Scarface, a member of the Houston, Texas-based Geto Boys crew, upped the ante for quality Hip Hop music from the south when the gruff wordsmith released his own slew of commendable solo albums, including his brilliant debut, Mr. Scarface is Back (1991) and The Fix, released by Def Jam in 2002 and featured notable guest appearances by Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye West and WC.
Nowadays, the famed southern rapper has gladly accepted the title of Hip Hop elder statesman and his co-signing of Green City‘s new album, Brand New Money, is a clear sign that he is ready to pass the mantle to the younger cats in his region who have their eye on the prize. Does this collective (consisting of Park Dawg, Yung Texxus, Mike Hee, Big Spade, MJ, J. Scott and G-Ni) of young rhyme spitters have what it takes to follow in Scarface’s footsteps and take southern Hip Hop (and our beloved subculture) to the next level?
From the beginning chorus of the first song, “Uncle Face’s Intro,” it is more than obvious that the Geto Boy alum and Hip Hop ambassador to the Third Coast has very high hopes for Green City and their ability to bring heat to the rap game. He eloquently states his displeasure on the current state of the music industry and promises fans that this young group will put an end to the “garbage n**gas” polluting the airwaves.
Unfortunately, the majority of the tracks on their debut album lack the necessary ingredients to make it worthy of his legacy, especially in Scarface‘s ability to put forth consciousness and introspection alongside vivid tales of living in the fast lane. The songs on Brand New Money are rife with hungry emcees who are clever at spitting rhymes about pulling “hos” and grinding from sunup to sundown in order to get that paper but they do very little to illuminate the truthful consequences of living their particular lifestyle. This makes for a very uneven listening experience and one that is not up to par with what is considered good, especially when compared to the depth of Uncle Face‘s music.
“Get Paper” is one song on this full-length release that is indicative of the Texas crew’s mindset and exposes the depth of the group’s preoccupation with material excess and misogyny to the detriment of their more introspective side. Other tracks like “Lookin Good,” Major Grind” and “Caddies and Caprices” are enjoyable to a degree because of their playful approach to the centuries-old art of hustling and pimping but they cannot seem to elevate themselves to Scarface‘s level in brilliantly dropping nuggets of wisdom along the way. The only track anywhere close to Uncle Face‘s brilliance is “Gotta Shine,” where the southern emcees attempt to exorcise their demons alongside the reality of having to do some dirt in order to make it out of the ghetto.
The south is one region in the United States that is getting the most shine in Hip Hop today, thanks to hard-working emcees who have paved the way for the younger generation, especially Scarface. The legend’s approval of Green City, an up-and-coming crew from Texas, is a goodwill gesture that might not fare well with the discriminating Hip Hop fan, considering the monotony of the group’s subject matter and their utter refusal to balance their hustler-centric lyrics with a much-needed dose of introspection, wisdom and consciousness. Brand New Money, their debut album, is, to say the least, a disappointing affair and one that should be erased from having any connection to Uncle Face‘s legacy as a trailblazing emcee and proud member of the south.
