This is Michael Mixerr. Today I will review Still Here by Lil Sin.
Lil Sin went by the name Young Namar for this album of his. It’s his alias he uses on some of his albums. Still Here was released on CD in 2005 on Lil Sin's SoufField label. Only 500 copies of Still Here were pressed onto CDr which makes this album a collectors item. This has to be Lil Sin's most underrated albums next to his other albums such as Who Got Yo Back and My Secret.
Production and drum programming is on point throughout the whole album! The album has that 90s/2000's San Antonio sound with that Doo-Dooism sound with the bass guitars and heavy synths.This is more rock oriented although it still has some hip hop/rap sound though. Poppa Squali produced a majority of this album.
In terms of graphic design, Lil Sin’s arms are disproportionally cut out to where one hand is visible and the other isn’t on the front cover. The front cover looks disproportionate due to weird zoom lens tactics and off balance angles of where Lil Sin lays. He lays on grass in a cemetery next to a tombstone. The tombstone is placed halfway in between grass and sunset in the sky. If a full picture of Lil Sin leaning on a wall of a community center, then the front cover would look as disproportionate.
Anyway, on with the album!
Lil Sin marks his return in the Intro. Lil Sin discusses his previous successes in the Intro. Lil Sin brought you Frustrated By Death, which later brought Who Got Yo Back. Who Got Yo Back was rated 4 mics in the Source Magazine and 3 ½ mics in the Murder Dog Magazine. It should have been rated 5 mics in the magazines just mentioned because it is THAT GOOD! Lil Sin thinks his best album was Frustrated By Death.
The title track Still Here lets us know that Lil Sin isn't going no where. He takes us on a journey of his music career. Lil Sin also talks about how he toured 1,000 cities across the world! He talks about he and BLVD Records had made connections and deals with different people such as Bun B, Pimp C, Ant Banks, Lady Lunatic, Poppa Squali, and a whole bunch of other people. Also different companies such as BLVD Records, Southwest Wholesale, and PRC Recordings.
Still Here has that rock feel to it. Poppa Squali has great piano skills and uses great drum programming skills to match both genres. Notice the rock guitar sample used on this track.
Cop A CD has an Arabic flute used accompanied by a Middle Eastern/Arabic vibe. It's a lot different from any other Lil Sin song. It's a great song! However the song is only a minute long. Cop A CD should have been a bit longer.
On the song Success, Lil Sin again show cases his previous successes. In 1996, Frustrated By Death sold over 300,000 copies. In 1998, Who Got Yo Back sold over 300,000 copies! In 2000, My Secret sold 300,000 copies. 2000 was the same year that Livin'-N-Sin sold around 1,000,000 copies! (Platinum status for those of you who believe Lil Sin or not!)
As Lil Sin put it "It ain't about the money, nigga. It's in your heart." Not about selling out to mainstream music.
Lil Sin tells us he's not BLVD Records anymore and now on his own label SoufField along with PRC Recordings with Santee. He says it feels good to be on his own independently. This applies for both the songs Still here and Success.
As I said before… For those who don't know, Lil Sin (Ronnie Warner Jr.) is from the Eastside of San Antonio (Eastwood). He started out on BLVD Records with Clyde Williams III aka Sugabear and C-Ordell in 1995 while working on his debut album Frustrated By Death and C-Ordell's Under Investigation album. They both got him started in the music business. So did his father Ronald Warner Sr. (R.I.P.).
Can't Wait is about sexual intercourse. It's also about getting sprung. (You all should know what I mean.) Basically it's just sexual intercourse between love couples.
Can I (Next 2 U) is about Lil Sin loving relationship with his girlfriend. The song was done in 2004. Poppa Squali produced Can I (Next 2 U). It's about settling down, getting married, having kids, and investing in their homes. The loves never ends until death.
In the middle of Can I (Next 2 U), Lil Sin finds out that his girlfriend had cheated on him with another man. His feeling are hurt so bad. The human beatboxing can be heard. Can I (Next 2 U) songs like a song that came out of the late 80s. I'm not sure what the sample is.
Human beatboxing can be heard at the very beginning of Jonny. Jonny saw the gangster lifestyle at an early age. Jonny chose to live his life in a maze and now he wishes he could turn it all back. He's in jail obviously as a consequence. Jonny was a fighter in school and on the street. Now he's lost a friend. 25 to life is what he's dealing with.
The streets can make you or break you. It's really hard to trust your click. Nobody knows who you are anymore. Jonny used to be a rap star with a plush lifestyle. All the cars and women are gone. Jonny messed up his life. Jonny acts gangsta when he isn't. Jonny thinks he's a baller when he's broke. Jonny smoke pot when the situation is hot. Information was leaking in the club by hoes. Jonny wasn't expecting thugs to have slugs.
Jonny's family is on the line. The feds are getting closer to Jonny thanks to a snitch. US Marshals are on foot. Jonny hasn't eating in weeks and he's running out of places to hide. Money is tight. So he decides to take a trip to Port Aransas, Texas. Maybe Jonny will do good in Kansas and do damage. He's still laying low of course.
The song Gangsta is about who's gangsta or not. Poppa Squali uses great drum programming skills! The production is on point as before.
A lot of them come and a lot of them fall. Now who’s the baddest gangsta of them all? Who’s the bad ass gangsta? Look at this fat ass faggot saggin' his pants and wears a colorful rag on his head. The colors seen on the American and British flags. (Bloods & Crips reference for those who don't know.) With that pistol in hand you want to act like you're all bad when you're really not. Just ready to put some people into body bags. That's how you really want to represent your gangs? That's just a sad case of dumbness.
A snitch is at a club. Some thugs slip something into his liquor. Outside the club is where the thugs catch the snitch slippin'. Outside is where they catch you slipping.
Be Glad about friendship and about what a true friend is. Lil Sin explains why you'll never have a friend like him. There is no friend like Lil Sin. If you do find a friend like Lil Sin, it won't be him. It will be someone else. Fake friends will be around until your money ends. Real friends stick with you no matter what. Through thick and thin. Real friendship exists for a lifetime.
On Neva Been Here, Lil Sin explains the relationships with his 2 sons, Trevion and Kevin. He's trying to be the best father he can be. Even though he’s not perfect. He's no longer into that gangsta lifestyle he was in when he did Frustrated By Death with C-Ordell in 1996. He's trying to do the family thang. During that time in 1995 to 1996, Lil Sin was living in Boston. He went back to back from Boston to San Antonio while having to kids. (2 sons Kevin and Trevion.) Lil Sin wants be there more for his kids.
Moments In Love samples the Art of Noise song Moments In Love.. Except the tempo, speed, and pitch have been altered. Also there is extra drum programming to accompany this song. This song is about have sexual intercourse.
Human beatboxing and drum samples are used be heard at the very beginning of Space Rain. Space Rain has more of an electronic feel to it. Poppa Squali produced Space Rain.
The last track is Thank U is a dedication track. This song is dedicated to everyone who helped Lil Sin in his music career.
Gangsta Horne (Winston Horne) is mention on this track. His parents are mentioned as well. Lil Sin is the man to all of his fans when the mics in his hands. Lil Sin would be shooting people and selling drugs if he didn't rap and do the family thang. His kids gotta eat too. There’s no shortchanging him. Lil Sin's not trying to be gangsta anymore. He's trying to do the family thing. That was in 1996. He's gotta focus on the present and future.
I rate this album, Still Here, 5/5*****!!
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