Given the fact that his 2003 debut, Cheers, hit the platinum mark, Obie Trice is perhaps the most overlooked artists of the early Shady Records era (“1.0,” if you will). While Eminem’s influence on Cheers was a little heavy-handed, Trice successfully introduced himself as a clever, abrasive, and skilled lyricist with a bright future. Mr. “Real Name, No Gimmicks” lived up to his potential on his 2006 sophomore set, the outstanding Second Round’s On Me. Incorporating lessons learned after nearly being killed by a shot to the head, and displaying a knack for picking a lush sound bed on which to rhyme, things looked bright indeed. However, the relationship with Interscope soured, and it was no long Jimmy Iovine time. Six years and countless delays later, Obie presents the third in his bar-themed album series: Bottoms Up.
On the album’s opener, Obie Trice does something that seems to be rare these days: he graciously thanks the fans, Shady Records, and his label mates. His rhymes indicate that, even after collaborating with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars, the listener is still hearing a regular guy. “Richard,” which features Eminem, is supposed to be the record that steals this show, but given Obie and Shady’s collaborative history, it’s quite a disappointment. The cut fails to match the standard set by the 8 Mile OST’s “Love Me,” Cheers’ “Hey Lady,” or Second Round’s on Me’s “There They Go.” The beat is limp, and Em continues his recent inclination to substitute technical acrobatics rather than deliver a hard-hitting verse. In the abstract, it’s not a bad song; the problem is, both emcees can and should do better.
“BME” features some interesting horns, but is a rather pedestrian “rep your set” joint. “Battle Cry” is far more interesting, as Obie meets the urgency of the keys he rhymes over: “O.Trice, back at it / I ain’t never came wack, all I ever gave’s crack / All I ever gave’s back, ain’t a human being on this earth that can say opposite that / You can misconstrue what he do ‘cause he cruise in an automobile or two, I know how to trap / I know how to double up, then double back / No matter the circumstance, he emerge from that.”
“Secrets” is a grimier spiritual successor to Dr. Dre’s “Fuck You,” and “Spill My Drink” is a moment of self-reflection for Obie, as he wisely muses, “a boat without an anchor is a boat that’s gon’ sail.” “Spend the Day” isn’t an entirely failed instance when a hardcore emcee kicks game to the fairer sex, but Drey Skonie’s hook is laughably bad. The late MC Breed pairs with Obie on “Crazy” for a little bit of Detroit home cooking, and on “LeBron On,” O draws a few telling comparison between himself and King James: “same folks that loved me wanna bury me,” he claims.
Anyone that’s followed Obie Trice’s career knows that the Well-Known Asshole is one of Hip Hop’s most underrated artists of the past decade. Unfortunately, Bottoms Up does little to remedy that. Despite boasting production from the likes of Dr. Dre, Statik Selektah, and Eminem, very little here distinguishes itself here on the production side. Further, Obie sounds much less focused, both in terms of the actually rhymes and the direction of the album. Cheers was the album that essentially told Obie’s life story, and introduced his irreverent sense of humor to those outside of Detroit. Second Round’s On Me contained more perspective (and really showed that Obie had a great ear for production). Maybe not having that Shady Records budget harmed this project, or maybe being delayed for so long is the appropriate culprit. Whatever the reason, Bottoms Up is merely adequate, which is not the standard that fans of Mr. Trice have come to expect.
bout time dx but its just crept to a 4 for me, but ye em on richard…….. let down
Decent album nothing special. Beats arent all that and please Obie stop sounding like 50 Cent.
album is a let down but its better then every ycmb record ever made
im not a fan of ymcmb but that is a typical hating ass nigga comment. they aint even part of this article. shit is pathetic. them niggas consume your existence. get a life nigga
@ Anonymous:
i aint your nigga.
Lol he is hating but this is real hip hop, ymcmb is hip pop. Dtown for life
Die hard hip hop fan here. I love Blackstarr, MF Doom and M.O.P but honestly Drake- Take Care > Obie Trice- Bottom’s Up. Obie is so overrated it’s a shamn, one more thing Obie Trice’s Special Reserve (from 2009) album with Producer MoSS is probably his best body of work.
Well Known Asshole?? WTF looool
Obv someone’s not an Obie fan…
I think this is a brilliantly-well-written review. I’m pissed that it’s ran so late after the album dropped, and there’s a ton of missing reviews lately, but we’re getting wack-ass mixtapes reviewed that aren’t even good ratings, reviews or work.
Shouts to Obie.
@ word up:
what do you expect HIPHOPDX is always late with hiphop reviews. Its for them more important to do reviews about cash money bullshit like nicki and Drake. HIPHOPDX is getting paid to do all so so much articles about cash money
yeah it kinda sucks there late to albums that really matter to most of the fans of rap on this site. No one really cares about nicki album but they got it up like right away.
Co- signed, where is the gift of gab review, the dude is dope as hell but no review?!
Nicki posted right away THIS album dropped almost a week ago. Pick it up DX. And as for a “brilliant well-written” review, are you serious? It was full of spelling errors and I don’t think it was all that accurate. The 3.5 is about right but other than the first two paragraphs he spends the rest of the review shitting on the album and saying how bad it is.
Em should have went in on that joint he produced instead of that cornball “Richard” shit
IDK after a couple listens I really liked Richard, but he should have been on going nowhere too.
Obie Trice R.I.P. 2003/2003!
There’s not really any bangers on here. It’s still pretty dope though.
Isn’t that a bit of a contradiction? Shithead.
Good review & score, its a typical 3.5/5 album.
Funny how cats can’t get their best after leaving their major label. I was quite suprised when I noticed that, and honestly, I’d be happy if y’all can name a few expections. So I’m still waiting for some real quality album from somebody who went independent after a relatively successfull major career.
As far as Obie and his former labelmates, (Stat Quo, Bobby Creek and Ca$his) they were dope, but it seems they already reached their best potential under Shady’s wings. Whis is sad, considering the fact that aside from Obie he didn’t released a single LP …
album was boring. Glad somebody actually calls out Eminem’s weak verses instead of just dickriding every noise he makes on the mic.
AMEN, been saying that
You get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
I can tell at first glance youre a ho
Cause your pants are so tight
When you dance with O. Trice, your implants explode
So cold to dykes, the chance is snow in San Francisco
Boy Im from Detroit city, you livin in animosity (animoCITY)
Thats a fucked up state to be in, such an atroCITY
Look where these random thoughts get me
In senseless mind babble, What me? Apologize? labrbrr
Thats just the way the rhyme unravels
And I wouldnt fucking take it back if I time traveled! ……. Not his best verse but C’mon hos word play is stuuuupid!! Hope da shit dnt fly over ur head though
*his wordplay
Holy shit u fools hang on every single verse Em does as if he really cares anymore…no one hangs on every single little verse other rappers do like they do on Ems shit..dudes a fucking legend and still spits hard ..you forgot hell the sequel already?? anyway CD is pretty good not great still like to hear Obie spit
No point in trying…everything em releases will firmly be dickriden until his new shit comes out and then everyone admits that what he released before was awful (relapse and recovery being prime examples)
If you are comparing this album to every hip hop album ever than it is around a 3. IF you compare it to albums in the last 5 years its a 3.5. However, if you are rating it based on the most recent albums put out…its at least a 4. Comeon…what real rap albums have even come out this year that are respectable? Rap is gone. It is now a combo of singing with weak rhymes(Drake, Cudi, Khalifa). This is one of the best albums of the year if you like real rap..he couldve left off spend the day and maybe two others and it woulda been better for it…but still. Section 80, the roots ablum, what else? Rap is dead..this was refreshing to hear an artist not dumb down his lyrics and the production on most songs was pretty damn good. I think “My Time” is a sick song too. This album should get a 4
take me to your leader only got a 4.0 and production and concept wise it shits on this album and nicki minaj gets a 3.0 because they rarely give mainstream artists really bad reviews…probably in fear that it would draw bad attention to the site or some bullshit
I’m loving the album. His review altogether was complete garbage. His review on Richard is laughable. It’s obvious they just went in and “dicked” around on a song they weren’t trying to make some lyrical masterpiece. Why does this have to be the show stealer? Cause Em’s on it? Makes no sense to me. I truly doubt this guy listened to the whole album he only commented about the songs that were previously released on HHDX and the supposed singles. If he had listened to it he would have told you about the great songs on the album like Going no where, dear lord, my time, etc. Only song i seem to skip is the Petty song, that one is just stupid to me could have went without that for sure. He of course had to compare everything to Interscope days like that’s the measuring stick or something. I thought it was obvious that Obie just went in and was doing what he felt. Obie never disappoints for me. I will definitely be rocking this one all summer long.
not a great review by this guy, solely because this is meant for his core audience, and he clearly isnt. Richard wasent all that good, but the beat was, plus it was a screw around song and not meant to be taken as a lyrical masterpice. Battle Cry was easily the best song, but Obie’s lyrical prowice never slows down, despite being overshadowed by Battle Cry. overall it was great, and Obie continues to be overshadowed by crappy albums. (Pink Friday Roman Reloaded)
5/5
Great album , richard was annoying at first but listening a couple times made it quite relaxing.
great cd
According to DX it’s only .5 stars better than Roman Reloaded. SMH
yeah the eminem verse was a letdown and it definatly aint as good as cheers and second round but if your trying to say this is only half a star better than that nikki minaj joke of an album dx needs to really look at who you’ve got reviewing the albums
I agree with the part about them reviewing their reviewers. The album may not do Cheers or 2nd round numbers but it’s still a good album. I’m bumping it. I have to give Royce/Slaughterhouse/Eminem albums a break from the cd player in the car.
I heard this on Itunes. It sucked. Every song sounded the same. No bangers. Just Obie’s boring voice.
bang
Download and Stream Obie Trice Bottoms Up full Album here http://hiphopmayhem.com/music/new-tracks/obie-trice-bottoms-up.html
Slava Kuperstein, go fuck yourself..
tbh I like Richard more than I like “There They Go”. I don’t think there’s much more to have done with a song with that kind of subject matter anyways.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMJ5f053Ps&feature=relmfu dopee!!! check it out please
4/5
grate emcees like Obie will always be over-looked…..mostly b/c if tracks ain’t microwave flavor or dumbeddown b.s. a lot of ppl aint gonna wanna spentmoney for full albums and realy LISTEN to full albums. I will cop this album. Second Rounds On Me was Obie’s best album. Cheers had “too much” Eminem influence.
So he goes the Baby picture route huh??? Just that for that, I won’t listen to this bullshit. Bottoms Up and u get fucked.
Do you know the story behind why he has it?
His mother died just before the realse of bottums up and this was the picture she kept above her mantle piece he did it in memory of her
Production was horrible!!!!
I agree with the review wholeheartedly. I think 3.5 is a little high of a rating though. I’d say a 3/5. Hopefully Obie will come back in a year or 2 with a new album that’s more focused than this one.
I’m just happy that Obie released this album. Shady 1.0!
“Em continues his recent inclination to substitute technical acrobatics rather than deliver a hard-hitting verse” this couldn’t be more true , overall its ok album 3/5
Classic!
Get off Obie’s dick, commenters. If you ponied up at the record store somebody might give a fuck.
i did
@at the guy who stated Obie sounds like 50 cent :what the fuck did you listening to???????
dumbass listen to the hooks, there are certain songs when you hear it
U mean like BME?
“As far as Obie and his former labelmates, (Stat Quo, Bobby Creek and Ca$his) they were dope, but it seems they already reached their best potential”
These guys want Em to hold their hand all the time instead of figuring this music shit out themselves.
I don’t know I used to like Obie but after Cheers he just sounds generic to me I mean I try to like his stuff now but I’m just not hearing anything special…
Second Round’s On Me was better than cheers
This album is one of the year’s best so far..
without eminem he would of sold 1k.
Statik Selektah probably slobbed Eminem’s knob to get a track with him on it. Statik must be wettin his panties right now. That beat is garbage, and it’s funny that song didn’t end up being the highlight which I”m sure Statik had been hoping for. He sucks. This album is actually pretty good though.
Well you really like balls huh, did Statik hurt your feelings or somthing? Get off his
Agreed on wack-ass Statik Selektah.
love this album
Love this album, only critisism of Obie is he takes too long to put out material, hopefully the next album won’t be as long to wait for!
DOPENESS!!!
pure wack
If you liked Obie’s old stuff then you cant hate on this, its good ass music. So for people to say its “garbage”…..you must have never liked him so FLUCK OFF with your 2 cents.
Awesome album
great album
crazzzy album
was expecting more really
Classic
I gotta say i been waitin 4 this album 4 a while been a min since i heard some new shit from my man trice but im a little dissapointed by this album. I mean he had a couple joints like lebron on dear lord and #2 can’t quite remember tha name but that shit do bump. But he didn’t deliver tha cry now and average man obie that i wuz hoping 2 hear. In short this album wuz just regular if nothin else. Richard wit eminem wasn’t all that either. Hopefully his next joint will be better though.
Classic
I actually enjoyed the album it don’t add up to Cheers & Second Round’s on Me but it don’t subtract from em he hasn’t fallen off.
Special Reverse was tight too!
Obie has returned!!! he has a mixtape coming as well, he realised you can’t wait 6 years!
Dope.
love it
Obie
Trice is the truth!!!
kinda lame
its iiight
Obie is a beast !!! Bottoms up is ill
1. Bottoms Up (Intro) (Produced by Dr. Dre)
2. Going Nowhere (Produced by Eminem)
3. Dear Lord (Produced by Black Milk)
4. I Pretend (Produced by Nottz)
5. Richard feat. Eminem (Produced by Statik Selektah)
6. BME Up (Produced by Mr. Porter)
7. Battle Cry feat. Liz Rodriguez (Produced by DJ Khalil)
8. Secrets (Produced by Emile)
9. Spill My Drink (Produced by Hi-Tek)
10. Spend the Day feat. Royce da 5’9″ (Produced by Eminem, co. Jeff Bass)
11. Petty (Produced by Focus…)
12. My Time (Produced by The Alchemist)
13. Ups & Downs (Produced by Emile)
14. Hell Yea (Produced by Mr. Porter)
15. Crazy feat. MC Breed (Produced by Jake One)
I wish this was the tracklist….
Dope ish