Nat - Bare Truth
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 3.75 out of 5 Stars
Nat is straight outta Jacksonville, Florida and drops off his new solo album, Bare Truth. Not your typical booty shakin Florida album, Nat brings lyrical content on the album that features Blue, Fuse, C4, J.V., & T-Girl.
1. Intro
2. It's Your Life-- this track takes on the political higher ups in the U.S. government by accusing them of pimpin the blacks and then turning on and sending them to lockdown.
3. A Man's Diploma-- this one starts off with a slow laid back evil soundin piano laced beat before the bassline kicks in. The hook goes "I treated you good, you treated me bad, gave all I had, gave you my laughs". Nat is rappin about he gives all he has to his woman and how she only manages to throw all that away by hoein it away. It's an alright song that starts to drag along toward the end.
4. Run (I Wanna)-- this one has a more uptempo beat and a catchy hook that is just plain and simple "I wanna runnnnnnn, runnnnnnn". Nat steps to the mic and raps about how life cannot return to normal after servin time for a felony because that enigma stays with you for life. Nice track that you can bump.
5. Step Daddy-- this one is the original "Step Daddy" and right from the start, you can tell it's gonna be tight. The beat is laid back and very nice. Nat takes a more serious approach (unlike the more comedic approach of Hitman Sammy Sam) with his song about the jobs that the stepdaddies across the country do day in and day out--even though they get no respect. Too bad this one hasn't garnered much play outside of Florida because it could easily be the anthem for the stepdads out there nationwide. Very nice track.
6. Snakeville-- this one has a futuristic techno bassline and hi-hats beat. Nat tells his life story about how he fights and strives and took on many jobs just to make his record label a success. The beat is nice and the message is on point but Nat comes a little average when it comes to his flow on the record.
7. Revolution (We Need)-- this track has a beat that sounds like a rock and roll version of gunplay. Nat's flow on this one is similar to Ludacris' but not quite as polished. Still a track that you can probably bump a few times.
8. Hurricane (I'm A) Sept. 11-- this one has a nice bounce feel on the beats over electric guitar riffs. Nat goes back and raps about many of the topics that had dominated the headlines since the terrorist attacks on 9-11. Good messages in this election year.
9. Kill The Cat (Mary Lou)-- nice piano laced beat with the hi-hats kickin in. Nat's flow on this one is way too simple and doesn't really give us anything extraordinary in terms of flow or lyrics on the mic. You'll probably end up skipping this one.
10. C Another Day (f/ Blue)-- this one is a tight lil track about wanting to change your life for the better. Nat and Blue hold it down on the mic and rap about wanting to see that other day but not knowing whether it will come true or not.
11. Shootin Season-- this one has a nice midtempo beat with heavy basslines. Nat raps about shootin season which refers to the gunplay out on the blocks, no matter what hood you stay in even if that means a cop or two might get popped.
12. Stealin From A Deadman (Pac) (f/ Fuse & C4)-- Nat addresses all the rappers out there who is stealing from 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G--that means callin out Jay-Z hard. Talks about how Nas killed him on the battle raps as well. It's worth listening to just to hear Jay-Z get clowned on.
13. Ashes To Ashes-- this one has a uptempo make em bust ya azz beat. I'm not really feeling this one too much. You'll probably be better off skipping it.
14. Bare Truth (f/ J.V. & T-Girl)-- the title track of the album is about just that--the bare truth of the life of Nat and his homies. T-Girl displays her skills on the mic with a nice verse and decent little flow. Nat also comes with a ncie flow on this one as well gettin ya hype while dissin the govt.
15. Nat's Murder Music (Drink, Smoke, Rap, & Ride)--instrumental
Overall, the production by Nat, Nellis, & Bitch Ass Huey is much better than Nat's last album. The album started off slow but picked up nicely in the middle. The flow is getting better although there are still some tracks where Nat comes average on the mic. The message on the album was clear when it came to taking shots at the U.S. and Florida governments. All in all, it's an album worth looking at if for no other reason, the "Step Daddy" song and the "Stealing From A Deadman" (Jay-Z diss track).
Nat - Bare Truth