Debut for Cedric Hill aka E.S.G. (Everyday Street Gangsta), homonymous moniker of the NY group of the eighties who pulled out "UFO".
The Bogalusa, Louisiana, native rapper based in Houston, Texas, relies on Earl Winters and Sean "Solo" Jemison to build the beats, and these two guys do a practically flawless job: the production is brilliantly funky, extracting g-funk synths and mobb samples contrasted by slow, tight drums, and providing a fresh and accessible panorama. ESG delivers easy lyrics about drugs, women, braggadocio and gangsterism with a competent, slow, confident and lively rapping style, more reminiscent of West Coast MCs than Southern ones: that's not a bad thing, because the rapper sounds good. The clear classic is the well-known "Swangin and Bangin", here also remixed by DJ Screw on the first track, as reported on the cover: is one of the first contributions of DJ Screw in an official studio album, probably the first, and launches his career together with his chopped and screwed style, then rediscovered in the mid-2000s. Released by Texan label Perrion Records, the tape doesn't win public favor due to the fierce competition from a resounding hip-hop season, however, it's a good listen for West Coast gangsta fans.
Rating: 7/10.
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