In 1992 the Philadelphia group Da Youngsta's made its debut, made up of three teenage boys whose age is unknown at the time, it's assumed between 11 and 13 years old: they're the brothers Taji and Qu'ran Goodman, together with their cousin Tarik Dawson, and are assisted by their father Lawrence Goodman, who runs the local Pop Art label together with his brother Dana and who under the moniker LG the Teacher also provides the production for this kid rap album and supervises it.
Musically, the album doesn't really stand out in the 1992 scene: Goodman chooses a nice accessible sound, minimal and meager funky-jazzy boom bap, with a lean and syncopated drum machine to favor the slow and syncopated delivery of these guys. Rhythms and samples are easy and intuitive (to give a dark tone to the meager funky boom bap of "Cartoons", ESG's "UFO" is chosen, looped tightly in the background), there are some pop hooks, but nothing condemnable. The lyricism of these kids, clearly aided by the adults in the family, is simplistic, yet surprisingly positive and pro-parents unlike most hip-hop albums [including those made by adults], offering several quotable lines as well.
Overall it's a rough effort, the trio's abilities are immature, as are their arguments, this is a lighthearted LP, the kids are having fun: eleven choices, a remix, and two singles from the record, including "Pass da Mic", which manages to enter the top ten of the hip hop chart and is quite remarkable: tight bap boom, jazzy-funky, slow and tight syncopated skinny drum, simple hook, Emanuel Parks introduces himself as the only guest of the tape under the moniker of "Mentally Gifted" to give some hardcore to the record, and is also the co-producer of the LP. This Philadelphia trio will be giving away better albums in the following years, their debut being honest and worthy of a listen from kid rap fans.
Highlights: "Somethin 4 da Youngsta's", "Street Smart", "Y-Ya-Tryin to Play Me", "Pass da Mic".
Rating: 6.5/10.
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