Choppa’s Straight From The N.O. album was very underrated for its day. Straight From The N.O. is one of the lesser known obscure No Limit album which did not receive as much promotion or acclaim as deserved in spite of having a hot buzz single called Choppa Style. Add the mixture of bounce music with Southern rap and the result is this Choppa album. Most of these songs are booty shakin’ music perfect for the club. Ex-No Limit protégé Curren$y is all over this Choppa album also.
However some of the subject matter is old rehashed music we’ve heard before such. Some of the songs deal with materialism, partying, socialization, money, and crime. That isn’t exactly new subject matter that is new or considered fresh, but back in 2003 those topics were hot in the world of rap music.
Take Fo Records collaborated with No Limit Records in 2003 to release this album. No Limit had just signed with Universal a year before this album was released which is why you see their logo on the back cover. Universal was their distributor in the early 00s.
The song Choppa Style was already a breakout smash hit and big song in the street of New Orleans, Louisiana and the south before Master P signed Choppa to No Limit Records. The song was originally released in 2002 on his debut album of the same name. The song was #1 for 3 months. Many non-New Orleanians tend to believe Choppa is referring to firearms and motor vehicles. Choppa is actually referencing how women love his charm and style. That is what the song Choppa Style is about.
This version of Choppa Style is not the same version from Take Fo Records. The No Limit version of Choppa Style is remixed with better audio quality.
The song Choppa Style saw a revival in popularity in 2018 when it was chosen by the New Orleans Saints football team to become the anthem for the team. This song was played for the team made at the Super Bowl during a Super Bowl run before losing in the NFC Championship. The city of New Orleans adopted this song as well.
At the beginning, Master P tells Choppa his intentions of remixing and adding the No Limit flavor to his song when he raps the line of, Yo Choppa, this P/I’m Uptown right now/I'm on my way to the Westbank to put a twist on this thing, ya heard?”
Now he don't mean to sound rude or intentionally hurt anyone. Choppa wants an independent woman working. He wants a slim, fine woman with some twerk with her. He wants a big fine woman with some pop in her. And all my independent women, ya heard me?
Some No Limit fans think Master P had the wackest verse towards the end of this song. Some thought his raps were wack. Some of the lyrics in his raps do not follow any rhyming scheme meaning some of the words don’t rhyme with each other as they would in a typical rap song. Here is an example below of how the lyrics don’t follow a rhyming scheme.
I'm in that new hummer with spinnin' wheels
And aww man, check out the grill!
Money, Gucci sandals, strip leather
I'm lookin' for that ghetto Cinderella
Choppa call me up, it's off the heezy
Brick Jungle is a song where Choppa represents where he’s from. He makes references to local rappers and nationally known rappers throughout the song.
Everybody gather around as Choppa has something to say. Choppa introduces himself to the audience. He is not new to the music game. He is from the brick jungle called Marrero, Louisiana. He was raised to clock dineros there. Marrero to him is like California to 2Pac. That is what the lyrics “Marrero to me, like California to 2Pac” mean.
Choppa was born in Harvey, Louisiana which is a town east of Marrero. Marrero is where Choppa was raised. Big Ramp of Take Fo ate the game up in Marrero. In Marrero, you ride or get rolled on. Steal or get stole on, slip up then so long.
There was a time when people did not support Choppa, but suddenly since Master P signed him to No Limit, everyone wants to be down with him. The following lyrics below highlight that.:
Now everybody wants see me, coming down they block
Now I remember, when you wasn't fucking with the Chop
Came out of nowhere, and put the whole South on lock
We got it locked dog, you know we are not smoking Billys
Represent Marrero project, down to Silver Lilly
We in the Platinum club, posted like it's our block
Ya'll know my pedigree, Choppa until the chest off
Choppa samples and makes a reference to MC Thick - Marrero (What The Fellas Are Yellin’) in the lyrics, “Cruising down the street/real slow/What the fuck are they yelling, (Marrero) talk to me now” MC Thick was a local emcee from his hometown who performed Marrero (What The Fellas Are Yellin’) which was a local hit in the 90s. His song is a reference to his hometown.
Choppa added some gumbo funk flavor to the track Dirty Dirty. You can hear the old dirty south rap sounds in Dirty Dirty. One of those perfect songs to play in the club.
Choppa added some gumbo funk flavor to the mix in this song. Some of the lyrics highlight this. Verse 1 makes light of this reference.
[Verse 1]
Now I'm a dirty old south boy
And you can tell by the way I spit it out my mouth boy
I'm hot and spicy with a clout boy
A Westbank representin' is what I'm bout boy I’m bout boy
You can catch me ridin down on your block on dub deuces
Right through that magnolias where they love
Holla At Me features ex-No Limit protégé Curren$y. It’s a New Orleans collaboration. He reps his city throughout the whole song.
Choppa wants people to holla at him. He comes from Marrero, Louisiana which is near New Orleans. Choppa himself is also representing the Boot State (L State). The murder rate is sky high in New Orleans as people ain't afraid to shoot. People are jacking on a constant grind.
But Choppa strayed away from the crime which plagues New Orleans. Choppa stayed away from crime as he was motivated, patient, and was focused. Now that's why he stacks money like pancakes. Choppa performs at shows and receives love from his fan base.
You can feel the elements of bounce music as you listen to the track Represent Yo Block. Represent Yo Block is similar to Juvenile - 400 Degreez. The track features BG of the Hot Boys. Only downside to this Choppa song is overuse of the word “nigga”. That gets tiresome after a while.
The two bonus tracks at the end of this album are With Me and What’s Happ’n. Both bonus tracks are not given song titles on the back cover and credit insert.
With Me is served as the first bonus track. Soldiers from the No Limit army featured on this bonus track are Master P and Curren$y.
Now Choppa be marching like a soldier with No Limit army right behind him. On that Westbank is where you might find him. He’s all about getting that dolla. mHe can pull a Prada model, t-shirt holla wobble wobble.
Later during the beginning of the song is where Choppa is at the club. He pops a bottle at the bar. The henny is turning green after being mixed.
We in the club pop a bottle, at the bar
Tell your girl stop tripping, she could holla at a star
Hypnotic in the car, is all I need to get mean
We could mix it
Like one say, left to the right right, to the left left, to the right
Let me see you bounce with me, East to the West
North to the South, back to the house, come blow a ounce with me
[Hook - 2x]
All my soldiers with me (yeah)
All my whodis with me (yeah)
If you hustle hard for a nigga praying (yeah)
My soldierettes with me (yeah)
My independent women (yeah)
Them hoes hatin' cause you looking good (hell yeah)
Things gets wild like New Orleans during Mardi Gras on the second verse. Read the lyrics below.:
Everybody throw your dranks up, soldiers throw your tanks up
Hit the flo', wild out, everybody drink something
It’s your set, throw it up, show me where the fuck you from
What you drinking mix it with this, hit this weed and have some fun
Girls got they butts up, y'all know what's up
We drinking this straight out the bottle, whodi put them cups up
I'm from the home of the Queen, that they call Anna
Who’s up next? Curren$y is! Curren$y came to represent New Orleans, Louisiana. He at gets a chance to showcase his lyrical skills.
Curren$y pulls up in a big truck on a set of twenty three's (23 inch rims aka 23’s). He has $20,000 of cash in the pocket of his P. Miller jeans. Playa hatas are mad as they wish they could rid of him. He is always on the radio. He keeps the burner with him as he never on the streets without it. The women form a crowd around the limo as Curren$y hops out it.
And my money hell-a-long, cause I just got a check from P
Huh bitches to Hot Spitter, you fuck around if you want
And watch how quick a nigga, send you to the hospital
Stick this baretta to your braids, me and my soldiers
Sticking together like Franky Beverly and me
Choppa makes several cultural references and names drops celebrities on What's Happ’n. He mentions celebrities such as P Diddy and Sly Stallone when he namedrops. Read some lyrics of this to understand.:
When you see me, you know I got at least a zone
And my shirt off, bulging like I'm Sly Stallone
Choppa puff mo' daddy than, Diddy gone
Throw a ice cream party, boogoo chicks in thongs
This the New No Limit, we ball to the end
Gotta send a shout out, to all my dogs in the penn
All my thugged out niggas, bout to spin em a bend
I done signed with Master P, now we in it to win
I rate this album, 4/5****!
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