Official 1 Records presents - Bangin II Ballin
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.0 out of 5 Stars
Ten years after the HBO documentary "Bangin In The Rock" took a look at the problem with gangs in Little Rock, Arkansas, the cable network returns with a follow-up called "Back To The Hood: Gang Wars 2". Official 1 Records drops the soundtrack to the documentary which features local Little Rock rappers including Dameon 1, Ball Jones, Roccafelon, Fro Goddie, Indo, Ricky D, & many more.
1. Just Gettin Here (skit)--skit with one of the Crips talkin
2. Let's Get It Krackin (f/ Fro Goddie)-- this one has a clean ass horns and synthesizer beat. Fro Goddie is from the Str8Rich camp and had a local single called "Ghetto Supastar" last year. He's got a nice flow with a heavy Southern drawl that makes you think he was straight from the bayous of Louisiana. Nice chorus "let's get it krackin - don't think because I'm rappin - I won't bust yo dome, ride yo chrome, and take yo Lac in". Nice song to get it started that would be a good Southern anthem for the summer.
3. Envy (f/ Rod D & G Slim)-- this one has a darker feel on the beats. Rod G & Slim are rappin about you gotta keep up on yo toes since these niggas on the streets are jealous of you. So watch ya back or you ain't gonna make it too far. Decent track that's bumpable in the whip.
4. Snitchin (skit)
5. Down N Durty (f/ Boodah Tye & Indo)-- this track has a uptempo beat that will have ya bobbin yo dome to the bassline. Good beat by Shorty P that seems like something that an artist like Twista would just rip. Another song that would probably have a great chance to do some damage if it managed to get some airplay even though it's about smokin that green down in the durty south. Both Boodah Tye and Indo come tight as fuck on the mic on this one. Ride and smoke out to this one. Nice song.
6. Blocc 2 Blocc (f/ Ricky D, Dameon 1, Lady Blow, Solo, Indo, Roccafelon, & Ball Jones)-- Low 4 slows the beat down for this one that features most of the Official 1 Family camp. Each artist lays down a verse apiece. There's not one in particular that stands out on the track other than Dameon 1 or Roccafelon. Decent track overall that's worth checkin out.
7. Hott 04 (f/ Dameon 1 & Absolut)-- this one has more of a midtempo and laid back with R&B vocals provided on the chorus by Absolut. Dameon 1 lays it down with an alright performance. Wasn't really feelin it enough to listen to it more than a couple of times.
8. I Don't Give A Fuck (f/ Jokkah)-- this one has more of an uptempo beat with synthesizers mixed in along with a bassline. Jokkah says it all with the song title--he just don't give a fuck no matter how bad the situation in his life gets--somebody gonna get fucked up if they come in his path. Nice blends of scratchin and mixin in the middle of the track on the beat.
9. The Old Days (skit)
10. Gangsta Shit (f/ Young Doc, Droop, Doughboy, & G Roc)-- this one has a uptempo beat with horns over hi-hats that will have the tweets in your ride kickin. This is the typical Southern track--rhymes about sippin that purple drank, ridin on 23's, gettin smoked out, wildin out and gettin fucked up in the Rock Town. Nice song you can sit back and ride to.
11. FedzNTown (f/ Dameon 1, Roccafelon, Lady Blow, & Ball Jones)-- this one has a bassline and brass and piano beat. The Official 1 Family are rappin about how the feds in town watchin their business cause they wantin some witnesses...or snitches. Roccafelon and Ball Jones lay it down on the mic with a nice flow. Nice track worth checkin out.
12. Pen Chances (f/ Indo, Lavish, Dameon 1, Ricky D, & Ball Jones)-- this track has a nice West Coast gangsta mobbish beat. This one is all about how hard it is on the streets to make cause there's penitentiary chances all around you. Very nice effort all the way around on this one.
13. Homies On Lockdown (f/ T Con)-- with the intro of the slower piano laced beat & R&B hook, you know it's one of those reminisce and remember my homies track. T Con has a hyped up flow for the somber tone Shorty P was trying to make ya feel on the beats so it seems a bit awkward at first but eventually, T Con settles it down and rides the beats nicely when he spits his bars.
14. In Da Club (f/ Mrs. D, Indo, G Smooth, & Krazy K)-- no, this isn't that "In Da Club". This one isn't nearly as catchy as 50 Cent's song of the same name that he made a nationwide hit. This is a song you'd expect to see on BET Uncut. Probably won't miss much skipping this track.
15. A-State Ryda (f/ Dameon 1, Roccafelon, & Ball Jones)-- this one is about what those Arkansas playas do on the streets to make it from day-to-day. Dameon 1, Roccafelon, & Ball Jones all do a good job on the mic on this one. Definitely one you'll probably bump more than once.
16. I Got Everything (skit)
17. This Is The Life (f/ Ball Jones)-- Ball Jones is the brother of Dameon 1 (and co-CEO of Official 1 Records). Ball Jones has got a really nice flow on the mic and would probably do well if given the exposure or an opportunity to get noticed. Nice track that's mainly about flossin the cars, clothes, jewelry, property, etc.
18. Dust (f/ Ball Jones & Roccafelon)-- nice clean midtempo beat on this one. Roccafelon comes tight on his verse about sippin that drank while Ball Jones does a good job on his verse about gettin high smokin that sticky green. Drugs, booze, flossin, boss hoggin, it's all in here for ya to bump.
19. Natural State (f/ Cheech Reno, Red, Tone Bone, & Low 4)-- nice laid back piano laced beat with a nice bassline. This is a Little Rock, Arkansas anthem where they rap about slangin and gang bangin. Each rapper on the track come tight as fuck on the mic. Very nice track.
20. Change Yo Life (skit)
21. I Ain't Dying (f/ Ghost)-- this soundtrack to the HBO documentary "Back To The Hood: Gang Wars 2" ends with an ode to all the fallen street soldiers out there over the years who have fallen victim to the game.
Overall, the production handled by Dameon 1, Big Keys, Low 4, Shorty P, Rob, Jokkah, Lil Homie, Krazy K, & Ghost was pretty nice with a few standout cuts on the production side on the album. The same goes for the tracks on the album with some standout efforts from artists like Ball Jones and Roccafelon on a few tracks. My only complaint on the album is that most of the album comes off sounding like a Official 1 posse cut because of the sheer number of rappers on a lot of songs. It doesn't really give the listener that chance to associate a particular rapper to a particular song that they like when there's so many rappers on a track. But with that said, there's some cats with skills in this camp. Official 1 Family is probably Arkansas's best chance to be known on the nationwide scene one day and this album didn't do anything to hurt those chances. All they need is the exposure and they have to chance to blow.
Official 1 Records presents - Bangin II Ballin