AZ - PIECES OF A MAN
New Life (album intro)
[1:22]1.9 Mb
I'm Known
[2:11]3.1 Mb
How Ya Livin (featuring Nas)
[4:29]6.4 Mb
Trading Places
[3:42]5.3 Mb
Whats the Deal
[3:55]5.7 Mb
Love is Love
[5:13]7.4 Mb
The Pay Back
[3:05]4.4 Mb
Just Because
[2:52]4.1 Mb
Sosa
[2:04]2.9 Mb
It's A Boy Thing
[4:01]5.8 Mb
Pieces of A (Black) Man
[3:44]5.3 Mb
Last Dayz (featuring Monifa)
[5:18]7.5 Mb
Whatever Happened (featuring Rza)
[3:37]5.1 Mb
Trial of the Century (featuring Foxy Brown)
[4:26]6.4 Mb
Betcha Don't Know
[3:53]5.6 Mb
AZ "Pieces of A Man" Album Review
AZ - Pieces of a Man
After taking over 2 1/2 years off, AZ finally returns with his follow-up to his near classic debut, "Doe or Die." Titled "Pieces of a Man," AZ is once again out to prove just how much talent he possess. But will it live up to the hype that surrounded him once his last album dropped?
1. New Life (Album Intro) - No Rating
2. I'm Known - 4.5/5
3. How Ya Livin' (Featuring Nas) - 4.5/5
4. Trading Places/Manasia (Interlude) - 4/5
5. What's the Deal/Half-A-Mil (Interlude) - 4.5/5
6. Love Is Love (Featuring Nature & Half-A-Mil) - Minute+ Intro - 4/5
7. The Pay Back - 4.5/5
8. Just Because - 5/5
9. Sosa - 4.5/5
10. It's a Boy Thing - 4/5
11. Pieces of a (Black) Man - 4.5/5
12. Last Dayz (Featuring Monifah) - 4.5/5
13. Whatever Happened (The Birth) (Featuring The RZA) - 4/5
14. Trial of the Century (Featuring Foxy Brown) - 3.5/5
15. Betcha Don't Know - 4/5
Overall:
60/70
4.5 Stars
AZ delivers another near classic album. Production is crazy for the most part, there are a couple tracks that do lack it though. AZ rips every verse he has and his flow is still sicker than ever. Another great album to add to his catalog. Definitely check it out.
Video AZ Pieces of a (black) man
AZ ''Pieces Of A (Black) Man'' in the Album ''Pieces Of A Man''
B G - CHECKMATE
Checkmate
[2:20]3.4 Mb
To My People
[4:30]6.4 Mb
Gun Slinger
[4:26]6.4 Mb
U Know How We Do
[4:33]6.5 Mb
Whats that Smell
[3:57]5.7 Mb
This Nigga Die
[4:32]6.5 Mb
Change the World
[4:39]6.7 Mb
Skit
[0:32]0.7 Mb
Hennessey (XTC)
[4:42]6.7 Mb
Skit
[0:51]1.2 Mb
Press One
[4:14]6.1 Mb
Jungle
[4:37]6.6 Mb
I Know
[3:55]5.7 Mb
Bounce with Me
[4:55]7 Mb
Get in Line
[4:00]5.8 Mb
Run with My Chopper
[4:02]5.8 Mb
Skit
[0:57]1.4 Mb
Problems
[5:00]7.1 Mb
Ah Ha
[3:53]5.6 Mb
He Used 2 Be A Man
[3:39]5.2 Mb
B G "Checkmate" Album Review
May Take A Few Moves, But He'll Put You In Checkmate (Rating: 7 out of 10- -3.5 stars)
After his great 1999 album Chopper City in the Ghetto, B.G. comes out with his album Checkmate. With this album B.G. does what I believe his label mate (at the time) Juvenile did with Tha G-Code and capitalize on momentum from the previous album. As with every Cash Money album that dropped at the time, B.G. rhymed about the street life, mostly about guns and drugs. Every once in a while, he'll switch it up, but don't keep your hopes ups while listening to this album.
What plays a great part in this album (or on almost every Cash Money album back then) was Mannie Fresh's production. Most of the beats here will keep an interest of the listener. At the same time, B.G.'s rhymes do have some substance. With songs like "Gunslinger", "This ***** Die", and "Jungle", as well as a few more, revolving around the same subject matter. Times he does switch it up a bit here. The sort of conceious song "If I Can Change The World" featuring Juve, Lil Wayne, and The Big Timers, explains what they would do if they had control over the world (to this day I still believe that they could have done another verse seeing the pattern of when everone rhymed in that song). "Press One" is pretty good, sort of like a love song. "Get In Line" is great and features Juvenile and is one of my favorite tracks on this album. A young Lil Wayne would appear on the first single "I Know" as well as "You Know How We Do". The Big Tymers would also appear on "Hennesy & XTC" (was that a video by any chance?).
No doubt this is a great album. New commers of B.G. while he was on Cash Money should try to find Chopper City in the Ghetto. Both that as well as this album are out of print, which I wonder why, because these are his two most popular albums while he was on that record label. But if you find it at a reasonable price, add this to your collection. Peace!
Lyrics: B+
Production: B+
Guest Appearances: B+
Musical Vibes: B-
Top 5 Tracks:
1. Get In Line (featuring Juvenile)
2. I Know (featuring Lil Wayne)
3. Change The World (feauting Lil Wayne, Baby, Mannie Fresh, and Juvenile)
4. Press One (featuring Baby)
5. Gun Slinger
Honorable Mention Tracks:
1. Bounce With Me
2. You Know How We Do (featuring Lil Wayne)
B G - CHOPPER CITY IN THE GHETTO
Intro (Big Tymers)
[1:51]2.6 Mb
Trigga Play
[4:07]5.9 Mb
Cash Money is an Army
[3:46]5.3 Mb
Playn it Raw (featuring Hot Boys)
[4:30]6.4 Mb
With Tha B. G. (featuring Big Tymers)
[3:39]5.2 Mb
Made Man (featuring Big Tymers)
[4:39]6.6 Mb
Bling Bling (featuring Big Tymers (Hot Boys))
[5:12]7.4 Mb
Knock out (featuring Turk (Juvenile))
[3:23]4.8 Mb
Real Niggaz
[4:21]6.3 Mb
Dog Ass (featuring Juvenile)
[3:53]5.6 Mb
Cash Money Roll
[5:14]7.5 Mb
Niggaz in Trouble (featuring Lil Wayne (Juvenile))
[5:34]8 Mb
Thugn
[4:31]6.5 Mb
Hard Times
[4:04]5.9 Mb
Uptown My Home
[3:50]5.4 Mb
Bout My Paper
[4:14]6.1 Mb
B G "Chopper City in the Ghetto" Album Review
Cash Money's premier album (4.5/5)
By the time B.G. released his sixth solo album, 1999's "Chopper City in the Ghetto," he was an 18-year-old veteran of the rap game. This is in my opinion, the finest album of his career, and along with fellow hot boy Juvenile's classic 400 Degreez, is Cash Money Records' finest album. These two albums are the ones that put Cash Money into the mainstream, and made their flossy extravagance famous. And while their later releases would become redundant and overblown, it's easy to see why these late-90s discs made them household names. They're really so appealing. Listeners looking for sheer lyricism obviously wouldn't look here. Like the other Cash Money Millionaires, B.G. raps about cars, cash, clothes, and women, which at this point might not have been quite as typical as it sounds because of the way it was presented. The diamond crusted lettering on the covers are quite indicative of just how extravagant it is. But also like his labelmates, B.G. is interesting because he has a great, unique flow and delivers some clever lines. But the true joy in "Chopper City in the Ghetto" comes in the production. Mannie Fresh is really a genius behind the boards, and his consistency as a producer for such an overworked musician is incredible. During this era of Cash Money releases, he created a lovable sound of New Orleans bounce music that would be often imitated but never duplicated. His dense, upbeat rhythms covered in rolling bass and clever instrumentals are simply catchy. These are the kind of beats that will remain with you in your head for a while; Mannie Fresh was the true star of the Cash Money Millionaires. "Chopper City in the Ghetto" is devoid of the filler that would later come to characterize some Cash Money albums, and at 16 tracks it's one of New Orleans' most satisfying hip hop albums to date.
Following a typically enticing intro by the Big Tymers, the album kicks off with "Trigga Play," a great start. Over a standard bouncy Mannie Fresh beat, B.G. uses a low monotone flow for some hard lyrics. On the label's anthem "Cash Money Is an Army," he represents his clique over some more nice production. The Hot Boys all come together for "Play'n It Raw," which uses a variation of the excellent beat from Juvenile's "400 Degreez" chorus. "With the B.G." features Big Tymers, and B.G. entertains. "Made Man" has a very unique beat to it, upbeat and funky, with B.G.'s typical bragadagio. The most notable song is obviously the anthemic "Bling Bling," featuring Big Tymers and Hot Boys. This song is the one that coined the term in the title, and the flossiness and ridiculous extravagance of the Cash Money Millionaires is perhaps never displayed better than in this song, which has a great beat and hook. The bass-heavy "Knock Out" with Turk and Juve is a highlight, with some nice horn instrumentation. "Real N...." and "Dog A.." are probably the two weaker tracks on the album, but even they're okay. My two favorites follow. "Cash Money Roll" has an awesome, soulful beat, with a great feel to it. The thumping "N.... in Trouble" is also ingeniously produced. "Thug'n" is B.G. business as usual, and "Hard Times" might be a lyrical highlight. The bouncy "Uptown My Home" is very nice, and "'Bout My Paper" will have a familiar feel to Cash Money fans.
Although this was one of Cash Money's most successful albums from their commercial heyday, things went sour between B.G. and Cash Money, and as a final disrespect, this album went out of print. While it's still available, I highly recommend a purchase, because this is probably the finest single album from the storied label. Whenever the weather gets nice, I constantly find myself going back to albums like this. You could hate all you want, but there's no fronting on these beats if you ask me. Highly recommended.
Video B.G. - Bling Bling
Artists: B.G., Lil' Wayne, Mannie Fresh, Juvenile, & Baby Song: Bling Bling Album: Chopper City In The Ghetto
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