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Album Review
by SashaS
19-12-2002
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| Swizz Beatz drops 'G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories' |
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Swizz Beatz: 'Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories'
(Dreamworks)
Swizz Beatz: Ruff Ryder steps in front
Thank the rap-brethren or there would be no new albums to review toward the end of the year. And, it has certainly been interesting with a few big surprises coming right toward the end of the calendar, by Nas, for instance. Here is another one: Swizz Beatz’s dropped an album that is just tha bomb! Clever, informed, pish-taking and criticising, with enough for a workout as well as plenty of food for thought.
Behind the name Swizz Beatz hides a key producer of the Ruff Ryder’s crew, the New York’s own son. Swizz Beatz has already established himself as one of the most talented Hip-Hop and R&B producers around today, previously producing multi-platinum albums and tracks for a whole host of urban giants including Eve, DMX, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, Ja Rule, LL Cool J and Limp Bizkit among many others.
His maiden album’s lead-off single, ‘Bigger Business’, with a cast of P.Diddy, Ron Isley, Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss and a couple of others, takes a great delight to play out the plan for his success and encourages him to indulge in it, but it is a dig at the whole ‘bling-bling’ culture. As the album title states, these are the stories from tha ‘hood, and Eve’s Island Spice’ is a special delight, as well as Lil’ Kim’s ‘Gone Delirious’ (and who wouldn’t with her!)… The girls give it a tad mellow, sexy vibe, but the impact is no less devastating.
Making his formal debut as a rapper with ‘G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories’, the album boasts similar wattage, showcasing tracks featuring – take a deep breath for this! – Ja Rule, Isley, Busta Rhymes, P.Diddy, LL Cool J, Snoop, Lil’ Kim, Eve, Noreaga, Baby (Cash Money), Eve, Jadakiss, Nas, Fat Joe, Cassidy, Bounty Killer, Shyne, Mashonda, Yung Wun and Metallica! No s**t, the metal monsters (co-producing with SB and Bob Rock) are on ‘We Did It Again’, guest-sharing with Ja Rule. This is a humongous rap-rock crossover track to put Bizkit, Linkin Park and many other nu-metallist into a Hall of Shame!
But, from the beginning of the disc, ‘The Start (Interlude), this album has a very serious message to drop and it is launched with a little monologue about a ghetto’s dead-end but the twist is – a delivery by a small child! This certainly sets an unreal and eerie feeling that segues into a funky ode to tha ‘hood on ‘Ghost Stories’. 16 cuts of preciousness, colossal and crucial. .
Ever so often rap albums are full of guests and very little else. Swizz’s the biz, it really kicks in large, it spells quality every which way. For anyone who’s had a suspicion about Hip-Hop stagnating and flirting with R&B to gain more commercial clout – should lend both ears to this… The rest will follow, very naturally.
The trouble with multi-guest’d projects is that it can hardly ever be toured. Swizz will be in Europe for a promo trip in early 2003 and you might catch him on television.
8.9/10
SashaS
19-12-2002
‘Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories’ is released 16 Dec. 2002 on Dreamworks/Universal
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