Music Reviews

Even though this is the first ever Best of Both Reviews (i.e. When two lovesoul writers cannot agree on which review to post) I have to confess that it is not a case of extremes. I do not think this is the best album ever, and Hip-hop Singh does not think this is the worst album ever (otherwise I’m sure Camron, Plies and Tony Yayo would lose the talent that makes them ’special’).

So let me start by saying this album is NOT an absolute classic, more a modern day classic. Weezy is superb, refreshing, versatile, humorous and octane fuelled, but the polishing that the absolute classics have had is lacking in this. In the first track, ‘3 Peat’ he threatens to ‘m-fk your kids’, and in the last track he targets paedophiles, mistakes that are too easy to see. So why is this? Well back to the real classics, Biggie had Puff, Em and Snoop had Dre, 50 had Em, Game had 50, and Jay-Z had…well Jay-Z. Weezy has Baby, and although Baby has hits to blow any clubs south of Philly to pieces, Baby he’s not changed hip-hop, just contributed.

But before Hip-Hop Singh uses this against me, let’s focus on why this is one of the best albums of 2008 so far. It’s full of the hits that hip-hop needs. While Soulja Boy and Hurricane Chris claim to have catchy down, their flows and lyrics (and beats) cannot touch the near flawless ‘A Milli’. The ‘young money millionaire, tougher than Nigerian hair’ rips this beat to shreds. The flows, pacing, intonations, metaphors and even riding of the chops and screws is stunning. This song will absolutely explode clubs and cars forever.

Other stand outs include Just Blaze’s Mr Carter. Jay-Z makes an early appearance at Weezy’s party (2nd track, tho I think it should’ve been about 2/3rd of the way in). Weezy is really whatever on this track, we’ve definitely heard him better rapping over khaled and swizz beats. When hova steps up, its magic. Although its not like his Kanye, Rick Ross or Aztec cameos, its damn good, as he spits ‘the dope bwoy just came off the spoon’, forcing weezy to come back spitting ’so far from average’. The saving wack rappers concept track Dr Carter is very similar, it seems like he’s just spitting for the hell of it, until the trumpets come in to remind the Game, take notes on how you shout out other rappers from Weezy; subtle, fast, direct and back to the music.

Weezy highlights his a status as future great by picking some challenging beats. He rides Kanye’s ‘let the beat build’, but the lack of bass and slightly adolescent tone of his voice doesn’t allow his words to cut though and be memorable, like the tracks producer can be. This trait fortunately doesn’t restrict him so much on ‘The La La’, produced by David Banner and feat Brisco and the proven versatile Busta Rhymes. Busta is typically very good, tho I need a more bit of the dungeon dragon style to make me press repeat on him.

‘You aint got nothin’ is a great collab cut feat fabolous (feels like his track when he spits), juelz santana (feels like his track when he spits actually) and weezy himself (oh its actually his track). But weezy does damage this record, straight spraying venom everywhere and showing that he is actually better than his trackmates. Another highpoint to demonstrates weezys confidence.

Also some of the average tunes include ms officer ft bobby valentino (weezy, did u loose lloyds number?), and the hook driven, but otherwise poor, T-pain 2nd single feature ‘get money’. But there are still gems like radio-ready ‘comfortable’ with babyface to keep you two-stepping this summer.
So should you buy this album. Like over a million buyers in his first week out, yes, it will complement your hip-hop collection no doubt, its dope as hell and stands shoulders above most ‘new’ artists (weezy aint new, he’s revived, but you get what I mean). Hip-Hop Singh, take the baton….(Raj Lovesoul signing out)

Hip-Hop Singhs Review

Ok, Weezy has dropped his album ladies and gents, the question is does it give credibility to the claim of “best rapper alive”? I’ve heard the album, thoroughly, and the only answer is a resounding no.

The artist comes of with some heavily cliched production and nonsensical rambling lyrics, that try and come together at the end of verses, but more often than fall quite flat instead. That’s not to say the guy doesn’t have highlights and great catchy tracks, but these nuggets are lined side by side with some truly “please-hit-skip-track-now” songs.

Let’s face it Wheezy does get judged harshly due to the hype and hotness surrounding him (the album has a sticker that carries a Kanye West endorsement quote of the man himself) and he HAS greatly improved from his Hot Boy beginnings. The early track show this no less “3 peat” with typical weezy lines like “throw it up like i was trying to lose my gut”. Such lines will cause listeners to smile at the simple idea and effectiveness of such lines, and the realisation that no one else can really get away with such lines. Wayne does, due to the style in which he delivers his rhymes, each line dripping with charisma and swagger, two traits you could never accuse the kid of lacking. But the phrase “all style and no substance” never becomes more apparent later on in the very same song, where such lines like “watch me/ bitch watch me/ bitch watch me/ but they cannot see me” and “abracadabra…..i say up like viagra” cause you to grimace and hang your head in shame. It’s hard to believe that this guy reckons to be on top of the game and wants to lay claim to the crown, YET CHAMPIONS LINES LIKE THOSE??

Straight away Wayne makes amends for such trespasses by flowing over a VERY Just Blaze-esque beat Mr. Carter, along with his namesake. Here Wheezy is far more focused and his lines are stronger and flow much better delivered. Even lines like “I call them April babies because they’re fools!” show his creativity and succeed at keeping a smile on your face. The hook is very catchy and Wayne’s adlibs serve to enhance it further, and I defy anyone to not be singing it or having it playing in their head after only a few listens. But the crowning moment of the song comes of as Lil’ Wheezy’s greatest failing. Last verse duties fall to Jay-Z himself, and even with it being far from Jigga’s best verse, he comes of a class ahead of title artist in flow, lyrics and content. I suspect this is evident to Wayne himself, which is why he even reference lines from Jay’s “Lucky Me” at the end of the song.

Wanye has been known for flip-flopping between being “the best rapper alive” and “the best rapper since Jay retired”. After this song and album, he should stick with the post-retirement line, because at least that way he would be less wrong.

Unfortunately Wayne is not helped with some HEAVILY cliched lazy production, with the same horns and drum count down patterns appearing in virtually every song, making some of the beats nigh impossible to differentiate from standard south hip hop fare. Others are just awful, “A Milli” has a sample and loop that just wears away at the sanity of those who hear it for prolonged periods of time. “Dr. Carter” is a concept song that just fails due to Lil’ Wayne being a rambling mess on a concept that requires focus and execution, two trademarks the rapper lacks here. The Dr. Carter makes you ask “would u want to be treated by a mumbling incoherent unbalanced individual with as much finesse on execution as a monkey performing brain surgery with a wrench”, such is how Wheezy comes across. And “Phone Home” is just terrible, sorry, that’s all i can say about it.

“Tie My Hands” a collabo with Robin Thicke, comes across as a nice slow jam with style and smoothness, even if it comes off more a Robin Thicke song with Lil’ Wayne on it, probably because Thicke produced it as well. “Lollipop” is a standard Wayne club single, and just acts like Ronseal, doing exactly what it says on the tin. “Let The Beat Build” is also a pretty decent affair with Kanye West handling the boards and Wayne delivering decent lines. The rest of the album is pretty much forgettable fare.

I feel Wayne’s style of repeating lines and flipping their meaning was done 1st by Dipset, and all is like Pac than Biggie, as an artist who has stylish delivery more than quotable lyrics.
Even Ghostface can be accused of having lyrics that can border on nonsense, but Ghostface does not sound like Animal from the police academy movies when he raps, Lil’ Wayne does.
 So as an album I cannot call this good, not by a long shot. To be honest it’s pretty poor.