Sky Balla - Tycoon Status (2008)

One of the records I listened most to this year was San Francisco artist and former member of Tha Gamblaz - Sky Balla’s Tycoon Status. I didn’t post it here as soon as I discovered it was banging. I figured the dude needed as many people as possible to actually buy his record. He was up for trial for drug trafficking or something, he didn’t do well. He got sentenced to a shitload of years in jail, I don’t know how many. I just read about it on some blog.

Anyway, a few days ago I uploaded it for Simon, I had previously sent him one of the songs and he wanted to hear the rest. Would be a terrible waste not to share that link with the twelve people who check goodolelove each week (counting those who just google one of the albums I posted, download it and forget they where ever here). I’m starting to think pausing the posting for a year or however long it’s been has affected the number of readers.

This is pretty much what I told Simon about the record, and I’m supposed to be studying so I’ll just translate it and leave it like it is. After first hearing Tycoon Status back in April or maybe May, I didn’t do what I usually do when I hear a good record, listen to it five enjoyable times and then go on to more recent music. I kept listening to it the entire summer and most of the autumn. Why? It’s just a dumb motherfucker making music. He sort of reminds me of DJ Kahled really. The record is about materialism, money, the business of purchasing and selling cocaine and self love. Those are topics I can relate to (all but one). He also have a song about a girl, he declares his love and than excuses his “super-model fetish”. You gotta like that.

Other good things about the record, best described in a proper list:
1. He calls the guy who used to talk about pimping on old E-40 records and let that conversation be the intro.
2. He has a song with Hell Rell.
3. He has a song with Slick Pulla, also he sample Young Jeezy several times.
4. The guy who sung the chorus on “I got five on it” is on the album.
5. Bay love, San Quinn, E-40, Turf Talk and Mistah F.A.B. are great features. Turf Talk has the best verse on the album

Sky Balla- Tycoon Status (2008)
(sorry, no zip or rar, my internet situation is horrible, haven't been able to upload any bigger files in months, it's all on there thoguh)

1. Free Mac Minister (Intro)
2. For Da Streets
3, Stay Grindin
4. I Go
5. Direct Connect (ft Hell Rell)
6. Lets Talk Money
7. Creep With You (ft Tynisha Keli)
8. Posted At The Bar (ft Cassidy & Willie Hen)
9. I'm About Mine (ft Mike Mashall)
10. Mobbin All Day (ft San Quinn & E-40)
11. Whats Crackin
12. Need A Bigga Room (ft Blu Davinci)
13. U.S.D.A. Interview With Big Von
14. I Ride (ft Slick Pulla)
15. Hit Me On My Cheap (ft Turf Talk)
16. Tycoon Status
17. Mobbin All Day (ft Mistha F.A.B.)

Rollin Rollin Rollin We Ain't Slept In Weeks

Damn!

The Block Beataz is really doing it. I checked out a couple of more Slow Motion Soundz releases, like this Jackie Chain mixtape from this year. And a Jhi Ali mixtape from last year. This song might just be the tytest I heard all year! Just listen.

From Jackie Chain's 2008 mixtape, pic above.. I don't really know how to split the track up in two indivdual songs, so just deal with the slash (back-slash?)

Jackie Chain - Rollin (Remix)(ft Attitude & Rich Boy) / Rollin ('08 Remix)(ft Jhi Ali)

And here's the verison I found of last years Jhi Ali mixtape. I don't know why the don't let the tracks just be their own mp3s, another slash.

Jhi Ali - So Blowed / Rollin (ft Jackie Chain)

And the Diplo remix off the Hunts Vegas tape.

Jackie Chain - Rollin (ft Jhi Ali)(Diplo Remix)

I really don't know which mix I like the best. I'm feeling the one with Attitude and Rich Boy right now, it's a bit rawer, no lady singing sample, less remixed really.

Speaking of Attitude, if you get ahold of it, or if I decide to upload it, give his 1997 record a listen. It's whortwhile.

G-Side - Starshipz & Rocketz

I just found out about this album a few days ago, and the group for that matter, and it totally blew me away. The production is way cleaner and more thought thru than the typical low-budget southern hip hop I’m used to. I don’t know who’s involved with this, but it sounds like they have an experienced recording artist somewhere in the mix, how could it otherwise sound so good? Are they plain and simply this talented? Or did they get some instructions from the Paper Route Gangsta’z affiliate and big time DJ/producers Diplo&Benzi? Who knows..

Who are G-Side even? I’ll have to google it, hold on.. Yes, luckily, they got their whole story and background up on myspace. It’s a duo consisting of ST 2 Lettaz and Young Clovah. They grew up in Lil Athens, Alabama, and they seam to stay in Huntsville. They both grew up in poverty and all kinds of misery, homelessness and family drug abuse and such. Then they became rappers, released one joint previous to Starshipz & Rocketz. Apparently G-Side previously worked with a producer called CP, and for this record, C.P. team up with Mali Boi to become the prodcution team The Block Beataz, which produced this entire record. Great work! I will go search the internets for more of their work right now. Until now I've given Diplo&Benzi most of the credit for the PRG'z songs I've heard. This record shows these producers are fully potent of making great music, without the help of hipster DJ's.

Anyway, this is one of the best albums I’ve heard this year. The fact that I even keep listening to it when Scarface just leaked, San Quinn and E-40 is out, Draped Up & Chipped Out 3 is on the internet, and still I keep listening to G-Side! Do yourself a favor and check this out. This is the kind of experience that makes me still check out music from artists I’m not already familiar with. Every now and then you stumble upon gold, like Playboy Tre earlier and G-Side now. Enjoy!

G-Side – Starshipz & Rocketz (2008)

2008.11.10
Huntsville, Alabama

1. Lift Off
2. Starshipz & Rocketz (ft Adrienne)
3. Youth of The Ghetto
4. G S I D E R
5. One Stack
6, Stricktly Buzinezz (ft Mali Boi & The Speed of The Sound Choir)
7. We Own Da Building
8. Gihad Speaks
9. Rubba Bandz (ft Big P.O.P.E. & The Speed of The Sound Choir)
10, Swanin (ft Darrien & The Speed of The Sound Choir)
11. Minute Away (ft Jackie Chain & Lyrix)
12. Back of The Chevy (ft Mali Boi & The Speed of The Sound Choir)
13. Hit Da Block (ft Shyft)
14, Everywhere I Go (ft Lance, Whosane & Adrienne)
15. Speed of Sound
16. Run Thingz

Label: Slowmotion Soundz
Myspace: myspace.com/gside74
The Block Beataz
The Block Beataz interview