Mr. Benjamin - 2008
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 3.75 out of 5 Stars
Mr. Benjamin is an up-and-coming rapper outta Seattle who has garnered a local following and looking to make a dent on the national scene. His latest album on Duece 8 Records features the likes of Juvenile, JT The Bigga Figga, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Super Sam, Suade, Nutcase, Coolnuts, Sweet P, B Hicks, Funkdaddy, Ms. Mary, Skee, & Kool Poo.
1. Intro
2. Anthem (f/ Super Sam)-- this song is a cross country collabo featuring South Carolina's Super Sam. This track has an uptempo beat with a live crowd fed into the background. Simple hook goes "my name is Mr. Benjamin, Mr. Benjamin - what's my name Mr. Benjamin, Mr. Benjamin". Not feelin this one too much.
3. C.D. Protected (f/ Ms. Mary)-- this track has one a nice midtempo beat with horns and xylephones. Mr. Benjamin brings a nice flow to the mic and sounds a bit like Murphy Lee of the St. Lunatics. Good song.
4. Prayer (f/ Skee)-- this track has a guitar, church bells, and a bassline beat. Mr. Benjamin raps a prayer to the Lord to forgive him for all his sins. The hook is a little weaker but the track is still bumpin.
5. My Grandfather Told Me (f/ Suade)-- this track has a midtempo synthesizer beat with hi-hats blended in. The hook goes "My grandfather told me - don't trust nobody" and that is the central theme. Don't trust anybody in the streets, even your homies.
6. Hard Times-- this track has a slower R&B beat. Mr. Benjamin raps about being broke with nobody to help him out while being locked up and having to resort to hustlin. Tight song.
7. This Ain't A Game-- this track has a darker creep up on ya ass beat. The hook goes "this ain't a game - folks it gets live in the Ville - this ain't a game - I'm tellin you, you can die by the steel - this ain't a game - dog only the strong survive - this ain't a game, gangsta ride or die". Tight flows from Mr. Benjamin (especially on the 3rd verse) on here.
8. Independent (f/ Juvenile & Suade)-- this track has a nice bouncy beat that'll make ya bob ya head. Juvenile starts it off with a verse about how everybody thought he was gone but now he's back on the independent tip cause that's where the money is. Mr. Benjamin is up next with a decent verse. Suade brings the heat on the last verse to finish it out. Good song that Juvenile shines on.
9. Momma's Keep Ya Head Up-- this track is fighting for the kids here. Basically, Mr. Benjamin is telling their parents they gotta do what they gotta do to take care of their kids but to be smart and not start hustlin because their little ones depend on them. Nice song with a good message.
10. Skit (f/ Funkdaddy)
11. Take Me Away (f/ Sebia)-- tight ass beat on this one- laid back West Coast beat with strings and a nice bassline and bass guitar blend.
12. Money (f/ JT The Bigga Figga, Nutcase, & B. Hicks)-- this track has a slaw ass guitar and bassline beat. The hook goes "money makes the world go round - skrilla, skrilla, skrilla - gotta have the skrilla". Nutcase has got a great flow and has a bright future in this biz. Very nice song.
13. What-- this track has a gangsta style West Coast beat. The chorus goes "what chu want what - what chu want what". Mr. Benjamin brings a Southern flow on this track. Decent song worth checkin out.
14. Good To Ball (f/ Kool Poo)-- this track has a funky Roger Troutman inspired beat. This song is all about makin more dough and gettin more hoes. Not feelin it too much.
15. I'm Leakin (f/ Ms. Dank)-- "I'm leakin, I'm fallin, I can't get up (x 3) - my life will crumble in my hands if I don't hold to tight". Ms. Dank has a nice flow here too. It's a bumpable track.
16. Ride (f/ Sebia)-- this track has a definite female R&B flavor to it and is probably one of the closest efforts at a commercial song on the album. However, it is also one of the worst songs on the album. Skip this one.
17. Shake It (f/ Kool Poo & Sir Mix-A-Lot)-- this track has a bouncy piano laced beat. Kool Poo starts it off with a flow similar to a toned down E-40. Sir Mix-A-Lot's verse sounds mixed and spliced in at a later time when the rest of the crew was laying down their verses in the studio. The beat is decent but the rapping isn't anything spectacular.
18. G Thang (f/ Coolnuts & Sweet P)-- this track has a midtempo bassline beat. Hook goes "I'm addicted to this G-thang, yeah yeah, and I love what this game bring, I can dig it". It's a decent song worth checkin out.
19. Come Back-- this track has a slower piano and saxaphone beat. This is one of these look back over time, reminiscing tracks that make you remember those lost loves and wonder what might have been. Listen to it with your significant other to get the full effect.
20. Outro
Overall, the production by J. Silva, Beezie 2000, Mike Wingo, and Funkdaddy is on point for the most part. The Pacific Northwest is often a forgotten part of the hip hop scene because of the explosion of the alternative and the grunge music scene there. But Mr. Benjamin managed to to pull some big names like Juvenile, JT The Bigga Figga, and Sir Mix-A-Lot to make guest appearances which help to increase the exposure for the album. So perhaps this area will be looked at more often in the future. Good 1st effort on the album from Mr. Benjamin.
Mr. Benjamin - 2008