Concrete Magazine - Issue # 15 Reviews

Issue # 15

Pay Boy - The Pre Season

This is Payboy's debut album, and it's some of that dirty South G music for all you gangsters. Payboy isn't a d-boy himself, but he flosses like one. Guest rappers like Jell Roll, Terra and Amp are straight gangster/trap rappers. The hottest track is probably "Do Ya Damn Thing" produced by Coop de Ville with a hot-ass hook by Jelly Roll. Coop produced nine of the thirteen tracks, and he shows out. "U Gangster" produced by Hightower is another banger. Payboy is not as lyrical as some Nashville rappers, but he holds his own. If this is the Pre-Season, the team should really be ready when the regular season starts.

Yin Yang Twins - Chemically Imbalanced
The ATL's crunkest kids are back at it again. You already know what to expect. In fact track three "1st Booty on Duty" recycles the beat from "The Whisper Song." Do these guys live in the strip club? Maybe that's where they left their rhymes. That said these guys have serious charisma and by now are pop culture icons. The second half of the album seems to try eliminate the crunk twins. They teamed with Wyclef Jean and Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis for production and take off in a completely different direction. Wyclef is all over the place, singing hooks and filling beats with heavy guitar riffs. It makes you think maybe they are tired of their own act and are trying to move past the label as "crunk" artists. They would not be the first Atlanta artists to break free of their original style. Can the Ying Yang Twins evolve like Andre 3000 and Cee Lo Green or will their fans roll with someone else? This album seems more a questioning of styles than defining a new one. It might also be the last album from them. Mr. Collipark hints of a break-up. Stay tuned.

Bone Thugs N Harmony - Thug Stories
Time Iz Up is an all original mixed album. Diablo, whose voice and delivery have been compared to 2-Pac, comes with another hood banger. This guy is a true artist. His voice conveys a wide array of emotions, and his lyrics are cleverly crafted tales of the street. There's guest appearances from Cruna, Low Pro, Warpath, Fluid Outrage and some others. Fluid produces a few tracks also, as does Fate Eastwood and Chad West. This whole project is an example of Nashville's lyricism. The Bangout crew is at it again ... Believe it our squeeze it!

Furious Styles - First Two Letters In My Name
Furious Stiles is coming out of Memphis, but it's not that typical Memphis sound. He's very much on the hip-hop tip, coming with braggadocios rhymes and sampled sounds. It still very southern, slow and melodic. "Get It On' is the club joint, urging the ladies to dance and the fellas to pay for the drinks. This guy does it all, raps, produces and records. Stiles doesn't reinvent the wheel. The beats are raw, not full of fluff. His rhymes reflect a more mature view of the world. His style seems the most complete on "I'm Trying To Tell These People" a song with a throw back structure and cynical/positive/conflicted message. It's no wonder his label is called Metalee Ill. If you don't like it "F.U."

	Hyphy Hitz - Welcome To The Bay Crunk's crazy West Coast cousin Hyphy is back in the house! This is the best of what the Bay Area has offered to date. ATL does make an appearnace. They label DJ Toomp as hyphy with his production of Twisted Black's "I'm A Fool Wit It." And, Da Muzicianz team up with The Federation on "Go Dumb." The Yay Area Ambassador, E-40 represents along with others like Mac Dre, Z, Keak Da Sneak, The Team, The Federation, B-Legit and a gang of others. This whole album makes you want to go dumb, jump out the car and ghost ride your whip. If you have dreads, you'll be shaking them. The underground momentum the Bay Area has created could rival that of the South and swing the hip-hop pendulum back to the West. Oakland has always been at the front of urban culture dating back to the pimp culture of the late 60s/early 70s. All that "fo' shizzle, izzle dizzle" stuff is pimp-talk that started in Oakland. It's only appropriate that the city's new generation rise up. It's infectious fun. Props to the Bay Area for supporting their own.

	On The Grind So that's where Dell and Digum went. They've been off making an indepedent movie directed by Monteon Da Don and co-starring Lil Boosie and Webbie. It's a tale from the streets full of drug dealing, dirty cops, double crossing ,robbery and all around thugery. A lot of Nashville people and landmarks make cameos. Most notably Dolowhite from 101.1 The Beat as a vice officer named O'Reily. With his comical, improved lines, he steals every scene he's in. Nashville's hip-hop scene may become as well known for independent films as it is music. This movie is making serious noise in the South. It has all the things a real film needs including a love scene and a montage. The next step is to make the film festival rounds. The soundtrack comes with the DVD and it's all Dell and Digum with some features from Mike Jones, B.G. and Bun-B. It's worth the time and money, so go get it.

Champ Jones - The Best At It

DJ Ron C hosts Champ Jones' hot new mix tape. Last summer he had one the hottest tracks on The Remix Era Mix Album with, "I Am Cashville." That's one of the hottest cuts on this mix as well. He's another one of those Nashville artists with lyrics full of punch lines and tight rhymes. His high pitched delivery is quick and precise. He claims he is "The Best At It." He even challenges anyone to diss him on a track so he can prove it. We'll see if anyone takes the challenge.

Don Cannon - 28 Grams, Vol. 5

This is just a classic mix tape. Don Cannon gets the hottest tracks from all over the country, then mixes in some originals, some exclusives, some disses and it's over. He starts out hard with Jay-Z going at Jim Jones on top of the "Ballin" beat. Peedi Then it goes right into Lil Wayne going at Jay-Z on top of his "Show Me What You Got" track. It finally ends with Peedi Crakk going at Juelz Santana. Beefs and battles are hip-hop culture and bring out the best in real MCs.

Willie The Kid - Divide and Conquer

Willie the Kid the flagship artist of The Aphilliates Music Group. He shows why on this Gangsta Grillz Special Edition. He has an Midwest flow that comes from his West Michigan upbringing, and knows exatly to jump on top of beats by Don Cannon. Almost half of the tracks feature La The Darkman of the Wu Tang family. It makes since, he's his older brother. Lyrics must run in the family, because they are killing it. Now that he's in Atlanta and down with DJ Drama's crew, Willie is just patiently waiting to drop a major album on Asylum Records and blow the f--- up.

DJ Drama & Young Jeezy - Gangsta Grillz: I Am The Street Dream

DJ Drama declares he has it down to a science. When it comes to cooking up an exclusive mix tape, no one does it better than Drama and Jeezy. This one dropped to promote Jeezy's new album The Inspiration. There's no doubt it worked. Jeezy landed number one the charts the week his sophomore album dropped. This one isn't quite the monster their original collaboration Trap or Die was, but it does have some nice exclusive joints and guest features from CTE label mate BloodRaw, Slick Pulla and some others. You already know, it's certified scientific.

Fluid Outrage - 36 Fluid Oz.

Fluid Outrage, the in-house producer for Bang Out Entertainment is front and center on a mix tape of his own. There's a lot of guest appearances including, Young Buck, Hi-C, Lil Murda, Cruna, Young Chance, Warpath, Low Pro and Diablo. Production credits list DJ Paul, Fate Eastwood, Chad West, K.P., of course Fluid and a few others. Bang Out works with a lot of Nashville artists, and always put quality work out. Fluid is a beast on the beats and proves the mic is no different. Go get this one, it's a certified street banger.

Jellyroll - Gamblin on the Whiteboy

Get ready for a lot of punchlines and a big waistline, cause Jellyroll is in the house! This is the second mix tape from the Nashville underground legend. He's gained regional fame from his freestyle skills. He showcases those skills on this project, but it's full of his more polished, written lyrics. A lot of the production is original and from Coop. There's some guest features from Struggle, Uno, Mario Moore and Dale Babb. Jellyroll keeps it real gangster, but he is still one of Nashville's most talented lrycists. Do you Jelllroll.

Nitty Gritty - Grind On/Paperchasin'

Out the grit and grime of Memphis comes Nitty Gritty. He's on his grind to feed his kids and Freddy Hydro, Rob Storm and most the rest of M-Town are co-signing for him. It's some original production with some jacked beats. Track two, "Grind On" a beat by Drum Squad, features Yo Gotti and is solid. "Get Busy" is another hot track produced by Drum Squad. The end of the disc features some of the original tracks chopped and screwed. Another rapper to watch for from the M.

PB Memfi$ - Pimp Tales Vol. 1

As you might have guessed from his name, this cat hales from Memphis, Orange Mound to be precise. He's one of Gangsta Boo's main homies. This guy is on some straight pimpin' shit. He's already getting some love from Memphis radio and mix tape DJs with his song "Cadillac Turn." Gangsta Boo is all over this as are fellow pimps Pimpin' Ken, Skinny Pimp, and Pimp C. His delivery has that Memphis cadence to it, kind of like 8-Ball. Pretty Boy has got a hot one with this one.

UNT Entertainement presents Grand Theft Audio III

U.N.T. consists of IceMan, Raw, Nazdaq and The Commission. They represent for Nashville. Their flows are quick and have an East coast feel. Ice The Don is the leader of the click, but they all have their own swagger. There's a nice selection of original tracks mixed in with jacked beats. These guys have already sold over 1200 units of this on based mainly off internet spins and their internet radio station WUNTradio.com. Nashville needs to get on board with these guys.

Willie Joe - Get Em, Got Em

This is actually an LP with a few singles and some snippets. Willie Joe is a Bay Area native who now calls Atlanta home. He's the perfect blend of the two scenes. His delivery has hints of hyphy and his pronunciation is too correct like E-40. He perfectly finds his place on these dirty South beats, and the sound is incredible. The main track is called "Get 'Em, Got 'Em" and it's got hit written all over it. Don't sleep on Willie Joe this kid is on the come up.