Bun B - II Trill
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Artist:
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Album:
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Track:Pop It 4 Pimp - (featuring Jr. Reid/Juvenile/Webbie)
*Rating:* 8 out of 10*The Good:* Everything is covered, hood anthems, social issues, cautionary tales, and booty music... you'll be pleased.*The Bad:* The production of Pimp C is missedUGK has been one of the most respected groups in hip hop music for the last umpteen years. The lyrical potency of Bun B mixed with the production skills and flavor Pimp C brought to the table created the perfect storm of dirty south rap. However, the sudden death of Pimp C in December 2007 brought an unfortunate end to an era. II Trill is Bun's first release since the incident and the interest of how Bun's music will change (if at all) is well documented. Will Bun address the dangers of sipping lean? What about the effects of losing beats from a longtime collaborator?
Upon my first listen, one of the things that immediately stuck out was the potential commercial appeal being higher than I expected. Don't get me wrong, the album is still dirty south music, but if you aren't necessarily a fan of south music you could get into this. "Good II Me" featuring Mya, and "I Luv That" are probably the two most blatant stabs at radio play on the album but they manage not to come off objectionable. The former samples *"Just Be Good To Me":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cajy5WSDd0* by the S.O.S. band, which I would have never thought I'd put in the same sentence with Bun B, the song works somehow.While Bun B did have the requisite heartfelt song dedicated to his partner in crime with "Angel In The Sky", Pimp C gets remembered in a manner he would have preferred on "Pop It 4 Pimp". This track is 100%-strip-club-BET-uncut-did-you-just-see-what-she-did-with-that-ping-pong-ball kind of music. I LOVE IT! Seriously, I almost wish I could be in Houston when this song comes on in the club because I know it would be F'n crazy. Just in case you aren't fully convinced that this is a fine piece of booty music, Webbie and Juvenile are featured on the track and it borrows heavily from the classic "Back Dat Azz Up"."Get Cha Issue" is hands down the best track on the album, if you ignore every other song on "II Trill" you *have* to play this one. The topic of the song is hypocrites, and how politicians, preachers, and crooked policemen can play a role in the destruction of inner cities. We're all used to the familiar story about how gang banging and drug selling is destroying the ghetto, but this song takes aim at the community leaders who refuse to help. Although "Get Cha Issue" doesn't offer any solutions, a few are posed later on the song "If It Was Up II Me" w/ Junior Reid."Damn I'm Cold" with Lil Wayne brings together teacher and student for a damned good reunion. An interesting tidbit I learned just before listening to this album.... Bun B helped teach Lil Wayne how to spit back in the mid 90s. Weezy made the claim last month in Blender Magazine, and Bun B confirmed the story just a few weeks later. Birdman put in a call to Bun B back in the day before Cash Money Records became a household name and asked if he'd give Wayne some pointers. Almost 15 years later, Wayne has the number 1 song in the country and is one of the most popular people in hip hop music, so I'd say the little lesson paid off.This album could have very easily been a jumbled mess due to the wide variety of sounds, guests, and topics featured throughout, but somehow the diverse material manages to place nicely. There are TONS of guests on this album, so it was very important for Bun to come through and take advantage on the songs where he had the stage to himself and he did just that. II Trill is definitely worth a listen for all hip hop fans, you'll almost certainly find something on the album you like.
Upon my first listen, one of the things that immediately stuck out was the potential commercial appeal being higher than I expected. Don't get me wrong, the album is still dirty south music, but if you aren't necessarily a fan of south music you could get into this. "Good II Me" featuring Mya, and "I Luv That" are probably the two most blatant stabs at radio play on the album but they manage not to come off objectionable. The former samples *"Just Be Good To Me":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cajy5WSDd0* by the S.O.S. band, which I would have never thought I'd put in the same sentence with Bun B, the song works somehow.While Bun B did have the requisite heartfelt song dedicated to his partner in crime with "Angel In The Sky", Pimp C gets remembered in a manner he would have preferred on "Pop It 4 Pimp". This track is 100%-strip-club-BET-uncut-did-you-just-see-what-she-did-with-that-ping-pong-ball kind of music. I LOVE IT! Seriously, I almost wish I could be in Houston when this song comes on in the club because I know it would be F'n crazy. Just in case you aren't fully convinced that this is a fine piece of booty music, Webbie and Juvenile are featured on the track and it borrows heavily from the classic "Back Dat Azz Up"."Get Cha Issue" is hands down the best track on the album, if you ignore every other song on "II Trill" you *have* to play this one. The topic of the song is hypocrites, and how politicians, preachers, and crooked policemen can play a role in the destruction of inner cities. We're all used to the familiar story about how gang banging and drug selling is destroying the ghetto, but this song takes aim at the community leaders who refuse to help. Although "Get Cha Issue" doesn't offer any solutions, a few are posed later on the song "If It Was Up II Me" w/ Junior Reid."Damn I'm Cold" with Lil Wayne brings together teacher and student for a damned good reunion. An interesting tidbit I learned just before listening to this album.... Bun B helped teach Lil Wayne how to spit back in the mid 90s. Weezy made the claim last month in Blender Magazine, and Bun B confirmed the story just a few weeks later. Birdman put in a call to Bun B back in the day before Cash Money Records became a household name and asked if he'd give Wayne some pointers. Almost 15 years later, Wayne has the number 1 song in the country and is one of the most popular people in hip hop music, so I'd say the little lesson paid off.This album could have very easily been a jumbled mess due to the wide variety of sounds, guests, and topics featured throughout, but somehow the diverse material manages to place nicely. There are TONS of guests on this album, so it was very important for Bun to come through and take advantage on the songs where he had the stage to himself and he did just that. II Trill is definitely worth a listen for all hip hop fans, you'll almost certainly find something on the album you like.
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