Z-Ro - Angel Dust (October 2nd)

[Echo Leader]

Pretty sure Hacksaw and I are the only folks anticipating this album:

1. Never Been
2. These Days
3. I Just Wanna Say
4. Truth Is
5. Dicc On U (featuring B.G.)
6. Love It (featuring Lil' Flea)
7. Phuq With Me
8. Young Ni**a
9. Time
10. Heaven
11. Jaccers Wanna Know (featuring Mike D)
12. Take My Time (featuring Lil Flip)
13. When I Get Free
14. Today

Album snippets @ Amazon

Anyone else looking forward to this? Rumor has it that this might be Ro's last album for Rap-A-Lot, though he might owe them as many as two more (This is completely unverified, just a number I've seen thrown around on Texas Takeover). The samples that Amazon has up sound pretty promising; I'm hoping for a Meth-level release and anything better would just be icing on the cookie. Honestly though, I have no clue what to make of Ro's output post-Cocaine, considering everything that went on with the Cocaine mixtape, his comments regarding Rap-A-Lot and their lack of promotion, the dated "Kobe" reference on Heroin, the shite-ass mixtapes that he's dropped over the past couple of years (Relvis Presley, Mo City Playaz, 5200), etc. The biggest thing to me is the blatant recycling of lyrics, hooks, and themes on the "my music is a drug" records. This is something Ro's always done (he was recycling hooks from Guerilla Maab's first album on King of Da Ghetto, for chrissakes), but it seems like the last few albums have all contained some interpolation of "I Hate U Bitch" or the "I never had love for a bitch / I'm about my money..." line. Anywho, all of this shit just stinks of Rap-A-Lot putting a muzzle on Ro until they get their contractually-obligated albums out of him (or, more than likely, out of what they've got sitting around on various hard drives).

I guess this is all moot because I'm still going to buy the record. I'll always fuck with Ro (:pause:) as the dude is one of my favorite rappers currently putting in work but y'know, I really can't wait until the Rap-A-Lot contract is up. Who knows though, I could be way off base and Ro is just creatively bankrupt and smoked/bo'ed the fuck out of his mind. I just want him to start making music like this again:

[blastmaster]

Nice to see Flea get some shine.

[Echo Leader]

Nice to see Flea get some shine.

Considering Ro shouts out Street Military on a grip of songs and talks about them as one of his biggest influences, I think it's fucking dope that he and Ro got on a song together.

[Larry2times]

This is something Ro's always done (he was recycling hooks from Guerilla Maab's first album on King of Da Ghetto, for chrissakes), but it seems like the last few albums have all contained some interpolation of "I Hate U Bitch" or the "I never had love for a bitch / I'm about my money..." line.

I otherwise agree and Rap-A-Lot are clearly digging through the scraps but his re-use of the G-Maab "when I die I hope I see jesus christ" shit is his own version of Audio Two w/Top Billin & Mystikal w/Yall Aint Ready Yet where its more of a signature he flips/builds off than it is lazy recycling. That said, he does lazily recycle other stuff way too much.

I hope to god he breaks loose of J's clutches but I still think this album might be decent, as sloppy as his last few were they always have a good handful of gems.

[A Kid]

Z-Ro is def one of those artists that i was checking for heavy out of high school and shortly after i gave up completely because of the never being sure what the product would be. If sound-wise its comparable to Vs Joseph McVay or Let The Truth Be Told then im cool..but he hasnt released anythign that caliber in a long time...a couple songs here and there but overall not much.


lol ima be singing that "iii never had love for a niggaaaa, im about my moneyyyy" all day now

[Nav]

Been bumpin' These Days for a while.

[Brokewax]

Been waiting on this one as well. These last couple albums (Meth/Angel Dust) were all announced over 2 years ago (fake cover art and all). I wouldn't doubt he's just scraping the bottom of the barrel to get out of his current situation & drop better stuff elsewhere. Still, with Ro there's always great stuff to contrast the weaker songs. Not sure if he's got another "The Life of Joseph W. Mcvey" in him, but let's hope so.

[Nav]

What's Z-ro's best material ? Looking for mellow, introspective type of songs.

[ANU]

"let the truth be told" & "crack"

[Echo Leader]

"let the truth be told" & "crack"

These are great and all but I would say that out of the Rap-A-Lot material, I'm Still Livin' is the most solid as far as introspective/emotional songs, and selecting from Ro's RAL albums doesn't do justice to the first 4 or 5 solo albums (Look What You Did To Me, Z-Ro Vs. The World, etc); and that's to say nothing of the ABN records and the first Guerilla Maab tape.

Nav, give me a minute and I'll put together a mix for you. I'm in iPod mode at work today so I'll start building a playlist and try to upload something tomorrow.

[Larry2times]

In order of preference:

Let The Truth Be Told
The Life of Joseph W. McVey
ABN - It Is What It Is (especially if you include the original versions that were scrapped on the retail)
Guerilla Maab - Rise
Cocaine mixtape
Crack
then Id say go chronologically with the ones left over, all of his albums are worth checking though really. I just think those are the most consistent and he was in his prime while working with Mike Dean, Mr Lee etc

Agreed on Im Still Livin being your best bet for morose loner Ro though.

[Echo Leader]

In order of preference:

Let The Truth Be Told
The Life of Joseph W. McVey
ABN - It Is What It Is (especially if you include the original versions that were scrapped on the retail)
Guerilla Maab - Rise
Cocaine mixtape
Crack
then Id say go chronologically with the ones left over, all of his albums are worth checking though really. I just think those are the most consistent and he was in his prime while working with Mike Dean, Mr Lee etc

Agreed on Im Still Livin being your best bet for morose loner Ro though.

Really, there are two sides to Z-Ro: technical, introspective fast-rap Ro over cheap-ass beats (pre-Life of Joseph W. McVey) and bo'ed out croonin'-ass Ro over ridiculous Mike Dean beats (post-McVey). There's certainly overlap (see "King of Da Ghetto" from McVey, "Smoker's Anthem", etc) but really it depends on what I feel like listening to on any given day.

[Larry2times]

Definitely. Youre not really fucking with Rother Vandross unless you fuck with the early budget fast rap stuff too.

Unless your definition of a real Z-Ro fan is MAYNHOLUP which is too high a standard to maintain. Speaking of mayn he seemed to drop off the map around the time Ro's label issues started really messing with his output hes not unlike a barrometer/weathermayn

[chump change]

I think we talked about it before.. but a thread about z ro feats where he does the hooks could be worthwhile.. him and devin have a pretty impressive record of chrushin hooks

[Echo Leader]

barrometer/weathermayn

I think we talked about it before.. but a thread about z ro feats where he does the hooks could be worthwhile.. him and devin have a pretty impressive record of chrushin hooks

There is a "Z-Ro hooks" thread from some years back where CFA posted up a mix...pretty sure the link is dead tho.

Here's the thread: http://www.philaflava.com/forum/viewtop ... 6&start=60

[chump change]

^LOL @ My boosie/webbie prediction... always funny to read threads that i know i was high as i was posting

[Sucka Ducka]

Pretty sure Hacksaw and I are the only folks anticipating this album:

Yeah the snippets sound pretty good, "Meth" had some joints, if it's on that level it will be dope. I loved "Crack", "Cocaine" was pretty good (could have been better if they had included "Respect Somethin" and some other joints that were cut)...

Still play Joseph Wayne McVeigh, Still Livin', Let the Truth Be Told all the time, and those are favorites (plus "Crack")... Plus there's cuts on all the other albums, ABN and Guerilla Maab and plenty of guest verses - put together a nice "Best of" for friends - although I listen to Ro so much at this point I'm pretty sure my friends don't even need that shit, they hear it enough around me.

I love what he's doing now and I think he's refined his style in a lot of ways, but I'd still love to hear some of that old style come out - too bad Angel Dust doesn't seem to have more of that rawness I was hoping for. He should really stop dropping those shitty mixtapes though - it would probably be good for him to get off RAL.

Somebody needs to write a Southern rap/RAL type book.

[Echo Leader]

Still play Joseph Wayne McVeigh, Still Livin', Let the Truth Be Told all the time, and those are favorites (plus "Crack")... Plus there's cuts on all the other albums, ABN and Guerilla Maab and plenty of guest verses - put together a nice "Best of" for friends - although I listen to Ro so much at this point I'm pretty sure my friends don't even need that shit, they hear it enough around me.

to this too, I'm interested to know what's on your personal Best Of tape, man (mayne).

[ANU]

"let the truth be told" & "crack"

These are great and all but I would say that out of the Rap-A-Lot material, I'm Still Livin' is the most solid as far as introspective/emotional songs, and selecting from Ro's RAL albums doesn't do justice to the first 4 or 5 solo albums (Look What You Did To Me, Z-Ro Vs. The World, etc); and that's to say nothing of the ABN records and the first Guerilla Maab tape.

Nav, give me a minute and I'll put together a mix for you. I'm in iPod mode at work today so I'll start building a playlist and try to upload something tomorrow.

yeah "z-ro vs the world" is incredible

[Nav]

Nav, give me a minute and I'll put together a mix for you. I'm in iPod mode at work today so I'll start building a playlist and try to upload something tomorrow.

Awesome mate.

[Sucka Ducka]

Still play Joseph Wayne McVeigh, Still Livin', Let the Truth Be Told all the time, and those are favorites (plus "Crack")... Plus there's cuts on all the other albums, ABN and Guerilla Maab and plenty of guest verses - put together a nice "Best of" for friends - although I listen to Ro so much at this point I'm pretty sure my friends don't even need that shit, they hear it enough around me.

to this too, I'm interested to know what's on your personal Best Of tape, man (mayne).

Yeah man, lets see how our "Best Of" compares - maybe have to combine our playlists and make a 5 disc super set.

[Echo Leader]

Release date pushed back to October 2nd. :(

Nav, I haven't forgotcha homie. Got sidetracked for a minute but I'm still working on putting that mix together for you.

[A Kid]

http://youtu.be/aK6j7taidGQ

[Echo Leader]

PJ pant flowz

[Echo Leader]

Angel Dust has leaked. Finnna bless the chalice and jam this ho. Will report bacc.

[the dead poet]

Angel Dust has leaked. Finnna bless the chalice and jam this ho. Will report bacc.

[A Kid]

i like it. he def says 2008 on the track with K-Rino so i wonder how much more of this shit he's gonna do..and when is his RAL deal finished?

[illuminati_guy]

feeling this, hella lot more than the last two

[chump change]

i like it. he def says 2008 on the track with K-Rino so i wonder how much more of this shit he's gonna do..and when is his RAL deal finished?

pretty sure his first born was part of the deal..

[Echo Leader]

OK. I've given this a couple of spins and I'm really feeling it. Like 7.5/8 out of 10. Best since Cocaine in my opinion. "I Just Wanna Say," "Truth Is," and "Time" all stand out to me. Definitely older material though, you can tell a lot of this shit was written while he was doing his last bid and that was what...three years ago? Four?

At any rate, I'll continue to jam this until the next Ro project drops. I've heard that he's got a whole album's worth of material produced by Beanz-N-Kornbread which would be like . I'd love to hear a project like that. They have produced, by far, the best beats on the last four Ro albums (including this one).

i like it. he def says 2008 on the track with K-Rino so i wonder how much more of this shit he's gonna do..and when is his RAL deal finished?

pretty sure his first born was part of the deal..