This is Michael Mixerr. Today I will review Lil Zane - The Big Zane Theory from 2003 on Capitol Records and Priority Records. Lil Zane was trying to mature himself as a person using the name Zane instead of Lil Zane as he did on his previous debut album Young World:The Future. It was only natural that he made this musical move for a selective business decision. The management was changed from Worldwide Entertainment to The Forster Bros. for this album. Lil Zane is Zane Copeland Jr.! Lil Zane makes the rebound on his return to his music career with Envyi being all over this album as the background vocalist on most of the tracks on this overlooked masterpiece of an album.
Lil Zane did an educational wordplay on title The Big Bang Theory and turned it into the brehsive album title of The Big Zane Theory. Lil Zane does indeed get educational on this album when it comes to gaining a higher education. That's how The Big Zane Theory came into place.
In the Intro (Ready Or Not), Lil Zane and Envyi sample The Fugees - Ready Or Not. This is one of those tracks perfect to play during a baseball game. Lil Zane makes the rebound on his return to his music career with Envyi being all over this album as the background vocalist on most of the tracks on this overlooked masterpiece of an album. I love the selection of groove synth horns used on this intro. The production is superb! The basslines are explosive! A great way to start off 2003 with!
Do It, Don't Stop is a reprise track from Intro (Ready Or Not) I love the selection of groove synth horns. The synth horns seem to be made to sound live. The reprise track Do It, Don't Stop reminds me of the beginning introductory track for a Broadway musical stage play when the play is first started to being conducted as the actors are ready to act on stage.
Do It, Don't Stop is celebrating the return of Lil Zane as Zane basically.
L.I.L.Z.A.N.E. is the Big Zane/Lil Zane anthem of this album right here! Envyi does a great job on this track with singing the background vocals. Lil Zane tells us all about him on this standout track song here! I loved this song when it first came out on the Tonight I'm Yours enhanced CD single. It reminds me of Big Spender from 1963. Lil Zane is still banging out classics to this days. Lil Zane is glued to his original masterplan of his game plan. Other than that, L.I.L.Z.A.N.E. had a positive potential to be a single and have a music video.
The bass is quite hyphy on Bounce. Bounce could have been used a B-Side to the Tonight I'm Yours single but there already have been too many singles with the title "Bounce" in the music business already used by a handful of numerous artists over the years. So I can see why Priority did not choose the Bounce track to be as a single.
Tonight I'm Yours is about Lil Zane strictly focusing on his girlfriend instead of his acting career, music career, family, and, of course, friends. Lil Zane does this by turning off his 2-way cellular phone and taking off time from touring for his music career. Tonight I'm Yours is the hit single of this album despite charting on the BillBoard Charts hitting from #106 to #108. Using Tank as a featured guest artist was a smart move because Tank was already established in the music business when Lil Zane was just getting started in the music business. Tonight I'm Yours is a basically a love song with Tank.
Peel Out is all about wildin' out! With Enyvi on the track as the background vocalist, it makes Lil Zane eye candy. Lil Zane is obviously living the fast life in his musical career and his acting career. Only real true ballers really "peel out". Peel Out is very sexually suggestive when it comes to dealing with the song's subject material. A lot of model car references are made.
In The Strip Club is a skit/interlude that showcases Lil Zane's maturity. He shows us how he can have fun in the strip club and have girls all on his side like dat. I love the Spanish melody on Shake It by Lil Zane. Lil Zane be doggin' all this hoes on this track up in the strip club. It will remind you of She's A Bitch by Missy Elliott. I know it reminds me of She's A Bitch by Missy Elliott. Shake It is a reprise to the In The Strip Club skit/interlude.
Lil Zane has anything you want and anything you got on How We Ride. Anything you want and Lil Zane's got. Lil Zane got it locked. The block has love for Lil Zane. How We Ride reminds me of Top Down and Money Stretch. Shit gets serious on this track here called How We Ride. I love this track!
All $ Ain't Good $ is telling us that all money is not good money. People invent and invest in dirty ways into getting other peoples money when it comes to scamming them. People use scams. Invest in your money wisely. Be very careful with your money.
Don't Tell is about keeping it on the down low and keeping it strictly hush, hush when Lil Zane's on the late night creep in these strip clubs and night clubs. Come Runnin' is a morning after type of track Come Runnin' is a sex track/love song. I love this track. It had a lot of potential to be a single along many other tracks on this album. Come Runnin' is very similar to Peel Out, Tonight I'm Yours, and Do It, Don't Stop. Envyi is on Come Runnin'.
Damn is just about as serious as How We Ride. This can't be true! Well it is! So deal with it! Damn is aimed to all the haters that want to see Lil Zane's downfall. Now it's just Lil Zane and these two unidentified women up in the club. The party never ends when Lil Zane's around. It never ends when Lil Zane's around. He's a pimp in the rap game.
The Vision (I.O.U.) is a more of a dedication track than rather a diss track or a love song. Lil Zane tells us his career would not be possible without the support and love of his fans. Groupies too. Lil Zane tells us never turn your back on your fans because they are the ones who are there supporting your career and your business ventures. He dedicates The Vision (I.O.U.) to his family and friends first. And of course his fans last. I.O.U. is basically The Vision of Lil Zane.
If Priority Records had promoted this album right along with Lil Zane's acting career in feature films, Lil Zane would have been on the same level as Lil Wayne is today instead of being an executive officer behind the scenes in the music business. Lil Zane's mistake on this album was using the name Zane instead of Lil Zane as he did on Young World:The Future. I understand that Lil Zane was trying to mature himself as a person but it was confusing for previous Lil Zane fans to find this album under the name Zane. That's why this album did not go platinum the way Young World:The Future did. There weren't as many music videos shoot and promoted for this album as there were on Young World:The Future. Do It, Don't Stop, L.I.L.Z.A.N.E., Bounce, Peel Out, How We Ride, Come Runnin', and The Vision (I.O.U.) all had potential to be hit singles!
As I said before, I'll explain it again! Lil Zane did an educational wordplay on title The Big Bang Theory and turned it into the brehsive album title of The Big Zane Theory. Lil Zane came up with the awesome idea of using The Big Zane Theory as the album title. Lil Zane does indeed get educational on this album when it comes to gaining a higher education on tracks such as The Vision (I.O.U.), L.I.L.Z.A.N.E., and All $ Ain't Good $. That's how The Big Zane Theory came into place.
I do believe this album was underrated, under promoted, and overlooked by the professional music critics, highly educated university professors, mainstream news media, mainstream music fans, hip hop heads, rap heads, and mass media alike. Lil Zane makes the rebound on his return to his music career with Envyi being all over this album as the background vocalist on most of the tracks on this overlooked masterpiece of an album as I explained earlier in this extensive album review. I have no clue as to why Envyi is all over this album, but Lil Zane, Capitol, and Priority had made a smart business decision to have Envyi all over this album as the main background vocalist.
I do believe this album was underrated, under promoted, and overlooked by Priority Records and Capitol Records. They should have promoted and packed this album a lot better than they did. Instead of promoting Bone Thugs, Eazy-E, MC Ren, Snoop Dogg, and Roscoe, Priority Records could have better promoted Lil Zane in his career and this album. I still don't know why people slept on this album to this day.
Anyway… The Big Zane Theory is just as good as Young World:The Future! So if you haven't picked up The Big Zane Theory, buy it now!
I rate this album, The Big Zane Theory, 5/5*****!!
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