I took a year and a half off from school before I came to this university. In that time I worked in Milwaukee at Burlington Coat Factory during the day and kicked it with my boys at night. It just so happened that my boys stayed off Locust, some on 33rd and some on 24th. As a result, I heard a lot of the underground gangsta rap that Milwaukeeans love to this day. In the early to mid '90s, a truly underground movement began to surface out of the South and West, and Milwaukee loved it. Percy Miller's West Coast Bad Boyz, Down South Hustlers and their N.O. counterparts, The Hot Boyz, as well as UGK and Suave House heated up the streets of Milwaukee. They had beats the likes of which no one had heard, and they were screaming things to which Ice Mone fans could relate. That's what I remember as the beginning of the new south movement. I say new south because Rap-A-Lot and Luke were always around, especially in The Brew.
You'll find those that still live and die with the music made by No Limit and Cash Money.
Of course there are still the Ball and MJ fans out there and those who now check for Tela on Rap-A-Lot. Many of us miss Mr. Mike. I know I do. The creativity and novelty of No Limit is nowhere near the level it used to be, and Suave House is no more. The Hot Boyz' voices don't crack anymore, and they are now branching off to do some individual business, as well as music projects. Cash Money is still going strong; good for them. I'm still waiting on The Underground Kingz to drop their next album. The bottom line is, though, things ain't what they used to be.
Outkast clearly holds the title in the South, and new Southern soldiers are fighting for the crown every day. P.A., Youngbloods, Slim Calhoun, Dead Prez, T.I., Bubba Sparxxx and others are looking for their just dues. In a time of such fierce competition, there is no time or room for the old dudes to slip. Boy are they slipping.
(Priority Records)
This is clearly one of the worst releases of the year. It's one of those albums that once you've heard the first five songs, you've heard the rest. There really aren't any words for this release. Just look at the title; enough said. Where's the originality? Give us something, C. There is a song called 'Criminal Minded' (come on, man) and one called 'Young Ghetto Boy' which uses the same basic sample and flow as Snoop and Dre's 'Lil Ghetto Boy.' It is nowhere near as moving as the original, and he can't paint half the picture painted by the originators of G-Funk. I guess all those dead presidents in his pocket paid the sample clearance. What a shame.
Last I heard, C-Murder was going through some attempted murder-type hassle because of shooting at someone in a club. If that's the case, I hope he sells some copies to help pay those legal fees. I don't want him to be locked up; I just want him to stop making CDs.
