Pastor Troy - Universal Soldier
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.00 out of 5 Stars
College Park, Georgia's Micah Levar Troy aka Pastor Troy drops his 3rd solo album. The album features UGK, D.S.G.B. mates--Peter the Disciple, Blackout, & Pinhead-- & the hit Timbaland produced single "Are We Cuttin" w/ Ms. Jade & CJ.
1. Intro-- the album starts off with a recap of some of Pastor Troy's past hits for the newcomers who are just checkin out PT for the first time. The song clips include "No Mo Play In GA", "Champion", "This The City" & "Vice Versa".
2. Universal Soldier-- this track has a beat that has come to symbolize Pastor Troy's sound over the years. PT lays down some decent lyrics and the hook which goes "I always keep my composure/often full of that dosia/universal soldier". Nice song to start the album off with.
3. Are We Cuttin-- this is the first single from the album and it's got that fresh Timbaland beat. However, PT just didn't sound right over this beat. I thought Ms. Jade laid it down much tighter than he did. No matter how many times I hear it, I can't get into this song.
4. If I Wasn't Rappin-- this track features UGK and it is one of my favorite songs on the entire album. The premise of the song is how PT and Bun B would still be ballin even if they wasn't rappin. Bun B wrecks a nice verse while the track samples Pimp C's verses from Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin". Very tight song.
5. Who, What, When, Where-- this track has a tight laid back, mello beat. Troy comes hard on the mic on this one and raps his verses with some fire in his voice. PT raps about how he got the South on lock. Very tight song.
6. Tell 'Em It's On-- this track is the second Timbaland produced track on the album. Again, PT just doesn't sound right over Timbo's beats (which actually sounds like a slight variation of the "Are We Cuttin" beat). Maybe I'm just not used to him rappin over those types of beats. Troy does sneak a diss at Jermaine Dupri on this one. I'm not feelin this song at all.
7. 4 My Hustlaz-- this track has a east coast type soundin beat. PT raps about how he made it out of the dope game to slang CD's these days. Basically an ode to all the hustlaz out there doing their thang. Sounds almost too radio friendly for me but a decent song nonetheless.
8. Chug-A-Lug-- this track has a New Orleans bounce feel to the beat complete with some horns and shit. PT raps about himself being up in the clubs all fucked up. This has to be one of the wackest Pastor Troy songs out there though. Can't get into this one at all.
9. You Can't Pimp Me-- this track has a island flavor beat to it. PT lays down some verses about how others can't pimp him because he's gonna pimp himself. The beat is kinda weak and PT don't really come all that hard. Peter the Disciple drops a decent verse though.
10. I'm A Raise Me A Soldier-- this track has that dark, mellowed out type beat. Troy raps about how he's gonna raise his son the right way--to follow the Lord, the way his grandfather tried to teach him, because PT's seen the light now. Deep song that is one of the better ones on the album.
11. Undefeated-- this track features DSGB's Blackout & Pinhead. Both of them lay down some tight verses. The hook is kinda weak but overall, it's a decent track.
12. No Mo Play In GA Pt. 2-- this track is the follow-up to the original "No Mo Play In GA" from the "We Ready...I Declare War" album in which PT makes the call to No Limit Studios to diss on the top rap label at the time. This time, there is another call to No Limit but no one answers this time. I actually thought PT came with a tight song that almost equalled the original. It's definitely a banger that needs to be checked out.
13. If They Kill Me-- this track has a tight ass beat that reminds me of Ludacris's "Go 2 Sleep". This song has that dark sound in which Troy tells those who are tryin to kill him that they betta watch out cause his boys gonna kill them. This one is my favorite track on the album.
14. When He Comes-- this track has a beat that sounds like something from an 80's rock track complete with the electric guitar riffs. PT raps about how the Lord is gonna come back and how he has faith nowadays. This is another pretty tight track. Pastor Troy Sr. reads a Bible verse at the end of the song.
15. Bless America-- this track is a tribute to America following the terrorist attacks of 9-11. The hook is a bunch of kids singin a modified version of Hulk Hogan's entrance music. This is a deep song about uniting Americans as one. Very nice song.
16. Outro-- shout outs to people including an album advertisement for Playa Fly's new album.
17. Vice Versa (bonus track)-- this track was the second single from "Face Off" and was included as a bonus track on this album. It was one of the tightest tracks on Face Off with a nasty beat and some tight ass flows from both PT and Peter The Disciple.
Overall, I thought this album was decent. Pastor Troy still came with some hard ass songs and those were undoubtedly his best ones on the album. However, I wasn't really feelin the Timbaland tracks and a few others that just didn't really fit the style that he's created over the years. Is the album better than "We Ready..." or "Face Off"? I don't think so, but Pastor Troy fans out there will still like this album. It's still a decent album with an upgrade in production. So all the PT fans out there should cop it because you won't be disappointed.
Pastor Troy - Universal Soldier