Hip-Hop Albums of the Year

06 April, 2023

Gimisum Family — Tha Hoodway I


Fifth cassette produced by Gimisum Family, a Memphis supergroup made up of rappers Skinny Pimp, So Serious, Lil Gin, Lil Pimp and 211. Other uncredited performers of the edition are Z Dogg, Joy, Killamac, Lil Ced, Big Hill, OG Larry, Big Blacc, Chill Will, Mista Playa Dre, AK and Big Debo.

Spoken intro of Lil Gin on boom bap with drum downtempo and dark samples, then the same MC immediately rips the compilation with one of the best cuts to come out of Memphis during the season, "Smooth Getaway Pt. 2": excellent rhythm, built with perfect drum and fantastic samples, including haunting g-funk synths. On this soundscape, Lil Gin delivers in a calm, slow, and syncopated way: the guy is at his best and this cut seems to get better with each passing minute. The track is even too good for the rest, the disc struggles to hold its own in the following choices. "Pimps & Hoes" features honest samples and a downtempo drum that serves as the background to five minutes of hardcore rap spit on by OG Larry, Big Blacc and Chill Will. Track number four boasts other g-funk synths and a lively drum to accommodate the juvenile rapping of the Gimisum rappers, posse track with Z-Dogg, AK, 211 and Big Debo.

The next track is similar to the previous ones, with g-funk synths, decent samples and a tight midtempo drum for the Big Blacc solo. Two skits follow in succession, before the second part of the tape: "Skinny Pimp" was supposed to be the original outro of the collection, performed by the homonymous MC, while "Interlude" is the original intro played by Z Dogg. "What Yo Hood Like" is darker than usual: a skeletal, downtempo drum supports the dark bars of Joy, Lil Gin, Z Dogg, Killamac, Lil Ced and Big Hill, in one of the longest posse of the edition. Tony Montana from "Scarface" (1983) opens "I Told Ya", dark rhythm with slow drum, on which Mista Playa Dre and Killamac perform with a slow syncopated style. Big Hill makes one of the best songs of the edition in his solo joint "Skilled Pimpin": the rhythm doesn't seem too inspired, with discrete samples and an accessible light drum, nevertheless, there's a fantastic bridge to support Big Hill's slow delivery. After opening the tape, Lil Gin closes it with another highlight, "Strapped At All Times": dark and gloomy boom bap, downtempo drum, good sample, MC's lively dope slow syncopation delivery, fantastic cut.

You can find the tracklist broken down on the internet and with different titles: "Intro" here is "Side a Outro" by Lil Gin, which was probably intended to be the outro of the first part of the CD, and not the original intro by Z Dogg , which is placed in the belly of the tape under the name of "Interlude". "Pimps & Hoes" is "I'm So Real", "Big Blac So Wack" is also known as "Big Blacc Solo Junt", "Skinny Pimp" is "Outro", "I Told Ya" is "Judgment Night". Consisting of 11 cuts and 41 minutes, the tape was released in 1996: it's among the best projects released by Gimisum and is a pleasant listen for fans of the Memphis scene.

Highlights: "Smooth Getaway Pt. 2", "Pimps & Hoes", "I Told Ya", "Skilled Pimpin", "Strapped at All Times".

Rating: 7.5/10.

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