Mixerr Album Reviews #1,841

Lil Black - On The Road Again was a blazing hit with country fans and rap fans back in the early 2000s as his album sold out in weeks. Austin, Texas country rapper Lil Black released a solid classic album in 2001 with 20 tracks. An example of country rap is this album right here. Think country meets rap. On The Road Again was one of the best albums to drop from the Austin Hip Hop/Rap scene from 2001.

Lil Black - On The Road Again was #79 when it first hit the charts back in 2001 eventually being at #81. Lil Black was one of the first few Austin Hip Hop/Rap artists to hit the BillBoard. (Minus Tee Double and Papa Chuk along with others.)

For those who don't know, Lil Black (known as Nathan Mackey Jr.) was raised in Elgin, a small country town outside of Austin, Texas. He has had 2 records on the "Texas Artist Top 40 Countdown" back in 2000 and 2001 as well as holding down the number 1 spot for 5 straight weeks with Back On The Road being Song of the Year for 2000.

For those of you who are from Austin, you all may remember that Lil Black had told the story of his life story and how he shamed his family by choosing the street life over religion in the Austin American Statesman front page in 2001. He made news from 1999 to 2001.

Now on the front cover you see Lil Black and Anthony Clay (CEO of Big Baby Records) next to an airplane. A


The album has the famous Willie Nelson song, Back On The Road for which they both collaborated on. Willie Nelson and Lil Black had done a cover version which had helped boosted Lil Black’s popularity both in 2000 and 2001. This is the most notable famous well-known song off the album.

On The Road Again was #79 when it first hit the charts back in 2001 eventually falling to #81. Lil Black was one of the first few Austin Hip Hop/Rap artists to hit the BillBoard. (Minus Tee Double and Papa Chuk along with others.) Back On The Road was chosen by White Brotha on KAZI FM as a Song of the Year for 2000. On The Road Again was listed on the "Texas Artist Top 40 Countdown" back in 2000 and 2001 as well as holding down the number 1 spot for 5 straight weeks.


Call It Like I See is where Lil Black calls things as he sees them. Not only does he do that, but he also calls out the haters in his lyrics. He uses a country twang and drawl in vocals when he raps on this song.

Lil Black was blowing up from the success of his On The Road single. People in the ATX were hating on Lil Black because of his success. They were mad and jealous. However the hate died down in 2001 after the cover song of On The Road Again became a success. People couldn’t stop him despite his legal troubles. Lil Black believes that his growth and maturity as an artist’s time has come.

Lil Black is not fronting like the rest. He is for real. Lil Black and his record company Big Baby Records had signed a distribution deal with Street Pride Records, Select-O-Hits, and CD Baby for $10,000 dollars back in 2000. It was a big deal during the new millennium. Tim Bailey (Big Baby) Co-CEO and producer for Big Baby Records gave Lil Black a $100,000 dollar signing bonus.


Game Don't Stop explains the risks of the drug game. Part of being in the drug game is doing criminal activity, being a dealer, being a businessman, and drugs of course. It’s all about making moves in the game. The hustle never stops. So you have to keep your hustle on.

Game Don't Stop uses a punchy organ to give the song its liveliness and prowess. The beats are loud and the bass is thumping. S.T. Baby sings on the background vocals during the chorus. The song uses a touch of Southern rap.

People thought shit was over when they called on Lil Black. But shit has just begun. The game does not stop. Time stops for no one regardless of age and race. You have to keep your hustle on. Lil Black ain’t with being broke. He’s tired of living this life that’s based on hope. People roam the streets with firearms to get cash.

The only love he gets is from the streets. The streets is where Lil Black used to make his living and how he got money. He’d rather take his chances and deal with the outcome. Lil Black is bound by honor. So you can keep all your opinions and advice. People said Lil Black went commercial and he does not use the same sound as before. The only thing that changed is that Lil Black is no longer rolling with the click CKC. (CKC is Ciller Klan Clic.)

The lyrics, “You said I went commercial and Lil Black ain’t the same/but still I’m that nigga that brought you Can I Maintain” are a reference to his first album from 1996 called Lil Black & CKC - Dark Territory. That was the album that had 4 songs on it. The songs were Can I Maintain, Droppin’ Bombs, Gangstaz, and It’s Yo Cap Peeler.

Lil Black is stronger than he’s ever been. Big Baby is riding with him. Lil Black shows growth and maturity. Bar none. Fade all. His gat is guaranteed to make people fall. He separated himself from people he used to associate himself with.


Lil Black reminds us he is as good as it gets on the song As Good as It Gets. Success is only as good as it gets.

Lil Black has a bank account full of big faces and money longer than the Mississippi River. Flights to different cities and foreign places. He bought a 7 figure crib. Plus the Bentley convertible. Lil Black is the same person. He doesn’t forget where he came from. People are jealous of his success and how much money he has. They’d rather see him broke living in the projects. Haters hate to see him get ahead in life. Lil Black reminds us he’s as good as it gets.

The projects Lil Black is referring to are the Goodrich Projects located in South Austin. He lived over there from 1996 to 1999. This was when he was still in the CKC group. (CKC is Ciller Klan Clic.)

Before he had money, he was cool with everybody. No enemies and no drama. Just as soon as he started seeing success from rap music is when people started hating on him. They didn’t just hate on Lil Black for his music. They were mainly hating on his success. Trying to compete with Lil Black will have you on your back. This ain’t no place for the weak because Lil Black is as good as it gets. Lil Black is the greatest thing since the automobile.


Lil Black and Bay Area rapper & legend Too Short (Too $hort) go on a late night creep as they are out for a one night stand on One Night Stand. They aren’t looking for any real love or any long-term relationships.

Now this is the song that calms down the mood of this album. The melodic tunes and groovy synths are what give this song a calming mood. Not to mention melodic. Big Bailey can do no wrong whenever it comes to production or singing.


Money Makes The World Go Round is about money. The song discusses the evils of money how money divides people. Money is what tears people apart. Money Makes The World Go Round features OG Austin rapper MC Fatal.

Money is something we cannot live without or live with it. Look at all the people who died for and over money. Money is what has gotten people to think that we are all unequal. Money is a necessity. The one thing that is stressing Lil Black is money. Lil Black loves money more than his own people. This thing called money is what makes people turn against each other and act foolish.

Do you feel where he is coming from? Look at the rich. Rich people don’t care about poor people. Those are the reasons people sell drugs and smoke weed. We search for peace within these streets by engaging in criminal activity which only makes things worse. That’s why we hustle like we do to make ends meet. Money makes the world go round.

Money makes the world go round. Anyway you look at it. We’ve got to have it.

Money is power. Cocaine hit the block and turned a seed into a hustler. Money makes the world go round. I thought you knew. Every BG (baby gangster) dreams of rims and Vogues. Money makes a hoe be a hoe. Money turns friends into foes. MC Fatal feels like his brain is going to blow up due to the pressure of having money. They say money is the root of all evil.

Lil Black shares and gives us an explanation of what money does to people. It’s all new to you once you get it. Money brings us greed and things we don’t need. He’s not trying to tell you how to live and what to buy. Too many colored folks go broke. Cash is the root of all evil.


Throw'em Up has that upbeat bounce music sound you would expect to hear from Louisiana rap. Lil Black and Tim Bailey used a different musical style for this song. Tim Bailey produced the bouncy beats. Flo Mob makes an appearance on this song.

Groove On is a song perfect for the nightclub and dance floor. You can feel the beats as you listen to this song. It’s a party jam.

I'm Diggin You is a love song and a party jams. The song got radio play 2 straight weeks on KAZI FM in Austin, Texas back in 2000. This lasted from 2000-2002.

The song Look at Me Now is about his life story and the rocky relationship with his father (Nathan Mackey Sr.). Lil Black had told the story of his life story and how he shamed his family by choosing the street life in the Austin American Statesman which had made the headlines on the front page in 2001.

I rate this album 5/5*****!!