Debut album by South Central Cartel (SCC), a group formed by two Havocs (The Mouthpiece and The Rhimeson, the latter under the name of Havikk) and a Prodeje, practically the same legendary formation as NY, but in Los Angeles. In support, there are the singer LV, the producer Jam-O-Rama (author of much of the production, along with Prodeje) and three DJs, Kaos, Gripp and Ace.
Introductory skit, then simple boom bap, cheerful rhythm on which rappers deliver their first gangsta bars with a cheerful, syncopated and slow style; some bad random synths as background. "Say Goodbye to the Badd Guyz" has a simple and lean rhythm, cheap, cheerful again, with a frantic tight drum machine and a slow, syncopated and smooth delivery. The third pick features a simple beat, poor syncopated slow drum machine, slow and vibrant smooth delivery.
A sparse economic and simplistic production follows, before "Neighborhood Jacka": functional hook, decisive syncopated delivery smooth on simple rhythm. "U Gotta Deal Wit Dis (Gangsta Luv)" is one of the two best cuts on the record, if not the best, and it's a ballad: amazing sample of Zapp's "Be Alright", fantastic, light slow rhythm with g-funk synths, female sample in the background, best beat of the whole project.
Good sliding syncopated slow delivery, simple chorus with jazzy bridge, it's the same dope beat on which 2Pac will release "Keep Ya Head Up", an absolute classic of the whole genre. "I Got My Roll On" has another fresh beat, close to hip house, dance, lean, simple and vibrant good slow syncopated delivery of the group. "Ya Getz Clowned" picks up on the band's tradition of simplistic rhythms, tight looped male sample, functional hook, slow syncopated delivery, skinny, pounding and syncopated drum machine.
The drum is heaviest in the ninth song, on a light rhythm, close to pop rap. "Pops Was a Rolla" is an obvious homage to a Temptations classic, here the rhythm is light and minimal, simple, with pounding drum machine and a smooth and fast syncopated delivery of the group. "Think'n Bout My Brotha" is the other joint that plays the record's MVP award: decent lyrics, simple rhythm, light jazzy boom bap, gorgeous sax sample, functional hook, light velvet syncopated slow delivery, sung hook. The title track features a simple hip house beat, with a skinny syncopated and pounding drum machine, and a slow, firmly flowing syncopated delivery, closes a simple and minimal beat on which the group delivers in a slow and syncopated way.
Gangsta LP, tough lyrics with themes that revolve around g-ish in South Central, LA, the group act out their lyrics with decent rapping but their bars fall on a decidedly poor and scanty production, which goes out of their way not to validate them. When the ballad turns out to be your best produced cut, something went wrong. Overall, it's a mediocre album, not recommended, despite the good will of the performers.
Rating: 5/10.
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