Witness Tha Realest throw back review

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Witness Tha Realest is the debut album by rapper Tha Realest. The album was released on July 14, 2009 by RBC Records/Team Dime Entertainment and distributed by E1 Music (formerly Koch Records).[2][3][4][5] Witness tha Realest' was delayed on several occasions due to the lack of a record distributor and the dissolution of Tru 'Dat' Entertainment. It features production from 1500 or Nothin', Blaqthoven, Mark Sparks, The, Mel-Man, Detail of Konvict Music, E. Poppi, DJ Domo of Rap-a-Lot Records, Alif, Marvin "Marvelous" Paige and Eric Reese.[citation needed] The album was a flop, selling nearly 1000 albums , one of the worst selling albums in history.



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Average User Rating:
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Source    Rating
HipHopDX    2/5 stars[1


To say this album is long overdue is an overwhelming understatement. Witness Tha Realest was originally said to be dropping a decade ago, held back by loyalty and an infamous label's demise. Patiently bubbling, Tha Realest [click to read], a Dallas native and Los Angeles transplant, reportedly took his rhymes away from Death Row after many years of bench work. With this album and a new label deal, Tha Realest's finally able to get in the game. However, the crowd has already given him a fair amount of criticism before his official initial run.

To discuss the similarities between Tha Realest and the late, great Tupac Shakur would be to engage in overly drawn out discourse. That's been going on since Realest's early work with Death Row was released. Still, ignoring this facet of the album would be irresponsible because the similarities are not only striking, but also unavoidable. As with knocks on flow-ripping, jabs at simplified rhyme patterns are legitimate. Still, commendable is the emcee's topical diversity from love ("N Luv Wit Ah Ghetto Gurl") and lust ("Number 1 Hoe") to disparity ("Mind of Ah Madman") and paranoia ("Y I Keep My Burna On Me"). With 17 cuts, he navigates through length by taking us back ("Memory Lane"), showing pride ("Tha Good Lyfe") and supplying street-generated dedications like "All or Nuthin," "When Ya Time Iz Up," and "Kuz It Just Ain't N U." Guests bring healthy breaks including notable appearances from Devin The Dude's [click to view] smooth crooning and Crooked I's [click to view] scene-stealing 16. WC [click to read], Fat Joe [click to read], Sean P. of The Youngbloodz [click to read], Yukmouth [click to read], Ray J [click to read] and E.D.I. Mean from The Outlawz [click to read] all contribute throughout.

Shove the vocal comparisons to the side when acknowledging beats. "Get It N," manned by Detail of Konvict Muzik, is a Pop-friendly beat that doesn't lose its edge, which is the perfect background for a first single. The electric guitar riff on "That's Juss Lyfe," incorporated with the soulful backing from Val Young's voice provides a peak on the disc in beats and rhymes. "Memory Lane" serves as a throwback worth the trip and the piano's gothic keys enhance the dark texture on "Y I Keep My Burna On Me." Still, many of the instrumental selections come from a few pages back in the calendar as "Ice Kold," "Number 1 Hoe" and "Grown Ass Man" all sound dated, making the seventeen cuts have many valleys to walk through.

Haunted by criticism, it's difficult for anyone to truly thrive within shadows. Living up to criticism and having less than stellar production doesn't help the cause. Despite all of this, Tha Realest does bring forth a platter full of different topics, which his fans may appreciate. After 10 years of waiting for this album to hit store shelves, it's hard not to commend the grind but it's almost as difficult to compliment the result.

Track listing
No.    Title    Producer(s)    Length    
1.    "Kuz It Juss Ain't N U"      Swiff 1500    5:11
2.    "Witness Tha Realest" (featuring Fat Joe)    Blaqthoven    4:52
3.    "N Luv Wit Ah Ghetto Gurl" (featuring J. Valentine)    Swiff 1500    3:54
4.    "Grown Ass Man" (featuring C-Bo)    Blaqthoven    4:19
5.    "That'z Juss Lyfe" (featuring Crooked I & Val Young)    Mark Sparks    4:50
6.    "Peep'N Game" (featuring Ray J)    The Underdogs    3:52
7.    "Memory Lane" (featuring Dyson)    E. Poppi    4:14
8.    "Sumthin Like a Pimp" (featuring Sean P & Devin the Dude)    DJ Domo    4:19
9.    "When Ya Time Iz Up"      Alif    4:13
10.    "Ice Kold" (featuring E.D.I. Mean)    Marvin Paige    4:47
11.    "Number 1 Hoe"      The Underdogs    4:14
12.    "Mind of Ah Madman" (featuring Yukmouth & WC)    Marvin Paige    4:48
13.    "Do What It Do" (featuring Dyson)    Alif    3:48
14.    "Get It N"      Detail    4:04
15.    "Y I Keep My Burna On Me"           4:17
16.    "Tha Good Lyfe"      Eric Reese    4:14
17.    "All Or Nothin'" (featuring 7)    Mel-Man    2:59