If it takes a nation of millions to hold us back, it takes only one to pull us forward. New York emcee NY Oil looks to be that one. The husband/father/activist made his entry into the game in a major way with the controversial song and video for “Y’all Should All Get Lynched,” an angry call to action, demanding that Hip Hop–and society–get its shit together. The video was so controversial that it was banned from YouTube. Oil‘s original opus, Hood Treason, was released with limited distribution and limited fan fare. Now with the help of indie powerhouse Babygrande, NY Oil has re-upped with Hood Treason (Deluxe Edition).
Like its predecessor, the newly released double disc is anchored by “Y’all Should All Get Lynched.” Taking aim at all that is considered wrong in Hip Hop, NY delivers a scathing attack on all MCs who fake the funk to sell a few records. “All you fake thug rappers y’all should all get lynched, and all y’all coon ass rappers y’all should all get lynched, Berry Gordy paved the way for y’all to act like this, and this the best y’all could come up with, you ain’t shit,” he rhymes angrily on the song’s hook. The Hurricane Katrina fallout and girls exposing themselves on the Internet all feel the wrath on the nearly five minute track.
While the pervasive use of the infamous “N” word may offend some listeners of African heritage, the equally provocative “What Up My Wigger Wigga” takes aim at other races who say “nigga” as a term of endearment. “What up my wigger wigga, what up my wetback, what up my camel jockey, give ya boy some dap…what up cracker, I ain’t here to offend ya, it’s ya nigga my wigga, what’s the problem don’t you remember?” Equal opportunity offender indeed, but the song drives home its point.
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The album switches gears with “The Hate That Made Love,” a tale about achieving success and realizing that all the material gains weren’t all they were cracked up to be. On “You’re A Queen,” Oil dedicates a track to the oft mistreated women of the Hip Hop Generation. “Somebody called you a bitch and you believed that, somebody called you a hoe and you believed that, but when I told you that you were a queen, you couldn’t conceive it, couldn’t receive it… but I’ma fix that mama, cause that’s my fault.” It plays out as an olive branch and apology to the women and a wakeup call to the men (“without you life is lifeless”).
Hood Treason shows considerable depth in that NY Oil is able to flow effortlessly over up tempo (“Shout It In The Streets”) or slow production (“The Moment I Said It”). And even when not rapping, the spoken word pieces (“Jazzy Lady” and “I Just Met My Father”) do not disappoint.
At 29 tracks deep, Hood Treason is a marathon of a listen, and the results vary. The excessive interludes on disc two are better suited for a mixtape than an actual album, while several tracks, like the Chuck D assisted “Soldier” and the bounce influenced “Weezy 4 Sheezy” could’ve been left on the cutting room floor.
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While Hood Treason (Deluxe Edition) is long winded at times–and probably better off as a single CD–NY Oil delivers a solid album for fans longing for Hip Hop with some substance.
