The Lil Rob - Still Smokin’ album was a bootleg compilation album Familia Records made in 2000. This album was released without his permission. Most of these songs were previously released or remixed songs. Some songs don't even feature Lil Rob on them. Most of these songs are firme though. However his fans refer to this album as an average album or a “firme album”.
Still Smokin’ was part of the string of albums Lil Rob released which was bootlegged several times because of high demand. This album was bootlegged 4 times over the years. Surprisingly this album is easy to find despite the album not having received any radio play when released. Lil Rob's former record label already had issues with him at the time even before this album was ever released. Chicano rapper Lil Rob soon left the label during the following year.
All versions of Still Smokin’ us a light cyan back with bold black text. Even the bootlegs.
Wicky Wicked is not an unreleased song as many fans of Chicano rap would have you believe. This song was previously released on the Southsider Riders, Vol. 4 compilation album in 1998. This song has since been leaked onto other albums.
Wicky Wicked was a track about people trying to stop Lil Rob succeeding. Lil Rob tells people he has no desire of changing his style and never will change. He comes wicky wicked. VMF makes a guest appearance on Wicky Wicked also. VMF can do no wrong when it comes to producing or rapping just like Missy Elliot, Timbaland, Chad Hugo, Cricet, or Pharrell.
The song starts off with VMF (Steve Vicious) saying he saw Lil Rob standing over there just a minute ago. VMF says, “He's pretty bad on the mic, ya know.”
It's the wicky wicked Lil Rob! Putos step and trip. Lil Rob rips 'em apart from the heart to the brain. Still he remains the same and won’t change. You can't stop it. So stop this nonsense. Lil Rob coming with the steelo. People got this because they want this. So watch them bump this.
Lyrics are like the bullets out of a cuete. It's time to reload. (Cuete is the Spanish word for firecracker.) He never runs out of ammunition until the mission is done. He fixes all the mistakes putos make.
Verse 2 is where Lil Rob and VMF take the negative and turn it into positive energy. Lil Rob uses his lyrics and Chicano rap style to remember him by. That is what the lyrics “The people in my memory/Remember me/It'll never be/The way you want it to be, it's not in my destiny, don't mess with me” mean.
Lil Rob uses a bit of Spanish rap by changing from rapping in English towards rapping in Spanish. “Report the dedo/Chinga tu respecto, porque no lo quiero, no lo/Necesito, suavecito es mi steelo” In English, this translates to “Fuck your respect because I don't want it/I don't need it/it's my steelo”
I Remember chronicles the experiences of Lil Rob growing up in San Diego, California. Throughout this song is where he talked about growing up in San Diego. This song is what made him an icon and King of Chicano rap in San Diego, California and across the globe.
Lil Rob wants us to sit back, relax, reminisce, and think of all those wonderful times. He says this at the beginning of I Remember. Read these lyrics.:
I want you to sit back...
Close your eyes...
And think of all those wonderful times...
That we used to have...
Yeah
Now I know things aren't the way they used to be right now...
But they are, gonna get better some day...
Mmm
And I know that...
Verse 1 is an autobiography and perspective of his early life. Lil Rob was involved in the gang life at a young age. Age 12 to be exact. Lil Rob was a graffiti tagger and a gangbanger. Verse 1 is also where Lil Rob shares some of his memories with the listeners. Lil Rob raps honesty about the world around him. Read an excerpt of some of his lyrics.:
It must have been genetic
To get in trouble with the law
Take what I break
I spray at the walls, that's what I used to do
Smokin' a joint or two
Lil Rob (Lil Rob) gettin' a little blazed
Walkin' through my concrete maze, remember the days (remember the days)
'Member goin' to school, party by the tracks, smokin' a sack
With the vato that I sold it to, get him stoned, then I jack it back
'Member the guero, he used to look at us all
Funny and strange
Cause my pants was bigger than theirs, but now they all
Wear 'em the same (Yeah)
I used to get jealous, wonderin' why, I never had the same rights
Is it because I'm burnin' natos down, eatin' menudo, frijoles and rice?
When a minority gets their priorities straight, they can become the ruling majority and have control in their lives. People become successful and can succeed when they get their priorities straight. These lyrics highlight exactly how.:
Someone explain to me, all of this insanity
I'm not understandin' you, never understandin' me (never understanding)
When a minority gets their priorities straight
We become the majority
Inflate
An incredible rate, controllin' our fate, controllin' our states
On the chorus is where Lil Rob remembers when time was easy. That's what everybody says, but not him. He still loves them and had to have them. He remembers the things he used to do and the place he used go. These lyrics showcase that. “And I remember/Remembering the things/We used to do/Places we used to go“
Lil Rob shares more memories of his youth in Verse 2. Wicked ass times on SD streets. Lil Rob lets us know that he was not a person to mess around with. He used to live his life dangerously. Names of the homies who passed away were given. Read all the lyrics in Verse 2.
And I remember kickin' it under the street lamp
Smokin' a jay (Smokin' a jay)
Hearing my homie say, "Hey homie, pass the joint this way" (Alright)
And this was everyday and every night
Was the same
We didn't call each other by the first or last, but by nicknames
Dreamer
Pee wee
Oso Negro
To name a few
One passed away
Rest in peace, the others locked away
In prison blues
'Member the things we used to do
Can nobody take it away from us
We used to live life dangerous
Time flew away like angel dust
Leva known as pests, pesta, so levas
Stay away from metiches and chepas
Talkin' mentiras, cause they can't beat us
Mira
Lil Rob
On his lowrider
Bicicleta
Lookin'
For munecas
Beautiful
Like Aztecas
But when it comes to love
Leave all of the agony for the ecstasy
What comes around, goes around, so baby
Don't mess with me, don't, be testing me
Cause Lil' Rob be
One of a kind, original individual
Unforgettable, memorable, indelible
Incredible
Infallible
Mr. Shadow and Lil Rob used the song Go Ahead to showcase their lyrical skills and abilities. Lil Rob and Mr. Shadow can do no wrong when on the mic. Both Mr. Shadow and Lil Rob are the best of Chicano rap along with a handful of others.
It is undeniable that Mr. Shadow is an unfadeable lyricist who brings out mad hits. Mr. Shadow is known to explode like a box of C-4 when he performs at a show.
Party people in the house can ya feel me?! Drinking Don Pereon Dry Gin and Barcardi is what he does. Down to the bone on the streets or on the microphones. Getting bent is a daily thing in California the home of real pimp and players with the raw dough.
Take to the Sky is a perfect track spark up a blunt in order to sit back, relax, and think of all those wonderful times. It’s a perfect track to get high to. So take a puff and another puff. Exhale, Then take a breather. You wanna get high? Well come back this time. When you really want to fly, you get high. Take to the sky on your natural high until the day you die.
Lil Rob escapes from his reality through the use of marijuana. Life is a crazy maze so people will use drugs to escape. These lyrics highlight that.:
Life is like a maze
Gots me in a craze
So I hide away in marijuanas maze
Change my evil ways
Stay half day
Captured in the rapture
Love the way she plays
Gots me feelin' very loose
I rate this album 4/5****.
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