My Review of Little Brother's LeftBack

So, me and Little Brother have a relatively new relationship. I wish I knew about them when they first came out. Unfortunately, those days, I was more into Will Smith and N'Sync (DJM...)

But, since I first got on the LB train, I've been riding and enjoying the trip. Little Brother has come to represent what is right in Hip-Hop these days. In the days of "All The Way Turnt Up", LB shines bright like a prism. It seems, however, that this is the last stop. Time for me to gather my travel pillow and continue exploring. LeftBack is Little Brother's last album, and as bittersweet as that is, I'm going to try and conduct my first album review.

(I won't say how I managed to be able to listen to this. All I'll say is...times is hard.)

1. Curtain Call - The first released single for this album, I hopped on it with the quickness. For me, this song defines bittersweet. 'Te and Pooh both briefly summarize their LB journey on a track produced by Khrysis. 'Te spits with his signature 'real talk', while I thought that Pooh was in rare form. He usually gets overshadowed by Phonte's lyrical prowess, but I think Pooh really cleared his throat on this jam. Definitely a fave.



2. Table for Two - A relationship song, I personally enjoyed Yahzarah's hook. Jozeemo's verse was a nice surprise, kinda like the non-trap star's Jeezy. This song was the album's "Baby-I-don't-wanna-fight-no-mo'" jam. Not that bad - I'd like to see a video for this one. The concept should be BET/MTV friendly enough to be fleshed out. As usual, 'Te's sense of humor comes through for realz. "Ya'll take a check?"

3. Tigallo for Dolo - I'm totally feeling the bass on this one. I wanna ride around town with the windows down, etc. Incredibly honest, Phonte comes through by himself, sounding off on a couple of issues. And when I say honest, I mean, that I have rarely heard emcees render themselves so bare with such artistic self-disclosure. This isn't a confessional, just a real individual, spitting real talk. Nuff said.

4. Revenge - Honestly speaking, with a title like Revenge, I was expecting either 'Te to completely spaz out on this. Pooh did pretty good, but *Kayneshrug*. Maybe this beat should've been given to Meth and Red or someone with that gritty feel. It's not a bad song...but I was expecting more. The set-up was there...Ah! This song feels like it should've been on a mixtape. The two featured verses? Not really necessary for this album.

5. So Cold - HOJ-mate Chaundon comes through for a visit on this track, and I actually like his flow. He's rocked with LB before, so he's no stranger. The beat had me feeling real chill-like, which isn't a bad thing. This'll sound bad, but...I liked Chaundon's verse the most. "Bring it to ya chest/Now you all Lil' Weezy..."

6. Second Chances - Off the first beat, I liked this song. When Bilal started singing...my expectations changed. Not really for the worst. Another relationship song, I don't totally dislike it...I just really wish Bilal wasn't on it. D-Brock saved it, in my opinion.

7. Go Off Go On - Pooh goes in! OMG, I feel so happy to hear this man do WORK, compared to other, more recent LB songs. Phonte, meanwhile, seems to be coasting. He didn't do bad, but I've heard him dish considerable heat on other joints. This is, however, another one of those songs that seems to have been more suited for a mixtape than an album release.

8. What We Are - Ooh. This is the "side-jawn" track. Pooh really comes through on this track. Like...I imagine it to be that moment when your son comes home with an A+...you knew he could do it! The only awkwardness is that I can't 100% relate to it...but I feel it, all the same.

9. After the Party (rmx) - I personally am not a fan of folk re-releasing songs from previous albums on completely new albums. I figure, if you're dropping a whole new album, why not complete it with some brand new jams? I heart this song from GetBack...and I'm feeling the new production. But the original will always be the original...try listening to Akon's Wanna Be Starting Something. No go.

10. Two Step Blues (rmx) - See Above.

11. Get Enough Pt. 2 - It was this song that made me realize that the Little Brother of yore was gone. Farewell to "The Listening", because this sound was vastly different. In any event, hearing Khrysis on the mic was an interesting listen. That's about all I can say about this one.

12. Before the Night is Over - A smooth joint, I'm really feeling this one. Probably one of the few that make sense to be on this album. This actually feels like it belongs. The sound is more Foreign Exchange than Little Brother...

13. 24 - The beat KNOCKS...this dude Torae does work. As does 'Te. As does Pooh. A thorough track, this one is a keeper.

14. Star - The Haymaker, this track wasn't even supposed to see the light of day. So I'm not going to talk about it. I won't even supply a link. I will say that this is the last time that 9th Wonder was with Pooh and Phontigga...maybe forever.

All in all...LB fans will bump it, regardless if it sucked or not. Fortunately, it doesn't suck. But...I found myself hoping for a "The Black Album"-esque bow out. Some songs didn't seem to fit at all...it ended up feeling like a collection of unreleased tracks and Saturday night freestyles. I was hoping and wishing for something like another "The Minstrel Show". The thing is...this is not it, and they are not the old Little Brother we first heard. Phonte is working with The Foreign Exchange and more endeavors of grown folk music; Pooh is working his solo dolo muscle. As far as this album...I would get it, simply because...this is it.

Standout Tracks:
Curtain Call
Tigallo for Dolo
Go Off Go On
24
Star

R.I.P. Keith "Guru" Elam

1/2 of GangStarr

Gifted Unlimited, Rhymes Universal

(July 17, 1966 – April 19, 2010)

Women to Avoid (The Complimentary List)

- Nikki Minaj/Barbie

The thing with Ms. Minaj is, I strongly believe she’s crazy. Yeah, she’s got a bad body. And she’s got bars for days. (I’ve actually had many conversations with some friends, talking about how Nikki is accomplishing what Lil’ Kim may/should have been trying to accomplish. Facial antics included.) That being said, there are some beautiful, amazing, women out there…and some of them have a number of personalities that pop up that the weirdest times. One minute, they have you walking around saying “My Chick Bad”, and the next, “My Chick Outta Her Freakin’ Mind”. This woman doesn’t even have to be at the extreme of being diagnosed with clinical schizophrenia. It generally has to do with an utter lack of consistency. She likes you and lavishes you with attention, then she doesn’t. She’s dainty and sensitive; all of a sudden, she’s more like UFC fighter than model, and not in a good way. Most women are generally baffling to men; this woman is certifiably confusing to others (and herself). Stay clear, because chances are you’ll end up with more than a headache.

- Snookie

This kind of woman has a dangerous tendency to be over-obsessed with her looks. Now, a little make-up isn’t a bad thing, especially when it compliments her natural beauty. To some women, it is an outlet of creativity and individuality. But…there are those women who spend WAY too much time focusing on the right skinny jeans and the most fly hairstyle instead of their job/classes/responsibilities. When you encounter a woman who is way too concerned with the external and regards the internal with a question mark, this should be cause for concern. This is more than being confident; she should be able to do something with all that confidence. Hear me; I am a full-on advocate of some blush and lip gloss…but she doesn’t even know what she wants out of life and starts a chant of “help me, save me”, you should probably head for the door.

- Lil’ Mama

I shouldn’t even call her a woman, because at times, she would resemble more of a lil’ – I mean, little girl. We all saw what Lil’ Mama did at the VMAs. Everyone was chilling, enjoying what is sure to be NYC’s new anthem. Jay and Alicia Keys were wrapping it up, throwing it down in a real way. The vibe was right, everyone was in a great mood…then here comes Lil’ Mama. Not Nas. Not the Mayor of New York City. Not the entire Yankees roster. Not anyone who would make sense. Lil’-freakin’-Mama. This woman? It’ll almost seem like she’s intentionally trying to bum rush her way into a chill scene, just to start some mess. The focus has to be on her, or else she’ll start feeling insecure and all that mess. Know that everyone has their set of baggage. But when that baggage starts frequently cramping everyone else's style, it’s a problem. No one likes a blatant attention seeker. Especially if she can’t be classy with it.

- Oprah

We are in a new era of Man-Woman relations. We’ve come a long way from not even allowing women to vote, or work in certain positions. The thing is, and as a Christian, this is my own personal conviction, men have a certain standard of respect and self-respect that cannot be broken or challenged, something that inherently felt. I’ve heard more than one man say in more than a few ways that he could deal with quite a few things, but once disrespected, something unspoken is shattered, almost irreparable. It has been psychologically assessed that just as women have the need to feel treasured and loved, men need to be respected. With that said, she could be bringing home the bacon and the steak, with enough left over for some chicken. However, if the man is not recognized as the leader of the relationship/family, something is severely wrong. She is not better than him, he is not better than her; they need each other to make it work – but if she doesn’t respect him, he’ll struggle to show love (and thus the cycle begins…). And if that’s the case, how can they truly interact with each other as adults?

- Lauryn Hill (Post-Miseducation)

I personally feel that this is the most dangerous woman to get seriously involved with, moreso because if she is beautiful, it can distract us men from what is truly important. Once again, as a Christian, this is of the utmost importance to me. If a woman cannot connect with, or speak to you eye to eye on a deeper, meatier level, she is quite frankly not worth the time. I’m not even talking about the capacity to speak with intelligence. Mental depth should be a given when speaking about a Woman. I’m talking about a woman who cannot talk with spiritual clarity, a woman who does not have a direct, intimate relationship with her God. I’ve heard it said before that a woman’s heart must be hidden in God in order for a man to find her. I echo that sentiment. I would feel such conviction if I didn’t mention this, because without this foundation, I feel that everything is relatively shallow. Because of God’s relationship with His Bride/The Church, I believe that it is the blueprint for Man/Woman/Wife relationships. If, at the end of the day, no matter how many arguments or disagreements or slip-ups, if you both cannot arrive at the cross on bended knee, leave her. She is not worth compromising your relationship with Your Father.

- (Fake) Mother Teresa

As a part two, this particular woman causes me a whole lotta heartache. First, let me state that we are all fallen creatures. Busted and falling short each day, we are constant works in progress. However, this is not a pass. If we are saved, we are to constantly strive to daily redemption. With that out of the way, this woman is a charlatan. It’s one thing to struggle. It’s another to front as if you’ve got everything on lock. The whole double-life notion should scare you, because it is typically a sign of a lack of trust, or some deeper issue. Much like The Nikki Minaj, she switches up like Lynchburg weather. If she’s not the same woman on Tuesday as she is on Sunday, it’s time to start asking some questions. It’s also another problem if she has no humility about herself. Conviction is a sign of the struggle we have with sin; once that is gone, we start cooling off, becoming that dreaded lukewarm believer.

- Khia

Almost winning the title of the Most Annoying Woman, this woman is quite the thorn in many a side. She LOVES flapping her gums. She lives for gossip and other people’s business. I would compare her to The Snookie, but that may be giving her too much aesthetic credit, as The Snookie at least takes pride in her appearance. Recklessly popping off at the side of her neck, this woman has zero class. A t-shirt and sweatpants may be real cute in college, or if you’re just lounging on a Saturday. But if your boys are at the crib, and she strolls by in a (not cute) too-small tee and she hasn’t brushed her teeth yet, time to regulate. She might disguise it as “keeping it real” or being your “down chick”, but if she’s going to call herself a woman, there should be a standard of class. Think about it. How much of a fan of pointless gossip and foolish babble are you? How much silly chatter can you tolerate? Do you have a high capacity for ignorance? If you look up one day and realize that you don’t want this woman to meet your mother/family/friends for fear that she may embarrass the mess of you, then it may be time to sit her down and have that good ole chat with her.

February/March/April: Wants/Needs

Wants:

• A PS3 w/ God of War 1, 2 & 3
• latenightlovin'...
• A Never Ending Tank of Gas
• A Consistantly Full Refridgerator
• ...to be a featured poet on SOMEBODY'S album (preferably The Roots or Lecrae)
• iPhone (or just a whole new cell phone service plan)
• An AWESOME photography lighting kit
• All the New GREAT albums of 2010:
• Little Brother - "LeftBack"
• The Roots - "How I Got Over"
• Sho Baraka - "Lions and Liars"
• Nas & Damian Marley - "Distant Relatives"
• The Foreign Exchange - (New Album, Fall 2010)
• MORE. CONCERTS.

Needs:

• ...to buckle down and start saving some substantial money
• ...to start paying off my gargantuan loans
• Connecting strongly with my younger siblings
• Intimacy without violating standards
• Good Vibes, Rhymes and Times
• Showing my Father that I have been listening...