This was G-Slimm's first and last album as he was fatally shot in '96. The album is known as a classic in some southern rap circles, but how much of that has to do with his passing is something I would question.
If you remove the three bonus tracks, that are just clean versions of other songs on the album, this is a short album with a running time of 40-minutes.
The title track and opener is a good bouncy song but then it does take a while to have anything that is truly worth replays with the second half of the album being an improvement on the first. 'Gone in the Wind' was the first moment that made my ears prick up. It has such a catchy hook (the highlight of the album) that G-Slimm missed the boat in not giving it another loop. Other hooks could be better as well. 'Live to be a Man' has a familiar sample ('Curious' by Midnight Star, also sampled on Warren G's 'This D.J', 'What's on Your Mind' by Eric B. & Rakim and many others) and the verses bump, but the sung hook isn't mint. 'Mama Pray for Me' has a similar issue.
Something else worth noting is that Mystikal raps a verse on 'Back on My Block" that he would basically recite word for word in an improved performance, that is even more energetic, on 'I'm' from his solo album, 'Mind of Mystikal', that was released in '95.
There isn't a lot of bad hip hop from the mid-'90s, and this is another enjoyable project from arguably the greatest year, but some songs come and go and the best moments could be better. Being a short album, there isn't enough great stuff I've taken away from it.
Beats: ★★★☆
Rapping/Bars: ★★★☆
Hooks: ★★★
Best Tracks: Fours Deuces & Trays, Gone in the Wind, Live to be a Man
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