8Ball - Lay It Down
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.25 out of 5 Stars
Tony Draper and Suave House Records bring us some of 8Ball's unreleased material in this 16 track album. 8Ball is joined by the likes of MJG, Hawk, Beanie Sigel, Mr. Sche, P. Diddy, Ice Cube, Too Short, Lil Noah, Gillie Da Kidd, Cide, Nigga 9, & Dez.
1. Intro-- tight little dark intro beat on this one
2. Ah Yea (f/ Hawk)-- this track has a nice laid back mid tempo beat. 8Ball lays down some nice lyrics in the first couple of verses. Hawk is featured on here and he doesn't sound that bad on his couple of verses. 8Ball closes it out with another tight verse. Overall, a bumpable track.
3. Talking Shit (f/ Baby S)-- this track has a little faster tempo to it. 8Ball comes through and flows his ass off on here. Baby S comes with some tight flows as well and adds a little west coast flavor to this. Production on the track is crisp. Very nice track.
4. Skit-- just some talkin
5. Fuck For Free (f/ Beanie Sigel & Carmen Sandiego)-- the beat starts out with some scratchin and a sample of AMG's "Bitch Betta Have My Money". Beanie Mac starts it out with a decent verse about tellin his hoe that he knows that men wanna buy her but he wants a freebie. 8Ball drops a nice verse next with some more pimp shit. Beanie Mac is up again with more pimp shit for his hoes. Carmen Sandiego finishes out the track with the "hoes" perspective. This is a nice bumpable track.
6. Who Said Life Was E-Z-- this track has a nice mid tempo beat that has a certain west coast feel to it. 8Ball drops some lyrics about making it through another day and the difficulties of life. I almost feel like the song would have been better if they slowed it down and made it one of those deep tracks. It's a decent track though.
7. Skit
8. Let's Get Wild-- this track doesn't feature 8Ball but all. Instead Mr. Sche from Immortal Lowlife outta Memphis goes solo on this track. This is a remix version of the title track from Immortal Lowlife's latest CD with the new verses incorporating Suave House in it. This version will get you crunk with the hook "let's get wild, move motherfucka, let's get crunk". Personally, I like the original version better but this track is still bumpin. If you have never heard Mr. Sche before, you are in for a treat on this one. Very solid track.
9. Lay It Down Part 2 (f/ P. Diddy, Ice Cube, & MJG)-- this is the remix version of the original song that was bumpin off "On The Outside Lookin In". Personally, I say why mess with a classic. This version is all right but I still like the original better.
10. Tha Streetz (f/ Lil Noah & Gillie Da Kidd)-- the beat on this one has that mobbish feel that sounds like it came straight off an Eminem album. 8Ball drops the first verse and does a decent job. Gillie does a nice job on his verse with some tight lyrics. Lil Noah has that Cash Money style to his voice. The hook is catchy as well and will have ya head noddin to the beat.
11. Skit
12. How U-- this track has a nice laid back beat that kinda reminds me of "My Homeboy's Girlfriend" from the "Lost" album. 8Ball drops some tight ass lyrics that I swear that you can picture what he's rappin about in your mind. Very tight track.
13. Thangs-- this track has a tight little laid back, space age pimp beat to it as well. 8Ball drops some nice verses about having them thangs for you no matter if you need. It could be dope or it could be taking someone out if they catch them in their hood. Very solid track here.
14. Skit
15. Jazzy Hoes (f/ Cide, Nigga 9, & Too Short)-- this is a different Jazzy Hoes that was on Too Short's album. This is some more pimp shit that I think would make a nice single. Cide starts it off with a verse that sounds like he stole it straight off of Juvenile. Nigga 9 is up next and describes what a jazzy hoe is. He sounds tight on his verse. Too Short is back with his typical verse about the hoes. Can't change up his style now can he? No 8Ball on here but this is a nice track worth peepin.
16. Nonsense-- no 8Ball on the last track on the album either. This one features Dez who starts off with a little skit talkin like one of those South Park characters. The singy hook is pretty catchy and the beat kinda has a west coast feel. He reminds me of Knoc-Turnal. He comes tight on his verses though and makes this track worth checkin out as well.
Overall, the production on the album was solid throughout. The album is kinda short and the lack of 8Ball on 8 of the album's 16 tracks (including the skits) was disappointing. But 8Ball spit some tight lyrics on the tracks he was on. I liked his tracks better than most of the tracks on "Almost Famous". This album is on point for the most part...maybe they should change the name of the album to "The Suave House Compilation". But overall, solid production and nice lyrical skills from everyone involved makes this one worth checkin out.
8Ball - Lay It Down