This is Michael Mixerr. Today I will write an album review on Lil Hawk - Red Pagez.
Lil Hawk finally released an album after all these years! And no, this is not the Lil Hawk Red Riding Hood album that circulated via CD-r in the hoods of Inglewood and LA back in 1997. The album was released digitally online in October 2016 by Upset Records and Red Pagez Ent. (And on CD from rapbay.com.) The Red Pagez album is a collection of tracks that were recorded from 1994-2014 during his time as a solo artist and during his time signed onto Dangerous Records which was 1994-1999. Some of those tracks were recorded from 1994-1999 before Lil Hawk caught his murder case which landed him in jail on April of 1999.
These tracks were from his albums Lil Hawk Red Riding Hood and the Lil Hawk self-titled solo album which was supposed be to all solo tracks by Lil Hawk only. Physical copies of this album exist, but the Red Pagez album was intended to be a digital album available online only. Physical copies of this album can be purchased on rapbay.com however. Denver, Colorado based label Upset Records oversaw the responsibilities of marketing this Lil Hawk album towards the digital market online.
Some of the sound and production is not up top notch thrifty state-of-the-art recording standards. Lil Hawk did record some tracks on a 4-track cassette recorder connected to a mono speaker which is why the vocals are lower than the music on some tracks.
Ironically Tweedy Bird Loc and Dangerous Records ad nothing to do with this release nor was the album released by Dangerous Records. Despite Tweedy Bird Loc, J Stank, Leroy Dukes, QLuso, and Ronnie Ron producing some of the tracks, neither parties involved had any say in the matter of whether or not the Red Pagez album would be released or not.
Red Rida is a self-explanatory track about Lil Hawk Red Riding Hood himself. Lil Hawk gets self-explanatory and autobiographical on Red Rida. Red Rida was most likely recorded in 2002 since it has that new school rap sound.
Murda Flo pays tribute fallen late rapper B Brazy of Damu Ridas. Sound clips of B Brazy from the documentary War Stories which was released on DVD in the 1990s. on that intro LIP B Brazy
Inglewood Barz is a Lil Hawk freestyle rap track that has that classic Dangerous Records sound with hard heavy hitting bass that will surely rattle your speakers! Level for bass is quite heavy. The treble inside his vocals are quite noticeable as Inglewood Barz was recorded in 1997 on a 4-track cassette recorder connected to a mono speaker which is why the vocals are lower than the music.
The electronic synths and new school rap sound on My Shit Bang do not suit Lil Hawk at all. My Shit Bang is more of a “hit or miss” type of track. The treble inside his vocals are quite as his vocals could have been mastered better. Treble stands as a highlight out the most here.
Westside Moment is a hood classic to some. However you can’t help but feel something is off when you listen to Westside Moment. Lil Hawk’s flow does not match up the tempo on Westside Moment. He raps way too fast in such a rapid pace that his lyrics do not match up with the mid tempo beats. However don’t let that deter you away from listening to the track. Lil Hawk is still hard with it. Westside Moment was probably recorded sometime during 1994-1999.
Red Pagez is a 4/5**** album! Lil Hawk the Inglewood legend returns with the real gangsta shit on this album. The album has that classic Dangerous Records sound on top of that new school rap school. However most of the tracks retain a new school rap sound rather than the classic Dangerous Records sound Lil Hawk fans among others would expect to hear. The weak tracks on this album are My Shit Bang, Broke Bitchez, Tha Weed, N Tha Hood, Westside Moment, and Tha Niggaz I Kno. Trap beats do not suite Lil Hawk at all. Period. The old school rap sound suites Lil Hawk best.
Other than that, Lil Hawk should do a sequel album to this album called Red Pagez 2 which would be appropriate for a follow-up album to this album. That would be brehsive! A sequel album called Red Pagez 2 from Lil Hawk should be released.
I rate this album, Red Pagez, 4/5****!
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