David Banner - Mississippi: The Album
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Jackson, Mississippi native David Banner was an unknown outside of the South as a rapper and producer until Trick Daddy made "Thug Holiday" one of the hit songs of 2002. As producer of the song, Banner quickly became a hot free agent and eventually became the first signee of Steve Rifkin's imprint label, SRC/Universal Records. Now he's got the entire country gettin down in the clubs with his hit single "Like A Pimp" featuring Lil Flip.
1. Intro-- just Banner reppin for Mississipi right off the bat over guitar riffs
2. What It Do (f/ Smoke D)-- the KLC produced beat is just a raw, dirty south with it's deep basstones and funky sounds guaranteed to have ya speakers banging out the frame. Banner rips the mic with his raspy flow that's similar to a uptempo Pastor Troy. The chorus goes "what it do muthafucka, what it do, where you from (northside), where you from (southside), Mississippi til the day that I die". Smoke D comes decent on the mic as well. Great song to start the album off with.
3. Might Getcha (f/ Lil Jon)-- this track features the King of Crunk himself Lil Jon who seems to be everywhere these days. Lil Jon gives us his patented flow on the hook that goes "might getcha jaw broke/might getcha wig split/might getcha car shot up..." My favorite part of the song has to be when Banner comes off with a speedy delivery on his "M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpback-I" when spelling it out for his state. Another banger for the sound system as well as the clubs.
4. Like A Pimp (f/ Lil Flip)-- by now, I'm sure you've heard the hook "real thugs get down on the flo, on the flo/like a pimp" in the clubs, on the radio, or on TV. Flip nails it on his verses and easily outshines Banner on the mic but it's a solid track that was the perfect first single from the album. Banner has expressed his love for Pimp C (UGK)'s music and added the hook as a tribute to the rapper currently incarcerated.
5. Whoremonger (skit)
6. Fuck Em (f/ Pastor Troy)-- this track has a beat that would sound at home on a soundtrack for Friday Night Fights. Pastor Troy starts it off and doesn't disappoint with flow. Banner keeps it crunk with his flow in which he even plays off one of Master P's signature lines "hustler, baller, gangsta, who I be that Mississippi trill nigga". Banner keeps it gangsta throughout his verses with chant "fuck them niggaz" going throughout the song.
7. Mississippi-- this track is a change of pace as the beat is much slower than the previous songs but Banner got more of a smoother and uptempo flow on the vocals. Banner described the land where our grandparents are from but also where the guys still pimp the hoes. If you live in the Dirty South, you are gonna appreciate this one.
8. Cadillac's On 22's-- this track has a nice blend of guitars, hi hats, and a bassline. Banner comes off with a solid effort on the mic and even does a little singing on the hook that goes "Cadillac on 22's/I ain't did nothin in my life but stay true/pimp my voice/mack these beats/pray to the Lord for these Mississippi streets". This is definitely one of the tightest songs on the album.
9. Fast Life (f/ Ax)-- right from the intro, you get the feeling that this is gonna be one of those smokin songs but it's more about living the fast life in general. The beat on this one isn't too tight to me and Banner doesn't really come that tight on the mic either. Definitely a skippable track in my opinion.
10. Choose Me (f/ Sky)-- this track is more of an R&B anthem for the ladies instead of the crunked out club bangers for the guys. Banner doesn't actually lend his vocals until the song is halfway over which makes the song feel more like Sky's track in which Banner is guest appearing.
11. Really Don't Wanna Go (f/ B-Flat & Marcus)-- this track is another bass banger in which Banner reps for the entire South. B-Flat sums it up when he sings the hook "really don't wanna go/really don't wanna stay/really don't wanna leave again in a way". Mr. Marcus isn't really that impressive on this one.
12. So Trill-- this track has a nice midtempo beat. Banner expands his material to touch upon matters ranging from how hard it is coming up in the South/Mississippi Delta region to the political state of the nation after Sept. 11.
13. My Shawty (f/ Fiend)-- this track has a Mississippi blues sound with deep basslines. Fiend raps in a very laid back style instead of his uptempo whomp whomp signature sound we've become accustomed to over the years. Banner and Fiend basically give an ode to tha ladies on this one.
14. Phone Tap (skit)
15. Bush-- this track has a simple bassline beat. Banner unleashes his pent up frustrations on the President and United States for all the things that happened to African Americans throughout history such as slavery. He lets loose on President Bush by saying that he's never looked at blacks as being anything other than dope dealers and now he wants to send them overseas to fight a war. Banner sums it up in 2 words: Fuck You!
16. Bring It On (f/ J Da Groover & Mississippi Shawty)-- this track has a tight happy-go-lucky beat with a deep bassline. Banner holds down the hook "bring it on muthafucka/we ain't scared bitch". J Da Groover has a really smooth flow on the mic and Mississippi Shawty comes decent even though he's only 13. He actually sounds like Chyna Whyte to me. Overall, a nice song.
17. Still Pimpin (f/ Marcus & Kamikaze)-- this track has a slower beat with a lot of guitars but maintains those trunk bangin bassline. Banner starts it off with a slow that reminds me of Pimp C's style. The hook is catchy even though it's nothin but "still pimpin on a bittttch" repeated over and over. Kamikaze, who is Banner tag team partner on Crooked Lettaz" holds it down with a solid verse. Marcus redeems himself with a better flow on his verse this time. It's a solid track that's worth giving a listen to.
18. Outro
19. Fire Falling (hidden track)-- this track has more of an R&B beat but the killer bassline of a rap song. Banner raps about how the govt. sends us off to war but they don't even know our names. He unleashes more fury on Pres. Bush for making Texas the leader of the death penalty in the U.S. and murdering blacks at the same time.
Overall, the production by David Banner, Lil Jon, & KLC (formerly of Beats by the Pound) is top notch. Banner displays a versatility on the mic that is often missing in today's hip hop scene. Those who stereotype Banner as strictly a "crunk" artist based on the first single obviously haven't listened to the album all the way through because surprisingly there are a lot of political messages in his rhymes. Banner accomplishes his goal of stamping Mississippi on the hip hop map with this one. Definitely check it out because it's one of the top Southern albums of the year.
David Banner - Mississippi: The Album