Best of Mixerr Album Reviews! Page 214

Marques Callaway - The Story album review

Marques Callaway - The Story is one of the most overlooked San Antonio soul albums to date. This album had the underground hit and slow jam Be Alone. Freaky Things You Do is a duet with female singer Qia. This Ain't Living is a good mid tempo soul ballad. Irresistible Woman is a tune reminiscent of Nate Dogg. Wut Am I Suppose To Do? is a slow despondent soul ballad filled with melancholy. Head 2 Toe is a sultry R&B/soul song which is gently wrapped up in a supple falsetto.

His husky vocals and singing are what captivates fans to listen to his music. He sings in a beautiful melody with each song. His singing gradually captivates you. The sounds from this album will gradually captivate you too as he sticks to the traditional sounds of orthodox R&B/soul while singing of course. Both men and women will wet themselves when hear his vocals and singing. That’s how good his music is. Don't underestimate his singing as he sings slow and thick. 2000s R&B/soul is some of the best music out there.

He wrote the lyrics for almost all of the songs on this album except for I Can't Take It No More and Head 2 Toe. He had some outside songwriters write lyrics to his songs.

The album cover design is similar to a magazine cover. Think XXL, Sports Illustrated, VIBE, The Source, or National Geographic. There is his name listed at the very top in a bright vibrant color. Do U know who Marques is? are headlines shown on his album cover. Notice how the caption “THE STORY” is placed on the lower right hand corner.

As you can see from the album cover, he is dressed in urban street fashion. This is because he took a more urban approach on this album musically by adding in hip hop sounds to the production with help from Ricé.


Be Alone is the slow jam that got constant play in the clubs of San Antonio. Be Alone was an underground hit back in 2003. Be sure to listen to the beautiful melody of this song. The songs about a lady who does not want to be alone. This song is a highlight off the album.

She works very hard at her job to survive. Money is not a thing to her. She is lonely and feeling blue. Marques blows her off all the time. She thinks he is cheating as she sees the signs. The bottom line is that he is faithful to her. He knows she’s lonely but he has to grind. Clearly she don’t want to be alone.

Marques wonders what he can do to make things up. He knows he has to do more than come home and make love. He has to do more than that. Loving her is always in his plans. She molded him into a better man. He knows that she doesn’t want to be alone. He is faithful Marques gets that she’s the queen of his throne.

She don’t want to be alone. She always calls his mobile phone when he’s gone. He can’t understand why she does that. He promises that he will spend more time with her. She is the only lover in his world.


You Really Don't Know Me was another hit single of his that got radio play in San Antonio. This single was also played in clubs too. That sultry soul sound and husky vocals is what made this song another underground hit for Marques Callaway. This lady is trying to run her game on Marques and come on to him. Marques brushes her off by telling her, “You really don’t know my name. So why are you trying to run your game?” He makes it very clear to her that he does not want her.

This lady is trying to run her game on Marques and come on to him. She is jealous of his fame. Marques brushes her off by telling her, “You really don’t know my name. So why are you trying to run your game?” He asks her where her man is and if he comforts her. Marques makes it very clear to her that he does not want her. He tells her to stay away from him.

She told his girlfriend that she saw him late last night on the East Side coming down W. W. White Road. That’s funny because he was at home. He tells her to keep his name out her mouth. She does not realize she is something that she will never be.


Freaky Things You Do is a duet with female singer Qia. Both men and women will get their crotch wet when they hear this song from him. Both men and women will wet themselves when they hear his vocals and singing too.

The freaky things she does got Marques digging her. It’s got him on her and into her. She is in her sexy lingerie. Up and down. Round and round. You know she would. There are certain things with her that don’t change such as her tongue on his body and her kinky games.


Marques Callaway sang a beautiful falsetto on Can't Live Without. The beautiful falsetto of his really stands out. This song is about a lady Marques has been digging this lady and knows he can’t live without her.

This lady is beautiful. Marques wants to know her name. Maybe later on they could both hang out. Try to get things going in the swing of things. There is lovely smile that comforts him every time she sees his face. Ladies like are hard to find. He wants her.

Marques has had a hard time convincing her because she thinks his love is not true and his feelings are not genuine. Other men have been leaving feeling blue. Marques has been through the same thing too. He promises this time that everything is for real. No one can replace her lovely face. She is everything that he can’t live without.

He can’t live without her lovely face. No one can replace her lovely face. Marques will do whatever it takes to see her lovely face. She is so hard to find. If he had enough money, he would give her the world. Lace her up with diamonds and pearls. All those things do not matter anymore as long as he’s got her. Clearly he can’t live without her. He has to get with her.


Irresistible Woman is reminiscent of Nate Dogg. In fact the song is quite similar to a song you would hear from Nate Dogg. Marques might have been inspired by the works and sounds from Nate Dogg when he wrote this song.

I Can't Take It No More is a mid tempo composition with lyrics written from outside songwriters. Normally he writes his own lyrics. His vocals seems to be more husky here than usual. That could be due to the chorus. Who knows.

Head 2 Toe is a sultry R&B/soul song which is gently wrapped up in a supple falsetto. His falsetto is what makes this song wonderful and stand out.

Always There For Me is a sweet soulful and sultry interlude backed by a piano on stage. Now this whole  interlude was dedicated to the girlfriend that was always there for him. This interlude was dedicated to her girlfriend. He gives her thanks and due respect.

5/5*****!

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Mr. Joshay - Playas Life (2016 Edition) album review

Mr. Joshay - Playas Life (2016 Edition) is a beautiful hidden mellow gangsta rap treasure produced by Texas music genius and producer Ricé. Fans of rap will surely enjoy this album. Mr. Joshay - Playas Life was an album filled with songs from the vault that have never been heard before which Mr. Joshay recorded from 1994 to 2000. These were songs he recorded when he signed to Youngsta Records, BLVD Records, and Commerce Street Records. Ricé put the album together with the very first songs that Mr. Joshay ever recorded. Ricé was the one responsible for getting his album released. He was behind the album all along.

Not many people know this but this album was Ricé’s project and not necessarily Mr. Joshay’s. Mr. Joshay did not care too much if his second album was released or not. He says these songs were just songs from the vault. He is glad that the album was released anyway. Mr. Joshay was still developing his sound when he recorded these songs. Nino of PKO helped produce a couple of these songs. He even rapped in a couple of the songs.

The album was produced at Ricé’s Music Box Studios when it was located in his trailer at Westhill Mobile Home & RV Park on Pinn Road in Southwest San Antonio. Ricé’s production style is double bass and double guitars on top of high quality sound. Ricé is known for his smooth production. That is what you can hear all over this album.

Now this album was supposed to be released on BLVD Records (Boulevard Records) in 2000 but wasn’t because BLVD Records got shut down by the IRS for tax evasion.

The album was released on CD in 2006 on Commerce Street Records and re-released in 2016 on the Japan-based label II TIGHT LLC. That label was responsible for releasing Mr. Joshay’s albums. Mr. Joshay represented Commerce Street to the fullest back the 90s and 00s. He was their up and coming artist of the century for that time.

Now this album has been traded for thousands of yen 円 in Japan due to II TIGHT LLC repressing this album twice in 2016.

Not too many people know this but Commerce St. Records was located inside of the old Windsor Park Mall in San Antonio, Texas. The address for Commerce St. Records was 7900 North IH-35, Suite L-5, San Antonio, TX 78218.


Funk meets rap on the funky rap song Diggy Down. Ricé and Mr. Joshay make it funky with the sound that is provided. The sound is similar to Mtume. Diggy Down is a song about Mr. Joshay’s neighborhood.

Mr. Joshay is from this hood which people call Diggy Down. Mr. Joshay was coming up funky from the start. He came up funky from the start as his neighborhood was funky. Now he’s got the fever for the flava. His rhymes are deep like a creek.

Mr. Joshay is staying down but keeping his composure. Mr. Joshay is staying down for his neighborhood. He gets around from the underground. He’s got the juice if you’re thirsty. So don’t be dissuaded by anything else that gets negative in life. This is the flava of drink that you are surely gonna enjoy. Now he’s got the fever for the flava. Nothing can save ya.


Throw Dem Thangz is a song about his Cadillac and fighting.

Mr. Joshay is burning rubber on his loced out Cadillac. That is his gangsta ride. Laying low like a mack. He has the sunroof down so the air blows. He also has the window on the driver side down. Riding off into the sunset is what he does best. Mr. Joshay is in his Cadillac burning rubber through the jungle.

Also don’t be scared to throw dem thangz if you can fight. Don’t scared to throw a couple of blows. You can expect a couple of blows when fighting. So throw dem thangz.

The song has that funk soul sound. Ricé and Mr. Joshay were inspired by the funky soulful sounds of Mtume which is why Throw Dem Thangz samples Mtume - Hip Dip Skippedabeat.


Inside Looking Out takes us through the viewpoints and perspectives of an inmate in jail. The song features Nino of PKO. Sometimes you don’t know what to do when you’re on the inside looking out especially when you’re in jail or prison. That is when things are hard. There’s no more caddy or freedom when you’re in jail or prison.

Inside Looking Out was recorded in 1995 when Mr. Joshay was signed to Youngsta Records. Ricé was another in-house producer along with DJ Snake at that time.

You can tell by listening to words from these lyrics that this song was definitely written in the 90s. “I been handling my business/I never fake the funk because I’m real”,

Here Mr. Joshay goes again. Handcuffs and shackles are on his feet and he is in an ugly ass jumpsuit. Mr. Joshay is on the inside looking out and doesn’t know what to do. No more Cadillac, chronic, or bourbon.

It’s kind of hard coming up in the jungle. Mr. Joshay is handling his business. He never fakes the funk. When he was coming up, he couldn’t slang like Shaquille. He set his own goals. He has been in trouble with the law since the day he was born. His momma took on having a son in 1974 even though she could not afford to have one. His momma was strong. That’s why Mr. Joshay is coming at you strong. His momma taught him right from wrong. But she did not teach him how to stay alive. She didn’t tell him how he would have to struggle and strive. That’s why he’s mixed up in this ghetto life. He is on the corner slanging cocaine and shooting dice. A lot brothas out there feel him though.

He’s got the money, the power, and a ragtop Cadillac. He is stacked for the jack. And he’s breaking hoes off something major. A booty call from his bitch on his pager is what he got. He went to pick her up and police gaffled him up. He got locked up and was doing time at Bexar County Jail. But now he’s on the inside looking out.

12 o’clock is when Nino went to pick up his party Joshay from Bexar County Jail in his Cadillac. Frames knocked out and it’s sitting on D’s (Dayton rims). His pockets are swole because he just got his serve on. Got 1/5 of bourbon and a sack of weed. Packing a tech for you playa hating hoes. Flossing down the strip like the playas do. The game is not the same like it was in 1992. 5-0 is always trying to catch a nigga.

Nino also uses his lyrics from a song called Walk The Walk which came from the 1995 compilation Poets & Gangstas.

Nino serves them up with some of that dope shit. Police want to throw him in Bexar County Jail for that. A high ass bounty is placed over his head. It’s kind of fucked up that your boy is seeing all these county blues. All that fucked up food. He is gambling in jail. He can’t wait to hit the streets. 13 weeks is how long he had been in jail.


No Moe Caddy takes us through the viewpoints and perspectives of an inmate in jail similar to how Inside Looking Out did. The song features Nino of PKO. No more Cadillac, chronic, or bourbon as deals with the jailhouse blues. He’s on the inside looking out and doesn’t know what to do.

No Moe Caddy was recorded in 1995 when Mr. Joshay was signed to Youngsta Records. Ricé was another in-house producer along with DJ Snake at that time.

There are similarities between No Moe Caddy and Inside Looking Out. Both songs use the same guitar loops, Nino uses the same lyrics in his verses, Mr. Joshay uses some of same lyrics in his verses, and that high pitched eerie sine is used. Both songs seem to have been recorded in the same timeframe.

Both songs have similarity in the lyrics. Read these lyrics and compare them to each other. “I been handling my business/I never fake the funk because I’m real”, “Been in trouble with the law since the day I was born”, and “I’m on the inside looking out and I don’t know what to do”. Nino also uses his lyrics from a song called Walk The Walk which came from the 1995 compilation Poets & Gangstas.

Now compare the chorus to both songs as both songs use these same lyrics during the chorus.

[Chorus: Mr. Joshay & Nino]
I’m on the inside looking out
No more Cadillac, no more chronic, no more bourbon
And I don’t know what to do

Mr. Joshay is a brotha from the south. He’s been handling his business. He never fakes the funk because he’s real. It’s kind of hard coming up in the jungle. Mr. Joshay is handling his business. He never fakes the funk. When he was coming up, he couldn’t slang like Shaquille. He set his own goals and got his hustle on.

He has been in trouble with the law since the day he was born. His momma took on having a son in 1974 even though she could not afford to have one. His momma was strong. That’s why Mr. Joshay is coming at you strong. A warrant was out for his arrest because he was slanging drugs. Mess with him and you might get shot.

12 o’clock is when Nino went to pick up his party Joshay from Bexar County Jail in his Cadillac. Frames knocked out and it’s sitting on D’s (Dayton rims). His pockets are swole because he just got his serve on. Got 1/5 of bourbon and a sack of weed. Packing a tech for you playa hating hoes. Flossing down the strip like the playas do. The game is not the same like it was in 1992. 5-0 is always trying to catch a nigga.

Nino also uses his lyrics from a song called Walk The Walk which came from the 1995 compilation Poets & Gangstas.

Nino serves them up with some of that dope shit. Police want to throw him in Bexar County Jail for that. A high ass bounty is placed over his head. It’s kind of fucked up that your boy is seeing all these county blues. All that fucked up food. He is gambling in jail. He can’t wait to hit the streets. 13 weeks is how long he had been in jail.

Now Mr. Joshay is locked up and he is paying his dues to society by serving time. 6 people in a 10 man cell. The jail is packed of course.

Joshay and Nino made bond in just 2 days. However Nino’s jewelry got pawned. His D’s (Dayton rims), leather seats, and his surround sound speakers. Nearly everything he owned got pawned. Nino switched to drinking Cognac from Bourbon.

Joshay filled this cat up with lead as he emptied the clip from his gun. Then he rolled up a spliff and passed it to Nino. Now they take a hit.


Eternity is one of his more darker songs that gets deep. The song seeks for a change in how things are in life. The subject matter is similar to Wicked Crazy World as this song represents the wickedness and craziness that goes on in this world. Lyrics to the song represent the insanity of life on the streets. It’s enough to make you lose your mind and worry.

Mr. Joshay calls out government officials won’t address the issues of inner city issues. Children are dying of starvation which places them in situations that can lead to incarceration. Unlawful infiltration is another issued government officials won’t address.

Mr. Joshay is from a generation who still recovering from segregation. His neighborhood is filled with subduction, mysterious abductions, premeditated murder, and corruption. He can’t even function with suicidal thoughts on his mind. He is smoking and drinking wine. All of this is not divine.


Wicked Crazy World represents the wickedness and craziness that goes on in this world. The theme is almost similar to the song Gang Story. Lyrics to the song represent the insanity of life on the streets. It’s enough to make you lose your mind and worry.

*[This is Mr. Joshay’s second album.]
*[Commerce St Records is also known as Commerce Street Records.]

5/5*****!!

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Marques Callaway - The Mayor Of Da South album review

Marques Callaway - The Mayor Of Da South is one of the most overlooked San Antonio soul albums to date. He sings in a beautiful melody with each song. His singing gradually captivates you. The sounds from this album will gradually captivate you too. The sounds from this album will gradually captivate you too as he sticks to the traditional sounds of orthodox R&B/soul while singing of course. Both men and women will wet themselves when hear his vocals and singing. Don't underestimate his singing as he sings slow and thick on songs such as If Loving You Is Wrong and Be Alone Part II.

As you can see from the album cover, he is dressed in urban street fashion. This is because he took a more urban approach on this album musically by adding in hip hop sounds to the production with help from Ricé. San Antonio rap heavyweights such as Fade Dogg, Lil Sin, Lady Lunatic, Bigg Budd, and Nino appear on the album. However he tries too hard to be a rapper when he is a singer. That is evident on songs such as Was Beef, On Da Grind, and Hustla. He seemed to reinvented his image to be a rap singer on this album. There is nothing wrong with rap singing but rap singing doesn’t fit his image.

Ricé handled the production entirely himself as his role was being the producer for this album. Ricé was Marques Callaway’s in-house producer during the 2000s. Marques Callaway - The Mayor Of Da South was also one of the last albums that Ricé had produced before retiring from producing in 2007. He retired from producing and mastering to raise his children.


You know the old saying and song If Loving You Is Wrong, Then I Don’t Want To Be Right? Well that is what the song If Loving You Is Wrong is about. Sometimes loving someone is not the right thing to do and can be the wrong thing to do. Sometimes loving someone is the wrong thing to do. You’re better off that way in that case. The song samples Luther Ingram - (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right.

This is one of the highlights off his album. His falsettos are soothing and soulful. He never goes wrong with singing any of his run. Old school soul meets neo-soul on If Loving You Is Wrong.

Let’s face it. This girl was the one for Marques. She keeps it real with him all the time. He asks her to marry him and be forever his. He loves her and can’t be without her. The bottom line is that he is faithful to her.


Be Alone Part II is the remix and reprise of the original Be Alone. This version is slightly faster in tempo than the original and the lyrics are different. This was the slow jam that got constant play in the clubs of San Antonio. Be Alone was an underground hit back in 2006. Be sure to listen to the beautiful melody of this song. The songs about a lady who does not want to be alone. This song is a highlight off the album.

She works very hard at her job to survive. Money is not a thing to her. Marques knows she doesn’t want to be alone. She is lonely and feeling blue. He knows she’s lonely but he has to grind. Clearly she don’t want to be alone. He sees the signs.

She thinks Marques is cheating on her. That is not true as he is faithful to her. He is doing all he can to keep happiness in their home. Hard work pays off. That’s the bottom line. She don’t want to be alone. She always calls his mobile phone when he’s gone. Of course she is mad. He tells her to change the tone in her voice before he gets mad as well. He knows that she doesn’t want to be alone. She is the only lover in his world.


The sultry tune Can I Buy You A Drink? that had that casual vibe and slick vibe. Marques gets into social interaction with a lady by asking her if he can buy her a drink and take her out to lunch. Clearly he wants to be with her. The song is dedicated to men who are looking for a special lady. That is the special that he is referring to.

Marques gets into social interaction with a lady by asking her, “Can I buy you a drink? Maybe take you to lunch.” He also tells her, “You can spend the night, baby. We can make it a brunch. I want you to love me tonight. Your body is so tight. I think it’s love at first sight.” He wants her to love.

Marques was in a club. He noticed this lady and she was so damn fine. Every part of her was fine. She was looking good to him. He had to plan on how he would make that lady his. Marques asks her for her name and who she is with. He’ll admit that he talks a fast game. His plan is to make everything alright for her to show that he is the right man for her and tells her they can do whatever she wants tonight.


Don't Get Mad is about his girlfriend being mad at him for not being ready to be committed to a marriage. He is not ready to get married. Right now he is not ready to make that commitment for marriage. He tells her not to get mad. Things were working real perfect for them right now. At least that’s what he thought. One thing about the song that stands out is the double reverb. There is a reverb used in his vocals.

4/5****