I already know what the haters are going to say. HipHopDX
doesn’t know anything about the south.
Damn that.
I respect the south, and I can get down with good southern Hip Hop like the
next man. But this is not good music. It’s stereotypical southern rap, plain
and simple. That is: diamonds in my necklace, 20 inch rims, purple drank, hoes,
dope etc. Fifteen tracks of stereotype after stereotype-right down to the
artist names e.g. Lil (you fill in the blank) and Big (you fill in the blank).
Officially, Trill Fam consists of Webbie, Lil
Boosie, Big Head, 3 Deep and some
guy named Foxx. You know you’re in trouble when the most well-regarded
dude in your group is Webbie.
Artistic content on this one is essentially non-existent. Unfortunately, track
titles like “Do
It Stick It,” “Bout Dat,” “Got Me Bent,” and “Watch My Shoes”
actually reflect the theme of the album: mediocrity.
AD LOADING...
“What about such provocative titles as ‘Politician Networkin’and ‘Materialistic Bitch?'” you might ask.
The Fam almost approaches coherence on these two – except that
both titles are simply flawed grammar. The hook on the former is actually “I’m
a politic-ing networking, vet working, tech-workin“ blah blah
blah. “Materialistic
Bitch” technically should be “Materialistic, Bitch” (as in, “I’m
materialistic, bitch.”) Most of the album is not even usual cliché fabric woven
into real tales of hood life. The whole album is just one long try at club
music.
However, the production (courtesy of 3 Deep member Mouse)
is not necessarily bad. There is plenty of bass and head-nodding throughout the
compilation, and the breaks are crisp. It’s just that most of the beats are be
generic… you keep trying to think of where you’ve heard the beat before, but
then when the song is over you can’t remember it to save your life.
Usually, not having a slew of big-name guest appearances is a good thing. Usually.
Tracks like “Thug
Me Like That,” “Same Ol Shit,”
and “Swangin”
are begging for Lil Jon or Lil Wayne…
somebody, anybody to come in at any moment. But they don’t. “Wipe Me Down” is
the over-hyped single that’s getting massive radio airplay (at least in my
town) and “Adios”
is billed as #2. There’s even a “Wipe Me Down Remix” on the disc, which sounds promising
until you realize that the remix is EXACTLY the same song with EXACTLY the same
first verse. Since when does “remix” mean “add two verses from Webbie and Lil Boosie?”
Geez.
AD LOADING...
Let’s just say that I was less than impressed. The Trill Fam
takes themselves way too seriously on this one (no, the feds do not have your
phone tapped gentlemen) and the repetitive nature of the album leave much to be
desired. Nevermind the absolute lack of lyrical proficiency or
creativity…definitely not a good look for Baton Rouge.
