Born Soul - From The Beginning To The End album review
Born Soul is K-Smooth the Innovator (Kelly Hancock), DJ Crash (of diRTy WoRMz), Born Soul (rapper), and Mello D. This album was released on Born Soul Productions in 1999 with distribution by Southwest Wholesale and INDI. Born Soul Productions is based outta Austin, Texas! Harold Green is the executive producer and the manager. Most of this album was recorded at The Bomb Shelter Studios near Arlyn Studios in South Austin.
The production is on point! This album will remind you of Outkast. This albums is filled with obscure soul samples, classic breakbeats, ambient electro house production, and hip hop sounds. I loved the beats, synthesized horns, keyboard programming, classic soul samples, and production of course. You will too! This album is filled with fun Southern rap freestyles that relate to reality of people's problems they face on a daily basis. Most of the songs are freestyle raps. Think similar to Lil Flip. The whole album with make you groove to songs like The Groov, Jumps On It, Fatal, and Southern Fried Flav!
Samples used in this album were Wonderful You by Peter Nero, The Party Continues by Jermaine Dupri, Love Put Me on the Corner by Isley Brothers, Searchin' by Roy Ayers, Tomorrow by The Brothers Johnson, Tribe Vibe Break Beats, and Give Me the Night by Quincy Jones.
It's too bad that this album was under promoted and overlooked. This album right here only sold 10,000 units. Whenever Born Soul releases an album, it usually sells 10,000 in the United States, Japan, France, Spain, Canada, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, and China. Born Soul Productions had vast potential to be the next OutKast from Texas. ATX that is!
Guiding Light is a great song to start your morning to as you awaken to the sun rising. Think about it as the sun starts to rise during sunrise. It's the symbolization of a better day with a positive outlook that's things will get better in lifetime. The beats and rhymes will guide you through this song. The beats and rhymes will make you high tonight. This song is very great and classical. The Peter Nero sample is really perfectly settled in with the calm mood and timbre of this song right here. Guiding Light is a good song.
Guiding Light is a perfect way to start the album. It serves as the beginning climax of the album. It could serve as symbolization of a better day, symbolization of a new day, or something new.
The lyrics are very mimicked from Kenny Rogers. This song called Fold 'Em teaches us that you've got to know when to fold them and know how to walk away from a situation that could seriously jeopardize your own life when times get ruff. This song is very real.This song called Fold 'Em is considered to be too real for some certain people to handle.
Fold 'Em contains an interpolation of Kenny Rogers - The Gambler and Brothers Johnson - Tomorrow. The samples of Tomorrow by The Brothers Johnson makes it feel like you woke up one day and it was all good. No bullshit.
K-Smooth faces a lot of stress and pressure on the song Stress. K-Smooth got an interview for a job opportunity but he knows very good and well that the employer is going to hire that other prior employee over him. It's similar to the rampant "getting hired and fired on the first day" stigma that is unfortunately overlooked in the United States workplace culture.
This just goes to show you how replaceable of an employee he really is. K-Smooth is about to loose his composure due to too much stress from various factors of life. Can you see what K-Smooth sees? He wants you as the listener to relate to him. Too much stress.
The song Stress should have been after Guiding Light. It would have served as the dramatic climax due to its mournful instrumentation.
Brotha From The South is a rapid, fast paced upbeat freestyle rap song by K-Smooth. Brotha From The South was too short of a song and it should have been longer.
K-Smooth is a smooth player who enjoys his time at nightclubs. When him, Mello-D, and R.C., went up into the club, they had seen freak galore. They be doing things they had never seen before. There she was. She had that brown sugar bubbling flow. K-Smooth thought she was Pillsbury the way she made that dough. She was freaky as she did that tongue thing.
One of the Born Soul members was trying to do her. A quickie is what they were trying to accomplish as they desired. Eroticness is what she had to offer. Jazzie Bell is what K-Smooth called her. She had clientele. Cops busted in and they bailed out.
This song Searchin' is a religious song about religious soul searching. This song is about loving God the most both searching high and low. Searchin' is a very religious oriented song based on religion. To be exact, the religion of Christianity that is!
The beats and production are on point!! Those smooth classical xylophone is smoothly played out on very lighthearted felt notes. Born Soul and K-Smooth invite you to soul search with them.
The Groov has turntablism, lyrical rap, and samples blended into on hip hop song. The Groov has that upbeat positive sound where it feel like you woke up one day and it was all good.
Southern Fried Flav is a rap song where Southern rap flavor is added. K-Smooth comes from the South were the players play. The beats, chorus, and bass stand out the most. It’s a bit of Southern Fried Flav for you. It’s as sultry as soul food. The crickets chirping in the background fit with the nighttime mood perfectly.
K-Smooth and Mello-D rapidly flows off on the southern rap freestyle Jump On It. DJ Crash really showcases his production skills on this rap song as a well known underground DJ right here. The nighttime mood really fits in perfectly right here with this particular song.
The Stress Factor skit should have come after Paper Chase instead of being the second song after guiding light. Or it could have been placed before Brotha From The South.
DJ Crash shows off his turntable skills on Utilization Of A Beat. You can feel his hip hop vinyl cuts. The lyricism is based on Southern rap.
Like Dat is a perfect song in a way to end this classic masterpiece of an album. Yes, Like Dat is another freestyle rap song filled with southern rap. K-Smooth and Mello-D wrote Like Dat. The song serves as the ending climax as the mood is fairly relieving.
Like Dat will remind you of Run-DMC - It's Like That. It reminds me of Madlib, MF Doom, Little Brother, Bahamdia, MC Lyte, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def.
5/5*****!!
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Alumnyh - The Album album review
Alumnyh - The Album is Born Soul - From The Beginning To The End revisited or Born Soul - From The Beginning To The End Part 2. It picks where From The Beginning To The End left off. You can feel the sound and production from his first album on this compilation album when you listen to it. Real live instrumentation with heavy bass and Afrocentric percussion over hip hop beats. The lyrics from these MCs are fire! This album will remind you of Outkast. It's too bad that this album was under promoted and overlooked. Born Soul and Alumnyh had much potential to be the next OutKast from Texas.
Alumnyh was a one time thing only. Born Soul Productions is based outta Austin, Texas. This album was released on CD by Born Soul Productions in 1999 with distribution by Southwest Wholesale and INDI.
The Intro explains who Alumnyh is and who the members are. Alumnyh is Born Soul, Mr. Man, Luscious T, R.C. (Reggie Coby), Mello D, Chieve, Hennessey, and Golden Child. The Alumnyh song has nearly all the members of Alumnyh all on one track.
The song The Alumnyh is an Alumnyh posse cut where members Mr. Man, Born Soul, Luscious T, R.C. (Reggie Coby), Mello D, and Chieve rap.
Alumnyh incorporated the nursery rhyme Hush Little Baby into rap on the song Nursery Rhyme. Born Soul and Alumnyh incorporated nursery rhymes from children’s music into a rap song. Nursery Rhyme samples Tom Tom - Club Genius in musical box instrumentation form. The echo and treble are significantly reduced as they are hardly present. There is no echo presence. This should have been a single.
Drip Drop is a slow tempo rap a song which incorporated a bit of hip hop flavor and dance music. In Drip Drop you can hear a sample of Little April Shower which came from a Disney movie called Bambi. The treble is reduced significantly as the echos bounce.
Drip Drop is Nursery Rhyme revisited as this song copies some of the musical notes and tones from that song. Specifically the keys of A# minor, G major, and D. The A and D keys are constantly used.
Keep It Comin’ uses a MIDI keyboard over polished studio beats. It’s a Mr. Man solo that is actually a soul song and not a rap song. The echo and treble are significantly reduced as they are hardly present. There is no echo presence.
The love given to him blows his mind. True love is hard to find. His life would not be complete if love was taken away. Love is so great. He’s not afraid to give love. He does not want a whole lot. Mr. Man just want the love to just keep on coming hence the title of this song.
Great drum programming on the remix of Southern Fried Flav. Southern Fried Flav is a catchy song. Southern Fried Flav is a rap song where Southern rap flavor is added. K-Smooth comes from the South were the players play. The beats, chorus, and bass stand out the most. It’s a bit of Southern Fried Flav for you. It’s as sultry as soul food.
Untouchable is a Mello D solo. The song has a Wild West feel to it due to acoustics used. Mello D is lost in a world encompassed of sin and gin. Surrounded by fakeness. The truth is that Mello D is a real emcee. The rap game pays him. Born Soul is untouchable.
Slave Chronicles is about Black History and a fast paced song. Slave Chronicles was produced by Reggie Coby. Slave Chronicles is a great song also!
Be Wit Me is a slow jam with a touch of rock. Yes it’s another love song that will either put you in a trance or put you asleep. You’ll love the MIDI keyboard being used and playing in the background.
Shzah Shzah is a reggae fusioned dancehall track. K-Smooth produced Shzah Shzah in 1999. The piano follows the tempo and percussion.
Lonely has a Latin feel to it. You can feel loneliness, isolation and desolation as you listen to the song Lonely. Lonely is a duo cut with Luscious T and Mr. Man.
5/5*****!!
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Choppa - Straight From The N.O. album review
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
4/5****!
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Johnny P - The Next album review
Johnny P’s The Next album was one of Rap A Lot’s lesser known albums which not too many rap fans or soul fans know about. The Next is similar to the sounds of Sam Cooke, Shai, Carl Thomas, Billy Cook, or Ginuwine. His vocals change with the fresh lyrics. His vocal change when singing the lyrics is remarkable. Most songs on this album are slow jams.
You may remember Johnny P as the man who sung the hooks for Do Or Die’s songs or Scarface's Smile. This man has got one of the best voices to come out of Chicago next to R. Kelly, Chaka Khan, and Miki Howard. Johnny P (John Pigram) was one of Chicago’s most underrated singers who did not get the recognition or shine truly deserved. Sadly he never received any mainstream recognition. This R&B album suffered from a lack of promotion.
The title track has a fat bass line which follows beats produced by Handsome One. Not Bido as many people would have you think. The bass and beats blend in perfectly together on this soul song of his. Low Ride raps 2/3rd of the song.
Johnny P asks a girl what she wants to do at the very beginning of the song. He lets her know she can kick it anytime she wants to. They can hang out all night. Johnny tells her his plans. He will pick her up in his ride and they will take a long ride to the lakeside.
Take It Like A Playa (Uptempo) features Do Or Die, Scarface and Low Ride. It’s a rap soul combo. Dirty South beats accompany the soulful sound although this Johnny P song is more upbeat and uptempo. Only true players (playas) can understand this song.
Shake It has beats which sound similar to Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It. This song is perfect for the dance floor. The piano playing in the background is either sampling a Curtis Mayfield or an Isaac Hayes sample. Johnny P did the vocal arrangements himself.
Don’t Deserve It is a sultry love song where Johnny P sings about a love he thinks he does not deserve. Don’t Deserve It is a slow jam which featured AK of Do Or Die. Don’t Deserve It sounds very similar to a Jodeci song. Overall the song has a sad vibe.
Johnny P never had a woman treat him in a manner she has. That’s the main reason he wants to do right by her. He is aware of the things in his life that aren’t right. He does not want to leave the woman he is dating. Johnny feels so wrong every night when he holds her tight. She gave him a love which he feels he doesn’t deserve.
She is always there for him even if he feels he doesn’t deserve it. She has given him everything but he doesn’t deserve it.
This morning when he woke up, she served breakfast in his bed. A thought of another woman popped into his head during breakfast in bed. She’ll wash his clothes, cook his food, and ask for nothing in return. He should e true and confess his feelings to her.
It’s about 3 AM when AK walls through the front door. He’s hoping to get some rest. He’s not tripping off the friends she makes. Her friends are not quite like her. AK shows awareness of this in the lyrics. He prays his children will be just like her.
Love runs skin deep. She was there for him even if he didn’t doesn’t deserve it. She took him places he’s never been before. The woman he is dating never cheated on him. Johnny is full of shame.
Bed Time Story is an impressive slow jam sung by Johnny P. His vocal timbre will send chills down your spine. On this song, his voice is a cross between Michael Jackson and R. Kelly. Bed Time Story is perfect for a little bump n’ grind or foreplay.
Munchies For Ya uses such hard snare drums and deep bass groves. Munchies For Ya is one of those bump n’ grind songs. Johnny’s voice takes over the melody and rhythm with force! He takes control of the whole song by himself. You’ll wanna get freaky on Munchies For Ya.
Let Me Love You is a contagious love song which is another slow jam. Smooth player antics ensue. Johnny looks for love in this song.
Faithful is a song where Johnny shares the truth about his feelings. Johnny wants to remain faithful to his lover. He wants his lover to remain faithful to him as along as possible.
Johnny for all these silly little games his lover plays. He tries to talk to him but she does not want to hear what he has to day. He tries to take it slow. Johnny lets her know her love has got him feeling a certain way. Johnny lets her know she does not have treat him in a such an unacceptable manner. Johnny wants to remain faithful to his lover.
She does not understand all the things Johnny is going through. He is out there on the move trying to make a life for her and him to be together. He knows she has been going through changes. Johnny is still in love with her as he is faithful.
Change is where things get switched up in terms of music genres. The sound gets switched from R&B/soul to blues. Johnny battles with the concept of change. He wonders if the change is good or bad. He knows a change is going to come. I could picture Jhiame singing this.
Not 4 The Radio is a funky soul song with a G-Funk vibe. He takes it slow and tones it down on this song. His steelo shows on Not 4 The Radio. His smooth player antics ensue.
Song For You is a song dedicated for all the fans. He has sung a lot of songs. He’s acted and sung on a lot of stages. He even sung on a stage with 10,000 people. So he sings this song for you. Not many singers of today do not dedicate songs to their fans.
Take It Like A Playa (Ballad) is the solo version of Take It Like A Playa. It’s a slow jam. Only true players (playas) can understand this song.
Birthday Lady is a song dedicated for all the ladies. Birthday Lady is yet again another slow jam. The hidden track is where Johnny shows a woman what a real man is made of. He shows the true meaning of love.
5/5*****!!
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