Tag: B.G.

B.G. – “Freedom of Speech” review

B.G. is a 44 year old rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana known for being 1/2 of The B.G.’z with Lil Wayne prior to forming the Hot Boy$ with Juvenile & Turk along with the Cash Money Millionaires supergroup with the Big Tymer$. His first 5 solo albums Chopper City, It’s All on U, It’s All on U 2, my personal favorite Chopper City in the Ghetto & Checkmate all came out on Cash Money Records until he wanted to his own label Chopper City Records. The next 5 Living Legend, Life After Cash Money, The Heart of tha Streetz, Tha Heart of tha Streetz 2: I Am What I Am & Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood would all be distributed by MNRK Music Group aside from Atlantic Records providing further distribution for the latter. He would later spend a little over a decade in prison for 2 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm & 1 count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, returning after over 15 years for his 11th studio LP.

The title track is a guitar-driven trap intro talking about him only getting greater whereas “Rock-A-Bye-Bye” works in a vocal sample reminding us that those who’re already familiar with him know his story by now. “1st Question” featuring Birdman dabbles with the Detroit trap sound reuniting with his mentor by having the better verse while “Go Live” featuring Boosie Badazz & Juvenile brings the trio together to rep their home state.

“Thank You” profoundly thanks everyone for still standing by him after being incarcerated going through it behind bars just before “Saved My Life” gets on the Detroit trap tip again talking about how trapping is the reason that he’s still alive today. “My Hood” hooks up pianos & hi-hats to clap at all the suckas out here with no style leading into “Live from the Gutta” featuring E-40 finds the duo taking us to the trenches.

Reese Youngn’s hook on “Know Your Worth” is hilariously awful despite the average beat & the genuine message within the lyrics, but then “Been a Dog” featuring Fredo Bang is one of my least favorite collaborations on the entire album. “Real Life” makes up for it with Gizzle solemnly looking back on the way he grew up & refusing to cap as a result while “Get It Poppin’” featuring Finesse2tymes doesn’t really get it poppin’ for me all that much.

“All Nite” shows a more romantic side to the original Hot Boy to begin the final leg of Freedom of Speech keeping this woman in his mind during the evening & giving it to her all day while the song “Real as It Gets” talking about still maintaining his legitimacy even if it was ruled last summer that his future songs have to be approved by the government. “When You Come Home” featuring Fiend jazzily ends with the former No Limit Soldier teaming up with the Cash Money Millionaire.

Starting the deluxe run, “Firebomber” by The B.G.‘z featuring Busta Rhymes makes it a mission to fuck up everything in existence while “Louisianimal” comes through with an anthem to his home state. “Lost Lives” featuring Juvenile warns that no one wants to be in the jungle when it’s war time while “We in Here” takes on a more celebratory attitude. “A Long Time” looks back on his career up to this point & the final bonus track “When I” finishes with a mediocre pop rap joint.

His collaborative mixtape with Gucci Mane called Choppers & Bricks marked the first of 8 projects that the Baby Gangster had written during his time behind bars, except the 2nd albeit his first solo effort in 16 years is a tad more decent in comparison. Other than a few guests faltering with their performances & some of the production being a little spotty, it’s somewhat refreshing to hear him holding down an entire body of work by himself again & am confident he can improve with the other 6 albums he has coming down the pipe. The deluxe however improves upon itself.

Score: 3.5/5

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B.G. & Gucci Mane – “Choppers & Bricks” review

This is a brand new collaborative mixtape between B.G. & Gucci Mane, one of whom hails from New Orleans, Louisiana starting as 1/4 of the Hot Boy$ & the other coming straight outta Atlanta, Georgia becoming one of what I like to call the big 3 trap pioneers. The only time we’ve ever really heard them together previously was in 2015 on the track “Try It Out” & with B.G. being released from prison this past fall, he & Wop are joining forces throughout the duration of Choppers & Bricks thus making the collab tape the first body of work from the Baby Gangsta ever since he came home.

“Talk” is a chilling trap opener produced by DJ Paul cautioning that shit’s gonna start getting real here pretty quickly whereas “Guwop & Gizzle” gives off a more suspenseful atmosphere instrumentally so they can both break down the significance of both their nicknames. The title track boasts that they got plenty of sticks & weight on them accompanied by a bouncy beat, but then “Cold” gives off a vibrant approach with the help of Mike WiLL Made-It reflecting on the days where they were both incarcerated.

The Atari-synths that Honorable C.N.O.T.E. hooks up throughout “My Bitch” aren’t too bad breaking down how much they spoil the special women in their lives leading into the spacious “Run a Bag Up” that ATL Jacob cooked up talking about making that paper. “Paperwork” makes it clear what they’re standing on over a solemn beat with co-production from 30 Roc, but then d.a. got that dope radiates a chilling atmosphere during “Idiot’s Worst Nightmare” declaring themselves to be exactly what these bitches fear.

“At This Point” has one of the weaker features on the tape from Lil Jairmy despite the bell-infused trap instrumental making it known that there ain’t no stopping for any of them while “Rewanksta” pretty much recreates “Wanksta” by 50 Cent down to Bandplay heavily sampling it. The song “Project Baby” featuring C-Murder finds the trio breaking down what it was like in the PJs for them while KLC gives “She Say She Love Me” more a dirty south feeling telling the baddies to let them see ‘em bend over. “Beautiful Life” happens to be a profound closer expressing gratitude that both of them are home.

I know B.G. said he wrote 7 or 8 albums worth of material during his time behind bars & stand by that we could be in for the best music that he’s released post-Cash Money if he gets the right producers & features. If anything, Choppers & Bricks could very much be the beginning of that. My favorite thing Gucci has done within the last few years & a consistently solid way for B-Geezy to reintroduce himself to everyone. The production’s better than Breath of Fresh Air & it’s fun hearing these 2 different worlds of southern hip hop colliding.

Score: 3.5/5

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