first single. It has Scar (from Outkast’s “Morris Brown”) singing the hook to give it that radio feel. It talks about what every rapper talks about, “stop hating, I’m ballin’). It didn’t really speak to me but I could see why someone would like it.

10. Ride Tonight
Jeezy doesn’t appear on this one and let’s Blood Raw and Slick Pulla shine by their selves. This song sounds like a something you might have already heard on this album. Nothing really noteworthy here.

11. What It Is
Damn, these beats are really starting to sound the same. It seems like they running out of steam toward the end of the album. This is the second song in a row that Jeezy doesn’t appear on. By now you know that they ain’t rapping about saving the world on this song. More hoes, clothes, drugs, and money.

12. I Keep Tellin’ Myself
I guess this song could be taken as an uplifting song. It talks about how you gotta keep telling you’re self to be real and stay on the grind because “it’s all about the wealth”. Okay. Not a terrible song, but at this point in the album, I’m getting bored.

13. Respect Da Shield (feat. Roccett & 211)
This song is your basic “respect my crew” song. One thing though: I don’t know who raps second on this song (Roccett or 211) but they rip it. Oh yea, I guess Jeezy went home early because he also doesn’t appear on this song either. The beat is hard on this song though.

12. Go Getta (remix) (Young Jeezy feat. Bun-B & Jadakiss)
It seems like they threw this song on the album for sales (plus this song has been around for a few months anyway). This is a good remix, shit, it might be the best song on the disc. It just doesn’t fit on this album.

Bottom Line:
This album is average at best. It could pass for a second class Young Jeezy album. It’s not garbage though. While Blood Raw and Slick Pulla show glimpses of talent, the subject matter gets repetitive and the beats could have had more variety. If you a big Jeezy, you’ll probably like this album. If not, you might want to download it first.

nappy Picks: “Pam”, “Get It Up”, & “Go Getta (remix)”

Download: USDA – “Pam”