Official - Welcome To Little Rock
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.0 out of 5 Stars
Official is a 4 man group outta Little Rock composed of Dameon 1, Ball Jones, Ice Smiles, & Roccafelon. The new album on Dameon 1's 'Official 1 Records' features Tha SupaFrenz, Solo, Ricky D, Indo, Jane Gotti, Lex, Jelly Roll, King Jack, B-Time, Uncle Bugz, & more.
1. Way 2 Tho'd (f/ Lex, Dameon 1, Ball Jones, Ice Smiles, Jane Gotti, & Roccafelon)-- this track has a shifty, stuttering type beat with hi-hats kickin in. Everyone introduces you to the Rock Town and life in the Natural State.
2. K. Dizzel (radio scit)-- WROC radio skit introducing the next track
3. Krush (f/ Ball Jones & Ice Smiles)-- nice midtempo beat that you'll be bobbin along with. Ball Jones comes with vocals that kinda remind us of Bun B of UGK--in other words, tight. Ice Smiles also comes through with a nice verse. Nice song with a Texas influence all over it.
4. My Last (f/ Roccafelon, Ice Smiles, & Ricky D)-- Roccafelon starts the track off with a nice verse. The hook goes "I pops the clutch like this might be my last dip - I grip the grain like this might be my last grip..." Nice catchy song.
5. Set It Out (f/ Dameon 1 & Demeche)-- Dameon 1 comes through with tight ass vocals on this one all while repping for Little Rock and the Dirty South. You get bits and pieces of the Screw influence on here as well. Nice song.
6. Chicken (f/ Ball Jones, Dameon 1, & Jelly Roll)-- nice midtempo to uptempo keyboard beat on this one. Ball Jones shows that he's got what it takes to be a major force in the Dirty on the 1st and 3rd verses. Basically, a song about that sticky icky. Smooth ridin song to get fucked up to.
7. 3 Official Commandments (f/ Everybody)-- the 3 commandments are "thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not run off, and thou shalt not hate"
8. Hard 2 Sleep (f/ Dameon 1, Lex, Ice Smiles, Ball Jones, & Dirty D)-- this track has a slower beat that reminds me of a cross between Outkast's "Ms. Jackson" and Juvenile's "Back That Azz Up". The hook goes "it's so hard to sleep in these horrid streets because all we eat, dodgin the authorities - make it hard to speak nigga - keep my name out ya mouth - cause the streets is living proof on how the game will go down." Nice song about life dodging the feds and paper chasin.
9. Streets Ain't The Same (f/ Solo, Ricky D, Dameon 1, Roccafelon, Ball Jones, & Big Keys)-- Big Keys sings the hook on this one in a Jagged Edge-like harmony. Solo starts the song off with a decent verse. Ricky D is up next with a verse about how he can't be an OG out of the pen because now he's got kids and the streets perceive him as weak. Roccafelon, Ball Jones, & Dameon 1 finish it up with solid efforts on the mic. Kinda gives me that Master P "I Miss My Homies" vibe. Nice song.
10. Ah Own Thang (f/ Dameon 1, Ball Jones, & Uncle Bugz)-- this track has a midtempo beat with a bassline and electric guitars by Ol Slick. Ball Jones & Dameon 1 come to the mic with verses about how they come to the rap game with nothin, no expectations. So they gonna do their own thang. Pretty good collective effort.
11. Definition of O.F.F.I.C.I.A.L. (f/ Roccafelon, Ice Smiles, Dameon 1, & Ball Jones)-- this track has a blues guitar over a snappin snares beat. They rap about how they handle their business and do their own thang in this rap game. Ball Jones is the standout artist on this one, but everybody does come correct on it.
12. Weedman Grand Finale (f/ Bugz, Indo, Dameon 1, Ball Jones, Ice Smiles, Jane Gotti, & Roccafelon)-- nice happy party smoke-an-ounce beat that sounds like something Dr. Dre would drop on the boards. The track is about getting fucked up from the dope man's perspective. Nice ass song.
13. Imagine That (f/ Dameon 1, Ball Jones, Roccafelon, & Ice Smiles)-- Official plays devil's avocate on this and wonders what the world would be like if Malcolm X or MLK had never been killed, if police beat whites instead of blacks, etc. Nice concept but the song fails to live up to it throughout the track.
14. Keep It Gangsta (f/ Dameon 1, King Jack, Ball Jones, & Jelly Roll)-- simple beat consisting of mostly a bassline and hi-hats. Nice efforts on the boards and mic on this one from everyone involved.
15. Drugz (Holla What It Do) (f/ Ball Jones, B-Time, & Dameon 1)-- the hook on this one sounds a bit like TRU's "Hooody Hoo" but this track about dope and drank has a definite Texas influence.
Overall, the production by Dameon 1, Rob, Low 4, Tha SupaFrenz, and Shorty P is very solid. This album is proof that the last state in the Dirty South to be represented nationwide isn't too far behind. There's a definite Texas influence here with numerous references to purple drank and Swishahouse on the album. It's about time that the major record labels and rap fans alike stop overlooking the Natural State for talent, and this album is a good place to start looking.
Official - Welcome To Little Rock