Drama
Gangsta Grillz: The Album, Vol. 2 (Aphiliates/Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
The DJ has become a digital vigilante, and there’s no better poster boy than Drama. He’s defined his outlaw rep with mixtapes that canonized Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy on his signature Gangsta Grillz series, and by infamously ducking racketeering charges in 2007. So his side hustle as a major label artist is a bit curious. DJs like Clue and Funkmaster Flex have had success with major label album mixes, but it’s a mostly bygone practice. On his second Atlantic-endorsed mixtape, Gangsta Grillz: The Album Vol. 2, Drama resurrects the tradition and crafts an unswerving full-length of collaborations like a seasoned master.
“A Town” is a militant opener with an instantly recognizable Southern intensity—this is where Drama works best. Fast, serious, unflinching. T.I. and Young Dro lead the procession with the support of Sean Paul and Lonnie Mac, all of whom vividly reconstruct their sordid pasts with Atlanta. “We Must Be Heard” featuring Ludacris, Willie the Kid, and Busta Rhymes, gives all three MCs plenty of room to warp through their verses with dastardly precision. Both tracks are microcosms of the album’s sound: slickly clipped snares over obnoxious bass, and melodies strong enough to complement the lack of personality in most of the vocals. There is little variation, but its uniformity is almost comforting.
“Day Dreaming,” featuring Akon, Snoop Dogg, and T.I., with its fluttering and soaring synthesizers, courtesy Drumma Boy, is a strip club ballad, and a rare respite, if only because it doesn’t attempt to split your head open. But Vol. 2 is essentially a medley of trunk rattlers, illustrating a lifestyle (The credo: He who acts hard is hard), not a moment. The Gangsta Grillz series will always work better as under-the-table promotional tool than a commercial project, but Vol. 2 sits comfortably with the solid, if unmemorable legacy of The Professional and 60 Minutes of Funkseries.
Drama's "Gangsta Grillz: The Album Vol. 2" is in stores 5/19/09
Gangsta Grillz: The Album Vol. 2 Track listing1. "A-Town" feat. T.I., Young Dro, Sean P & Lonnie Mac
2. "We Must Be Heard" feat. Ludacris, Willie the Kid and Busta Rhymes
3. "Love for Money" feat. Trey Songz, Willie the Kid, Gucci Mane, La the Darkman, Yung Joc, Bun B & Flo Rida
4. “I'm Fresh” feat. Mike Jones, Rick Ross & Trick Daddy
5. “Day Dreaming" feat. Akon, Snoop Dogg & T.I.
6. "Sweat" feat. Ray J, Fabolous, & La the Darkman
7. "Ridiculous" feat. Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, Lonnie Mac & OJ Da Juiceman
8. "Come Up Boys" feat. La the Darkman & Willie the Kid
9. “Yacht Music" feat. Nas, Willie the Kid, Scarface, & Marsha Ambrosius
10. "Stripper Love" feat. The-Dream, La the Darkman, & Too $hort
11. "Smoke" feat, Gucci Mane, Willie the Kid & Lonnie Mac
12. "Pimpin' Ain't Easy" feat. La the Darkman, Bun B, Styles P & Jovan Dais
13. "Gotta Get It" featuring B.G., Juvenile & Soulja Slim
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