Young Buck - Straight Outta Cashville
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.25 out of 5 Stars
Young Buck of G-Unit is bout to show the nation how it's done Dirty South style. The Cashville, Ten-A-Key native drops the new album which features T.I., Ludacris, Lil Flip, David Banner, Lloyd Banks, production from DJ Paul & Juicy J, & the hot single "Let Me In" w/ 50 Cent.
1. I'm A Soldier (f/ 50 Cent)-- this track starts off with 50 Cent on the hook singin "I'm a soldier - I done told ya - don't make me fuck you up - leave yo head bussed - I'm a heaadbussa - man I don't give a fuck". Young Buck starts off immediately spitting that street shit and lets you know that if you mess wit 50, you gone have to deal with him too. An aight track that would be better without 50 Cent on it. Basically sounds like it's off the G-Unit assembly line.
2. Do It Like Me-- this track has a clean beat with a few scratches when it comes to the hooks. Young Buck raps about how he's a one of a kind. You can rock a Southern drawl but you can't rap or hustle like him. Overall, he's just reppin for the Dirty South in general. Tight ass track.
3. Let Me In (f/ 50 Cent)-- this track is the first single off the album but it has not received the same love from MTV or radio as his counterpart Lloyd Banks first single produced by Eminem "On Fire". But the streets know who is comin harder. NY producer Needlez laced the guitar heavy beats for the track. Again, 50 Cent is not needed other than to get Buck's name out there because he doesn't contribute anything on the song other than a quick hook at the end. But kills the track though. Another fire effort.
4. Look At Me Now (f/ Mr. Porter)-- the hook man, Denaun Porter aka Kon Artist of D-12 is a producer that has been making the rounds on quite a few albums from the D12 album to G-Unit's projects to Pharoahe Monche. Young Buck tells the tale of having to hustle when he was struggling as a rapper but now that he's hit it big, everyone is lookin to him for a handout when he goes home. It's a decent track but the beat is the downfall of the track.
5. Welcome To The South (f/ Lil Flip & David Banner)-- Miami producer Red Spyda laced the grimey beat on the track that has made the rounds on several mixtapes over the past year. Young Buck reps Ten-A-Key to the fullest on this one. "Gold grills - coup'd Villes sittin on 22's - the dirty dirty baby show em how the south do it - we pop pills shoot to kill you know what we bout - and on behalf of G-Unit, welcome to the South". David Banner is up next with his usual grimey flows. Lil Flip closes it out with a nice verse about he's the King so fuck the haters, he's shuttin it down. Very nice track.
6. Prices On My Head (f/ Lloyd Banks & D-Tay)-- this track has a laid back midtempo beat with guitars over a bassline. Buck starts off talkin about how people questioned him signing with G-Unit but those same people weren't offering him any deals at all. He raps about how he knows that he's gonna have people coming at him now that he's on top. Lloyd Banks comes correct on the track as well. Young Buck comes back on the third verse about how folks come out of prison and head back to the blocks and try to slang but the young folks done taken over. Sorta a metaphor for the rap game in general. Tight track.
7. Bonafide Hustler (f/ 50 Cent & Tony Yayo)-- this track has a laid back piano and bassline beat similar to "Many Men" from "Get Rich Or Die Tryin". 50 Cent starts it off singin the hook and lays down to first verse. Buck is next with some flows about dealin the dope on the blocks and how he's been known in the hood from those days back in time. Yayo is next and he comes decent on the mic although he's got one of the most annoying voices in rap today. Decent track.
8. Shorty Wanna Ride-- the hottest producer in the game at present, Lil Jon laces the beat for this one and it is fire. This one is the difference between a club track from the Dirty Dirty and a club track like Lloyd Banks "On Fire". Young Buck raps about pickin up that girl at the clubs even though she already got a man. I can see this being released as a single because it's very radio friendly.
9. Bang Bang-- this one starts off with a Nancy Sinatra sample from the Quentin Tarentino film "Kill Bill" along with a few simple drum patterns. Young Buck is just straight spittin street knowledge on the track. Another nice beat from Needlez and nice effort from YB on the track.
10. Thou Shall-- this one has an opera-like sample on the hook which fits the darker, slower beat well. Young Buck spits the venom on this one. He starts it off with "I brush my teeth - load my clip and go bust my heat" and then goes on from there to describe how he's comin to take over the streets. The hook goes "thou shall not steal - thou shall not kill - but nigga rub me the wrong way and I will". Tight ass track.
11. Black Gloves-- this track has a midtempo beat with violins and guitars blended over a drum pattern. Young Buck does another good job of ridin the beat and he even throws in a quick jab at G-Unit public enemy #1, Ja Rule. A clean song that you'll probably bump over and over.
12. Stomp (f/ The Game & Ludacris)-- the song that has caused controversy all over the country since the day that Young Buck announced on MTV that beefing ATL rappers T.I. and Ludacris would be on the same track dissing each other. However in the end, Young Buck was unable to get a clearance to use T.I. in the song from his label and fellow G-Unit member, The Game replaces him on the track. Buck starts it off with a decent effort. The Game reps well for the West Coast and has a standout line about not trying to make the cover of XXL, but trying to "fuck Mya cause Dre said sex sells". But Ludacris, who was mixed in later on (the original song was the Lil Jon produced "Break Em Off") totally annihalates the track and closes it out with a "stay off the T.I.P. of my dicccccckkk". DJ Paul & Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia provide one of the tightest beats on the album for this verbal match that is almost certain to continue on a later album. Very tight track.
13. Taking Hits (f/ D-Tay)-- DJ Paul & Juicy J are back again with another fire ass beat on this all Tennessee effort which features the man that Young Buck broke into the bizness with, fellow Nashville rapper D-Tay. While Young Buck & D-Tay didn't really take off nationwide, it's good to see that Buck didn't forget about his partner while he's gone off to bigger and better things with G-Unit. Another good track that you'll bump over and over.
14. Walk With Me (f/ Stat Quo)-- this one has a bluesy N.O. feel with the guitars and horns blaring over the bassline. The Southern front of Shady/Aftermath step front and center on the last track on the album. Young Buck shows that he's a better rapper than the ATL protege of Dr. Dre--Stat Quo. But Young Buck is able to somewhat save the track to make it listenable anyway.
Overall, the majority of the production on the album is fire thanks to tracks from Needlez, DJ Paul & Juicy J, Red Spyda, Sha Money XL, Lil Jon, & others. There is no doubt that when compared to Lloyd Banks album, Buck's album is better overall. Perhaps it's the lack of charisma and emotion on the part of Banks that will come at a later time but Young Buck has all of that and more when he spits on the mic. You can tell he's been doin this for a while. 50 Cent was not needed at all on the album and almost ruins a few of the tracks. Definitely worth copping if you're a fan of Young Buck and G-Unit anyway. You won't be disappointed with it.
Young Buck - Straight Outta Cashville