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Lil Wyte - Phinally Phamous
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.25 out of 5 Stars



Lil Wyte had one of the biggest surprises in the rap biz when his independent album, "Doubt Me Now" soundscanned close to 150,000 units garnering interest from major labels everywhere. Wyte signed with Warner Bros. and takes it nationwide on the new album "Phinally Phamous". The album features fellow HCP members, DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, Crunchy Blac, Frayser Boy, and Josie Scott of Saliva.

1. Phinally Phamous-- Lil Wyte always manages to knock a home run out of the park with his intro tracks and this one is no different. DJ Paul and Juicy J lace a very nice darker beats with snares and hi-hats knockin. Like the intro on "Doubt Me Now," it's too short and could have been a nice track should they expanded it a bit.

2. I Sho Will-- this is the first single and video from the album. Although the remix garnering spins in the Memphis area features Lil Flip, this version in which Lil Wyte goes it solo holds it's own. It's a club banger with a beat similar to C-Murder's hit single a few years back "Down 4 My Niggaz". The hook "could you beat em to the floor in the clubs? I sho will!" is sure to cause more than a few fights up in the clubs this summer.

3. Static Addict-- "static addict static addict/loco with that automatic" is gonna be stuck in your head after listening to this one. Again, a very tight deep pounding 808 drum loop by DJ Paul and Juicy J make it one of the nicest beats on the album. Lil Wyte raps about that gunplay he's comin with if you dare to step to him in the streets of Frayser. Nice song.

4. Smoke My Dro (f/ Dirtbag)-- this track features Nashville native and Miami transplant, Dirtbag, who was featured on a track with labelmate Mystikal earlier in the year. This one has a laid back vibe and mellowed out tunes perfect to smoke out to as the song title suggests. Lil Wyte rides the beat nicely in the typical Memphis choppy cadence, while Dirtbag laces the hook and adds a verse as well. Dirtbag surprisingly fits in well with the HCP beats and gives the song that Caribbean flavor it needs. Tight song.

5. Icy White Soljas (f/ DJ Paul)-- this track has a heavy piano and bassline beat that reminds me of the old school ya'll don't want none beats that defined Southern rap in the early 90's. Memphis was the city known for the icy white shoes and tees way before Dem Franchize Boyz made the term "White Tees" a household name. This one is all about those Reebok Classics that the G's lace up down in the M-Town.

6. Hoods Run Down (f/ Frayser Boy)-- this one starts off with a bass check on the beats to see if you really got that bangin ass sound system. DJ Paul and Juicy J do their trademark samples of their own work, this time being Lil Wyte's line from "Bay Area", 'I'm puttin this one down from the Bay and you can bet bitch'. Frayser Boy makes an appearance and does a nice job on the mic. You can tell that Lil Wyte and Frayser Boy have a lot of chemistry on the mics together. Tight song.

7. By 2 Da Bad Guy (f/ DJ Paul)-- this one has more of those thumpin basslines you come to expect on a Hypnotize Minds album. "When them boys hit the corner I'm a goner like skkrrrr...fuck that, say goodbye to the bad guy". DJ Paul drops an aight verse, not necessarily his best although Lil Wyte does a decent job on his.

8. I Did Em Wrong-- Right when the beat kicks in, you say awwwww, hell no, tell me that DJ Paul and Juicy J didn't sample the Super Mario Bros. Nintendo beat. But it's true. They learned from Fury and Lil Flip that video game samples can turn into hit singles. Somehow I doubt that this one will be released as a commercial single because the song is about that ana that led Lil Wyte to leave behind those who doubted his abilities and led him right to HCP (can someone say Shelby Forest Click?).

9. My Cutless-- this one has a bit of scratchin on the beats along with the church bells and heavy basslines to give it that Southern flava. I'm just not feelin this track at all. Probably the worst cut on the whole album.

10. Big Ass Guns (f/ Frayser Boy)-- Frayser Boy starts it off speaking about the duo album coming from the two Bay Area Representaz. He starts the song off with a verse repping for the North North. Lil Wyte comes next with a nice verse. Frayser Boy and Lil Wyte trade bars and shows that if the album ever comes out, then that duo album is gonna be fuckin F-I-R-E-E-E-E-E. DJ Paul lays it down on hook but doesn't drop a verse. Tight ass song.

11. Look Like You-- this track is one of the better songs on the album because Lil Wyte is coming with the heat on his flows. He's bringing the rapid fire delivery that is on the verge of tongue twisting. Straight heat.

12. U.S. Soldier Boy (f/ Three 6 Mafia)-- this one came about as a tribute to the U.S. Troops over in Iraq right now after the VH1 Special which featured soldiers who stated that they listened to Three 6 Mafia before they went into battle to get them hyped. The beat has a patriotic feel to it with the bugels and horns but the song still has that Three 6 Mafia flavor to it. The song places Three 6 Mafia into the eyes and feet of our U.S. Soldiers and they rap from their perspective. Still a crunk song that will probably get the troops hyped up before they head into battle.

13. Drinking Song-- this one is the follow-up to Lil Wyte's "Smoking Song" from the "Doubt Me Now" album. This one has a nice hiccup and liquor pouring beat laced by DJ Paul and Juicy J. The set-up is in a bar and Lil Wyte along with Rickey K. and Onion pour one on like it's a Saturday night down at Platinum Plus or your local tavern. It's a tight song--one of our favorites on the album.

14. Bay Area-- it's tough to try and top the original "Bay Area" from Frayser Boy "Gone On That Bay" and this one doesn't manage to do it. Lil Wyte does come with a tight flow as the song carries on but it's nothing like the banger he and Frayser knocked out on "Gone On That Bay".

15. Acid 2004/5-- unless you just like remixes, then you're probably not gonna feel this one. It's the exact same lyrics that were on "Acid" on "Doubt Me Now" but the beat is nowhere as tight as the original.

16. Bald Head Hoes (f/ DJ Paul & Juicy J)-- just from reading the song title, you know this is gon' be some hilarious shit right here. This one is all about those hatin ass bald head hoes gossiping and shit. Not really feelin this one too much.

17. Everybody Gettin Crunk-- the hook is funny "yo mama, yo daddy, yo greasy greasy grandmammy, man they gettin wild as fuck everybody gettin crunk" although Lil Wyte will find it hard to be taken seriously in the world of hip-hop if he drops a lot of songs like this one. It's a decent get buck track with a very nice beat and Wyte does a more than adequate job on the mic. But that chorus....hmmm.....

18. Possie Song (f/ HCP)-- the posse cuts are usually the most anticipated songs on the Hypnotize Minds releases and this one is no different. It's not the best posse cut ever but it's definitely a solid track. DJ Paul and Juicy J didn't really come with their best on their verses, but Frayser Boy and Lil Wyte managed to shine on the song. Still a nice song you're gonna bump.

19. Crazy (f/ Josie Scott)-- this one features Memphis rocker, Josie Scott of Saliva. The beat gives you a feeling like this one is more of a rock song that features Lil Wyte instead of vice versa. Because that's the case, it works. Most of the older HCP heads probably won't feel it but they better get used to the collabos because Saliva and Three 6 Mafia plan on teaming up for more cuts in the future.

20. Outro

Overall, the in-house producers, DJ Paul and Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia never seem to disappoint. They are consistently some of the tightest producers in the game today. Lil Wyte has shown a lot of growth from "Doubt Me Now" in which his subject was a bit more limited to "Phinally Phamous" in which he is proving that he belongs in the rap game. He's far from the being the most polished rapper in hip-hop today but he's quickly becoming the best rapper in the entire HCP camp and one of the best in the South with his quick wit and nice flow on the mic. Three 6 Mafia and Hypnotize Minds fans will not be disappointed with this one, and if you're outside the South and not really up on Lil Wyte or Three 6 Mafia, check it might, you may be pleasantly surprised.