Author Topic: Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow Review!!  (Read 726 times)

Nima - Dubcnn.com

Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow Review!!
« on: May 12, 2002, 09:18:01 AM »
Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow



This allbum, released in 1999, was basically created by ex-Deathrow Inmates, who wanted to get together and bring this project to life, and of course to introduce new talent to the Rap Game. The head of the project was Big Low Life, the CEO of Low Life Records, supported by Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Big C-Style, RBX, Soopafly, Tray Deee & Bad Azz. The album was released on Low Life Records. I will do a track by track review and will try to get into some details.


1. Low Life Intro - The intro,  a little speech by Low Life and supported with RnB vocals by Costie Payne. He basically introduced Low Life Records to the world. The word Unity is dominant and this shows how this record was put together with love, it wasnt something that they had to do, they wanted to do it themselves. Nice Intro, no need to rate it though.

2. Back On The Smash - This Blaqthoven produced track is a perfect way to start the album. It features Kurupt, Tray Deee and a new artist called Q. Kurupts starts off this track with a dope verse over this BANGIN beat. This is a really dope kurupt verse, i wish he would still rap like this. His flow is agressive, which makes it even better. He does the chorus himself. Then he continues the track himself by startin the second verse. Then, female rapper Q joins the track and lays down a furious verse. Her voice aint all that but its alright. After this, Tray Deee spits some knowledge. Check This Out Big Low Life, I Been Remembered As The Hardest Since I Hit The Set/To It Rugged Coz I Love It Represent The Gat/Wayniac Sayniac From That Wild Wild East/Not The Coast But The Side Of Eastside Long Beach/I Been In It Since The Jumpstreet/Same Gang That I Claim And I Bang For 21 Street. All three artists show that they are hungry and rap from their heart. Especially Kurupt who really came dope. I gotta say sumthin bout the beat again. Blaqthoven, who produced the majority of this album, really did great work on this beat. It fits the artists perfectly and makes you wanna listen to the rest of the album even more. Then, when you think the track is over, Young Gotti takes the mic again: Bomb Weed Smoked Out G'd Up Loc'd Out Westcoast To Smoke N Rollin Locin/Portland Oregon, LA Bound/Long Beach Style Wit A Dick In Yo Mouth. Back On The Smash, Gangstas Don't Talk We Blast, C-Walk Stomp We Blast. Actin All Hard And Bad You Good Nigga, Snatch That Niggas Chain He Aint From THe Hood Nigga. He just ends this bangin track.  5/5

3. What Cha Gonna Do - Daz Dillinger and Cognac make their first appearance on another Blaqthoven track. In the begginin of the track, its juss Cognac leavin a message on daz's phone, tellin him to hook up and shit. Then the beat and her verse  start at the same time. You immediatly notice the laid back feel of the beat and Cognac flows like a mutha on this one. And I like her voice too which is not always the case with female MC's (Legacy, Q..). Daz does the chorus: Damn You, Keep Doin What U Do, Be Yourself And Always Stay Ture, Keep Doin What You Do Tell Me What You WAnna Do. Then he kicks in with his verse and its a real dope, chillin verse, perfectly fittin the beat. He basically tells everybody to do what they really wanna do, not to change coz of somebody else and shit. Then after the chorus, Cognac and Daz drop their second verses. They dont say anything new but they flow real well and a good chill track. Daz does some talkin durin the end of the track and ends a n allover dope track.  4.25/5

4. Here We Go Now - This track, performaed by Daz Dillinger and Hit, From Tha LBC was later on released on Daz's Who Ride Wit Us Compilation too. Another Blaqthoven production and WOW its a dope azz beat!! Gangsta shit ;D Daz sings the chorus, and i  think he pulls it off real dope. It goes Here We Go Now, And when You See Me On THe Street Doin My Thang Dont Holla My Name Loud. Then Hit starts the track. They Call Me Hit And Im Still The Shit/Let's Do The Clown On NIggaz When I Come Around/Holdin It Down In The Cut. He got a real nice flow and im feelin his rappin. He really flows good and i'd like to hear an album by him coz he got mad talent. After the chorus, Daz spits some fire on his own verse. He flows like always, and it sounds tight as fuck. In my opinio, this is an awesome verse but Hits was on the same level. Hit lays down another verse and its even better than his first one. Low Life does some talkin in the end of the track, juss shouts out all the Low Lifes and thanks them to help this project happen. Nice track, tight raps and dope beat.  4.5/5

5. Do Your Thing - This is Crooked I's first appearance, and Hit is featured again. The hook is handled by Ric. This time, the beat is provided by Wayne-D, who did a great job. It's a hard hitting beat, but the melody still smoothes it a bit down. Crooked I spits the first verse. As usual, he breaks it down with fast raps and dope wordplay. A dope azz verse and crooked I fits the track real good. The chorus is nuthin special. Hit then spits some shit that makes you really curious in this cat. At some point, he mixes his rappin wit a lil bit of singin and it sounds dope. Then, he juss spits another verse and WOW some REAL heat!! His flow is awesome and he flips the words as if he was an OG in this game. Can't believe he hasnt been signed to a major label. Crooked I and Hit really ripped the mic and were more than worthy of rappin over this dope hard hittin beat. 4.75./5

6. Uh-Oh - Now most people heard crooked I on this track for the first time. And its probly my favorite Crooked I track ever. This amazing beat, laced by Tim Nitz is juss so dope. The beat got an unbelievable energy in itself. I just love the melody of this track. This live orchestra playin.. just WOW.Crooked I starts his first verse and immediatly flows and rips the fuckin mic to fuckin shreds. He raps like a mutha and cant be stopped. He juss so dope. Bein The Ghetto Represetin If I Am/Im Garanteed To Slam When I Drops That Woopty Wopbam/Somebody Stop Me From Poppin I Be Goddamn/Im At The Khop Shop Gettin My Drop Top Slammed/Im Hotter Than Im Skilly/Grabbin The Mic To Kill It Kill It The Village Wit The Illest Lyrics I Fill This On My Skill List The Realest Accent That I Posses, Its Crooked I Takin Over The West Yes. He litteraly rips the mic. His energy on the mic is really tight. The chorus is off the meatrack too! Its The C R Double Uh O Uh O K E D. He continues with the second verse the same way he finished the first one. Not many MC's could stepped to this. It seems as if he could continue to flow for hours. This is the track that really made me feel crooked I. 5/5

7. Now That Im Older - Young Life & Lil C Style Perform This Track, along with Hit from Tha LBC doin the Bridge. This is another Blaqthoven produced cut. The beat is as usual a dope cut, with a nice feel to it. Blaqthoven really did a amazin job on this album.The chorus is sang by them together. Young Life starts the track with fast rappin and a dope flow. Im feelin his voice too. Lil C Style then does his verse and IMO its not his best verse, but deffinatly dope. But he has been better. Then Hit does the Brodge and i gotta say its DOPE. After that, both Young Life & C Style drop another, doper second verse. Overall a dope track.  4/5

8. We're Gonna Party - Once again, Blaqthoven laced a beat. This time its Silva Satin and Rudd Dogg rappin and Blaqtoven himself does the hook. The beat has got a relaxed feel to it and the chorus is dope. Ruff Dogg starts the track with a nice verse. His voice is special, but its tight. His flow is damn good and thats why his rappin doesnt sound irritatin. Silva Satin then takes the mic and lays down a real laid back verse. In An Oridnary Fashion Flashin Mashin For Paper/In The Mist Of Money Makers PLaya Haters and Fakers/We Gon Keep It G When We Come Together/Makin Dollas Poppin Collas Multiplyin Cheddar Forever. The good thing in this album till now is that the beats fit the raps real well. After that, Ruff Dogg has another verse and lays it down correctly again. Nice track 4/5

9. Rollin Wit Low Life - This is the ultimate Low Life track, featuring non other than Bad Azz, Young Life & Hit From The LBC. The Hook is handled again by Blaqthoven, who produced the track again. Again a dope beat, with a relaxed smooth feelin to it. Bad Azz starts it off and spits a tight verse. Altho its not his best verse because he raps pretty slow, he still comes off nice. IMO Bad Azz is best when he raps fast. Young Life then drops his verse. Like on the other track, his flow is correct and he has nice lyrics. Then comes the chorus again and im ready for Hit to do his thing. He is deffinatly the best one on the track. He flows and raps nice and his lyrics are good. But i still got the feelin that the tracks are gettin slightly weaker now. Hope i'll be proved wrong. Nice track but nobody really SHINED on here. 3.75/5

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by 1034398800 »
 

Nima - Dubcnn.com

Re: Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow Review!
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2002, 09:18:23 AM »
10. Life - This one, again produced by Blaqthoven, is with female MC Q and the hook is handled by Young Life and Silva Satin. The beat has got a futuristic to it, like somethin you would hear from Fred Wreck. It goes off beat and sounds real dope. The chorus is really annoyin tho, i dont feel it at all. Q then starts the track. Like I said, i dont feel her voice. But I can't front on her flow and her delivery. But I'm not feelin the chorus at all and this brings down the track for me. But Q gets dope throughout the track and she raps real fast durin her second verse and damn wow lol she gets tighter. Her message basically is that if she would give a damn what people say, she wouldnt make it in this world. She got some dope wordplay and lyrics in this track and this makes the track dope. 4/5

11. Hittin Fo' - We have got the first appearance of Soopa Doopa Fly who collaborates with Hit From Tha LBC. The beat is awesome, a funky beat produced by Soopafly himself. I love this beat. Some real funky shit. Hit starts the track and rips the mic with his dope delivery. He is real dope on this track. The chorus is off the heezy too! Im feelin this. This is a party type track. A fast beat and the rappers fit the beat good. Hit does the second verse too and damn this dude is H-O-T!! His flow is unfadable and he raps like a muthafucka! Sope dope dope shit right here. Now i wanna hear what Soopa has to say. Wow he starts the verse. DAMN lol he's so dope he raps at his best!! His flow is amazin and he drops some gangsta pimp lyrics. His verse is pretty short but its HOOTTT. I love this track. 4.75/5

12. Dance Wit Me - Another Q Solo, with the hook handled by Ebony-E & Toni Hill. To be honest i dont feel this Daz an Soopafly beat. I know their pottential and its far from their best. Q raps pretty fast again but her flow lacks at times in this track. But its good to hear the energy she puts into her rap. Like The Lady Of Rage, you can see that the lyrics come from heart. But i dont know what it is.. I just dont feel Q too much. Its most probably her voice :-/ but i cant front on her delivery so i gotta give this track a 3.25/5

13. They May Fuck Wit U - This is my anticipated Solo track by Soopafly. He produced it himself. And the fuckin beat is off the fuckn meatrack! Wow a BANGIN beat that makes you bob your head. Soopafly raps like he always does, gangsta lyrics and pimp style. Damn you gotta love this. He juss flows so good on this track. Only thing that could be better would be if he would be a little more agressive to fit the beat a bit more, like he did on Hell Yeah (produced by Daz Dillinger). Soopafly doesnt send any special message or kick some deep knowledge, its just a pure gangsta track, like are used from the pimp of the crew. Im S Double O Pimp For The P A For The Ass I Slap FL For Fuck Loosin, I Chose Y Coz I Get High, Niggaz Fuck Wit Me And Watch Me Stick My Verbal Abuse, Ridin Thru Then We Burn It For You. Anyway a dope track and Soopafly lays it down Pimp style. 4.5/5

14. Flip Side - The last track of this album features Ex-DR Inmate RBX and new artist Silva Satin. Blaqthoven produced this cut. The beat is pretty dark, RBX style but is still good to bounce. Silva Satin starts the track and lays down his third verse on this album. And its a bangin one. He sounds agressive, makes it pretty hard for RBX to step up on his level. RBX does the second verse. He starts a little bit slower,but his flow is dope as fuck. Then he speeds up and it gets even tighter. After the chorus, i was waitin for Silva to take the mic to RBX doesnt stop! He lays down another verse! Its hot like the others. As usual on RBX tracks, he talks at the end.  Again, the beat and raps fit together real good and a dope azz track comes out of it.  4.5/5


Album Rating: 4.25/5



This album, was again a goldmine for new talent. The big names in the rap game, escaped from Death Row, wanted to send out a positive message with this album. The booklet itself showed that to the fullest. In there, rappers just left their message, like Kurupt ("Make a profit in Rap and stay out of Jail") or Daz ("Put a Mic in your hand, not a gun. Stay out of prison"), Tray Deee ("If anyone knows, I do. Thirteen years is a long time. If music is your ticket out of jail then take it"). The thank you list is the biggest on i've ever seen for an album. And this shows with how much love this was put together. To the ratings. This album has two undeniable classics, Back On The Smash and Crooked I's masterpiece, Uh Oh. Two or Three tracks arent all that but its all above aberage. Thats why i give this album a 4.25/5 as a rating for the whole album. I recommend everybody to check this out coz its deffinately worth it.

Holla.
Peace
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by 1034398800 »
 

lbc213

Re: Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow Review!
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2002, 09:30:51 AM »
Well I am gonna print this review out & read it when I m on the "shitter" cause this is a loooong azz review  ;D.

Without readin I already know that it will be as good as the first one, big props to the homie nima.


peeeeeez



-lbc213-
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by 1034398800 »
 

infinite59

  • Guest
Re: Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow Review!
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2002, 09:46:26 AM »
Dope, and detailed review........ I think their was a knockoff release of this album a few years back, with all artists who got out of jail, that were no names.......

Tight review, I would of loved this album a couple years ago, I've kind of gotten away from the west coast though.  Besides Snoop, Dre, X to da Z, 2pac, and Rass
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by 1034398800 »
 

Doggystylin

  • Guest
Re: Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow Review!
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2002, 09:52:00 AM »
that shit was so damn long, i read some of it but ill have to print it and read the rest later, anyways i got this album back in 99, i remember that day too, it was after school, i was wit my papa, lol, and he took a long time at work and i had to help so i got some mcdonalds and then i got to go pick up a cd, lol ahhhhh i rememer those days.....way back in the day....nowdays i dont get the same treatment, lol, anyways now more about the album, it was tight man, i liked it, it reminded me of the c style album cause it was a bunch of no named foolz rappin, i liked this album but liked the 19th street one better
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by 1034398800 »
 

Smooth

Re: Various Artists - Escape From Deathrow Review!
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2002, 11:47:22 AM »
DOPE review Nima... i liked how detailed you made it, props...

Peace
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by 1034398800 »
"Nigga what up now?. you act like a bitch, you bound to get fucked, you trick ass snitch!" - Snoop Dogg - "Buck Em"

"Stranded on death row for pumpin slug's in muthafucka's" - Kurupt - "Stranded on Death Row"

Here's a message to the youngsters today,standing by you can die - Nate Dogg - "One More Day"

Battle Record 1-0