Soul For Real - For Life album review
Soul For Real’s sophomore album For Life is just as wonderful as their debut album. If you are expecting smoothness and sultry R&B/soul singing from the quartet, then this album will cater to your musical tastes. Cover songs mixed with all original songs are what this album is composed of. Think modern soul meets funk and rap music when you listen to For Life.
You can hear Heavy D’s work all over the album because the quartet was still under Heavy D’s tutelage as he oversaw their album. The quartet knows how to keep their talent. Heavy D sure had an ear for talent in his days as a record executive.
What’s different about this Soul For Real album the heavy reliance on James Brown samples. The album only uses samples from James Brown songs. This album seems to lean more towards the sound of funk. Also Tony Dofat produced a small portion of this album as well.
Sadly however, Soul For Real’s mainstream fame would fade away shortly after this release. Soul For Real’s For Life album was unfortunately a sophomore jinx which failed to live up to the success of their debut album Candy Rain despite selling over 1 million units around the world. The album did sell over 1,100,000 units thus giving the album platinum status. This album was one of the most under promoted albums of the mid 90s. Sadly Soul For Real has faded into obscurity. Their legacy of crossover appeal seems to have forgotten.
Soul For Real felt that the album received no promotion and Heavy D mishandled their second album. They also felt that Heavy D had mismanaged them. Members were dissatisfied with how he treated the quartet.
Here are the reasons why For Life failed to live up to the success of Candy Rain and was not properly promoted. This is what led Soul For Real to fade into obscurity.
•Andre Harrell leaving Uptown Records to label to become president at Motown Records. Andre Harrell knew how to properly promote and market the quartet. If Andre Harrell had not left the label to become president at Motown Records, then the group would have had more success with For Life. Plus him and Heavy D being away from the group led to For Life’s downfall.
•Doug Morris promoting Heavy D to be the new president of Uptown Records just months before the release of Soul For Real’s sophomore album. If Heavy D was more hands on with Soul for Real on this album then the album would have been more successful. The quartet was under Heavy D’s tutelage as he still oversaw their album.
•A label merger which resulted in Uptown Records merging with Universal Records. Uptown Records was moved from their parent company MCA Records to Universal Records. MCA Records knew how to market and promote R&B acts better than Universal Records. Universal Records knew how to market and promote pop and rap acts better than R&B acts. Soul For Real being under Universal Records led to their sophomore album being under promoted.
•Their large fan base wasn’t as loyal with this album.
•The quartet got caught up in a label merger which resulted them being signed to Universal.
Stay serves as the opener for the album. The song is smooth and melodic in terms of sound. Vocals and beats are what really stand out. The lead vocalist sings perfectly. Stay samples James Brown - Mind Power. Tony Dofat produced Stay.
Never Felt This Way was the first single off For Life. Chucky Thompson produced Never Felt This Way for Soul For Real in 1995. Soul For Real will make you feel as if you’ve never felt this way with their smoothness and contemporary R&B sound. The song has an urban sound due to the heavy bass and beats. A small portion of funk is added to the mix.
You Just Don't Know has an old school sound and charm. Think modern soul mixed with rap and funk. Heavy D even raps on the song. Heavy D always gives songs an old school charm. The quartet’s sound isn’t too stripped down either. They still have their crossover appeal and radio friendly image. Heavy D and Tony Dofat both produced You Just Don't Know.
Love You So was the follow-up single to Never Felt This Way which sampled James Brown - Blues & Pants. The sound is so hypnotic and retro. Modern soul meets funk.
Love You So uses that modern soul sound with a twist of funk added to the mix. The funk I am referring to is the James Brown sample. Love You So leans more towards funk despite being a modern soul song. The chords and bass resonate inside your ears leaving a long-lasting impression of nostalgia in your mind.
Soul For Real does a wonderful job of performing their rendition of Let's Stay Together. Let's Stay Together is a cover of Al Green - Let's Stay Together. The song is polished well and not too stripped down to match a contemporary sound.
Good To You uses a more urban sound mixed with modern soul. The song is backed a by a funky guitar and booming bass. You’ve been through some hard times and the person you love that has been by your side has been good to you. They’ve been by your side for a long time.
Being With You is about with that someone you love or want to love. They take their time with you. All you do is think of that person. They blow your mind. True love never dies.
Leavin' deals with the hardship of letting someone you love go and leaving them. The hardships of letting go are not easy and are very heartbreaking. Leavin’ is a sad emotional song. There is a theme of loneliness hence the lonely feeling.
Letting go of someone can bring you to tears. Sometimes things didn't go the way as planned. A forever long-lasting relationship isn’t always or wasn’t on your side. Lyrics to the first verse explain this clearly. “It brings me to tears/'Cause things didn't go the way we planned/Even though we said forever/But forever wasn't on our side/So now I have to say goodbye/And it hurts inside”
Even though this person is the best thing for you, you must face the road loneliness. You’ve got a long way to go and it such a lonely road. So don't take it personal.
Being afraid of tomorrow is similar to fearing the unknown. That is what these lyrics mean.
If I make it through these days
Still be afraid of tomorrow
I'm not sure where I go
But you'll be on my mind, baby
All the time
You want that person to know you love them. So you thank for the time shared together. They’ll still be on you mind. Things aren't always going to go the way you planned. That’s just life. But you’ll be looking forward to coming back to that person you love. And when you do, things are going to be just the way it used to be.
Where Do We Go is another smooth modern soul song which was produced by Puff Daddy (P. Diddy) for Soul For Real. The vibe, sound, and subject matter is similar to I Don’t Know. I Don’t Know is about where both people in a relationship go from a certain point. You’re not always going to be knowing where to go next when you’re in a relationship.
Both people in a relationship don’t know where to go from here. That is a difficult decision. You don’t know where to go as that person’s love has really got a hold of you. They hold on you tight. Can't you see? You just don't know where you’re going. You don't know where to go without their love. That person does not know about where to go next from here either.
You are so lost and confused at times. You can’t even sleep at night. It’s so hard without that person in your life. It’s so hard to try to let go. You want this person to be back in your life. Of course you just want to get next to them, baby.
I'm Coming Home featured some songwriting by ex-Bad Boy female singer Faith Evans. I'm Coming Home picks up where Where Do We Go. The song is a solution to Where Do We Go. The song is a slow tempo slow jam. Too bad Universal did not promote this song to have chosen as a single. The song had potential to become a single due to the slow tempo. Universal dropped the ball here.
Your Love Is Calling was song all 4 members of Soul For Real wrote themselves without any help from other songwriters.
I Don't Wanna Say Goodbye is not wanting to part ways with the person you’ve been in love with and known for so long. Saying goodbye is very hard sometimes.
Can't You Tell served as the closer of For Real. Can't You Tell is a song about endless love and how true endless love really is. The song follows a mid tempo pace. The mid tempo pace is perfect for a song serving as the closer for an album.
5/5*****!!
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Lil Sun - Sunburnt album review
Lil Sun - Sunburnt is one of many albums that came from the Dirty South in 2001. Lil Sun looks like an Eminem clone on the album cover. Despite the blazing hot graphic design and artwork, his raps are average at best.
Somehow this album managed to sell over 60,000 copies. The album landed on two different Billboard Charts, #50 on Heatseekers and #79 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
The sound and style on this album seem to follow the typical Southern rap sound and that Atlanta crunk sound as well. Beats on this album are fairly crispy. Take Mo Drank for instance. That song uses crispy 808 beats. Yet some of the superb production sounds very cheap. Take Whole New Life as an example. Beats on that song are way too thin. In fact, the beats are extremely thin. Of course some people will disagree.
Lil Sun is from Ennis, Texas which is outside of Dallas.
Mo Drank is an ode to drank (drink). The song follows a heavy bass line which is super tight over some classy crisp 808 beats. Mo Drank follows a mid-tempo pace and sound. A piano which is used on this song has a mellow tune. The hook has lyrics considered to be classic “We need some mo drank (pour it up, pour it up, mane) Gotta get some mo drank” This song is a song you must listen to.
Lil Sun seems to follow the Memphis style of using triplets on Blazin' Pine. He sounds similar to Tommy Wright III and Playa Fly. He seemed to be following a trend.
Triplets served as a prelude to the lyrics by using basic tempomar keys. Now triplets are a standard in music composition. Triplets are divided into 3 musical notes instead of the standard 2 notes or 4 notes. The triplets challenge the rhythm and counts we are used to as triplets are complex. Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata is the most famous music composition that uses triplets. Triplets from musical notes are what make this song memorable and stand out.
Whole New Life is a song which uses cheap production. The beats on this song are way too thin. Guitar bass seems to overlap beats in an extreme manner. In fact, the beats are extremely thin.
3/5***
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Night & Day - Day & Night album review
Night & Day - Day & Night is the debut album from the Flint R&B duo Night & Day that was released in 1996 on Marquis Entertainment. Everything from sweet love songs to R&B/soul slow jam is what you can expect to hear on this album.
R&B duo Night & Day is Night (Gasner Hughes) and Day (Toney Martinez) from Flint, Michigan. Hughes is dark and sings the higher parts. Martinez is light and sings lower. Night & Day have been singing together for years. They've appeared on internationally released albums by MC Breed, The Dayton Family, Jake the Flake, Imajin, Lyfe Jennings, Frankie J, Xzibit, and many more! Night & Day also appeared on The Dayton Family's "What's on Your Mind?" album from 1995. R&B duo Night & Day can be heard contributing on the every occasional songs to film soundtracks and performing as background vocalists for various notable national acts.
Night & Day bring out the best in love on The Sweetest with their angelic singing. Love runs so deep. That is what the lyrics “Baby, my love, it runs so deep/Because you bring out the best in me/And, baby, your love makes me weak/You’re just the sweetest” The song was written by Corey Peterson aka Co-P and mixed by Bernard Terry at Silver Sun Recording Studios.
The song Day & Night is a slow tempo song about sexual intercourse during the day and night. This R&B/soul song is perfect for the bedroom. Perfect for those interested in adult contemporary music. You can tell by the hum in the background that this song was recorded at Silver Sun Recording Studios. Night wants to feel her. He asks her to come closer. He then tells her, “Baby, come on. I’m ready.” Night is ready to feel her up and fill her up with every inch of his love. They plan to make love all day and night. Day wants her to take off her clothes. She then exposes him her sexy lingerie. Day will do whatever it take to love her.
Why Do I Cry? is a beautiful R&B slow jam that has a lovely percussion selection. The piano in the background is just beautiful. The song is a tale of heartache and sorrow. Lovely is one word to describe Why Do I Cry?.
Night & Day bring out the funky urban flavor on the song Trippin’ with the beats, thick medium bass, and style. Yule Rock performed the rap.
Hotel deals with Gas’s persuasion of asking a woman to come with him to the hotel. He persuades her with his smoothness and singing. Gas tells her, “You’re everything that a woman should be.” Beauty and sex appeal is what she has. Her mind is so rich. Gas can’t be without her. He really wants her in his life. He tells her, “Come and go with me. Let’s go to the hotel.”
4/5****!
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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 albums 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. A couple of songs from the Choppa Style album appear on the Straight From The N.O. album.
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$y.
Now Choppa be marching like a soldier with No Limit army right behind him. On that Westbank is where you might find him. He’s all about getting that dolla. He can pull a Prada model, t-shirt holla wobble wobble.
Later during the beginning of the song is where Choppa is at the club. He pops a bottle at the bar. The henny is turning green after being mixed.
We in the club pop a bottle, at the bar
Tell your girl stop tripping, she could holla at a star
Hypnotic in the car, is all I need to get mean
We could mix it
Like one say, left to the right right, to the left left, to the right
Let me see you bounce with me, East to the West
North to the South, back to the house, come blow a ounce with me
[Hook - 2x]
All my soldiers with me (yeah)
All my whodis with me (yeah)
If you hustle hard for a nigga praying (yeah)
My soldierettes with me (yeah)
My independent women (yeah)
Them hoes hatin' cause you looking good (hell yeah)
Things gets wild like New Orleans during Mardi Gras on the second verse. Read the lyrics below.:
Everybody throw your dranks up, soldiers throw your tanks up
Hit the flo', wild out, everybody drink something
It’s your set, throw it up, show me where the fuck you from
What you drinking mix it with this, hit this weed and have some fun
Girls got they butts up, y'all know what's up
We drinking this straight out the bottle, whodi put them cups up
I'm from the home of the Queen, that they call Anna
Who’s up next? Curren$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 biretta 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 an 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 pen
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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Choppa - Choppa Style album review
Choppa’s Choppa Style album was very underrated for its day in spite of having a hot buzz single called Choppa Style. Most of these songs are booty shakin’ music perfect for the club. Add the mixture of bounce music with Southern rap and the result is this Choppa album. 2002 was a good year for New Orleans music.
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.
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.
This version of Choppa Style is not the same version as the No Limit version. This is the Take Fo Records version of Choppa Style without Master P.
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.
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?
You're the One was a rap love song that was produced by DJ Jubilee. The subject matter was similar to One Mo' Chance and Love Me Like You Did.
That Bounce S**T serves as an ode and tribute to New Orleans bounce music. New Orleans was huge on the bounce music tip at the time this song was released. Heck even Cash Money and Mobo Records released bounce music at one point.
4/5****!
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