2008 Woodie Awards
CD Review: Harlem's American Gangster
3 stars
Vanessa White
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: FUSE
Originally published: 2/28/08 at 3:50 PM EST
Last update: 2/28/08 at 6:00 PM EST
This upbeat, yet chill mixtape is inspiring and controversial, giving listeners vicarious insight into the life of a so-called gangster.
The intro basically equates being an American gangster with being from Harlem.
Dash states, "N***as wanna be like a Harlem n***a."
He goes on to talk about a Harlem gangster never betraying his friends, having plenty of females, and copping cars by pushing.
The second track has a happy tune, giving listeners a longing for the sunshine. It reminds everyone that, yes, Jim Jones is the king of Harlem.
He does show humbleness near the end when he shouts out to a fallen soldier, naming him the king of Harlem, as well.
Track three, has a buck beat. This track allows listeners to feel for Jones as he implies that life doesn't love him. Track four is a skit by Dame Dash about coming up in the 80s. He describes it as being "like a scene."
On Fridays, they would kick it up on the rooftop, Saturdays go to the roller rink, and at night, head over to Willy Burger, where everyone flossed in new cars.
Cuts five and six glorify the same themes of paper chasing and doing so by any means necessary. Jones drops, "Circled the block/ you play track and field/ a lot of n***as on that track I killed."
Track seven is a continuation of the former skit by Dash. "Use to go to Chile's/ But someone shot it up./ That was real Harlem."
He reminds listeners that dudes from Harlem are the most fly. "As far as I'm concerned/ fresh is contagious, and I'm sick with it."
Track eight is about a takeover. Jones, Noe Ecken and Oshy apparently desire two more blocks to give their kingdom more status.
Cut nine highlights the importance of money to Jones. "More Money, more problems./ We in the streets and we hungry up in Harlem."
Dash even goes so far as to contrast money with a female. "Fast paper is like a b**** in the club./ It looks good from afar but then you get up close…"
Track 10 is another continuation of Dash's skit. He won't let listeners get away from the essentiality of being fresh.
He prides himself in being influential, claiming that when his crew and himself enter a room, other males are happy to bite Dash's moves, but sad because the crew is taking all the women. "We give 'em back," he promises, encouraging the males to cheer up.
Track 11 reinstates the difficulty of living in Harlem. Cut 13 highlights the life of a hustler and exalts pulling females by Jones flaunting the dough he holds.
Dash's last skit is track 14. He establishes that a Harlem gangster must hustle and brag, "Don't think a Harlem n***a can only sell one thing/ we can do it all."
Track 15 has a beat so banging, some listeners won't want to focus on the words.
Inspiring? Worthless?
You decide.
The intro basically equates being an American gangster with being from Harlem.
Dash states, "N***as wanna be like a Harlem n***a."
He goes on to talk about a Harlem gangster never betraying his friends, having plenty of females, and copping cars by pushing.
The second track has a happy tune, giving listeners a longing for the sunshine. It reminds everyone that, yes, Jim Jones is the king of Harlem.
He does show humbleness near the end when he shouts out to a fallen soldier, naming him the king of Harlem, as well.
Track three, has a buck beat. This track allows listeners to feel for Jones as he implies that life doesn't love him. Track four is a skit by Dame Dash about coming up in the 80s. He describes it as being "like a scene."
On Fridays, they would kick it up on the rooftop, Saturdays go to the roller rink, and at night, head over to Willy Burger, where everyone flossed in new cars.
Cuts five and six glorify the same themes of paper chasing and doing so by any means necessary. Jones drops, "Circled the block/ you play track and field/ a lot of n***as on that track I killed."
Track seven is a continuation of the former skit by Dash. "Use to go to Chile's/ But someone shot it up./ That was real Harlem."
He reminds listeners that dudes from Harlem are the most fly. "As far as I'm concerned/ fresh is contagious, and I'm sick with it."
Track eight is about a takeover. Jones, Noe Ecken and Oshy apparently desire two more blocks to give their kingdom more status.
Cut nine highlights the importance of money to Jones. "More Money, more problems./ We in the streets and we hungry up in Harlem."
Dash even goes so far as to contrast money with a female. "Fast paper is like a b**** in the club./ It looks good from afar but then you get up close…"
Track 10 is another continuation of Dash's skit. He won't let listeners get away from the essentiality of being fresh.
He prides himself in being influential, claiming that when his crew and himself enter a room, other males are happy to bite Dash's moves, but sad because the crew is taking all the women. "We give 'em back," he promises, encouraging the males to cheer up.
Track 11 reinstates the difficulty of living in Harlem. Cut 13 highlights the life of a hustler and exalts pulling females by Jones flaunting the dough he holds.
Dash's last skit is track 14. He establishes that a Harlem gangster must hustle and brag, "Don't think a Harlem n***a can only sell one thing/ we can do it all."
Track 15 has a beat so banging, some listeners won't want to focus on the words.
Inspiring? Worthless?
You decide.
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