A bunch of new stuff by me: on Stylus, a Sheek Louch review (which I probably would've given a B rather than a C+), and in the City Paper, an Ebony Eyez review and most importantly, a big feature on Tim Trees, a really pivotal figure in Baltimore hip hop. I'm really excited about getting the opportunity to shed a little more light on him.
Not by me but also of interest in CP this week is the cover story about Patterson Park, which I live 3 blocks away from, and the surrounding neighborhoods. I've been watching the changes in and around the park for 15 years now and it's really interesting to get such an in depth perspective on the how and the why of the recent real estate boom.
Note: In light of the end of Stylus in 2007, I decided to archive the text of all my reviews for the site on this blog for posterity, since I don't what the future holds for the Stylus domain, and have included both the letter grade ratting that accompanied the original review, and an adjusted rating that I would give the record now in retrospect.
Sheek Louch
After Taxes
D-Block
2005
Stylus rating: C+
Adjusted rating by reviewer: C
Sometimes, there are benefits to being the third banana in a middle-tier rap crew. Sheek Louch of the stalwart Yonkers trio The Lox falls firmly behind Jadakiss and Styles P. in terms of both respect and record sales. So while Kiss and Styles have major label solo deals, Sheek, who was dropped from Universal after one album, 2003's Walk Witt Me, now puts out albums on Koch Records through the group's D-Block imprint. Koch, an independent distributor, is widely looked down upon by rap fans as a graveyard for disgraced or over the hill rappers who couldn't cut it with the majors.
But the irony is that Koch offers more autonomy than a major label afford to its lower level stars. So while Styles P.'s Time Is Money, which has been pushed back on Interscope's release schedule for most of the year, sits on the shelf, Sheek Louch gets his second album, After Taxes, out right on schedule. Meanwhile, Jadakiss and Styles are currently protesting their deals with Interscope and swearing not to turn in any more solo albums until the release date shuffle ends.
All three of the Lox's rappers are variations on the same persona: beefy tough guys who aren't afraid to crack a smile. They're as smart and self-aware as other New York crews like the Diplomats and G-Unit are humorless and deluded. But where Styles is the gruff realist and Kiss has all the swagger, Sheek is the charismatic underdog who's less selective about the quality of his punchlines, yet still seems to be constantly chuckling at his own jokes. Although he displayed a star quality early on with appearances on DMX's "Get At Me Dog" and Puff Daddy's "All About The Benjamins," his commercial fortunes have long since paled in comparison to that of his groupmates.
After Taxes starts out strong with a classic New York-style album opener, "Intro," a lyrical state-of-affairs address with no hook. Buckwild laces the track with spine chilling strings while Sheek traces the story from his debut to his latest: "I'll told y'all to Walk Witt Me / Dropped somethin' sick on it / And I ain't put no one but my muthafuckin' click on it / No R&B, I ain't had no muthafuckin' chick on it / These other niggas' songs, jail niggas beat they dick on it / Now I got a couple guests / Friends? Got a couple less." There's something perverse about a rapper boasting about not including any cheesy R&B on his last album as an excuse for doing so on his new album. And it doesn't really redeem the current single "One Name," a quiet storm sleepwalk featuring Carl Thomas, in which Sheek wears a sweater and talks about listening to Floetry.
The inclusion of "One Name" makes the rest of After Taxes yet another stubborn, conflicted statement about commercial rap and "selling out" from a man whose crew once wore shiny suits for Puff Daddy and then publicly protested their Bad Boy contract. One minute he's boasting "double platinum never," the next he's speculating hopefully "okay, I ain't sell a lot, but shit, even Jigga didn't go platinum til his third." Even on the album's biggest shot at current D-Block nemesis 50 Cent, "Maybe If I Sing," Sheek spends most of his energy hating on 50's success, sarcastically declaring "maybe if I cross over I'll be rich, I wanna be just like that 50 bitch." And as a diss track, it's nowhere near as searing or as funny as Jadakiss's "Checkmate."
Modern day targets and reference points aside, After Taxes sounds like it could have been made at any point in the past ten years. The production lineup, which includes Alchemist, Havoc, Rockwilder and Red Spyda, contributes nothing but thudding New York boom bap and piano loops. And guest appearances by veterans like Redman and Ghostface Killah add to the 90's time-warp element. Red's appearance on "Get Up Stand Up" even reveals a similarity between his and Sheek's vocal timbres that had previously gone unnoticed.
Lead single "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" is one of the album's dullest old-fashioned New York records, but the all-star remix spices it up considerably. Beanie Sigel's verse, the first he recorded after spending a year in jail, is a vicious shot at his estranged State Property groupmates. And T.I., who's sounded increasingly bored on his recent run of guest appearances, comes on strong on the last verse and rides the beat better than anyone else on the track.
Even with the addition of more stars to Sheek's guest roster, most of After Taxes keeps it in the D-Block family. J-Hood, who's been the only non-Lox member of the D-Block roster for years, has yet to justify his spot alongside those three vets with his dull punchlines and monotone delivery, and his appearance on "Devine" is business as usual. Jadakiss and Styles P. each appear twice, and Kiss's menacing cackle has rarely sounded better than on "Get Money," reaffirming the star power that he possesses and Sheek lacks. After Taxes is unlikely to change Sheek's status in the game or elevate him to Jada's level. But even with independent distribution and less hype, he's managed to put together a more consistent and uncompromised album than Jada ever has.
Reviewed by: Al Shipley
Reviewed on: 2005-12-07
Not by me but also of interest in CP this week is the cover story about Patterson Park, which I live 3 blocks away from, and the surrounding neighborhoods. I've been watching the changes in and around the park for 15 years now and it's really interesting to get such an in depth perspective on the how and the why of the recent real estate boom.
Note: In light of the end of Stylus in 2007, I decided to archive the text of all my reviews for the site on this blog for posterity, since I don't what the future holds for the Stylus domain, and have included both the letter grade ratting that accompanied the original review, and an adjusted rating that I would give the record now in retrospect.
Sheek Louch
After Taxes
D-Block
2005
Stylus rating: C+
Adjusted rating by reviewer: C
Sometimes, there are benefits to being the third banana in a middle-tier rap crew. Sheek Louch of the stalwart Yonkers trio The Lox falls firmly behind Jadakiss and Styles P. in terms of both respect and record sales. So while Kiss and Styles have major label solo deals, Sheek, who was dropped from Universal after one album, 2003's Walk Witt Me, now puts out albums on Koch Records through the group's D-Block imprint. Koch, an independent distributor, is widely looked down upon by rap fans as a graveyard for disgraced or over the hill rappers who couldn't cut it with the majors.
But the irony is that Koch offers more autonomy than a major label afford to its lower level stars. So while Styles P.'s Time Is Money, which has been pushed back on Interscope's release schedule for most of the year, sits on the shelf, Sheek Louch gets his second album, After Taxes, out right on schedule. Meanwhile, Jadakiss and Styles are currently protesting their deals with Interscope and swearing not to turn in any more solo albums until the release date shuffle ends.
All three of the Lox's rappers are variations on the same persona: beefy tough guys who aren't afraid to crack a smile. They're as smart and self-aware as other New York crews like the Diplomats and G-Unit are humorless and deluded. But where Styles is the gruff realist and Kiss has all the swagger, Sheek is the charismatic underdog who's less selective about the quality of his punchlines, yet still seems to be constantly chuckling at his own jokes. Although he displayed a star quality early on with appearances on DMX's "Get At Me Dog" and Puff Daddy's "All About The Benjamins," his commercial fortunes have long since paled in comparison to that of his groupmates.
After Taxes starts out strong with a classic New York-style album opener, "Intro," a lyrical state-of-affairs address with no hook. Buckwild laces the track with spine chilling strings while Sheek traces the story from his debut to his latest: "I'll told y'all to Walk Witt Me / Dropped somethin' sick on it / And I ain't put no one but my muthafuckin' click on it / No R&B, I ain't had no muthafuckin' chick on it / These other niggas' songs, jail niggas beat they dick on it / Now I got a couple guests / Friends? Got a couple less." There's something perverse about a rapper boasting about not including any cheesy R&B on his last album as an excuse for doing so on his new album. And it doesn't really redeem the current single "One Name," a quiet storm sleepwalk featuring Carl Thomas, in which Sheek wears a sweater and talks about listening to Floetry.
The inclusion of "One Name" makes the rest of After Taxes yet another stubborn, conflicted statement about commercial rap and "selling out" from a man whose crew once wore shiny suits for Puff Daddy and then publicly protested their Bad Boy contract. One minute he's boasting "double platinum never," the next he's speculating hopefully "okay, I ain't sell a lot, but shit, even Jigga didn't go platinum til his third." Even on the album's biggest shot at current D-Block nemesis 50 Cent, "Maybe If I Sing," Sheek spends most of his energy hating on 50's success, sarcastically declaring "maybe if I cross over I'll be rich, I wanna be just like that 50 bitch." And as a diss track, it's nowhere near as searing or as funny as Jadakiss's "Checkmate."
Modern day targets and reference points aside, After Taxes sounds like it could have been made at any point in the past ten years. The production lineup, which includes Alchemist, Havoc, Rockwilder and Red Spyda, contributes nothing but thudding New York boom bap and piano loops. And guest appearances by veterans like Redman and Ghostface Killah add to the 90's time-warp element. Red's appearance on "Get Up Stand Up" even reveals a similarity between his and Sheek's vocal timbres that had previously gone unnoticed.
Lead single "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" is one of the album's dullest old-fashioned New York records, but the all-star remix spices it up considerably. Beanie Sigel's verse, the first he recorded after spending a year in jail, is a vicious shot at his estranged State Property groupmates. And T.I., who's sounded increasingly bored on his recent run of guest appearances, comes on strong on the last verse and rides the beat better than anyone else on the track.
Even with the addition of more stars to Sheek's guest roster, most of After Taxes keeps it in the D-Block family. J-Hood, who's been the only non-Lox member of the D-Block roster for years, has yet to justify his spot alongside those three vets with his dull punchlines and monotone delivery, and his appearance on "Devine" is business as usual. Jadakiss and Styles P. each appear twice, and Kiss's menacing cackle has rarely sounded better than on "Get Money," reaffirming the star power that he possesses and Sheek lacks. After Taxes is unlikely to change Sheek's status in the game or elevate him to Jada's level. But even with independent distribution and less hype, he's managed to put together a more consistent and uncompromised album than Jada ever has.
Reviewed by: Al Shipley
Reviewed on: 2005-12-07
Labels: Baltimore music, hip hop, some shit I wrote, Stylus
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