Lil Sin - Frustrated By Death album review
When Frustrated By Death was recorded in 1995, Lil Sin was going through grief due to the fact that his father, Ronald Warner Sr. died of cancer, and his homeboy Gangsta Horne (Winston Horne) had died in a driveby with Crips. Lil Sin was dealing with death which is why half of the album is death themed. Lil Sin was a teenager when this album was recorded. Frustrated By Death was released in 1996 on BLVD Records out of San Antonio, Texas.
Frustrated By Death was Lil Sin's best album. This has to be one of the most wanted G-Funk/Hip Hop/Rap albums to have ever come out of Texas and San Antonio along with Suthern Merchandise - Suthern Stress. When Frustrated By Death by Lil Sin is sold online, the album goes for such an astronomical price! All of Lil Sin's albums are underrated classics as his albums have always been very underrated overlooked.
Ricé, C-Ordell, Inez, Mike McGarity, and Finnesse 1 produced the album. Denise James is on the vocals with Ricé as well. Lil Sin only collaborated with San Antonio artists on his first album. For instance such as C-Ordell, Ricé, and Lil Acid.
A side note for those who don't know, He started out on BLVD Records with Clyde Williams III aka Sugabear and C-Ordell in 1994 while working on C-Ordell's Under Investigation album.They both got him started in the music business and so did his father Ronald Warner Sr. (R.I.P.). Lil Sin (Ronnie Warner Jr.) is from the Eastside of San Antonio (Eastwood). Lil Sin is a mix of Scarface, 2pac, Tha Realest, Tela, and Devin The Dude.
The intro starts off with harmonious church organs and church bells in the background. Hands can be heard clapping. A priest is speaking at a funeral where everyone is gathered. Lil Sin is the one who is being buried. The priest talks about how Lil Sin was a rebel and a soldier. Lil Sin was bad to the bone.
On the title track Frustrated By Death, Lil Sin learns that death is inevitable. He sees things clearly in a whole other world. His sanity is gone. Ricé, a well known producer from San Antonio, is in the background vocals. I love the heavy synths used on this song. Ricé sure knows how to put together a masterpiece song.
On the song Gangsta Horne, Lil Sin expresses his feelings towards the loss of his friend Winston Horne (Gangsta Horne). Lil Sin was going through grief due to the fact that his friend and homeboy Gangsta Horne (Winston Horne) had died in a driveby with Crips. All it took was one blast from a gat. Lil Sin is in a fucked up situation. Lil Sin can't bring Gangsta Horne back. Tears are there from Lil Sin.
Red Eyes is a song dedicated to all those weed smokers out there smoking joints, smoking on blunts, puffin' on blunts, and drankin' on tanqueray. Another G-Funk laced track! Fuck yeah! Lil Sin feelin' high as a kite smoking up in Plex Park down in San Antonio with C-Ordell and Lil Acid. BLVD is getting high too! Ain't nothin' but a BLVD thang!
For those who don't know, this version of Final Cry is a remix from the original version of Final Cry that was on C-Ordell's Under Investigation in 1994. The original version with C-Ordell had that Southern US swang to it. was on it too. Both songs deal with the death of Lil Sin's father, Ronald Warner Sr. (R.I.P.).
It has that heavy guitar production by Ricé. It has that G-Funk sound also.
On 11 Overs, Lil Sin has crack cocaine on his lap and the laws are on his ass, fool. Ya'll better come with it! Be damned if Lil Sin gets caught! Check it out while you motherfuckers hear Lil Sin on this track. Peep game. Niggaz be packin' glocks. Dope sales and clienteles got Lil Sin nervous. Lil Sin thinks of fatal thoughts of dying young while in the process of selling crack cocaine. Ain't no shorts in the drug game. Lil Sin says he's on a late night creep. He cooked 11 Overs. He does get caught in the middle of the song. He don't trust nobody no more. His income gets larger and larger. This is a gangsta rap track!
38 Reasons has that G-Funk sound to as nearly all Hip Hop/Rap albums did in the mid 90s. Ricé is singing in the background vocals I think. Lil Sin never sleeps on his enemies. Lil Sin has fatal thoughts of being killed. He does commit a homicide by killing someone which he admitted to in this song. Lil Sin is quick to start static with his automatic. He is basically robbing people. Lil Sin is smoking weed in at da crib in the middle of the song. Lil Sin is feeing high. He had killed someone and now he's in a sticky situation. Lil Sin dedicated this song to 2Pac. The song was recorded in 1995.
On Streets, the streets have taken Lil Sin under and now he lives a life of crime. Lil Sin is high. He is killing people. The glock is in his hand. Talking about murder in the first degree and putting people in body bags. The streets are nothing nice. Lil Sin is paranoid. The laws are catching up to him. The production and beats on point! This is a gangsta rap track also!
Mind Keeps Wondering is the next song. On this song, Lil Sin wonder what life is like in the afterlife. Lil Sin wonder what happens to him after death. I love the production skills! Denise James is singing the background vocals.
Whatever It Takes samples and is a cover version of Anita Baker - Whatever It Takes. This song is about searching for true love. It has that Stax/mid-70s soul sound to it. Love should be given. Anyone can say they love someone. Don't fall back on your words. 3 quarters into the song, you can hear a couple having sexual intercourse.
Bounce'n & Floss'n is jump a joint to bump to in your ride. The bass samples a bit So Ruff, So Tuff, by Roger Troutman of Zapp. It has that 80s soul and that 90s G-Funk sound! Something to listen in your Lowrider while 3 Wheel Motion. References to Stevie Wonder, former San Antonio rap group P.K.O., and Nino of P.K.O. are made.
Party'n Wit Sin is a party joint. It has that 90s G-Funk sound. Ricé produced the song with heavy layers of double guitars and double bass.
Playa Hatas has some sick ass bass added to it produced by Ricé and Inez. C-Ordell is on this track playas! Lil Sin goes straight reggae on this track! C-Ordell kicked ass with his southern funky flow right with perfect timing!. Playa Hatas a C-Ordell/Lil Sin cut
Nina is a song about his girlfriend. Creeping through the alleyways of these SA-Town streets is Lil Sin with another G-Funk cut.
Deadman Talk'n is another C-Ordell/Lil Sin cut. It has some sick ass bass lines and heavy blaring horn synths used on this track. Another G-Funk cut. The only downside is that it's shorter than all songs on the rest of the album. That's the only problem with this song right here. It should included Lil Sin because this is his album.
The sixteenth track is the radio version of Mind Keeps Wondering. It is slightly remixed from the ninth track on the album. The trailed is slight faded and reduced.
The Outro picks up where the Intro left off at the very beginning of this album. On the outro, a Sister is singing at the funeral of Lil Sin.
5/5*****!!
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Lil Sin - Who Got Yo Back album review
Lil Sin’s sophomore album was yet another guaranteed success gone right that sold over 400,000 units and was advertised heavily in the Source Magazine back in 1998. Of course this was after it was released on BLVD Records in that same timeframe on both CD and cassette. The album is a certified street classic with no tracks worth skipping at all from Side A to Side B! The advertising and promoting is what led the album to be a success.
When Lil Sin recorded his sophomore album, he moved to Houston to collaborate with different rap artists from different cities in Texas and not just solely San Antonio. For instance, Pimp C and Bun B from UGK based outta Port Arthur, and N.O.L.A from Houston. Mr. Joshay, Pimp C, Mike B., and Big Meat are heavily featured all over this Lil Sin album. It was a big transformation as 90% of debut album was just solos.
This album is filled with gangsta rap tracks layered with heavy double bass guitars over looped tracks. Southern rap meets gangsta rap on this album. The guitars and bass stand out the most in terms of musical sound and style. A majority of this album was produced by John Bido and Pimp C. Pimp C was the project coordinator for this project along with Sugabear aka Clyde Williams III. He coordinated the entire album in Atlanta, Georgia for 4 months. Both Pimp C and Bun B helped Lil Sin build his name as an independent artist.
Tha Game Done Changed is about music business and life in general has changed. Use your brain and the game will be good to you. The game will be good to you if you let it. The song has one of the coldest beat I ever heard layered with heavy double bass guitars. John Bido of Rap A Lot produced this song.
Lil Sin has the world in the palm of his hands. But it’s hard to see who’s out to cross you in your path. He’s ran with thug niggaz, drug dealers, and lots of killaz on the block. He had to change the crowd of people he associated himself with. His eyes are on these fuck niggaz who are trying to kill him for the people he associates himself with. One easy spot on the block is where Lil Sin is slanging.
Lil Sin is having things that younger G’s are hating him for. They are simply jealous of the material possessions he has. He’s changed his ways because fancy things have gotten to him. It’s gotten to the point where shady people have been watching. In order to maintain you have to use your fucking brain. Shady people will get to your money if you let them take it.
Money Situations is a song that unravels about cautionary tales about who you trust with your money. People get funny and funky when it comes to handling money. Be careful who you trust you money with.
The lovely jazz style grand piano notes are beautiful on the song Money Situations. Mike B was responsible for producing Money Situations.
To all you haters, Lil Sin is here to stay. Love It Or Hate It explains that Lil Sin is here to stay whether you like it or not. Love It Or Hate features former BLVD Records artist Mr. Joshay with his southern twang. Ricé makes an appearance at the beginning of the song.
Love It Or Hate It was a posse cut intended for Scarface’s 1998 album My Homies. However Scarface ended up giving some of the beats that were supposed to be on his 1998 album My Homies to Lil Sin for his 1998 album on BLVD.
Free is both a classic in San Antonio rap and Port Arthur rap which featured both UGK members Bun B and Pimp C (R.I.P.). (Along with Texas rap of course.) This song was a hit back in San Antonio, Texas during 1998 to 2000. This song. Add that with extra bass and heavy guitars with UGK and their trill flows.
This version of Free is the OG version and not the remixes from Livin'-N-Sin and My Secret which both dropped in 2000. The remixes features both UGK members Bun B and Pimp C (R.I.P.) as the original version did. Both versions are off the chain!
BLVD Funk is BLVD posse cut that features Lil Sin, Mr. Joshay, Mike B., Big Twin, and Big Meat. BLVD Funk is that club skating rink type of joint or at the club. It's all about that BLVD Records sound. Straight outta San Antone! We got that BLVD Funk in yo trunk! Something to bump and grind to.
Watch For Tha Slip has that crime detective action genre feel and theme music to it. Add that with the drama in the bass. The song is a fast paced upbeat song.
Mrs. Good Pussy has that upbeat jazz walking viola bass to the song. This is one of those songs to have sex to. It's really baby making music to sum it all up. Not only is Pimp C featured on this song, he produced it as well.
The next track is the title track called Who Got Yo Back. You can hear the sounds an alien UFO weird loopy sound, the Chinese zither, a Koto, a tambourine, and bells. The song is about who really has your back and who doesn't have your back. Be careful who you make friends with and who you're friends are. It’s not easy to stand alone when you’re all by your lonesome self. This is one of those songs that never gets old.
Rollin' Stone is a rap version cover of The Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone. Rollin' Stone features King 13 (R.I.P.) and was a local producer/artist from San Antonio as well. They talk about their fathers on this one
Sin To Win about the topic of sin. To sin is only human nature, playa. Can I win? Or in the end will I have to sin to win? Those are the two biggest questions asked on the track. Sin is nothing to glorify.
Sin To Win is one of the best tracks on the album along with Free, Who Got Yo Back, Watch For Tha Slip, BLVD Funk, and Mrs. Good Pussy. In the beginning, you can hear the birds chirping. It will remind you of a summer morning where you woke up and it was all good. This track is perfect. This track is about the topic of sin. It's about sin really.
Fly has that 70s feel of 70s funk to it with the guitars used. Fly features the duo NOLA (Knuckleheadz) from New Orleans, Louisiana/Houston, Texas. You can hear a hawk in the track.
Trapped In The Balla features BLVD Records label mates Mr. Joshay and Lil Acid. SoufField gets mentioned too. Trapped In The Balla was produced by Ant Banks who is a legendary producer from the Bay Area in California.
Danga is another underrated track along with Fly. The song gets fast paced real quick. Danga is similar to Trapped In The Balla. Lil Sin switches it up on this track by rapping at a rapidly fast pace and style. He changed his style of rapping on this track of his.
The last song is Whateva It Takes which features Denise White. Whatever It Takes samples and is a cover of Anita Baker - Whatever It Takes. This song is about searching for true love. Anyone can say they love someone. Don't fall back on your words. 3 quarters into the song, you can hear a couple having sexual intercourse.
But this version is a remix from the version featured on his Frustrated By Death album. It has that mid 70s Stax sound to it. Love should be given.
5/5*****!!
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Lil Sin - Still Here album review
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.
5/5*****!!
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Coop MC - Currency album review
Coop MC - Currency is a forgotten album from Fort Worth rap from 1996 that many music fans slept on. The album is a solid classic with production proved by the one and only Kenan “Maestro” Lyles and Kevin Malone from Houston, Texas. The album has that smooth laid back G-Funk sound inside. Every track is worth listening to. The sounds from Funky Town, Texas (Fort Worth, Texas) have always been overlooked (minus Twisted Black and 6Two).
Maximize Your Profit is about maximizing your profits while being in the drug game or a being a legit business. It’s about maximizing your profits in the drug game by climbing your way to the top. Increasing your prices to inflate more sales is how you climb your way to the top whether it be in the drug game or a being a legit business (going & being legit). Maximizing your profits is important when living in a capitalist society.
It turns out to be more drama on the song Mo Drama. The song Mo Drama has themes of suspense, thrills, and of course drama itself. Its modern sound really stands out.
Playa Principal was a song that received radio play on radio stations in the DFW area back in 1996 when the album was being promoted and sold. Label mate DAP was featured.
Natural Style has that smooth lad back G-Funk sound where Coop MC thrives with his golden voice. He is a natural talent when it comes to rapping. I really mean it. Kenan “Maestro” Lyles and Kevin Malone produced the song Natural Style.
4/5****!
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