Words By Trena Smith
Even before getting signed to Aftermath Records Brooklyn native Joell Ortiz's name has had a-buzz. The song "Mean Business," was featured on EA Sports' NBA Live 2005 soundtrack, and his "Who The F*ck Is Joell Ortiz," mixtape is the product that impressed Dr.Dre enough to want to sign him.With the release of his debut album The Brick: Bodega Chronicles, Ortiz poses a serious threat to any emcee making the mixtape-to-mainstream transition.
The 1st track, "125 Pt. 1 (The Bio)" is a third person account of Ortiz's struggle to rise to stardom with a simple, spittin in the basement, tape recorder and boombox, classic battlerap feel all the while bruising the competitions egos. The lead single "Hip Hop" is fire, as Ortiz highlights all that's good in hip-hop over touching piano keys.
Even though Joell is from Brooklyn many will have a hard time not making the Big-Pun comparisons. His tongue is sharp and slices with each flip. Styles P blesses the beginning of "Time is Money," and together they cover being broke in the trenches, that whole "get it how you live" state of mind. The album also features tracks teaming Ortiz with Akon, Big Noyd, Immortal Technique, La Bruja and others.
The 1st track, "125 Pt. 1 (The Bio)" is a third person account of Ortiz's struggle to rise to stardom with a simple, spittin in the basement, tape recorder and boombox, classic battlerap feel all the while bruising the competitions egos. The lead single "Hip Hop" is fire, as Ortiz highlights all that's good in hip-hop over touching piano keys.
Even though Joell is from Brooklyn many will have a hard time not making the Big-Pun comparisons. His tongue is sharp and slices with each flip. Styles P blesses the beginning of "Time is Money," and together they cover being broke in the trenches, that whole "get it how you live" state of mind. The album also features tracks teaming Ortiz with Akon, Big Noyd, Immortal Technique, La Bruja and others.
Although there are a lot of featured artists, overall, "The Brick" is a showcase of exactly what made Dr.Dre sign J.O. to Aftermath. Ortiz lyrically has more to offer than most, and has quality production on the album from The Alchemist, Novel, and Domingo among others.
Hip Hop has been hungry for an album so hot it plays from beginning to end, and Joell Ortiz has satisfied our appetites.
No comments:
Post a Comment