Bridging the gap, between commercial and underground? Not Quite (FMHHFIHS pt. 4)
Written: Sep 11 '07 (Updated Sep 12 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It's Little Brother!...Some nice improvement from Big Pooh, Great Guest Appearances
Cons: A few weak beats....Some Big Pooh setbacks...
The Bottom Line: Little Brother fans, buy this, if not a fan or skeptical grab The Listening or The Minstrel show first.
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| MajaFiggaz's Full Review: Separate but Equal - Little Brother & DJ Drama |
As with most other Little Brother releases there is a meaning behind the title of the album, or in this case mixtape. With The Minstrel Show they likened the state of hip-hop and black mentality to the Minstrel shows of the mid-1800's. The Chitlin Circuit 1.5 was an "underground" appetizer album, in the fashion of an underground hole-in-the-wall juke joint in which blacks could entertain each other in what was deemed The Chitlin Circuit. The Listening was just that, in the form of a radio station.
So one may be expecting this title to have something to do with the recent departure of 9th Wonder, however this was put together right before they split up which is evident by 9th's face gracing the cover, and the fact that he produced much of the material on this. Also one could expect them to have some skits in the manner of segregation, which is where that Separate But Equal term came from.
In my eyes it has to do with the separation of commercial hip-hop and Little Brother's own unique style. Some may call it "backpacker", however Little Brother is out to let everyone know they are equal if not better than the rest. With the help of DJ Drama, whose "Gangsta Grillz" series is probably the most popular mixtape series out right now, Little Brother obviously has their sights set on becoming a bit more mainstream. Drama is somewhat of a new age DJ Clue, however his ad-libs aren't quite as annoying, and I must say myself Drama can put some good sh!t on a mixtape compilation, and make it listenable, whereas most mixtape nowadays are straight @ss. Little Brother is on a mission. Will this mixtape help them out in any way? Let's find out.
1. Separate But Equal - N/A - Well Phonte sets it out from the start. He lets everyone know that the south isn't ALL snapping, and crunk. He talks of how the south is blamed from dumbing down music, where in all actuality the south "is some of the most intelligent and thoughtful n!ggas in hip-hop". It's hard to dispute that fact with the words coming from an LB member.
2. Knock Knock - $$$ - Ironically, the first joint off this mixtape isn't produced by 9th Wonder. Was that a preview of things to come? I don't know but in this case Young Cee doesn't really do anything to prove it was a good move. It just seems that everything on this beat is lazy. From the lackluster drum and bongo loop, to the slowly rising trumpet. However Phonte and Big Pooh start off right. And it is really Phonte who "showboats on these tracks like Carnival Cruises"
3. Don't Trust Em(skit) - N/A - As expected from Little Brother you have your obligatory silly sh!t. Here they sing the blues about not trusting new people that spy on your money.
4. Cross That Line(feat. Big Treal) - $$$ - 9th's first beat on this joint is just what you expect from him. A Nice soulful joint with a moderate tempo and bassline, led by some violin. Phonte somewhat dumbs his lyrics here a bit, and if you are in the habit of making excuses just blame Big Treal for making him wack by contact. Holy Sh!t. Spitting sh!t bars like "I'm way better than these n!gga heffers/Matter-of-factily(?) defer than most of these rap chaps/Matter-of-factily special this deadly scraps, stash razors in the fitted, call me handicap" not to mention his flow is discombobulated, and when he drops "Chick call my d!ck valo" you will be scratching your head as to how the f!ck LB let this release at all. Big Pooh actually spits the best verse on this track. Actually he f!ckin smashes this joint. These are some of the best bravado bars I've heard Pooh spit without being bland.
5. Let It Go(feat. Mos Def) - $$$$$ - At first listen this song might sound a bit annoying with the soul sample's "all my hope so deep inside" being extend to "siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide!" throughout the track. If you're f!cking confused you'll understand when you hear the track. However after a few listens it just meshes with the stellar production for a pretty tight sound. It's not something all will like, but I think its tight. Mos Def shows up here and drops a pretty tight verse. Not quite what I was expecting but Mos spits fire nonetheless. He hands the reigns off to Big Pooh and it becomes obvious that this isn't the same Pooh we've all heard before. He spits with emotion and his lyrics are pure fire spitting about the state of LB with a little retrospection. Phonte isn't going to let Pooh shine him twice in a row as he matches "rappa" on this one showing love to the fans "whether they payin, or sneakin in" he considers them his life support.
6. Can't Let Her - $$$$1/2 - Illmind takes over the production duties for this and manages to "out-9th" 9th Wonder, if that makes any sense. Phonte and Big Pooh do something that has been done many times over in hip-hip, and that is use the extended metaphor of women for hip-hop. Both spits above average bars but it is the chorus which is really the driving force for me. I just love the hook on this joint.
7. The Singing Bums(skit) - N/A - In another humorous skit, Te' and 9th sing as Vietnam vets on the street trying to money, taking pop shots at the government.
8. Rollin' Out(feat. Supastition) - $$$$$ - Over some dark late 90's Swizz Beatz-ish production courtesy of Khrysis, Little Brother and Supastition get stupid. Supa is in his element doing what he does best and that is spitting punchlines that will leave the listener battered. Absolutely slaughtering the beat spittin barbs. "Now I ain't scared of newcomers, My spot's solidified/And there's nothing to debate, like whether Pac's still alive/I slap-box with your pride/I bury your respect in a coffin, with all of your confidence locked inside". Man, Supastition is a beast. Phonte and Big Pooh still manage to hold up to their end of the bargain. Pooh also offers a funny skit at the end talking about how he is tired and fat after shows and doesn't want to be bothered.
9. Macaroni - $$$ - 9th delivers a surprisingly weak beat for this joint and Big Pooh doesn't do anything spectacular on this solo joint. Big Pooh spits about not getting any girls as a youngster and shows love to the cats not getting any women.
10. Can We Get a Freestyle Please??? - N/A - Big Pooh talking about fans wanting to know what LB sounds like over other peoples beats.
11. On My G - $ - Over Noreaga's I'm A G beat by the Neptunes, Big Pooh make me do something on an LB joint I'd never do, and that is give it a candlestick. Everything here is wrong. I never liked this beat in the first place, and Big Pooh definitely can't spit over it. Not to mention his lyrics are straight @ss as he even opts for the Snoop Dogg tactic of changing words "HOJ is on the rizz-oll/Next week out Thirty On Sizz-old". When he isn't doing that he is just being straight wack "Blah Blah Blah, N!ggas talk like they want it/Blah, Blah Blah, N!ggas talk like they done it". The charisma he had on Cross The Line is non existent. I hope he was doing this is some satirical manner because if not, If this is how LB sounds over others beats....Score one ouch for the Getback.
12. Hate - $$$$$ - Phonte borrows Kanye West's Late and in absolute contrast to Big Pooh's solo, he absolutely trashes this. On this introspective joint Phonte explores haters within the hip-hop community from, people that can't make it, to has-beens. The last verse sees him talking about groupie's with some witty bars in a Kanye West-ish tempo. If this is how LB sounds over others beats....Score 5 stars for the Getback.
13. Lovin' It(feat. Joe Scudda) - $$$$1/2 - Drama and Little Brother decide to include the lead single off of The Minstrel Show on this joint. Fitting because as I stated in my review for that album this is the song that could have given them commercial success, but Minstrel Show Tele....excuse me, "Black Entertainment Television" deemed it too intelligent. Once again I am not going to harp on that situation. 9th samples One Night Affair by The Stylistics and gives us a tight bass and percussion mesh. Big Pooh spits some pretty mediocre lyrics, however Phonte, and Joe Scudda pick up the slack.
14. Not Enough(feat. Darien Brockington) - $$$$$($) - This is another joint from The Minstrel Show and one of my favorite Little Brother tracks in their catalog. 9th Wonder lends his fellow group members a beautiful violin lead beat with a nice bassline and drum loop. Phonte and Big pooh shed there emotions via introspective lyrics here and Darien Brockington's vocals are great.
15. Boondock Saints(feat. L.E.G.A.C.Y. & Chaundon) - $$$$$ - L.E.G. opens up this crew joint and even though his flow is a little awkward he does a pretty tight job, however the next man is the one who shines. Does it surprise you that his name is Phonte? Tiggalo absolutely tears apart Atlantic for the way that they handled the album and also takes shots at hip-hop in general. For the first time however Chaundon spits a weak ver...Ok i'm kidding, as usual his braggadocio is second to none spitting fire as he challenges "the world and drops more names than a Game verse".
16. Teedra Mosis & Myspace(skit) - N/A - Big Pooh and 9th Wonder make jokes about how everyone has a myspace page, and Pooh lets everyone know how obsessed he is with Teedra Mosis.
17. Home(feat. Joe Scudda) - $$$$ - 9th Wonder drops a nice backdrop beat here. Rapper Big Pooh opens up the song and really rips it with some great introspective lyrics. The second verse has him spitting about touring all around the world and certain experiences while doing so. Joe Scudda show love to Little Brother and spits about how if it wasn't for them he wouldn't be here.
18. Horror Movie(skit) - N/A - In the fashion of a horror movie advertisement, the fall of record sales is
19. I Need You(feat. Darien Brockington) - $$$$$ - DR drops this Caribbean type of beat. Here Phonte and Big Pooh swoon ladies in the lyrics. However it is Darien Brockington who absolutely steals the show here. I guess that is fitting since it is his song from his Somebody To Love LP. The LB D-Brock connection just doesn't fail.
20. Candy(feat. Bun B & Darien Brockington) - $$$$ - 9th switches up his production style a bit on this one with a more commercial theme and Little Brother doesn't miss a beat. Bun B comes through spitting his usual. I do not however like this chorus. It's just lame, and it pains me to say that about some D-Brock singing. Phonte spits about getting his party on. 9th offers a beat breakdown to open up Big Pooh's verse and it really helps to highlight his bars, which are probably the best on the song.
21. How Did This Happen Outro???? - N/A - Little Brother talking about why they did the Gangsta Grillz tape, and how it isn't all about gangsta sh!t, but just real hip-hop music.
22. Speed Racin'(feat. Skyzoo & Chaundon) - $$$$1/2 - LB closes this mixtape out with a nice collabo joint. Skyzoo opens it up and wrecks sh!t. Braggadocio and battle rhymes are in full effect on this track, as Skyzoo slams his opposition. Phonte sets thing straight spitting "Just cause a n!ggas got the skills to sell dope/Don't mean he got the skills to rhymes about it". Big Pooh is the one who really shines on this joint as he really takes charge here. And Chaundon well, you really don't need to say he killed it, all you have to do is look at the tracklist and you already know what it's hittin' for. I swear this guy is an animal.
Little Brother proves with this mixtape that they are still one of the best groups at what they do and that is making true hip-hop. However if they were trying to prove that they could crossover, they definitely didn't do it here. With that said, to me it really didn't make sense for there to put the two Minstrel Show track on this. Sure they were amongst the best songs on the album but it really wasn't necessary to have them here. They could have at least tried to switch it up like on the Chitlin Circuit 1.5 and have a different producer "remix" the songs. They also could have done maybe 3 or 4 more "freestyle" joints, or rap over other songs, to give it a more mixtape like feel. That probably would turn on the light for some commercial minded fans, to hear LB over a Jay-Z, T.I. or Lil' Wayne beat. There were also some really disappointing tracks that showed just how bad Pooh can be. On the flip side, this mixtape showcases some of the best Big Pooh sh!t i've ever heard. If Big Pooh can consistently spit like he did on Knock Knock or Let It Go look out for another Listening-caliber album. Phonte will always do him, as he is as consistent as it gets. If you are an LB fan you definitely should own this however, and if you are skeptical i'd just tell you to cop The Listening first.
"Dope Beats, Dope Rhymes, What More Do Y'all Want?!"
4.3 Stars Rounded down to 4.
Top 3 Songs(Non-Minstrel Show)
1. Rollin' Out
2. Boondock Saints
3. Let It Go
Honorable Mention(s) - I Need You, Hate, Speed Racin' & Can't Let Her
Other FMHHFIHS Entries
Little Brother - The Listening (6 stars)
Little Brother - The Chitlin Circuit 1.5 (4.5 Stars)
Little Brother - The Minstrel Show (5 Stars)
Great Music to Play While : Rollin' out to the Boondocks at a high rate of speed.
Recommended:
Yes
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MajaFiggaz
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Location: The United Neighborhoods of Philadelphia
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"Maybe. Maybe Not. Maybe F!ck Yourself" - Dignam
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