West Coast Bad Boyz Vol. 1 – Anotha Level of the Game

I remember buying this tape at the only music store in Sunnyside, WA. I was staying at my grandparents house one summer and spent every spare dollar I had shopping there buying whatever tapes or cds looked dope. I was just getting into Master P (Ice Cream Man era), and this had his name on it so I found it to be a must have.

Back in the early 90s before P was riding for NOLA he was deep in the NorCal rap game alongside stalwarts such as Too Short, JT the Bigga Figga, 4 Tay, 40 Water, and a pair of Dres (Dog and Mac respectively). During this time period P had a different group of running mates such as E-A-Ski, Dangerous Dame, King George, and Sonya C who all make appearances on this tape.

What makes this interesting looking back on it is that it represents what was happening in the Bay at the time but more specifically San Francisco. JT and 4 Tay were both “big names” when I heard this, but I still wasn’t hip to Dre Dog, UNLV, Cellski, and Cougnut who were all doing some big work in the streets of SF.

This record has one great song, the Cameo jacking “Trying to Make A Dollar Out of 15 Cents” a collaboration between Master P and RBL Posse. Honorable mention goes to Cellski and UNLV (Baldhead Rick and SB outta Lakeview) on “Stressed Out” which is rapid fire raps over a real laid back beat. All in all this is a compilation of low level hood rap that I’m sure was very well received in the bay but today sounds dated and a bit corny. Feel free to judge for yourself.

Listen to West Coast Bad Boyz Vol. 1

UGK, Master P & Silkk the Shocker - Playaz from the South

I've been rexamining some of the music I used to listen to as a young man and this song was on one of my favorite comps "Down South Hustlers - Bangin and Swingin" just one in a series of many comps brought to us by Mr. Percy Miller. Will's recent look at Curren$y has inspired me to take a trip through my musical history by listening to all my old No Limit comps and soundtracks and sharing my thoughts here on the blog.

Stay tuned for some real ignorant shit.

Currensy "Sports Center Vol. 1"

I’ve been patiently waiting for Currensy to come out to our lovely town. The date is set for December 2nd. Over the course of the next month I’ll be reviewing all of his old work. It starts today with, according to Wikipedia, his first mixtape Sports Center Vol. 1.

Released in 2004, this tape is a No Limit affair - the only project I’ve discovered of dudes that bears his first labels stamp. This copy is not the best quality, but everything is listenable and will let you hear the hot spitta as a young emcee just starting to develop.

While he has recently paired with his fellow No Limit refuge Fiend, they are not gettin busy together on this record. Mr. Marcello makes several appearances. C-Murder spits a few bars. Master P, Lil Romeo and a chick - that I’m thinking could be Rom’s sister, get down on a track next to Currensy as well.

I was never buying No Limit releases growing up, but what I know about the label seems to be represented here. Gone is all of the weed talk Currensy is known for today. In it’s place is a fair amount of gangster shit, stereotypical nonsense that shows me probably why I was never checking for him for so long. Elsewhere he talks about money, girls, etc. I’m intrigued to learn about Currensy’s youth, because if this is at all serious I think he may have grown up in the No Limit camp much like Lil Wayne with the Cash Money crew.

Like most mixtapes of this era most of the beats heard are jacked from the hits of the day. A few originals slip in and they are pretty bad. Cheap synths and lackluster 808s barely hitting anything do not make for good rhyming. Over the wide array of selections Currensy and the guests rock over no one ever really sounds great. Currensy was not the smooth rapping cat he is today six years ago.

While he pulls off a decent cadence on “Crush On You” he sounds way to soft for a track like “Gangster Music.” Listening to him struggle on some tunes, show hints of what’s to come on others is the only reason I can say you should download this tape. I love seeing the growth and advancement. Currensy has done a lot of that on many different levels. Sports Center Vol. 1 is essential only for the completests.

Download it here.