Juelz Santana - From Me To U
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 3.75 out of 5 Stars
Juelz Santana jumped on the national scene with his performance on Cam'Ron's hit singles "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma". Now he gets the spotlight with his debut solo effort on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album features fellow Diplomats, Cam'Ron, Jimmy Jones, Freekey Zeekey, along with T.I. and JR Writer.
1. The Champ Is Here (f/ Freekey Zeekey)-- useless intro with a bunch of chantin saying that "the champ is here". Just a bunch of babble.
2. One Day I Smile-- this track has that sped up soul sampling made popular by producers like RZA and Kanye West recently. The sample is from the song "Mr. Heartbreak" by The Delegation and goes "one day a smile, the next day a tear". Juelz does a nice job with a tribute verse to fallen rappers and singers and follows that with a verse that chronicles how Dip Set went from the mixtape circuit to hooking up with Dame Dash at Roc-A-Fella. Nice track.
3. Okay Okay-- this track has a I'm-here-to-take-over-the city beat and pounding bassline. Santana "The Great" announces his arrival to all the haters out there. Decent track worth checkin out.
4. Down (skit)-- skit about him gettin head
5. Down-- this track samples a sped up version of Mary J. Blige singin "it's goin down, baby". It sounds like a very generic version of Cam'Ron's hit single "Oh Boy". You probably wouldn't miss much if you hit skip on the CD player.
6. Monster Music-- this track starts off with an opera style "Dipset, let's get it on" which actually blends quite well with the pounding basslines. It's actually a catchy song and probably would have been a hit single. Juelz Santana does a nice job on the track and will have ya bobbin your head to the cadence of the track. The constant yell of "yeah" in the background can get tired after a while but overall, it a really tight song.
7. Back Again-- this track has a live big band beat with lots of brass and a Commodores sample of the song "You're Special". Juelz spits a bunch of nonsense on this one and sounds like a scrabble board full of mixed up words laid down on a song. This song is a classic example of why Santana gets so much hate from the mainstream and just rap fans in general. Skip it.
8. My Problem (Jealousy)-- this track features yet another sped up soul sample, this time from Vickie Sue Robinson's song "Jealousy". Juelz Santana raps about how he was in the studio workin on his rhymes but he hears about how girl foolin around and how jealous he got when he laid hands on her. Basically a relationship song about taking back the abuse he gave her. The song actually works for Juelz. Nice track.
9. How I Feel-- this track is a really short song that features another sped up sample of the classic Shirley Brown single "Woman to Woman". Juelz does a nice job and the album probably would have benfitted with if this song was longer. Nonetheless, worth checkin out.
10. Why-- this track has a piano laced beat that has a really nice tempo to it. Each verse of the song is ended by the sped up sample "why". After listening to this song, you realize how Juelz Santana has all the potential in the world when it comes to this rap shit. There is no better song on the album than this one. Juelz makes you take a look back over your own life as he takes you for a ride on a journey of his life. Without a doubt, this is the best song on the album.
11. Wherever I Go (f/ Jimmy Jones)-- this track features the infectious hook that goes "wherever I go - dog, I'm in the hood screamin what's really good". Juelz Santana does a decent job on the mic and Jimmy Jones of the Diplomats comes thru with a nice verse as well. Nice song.
12. Dipset (Santana's Town)- skit
13. Dipset (Santana's Town)(f/ Cam'Ron)-- this track has got to be up there as one of the worst singles released in 2003. Look at any list and I guarantee you that this one is on there and I'm not gonna defend it because I feel the same way. This song is nothin more than straight babble bullshit. If this song was one of the first on the CD, I probably would have thrown the CD out the window going 85 mph down the interstate and not wasted my time with it. The hook of "Juelz dip dip - Santana set set - what you grip grip - niggas tec tec". Skip it, you brain and ears will thank you.
14. Squalie (skit)
15. Squalie (f/ JR Writer)-- this beat on this track sounds like every other Diplomats song we've ever heard. Juelz Santana and JR Writer rap about the cops coming down the block in their hood. Basically, the Diplomats version of 'fuck the police'. It's an alright song.
16. Rain Drops-- this track has a bunch of guitars on the beat along with the clappin of the snares. The hook is sung and goes "nights like this I wish, that raindrops would fall". Basically Juelz raps about how he was a young man with a dream to rap and now he can't share the glory with some of those who supported him the most. It's another one of those slow reminiscing songs that works well for Santana. Nice song.
17. My Love Remix (f/ Jimmy Jones)-- this track contains more of the sped up samples that has become the theme of the album. This is the remixed version of the original from the Diplomats "Diplomatic Immunity" album (without Freeway) but ends up feelin more like a filler track. Skip it.
18. Let's Go (f/ Cam'Ron)-- this track starts off with a Marvin Gaye sample of "Let's Get It On" followed by a kid saying "let's get it on nigga". Cam'Ron starts it off with a lackluster performance which makes you wonder how he got a deal on Roc-A-Fella. Juelz Santana salvages the track a little bit but by now, the album is really starting to fill up with the "filler" material.
19. Now What (f/ T.I.)-- this track is a Jazze Phizzle product-shizzle and features the self proclaimed King of the South, T.I.P. He is actually the standout artist on the track. Other than T.I., there's not here on this one.
20. This Is For My Homies (f/ Jimmy Jones)-- this track samples the single "Gangsta Lean". Another skipable song and by the end of this one, you'll be glad that it's actually the last song.
Overall, the production by the Heatmakerz is on point and features some of the hardest beats from the East Coast in a while. But the soul sampling is overused and loses a bit of luster when you hear it on every single song (except for the Jazze Pha produced song). Honestly, the best songs from Juelz Santana are the slower tempo solo efforts included on the front half of the album. Once the rest of the Dip Set get involved in the album, the album takes a downward spiral. Aside from the babble we've seen on the Diplomat singles, Juelz Santana does display some talent on the mic. The downside is that the best songs are on the first half of the album which makes the back half just draggggggs along until you can't take anymore. You actually start wondering when the CD will end and by the time it does end, you don't wanna listen to it anymore. Nonetheless, a decent effort and a thumbs up on the production.
Juelz Santana - From Me To U