Debut album for Andre Adams, rapper from San Francisco, Bay Area. Adams chooses Dre Dog as his moniker, later changed to Andre Nickatina, and the title of his first album refers to being the new Jim Jones, reverend and cult leader that between the fifties and seventies created a considerable slice of followers, living in San Francisco in the 1970s. Moving to Guyana, in 1978 he's responsible for a mass murder and for the suicide of himself and his 900 followers in the Jonestown commune.
Dre Dog crucifies himself on the cover and pulls out a 38-minute product, 11 pieces, 3 skits. The production, done by Dre Dog and TC, isn't particularly inventive, but it's solid, with lots of dark and funky boom baps, slow, tight, pounding and syncopated drum machines, and good samples. Lyrically, the boy focuses on braggadocio, weed, drugs and sex with simple lyrics, making a decent Bay Area coke rap album. He's technically solid and his rapping is slow, hardcore and smooth, allowing himself to deliver overbeats for a few minutes on "Off That Chewy".
Totally Insane, the only guest on the album, adds little to his cut. The album has few weak moments and could be an interesting listen for Bay Area fans, there are many guessed elements (good g-funk synths to close the tape in "Alcatraz"): released by local label In A Minute Records, the record is blessed with samples of Mtume's "Juicy Fruit" ("The Ave") and Isley Brothers' "Between the Sheets" ("Lips"), later used by Biggie for his classics "Juicy" and "Big Poppa", which give back a familiar sound.
Rating: 7/10.
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