Perhaps to a fault, Hip Hop has always been a genre known for its familial love. And the rap scene below the Mason-Dixon line specifically has a reputation for how everyone sticks together, whether it’s through fan support or through collaborations between artists. Atlanta’s LilScrappy [click to read] has been a team player for his entire career: his introduction to much of the rap world was on his collaborative release with fellow ATLien’s Trillville, and his 2006 LP, Bred 2 Die Born 2 Live [click to read], was co-executive produced by Lil Jon and 50 Cent [click to read]. So as relatively young as he is, apparently, Scrappy feels the need and the capability to give back on his own by giving an opportunity to G’$ Up Click–his crew of fellow ATL spitters Pooh Baby and Young Vet.
On the bright side, G’$ Up Click isn’t nearly as unbearable as dirty south or crew love naysayers would automatically assume. As is the case with much rap from the south, Silence And Secrecy is primarily style over substance and. The aesthetic of this album is established early: this is riding or clubbing music (mostly the former) with knocking production and catchy choruses, and the bars are to be taken for surface value. Pooh Baby and Young Vet do a commendable job of holding their own aside Lil Scrappy by utilizing the same tactics that Scrappy does himself: distinctive voices, energetic flows and authoritative mic presence. Songs like the unabashedly offensive “Damn” shine, despite trite lyrics like Pooh Baby‘s opening bars in the second verse: “Damn, shorty got that Aquafina/that wet wet pussy, like it was Hurricane Katrina/and if she let me beat, then it’s gon be an Ike and Tina/got mo dick for these hoes, pimp, than Oscar Meyer weiner.” One of the most engaging tracks on the album, “Lick Gone Bad,” pairs a cavernous soundbed with a menacing Young Vet to narrate a botched drug deal that stays engaging despite potentially generic subject matter. And as great as Scrappy‘s solo track “Gas” is, it doesn’t feel like a necessary intermission as many solo songs on group albums do. It’s impressive that Scrappy is all of the star power G’$ Up needs, with the album holds together well despite not a single verse being contributed from outside of the crew.
There isn’t much room for error, since Silence And Secrecy is only 12 tracks and 45 minutes long. But that doesn’t mean it’s a flawless project. Virtually every attempt using the vocoder affect comes across as contrived, and its usage on “Getting Money” is no exception; it almost ruins a perfectly good song. Pooh Baby‘s seemingly blatant Lil Wayne [click to read] swagger jacking on “That Ain’t It”–“I’m a martian, extra-terrestrial/I eat rappers alive, extra cholesterol/a nigga from outer space, I’m never on time unless I’m an hour late”–is unwelcome, especially considering his performance throughout the rest of the album. And to some listeners, the simplistic rhymes may hurt its replay value. But otherwise, Silence And Secrecy is a surprisingly solid album from a pair of no-names and a leader who’s never fully reached his star potential. Thankfully, Scrappy has learned from his previous experiences.
