Bleu Collar - MMG

Some people like to gamble with money and trying new restaurants. Me, I like to gamble on Hip Hop records. If it's an artist or group that I've never heard before, I like to buy the album and give it a try. That's what I did with this one. I was waiting for the Living Legends "Crappy Old Shit" to come out, that was the release of all the old and lost tracks that were recording when they were living together. So as I was checking out at llcrew.com, I saw the Bleu Collar album, and I rolled the dice and clicked "add to cart." Luckily, the gamble paid off and I won big time, because this a fresh album that needs to be out there in all the major record stores.
Living Legend affiliates and West Coast wordsmiths Reese one and Basik recently got together to form their two-man group dubbed "Bleu Collar." Basik has made some noise in the past with his very dope solo album "At the Mercy of the City." On this album, the duo drop a lot of bangers that go great for all Heads. A lot of people would classify the Legends as "backpacker music" but doing that discredits and limits everything the Legends and Legends extended fam has accomplished. This is not backpacker music, its not "mainstream," its just Hip Hop the way it should be.
"Bank2Bank" is the first song on the album, and it has a banging, bass-heavy beat by Eligh, who is a monster on beats. On the song, Basik says they chose Eligh "because we like his fucking beats." Agreed. This is a great song to roll around to, as they tell the listener to "put on your tightest fitted and fill up your tank" on the hot hook. The title for this track was chosen because that's the sound of the car rattling when you got the bass turned up on a good system and everything is shaking. "Making the Rounds" has a banging beat and is a signature Southern Cali track. It gets on the long side with a time of 6:31. This is one of the tracks which makes this album so tight. It's laid back, with the ill rhymes coming from Basik and Reese one. "Tramp" is a tight track about the bad girls, and how good guys get used by them. This has another ill Eligh beat, and the subject matter is fresh. Even though this topic has been done by countless rappers, these guys approach it from an original perspective and make it sound good.
"Paint the Town Red" is one of my favorite tracks, it's got a high-energy, bouncy beat produced by Slant. Tracks like these are why I love this album. These guys flow real tight, and you never know where they're gonna go next with their lyrics, so it keeps you listening and captivating. "I Can't Remember" features Alex Rowe, who can sing real well, and it's got a Mums the Word beat, who has been doing some dope beats lately. Mums also produced "Slide to the Left" and "The Bottom Line"
"Logic" has a mellow Eligh beat, and it showcases the group's maturity. It seems as though the majority of people think of Snoop and Dre when it comes to West Coast, but that's only for the uneducated and underexposed cats. The best music of L.A. and the West Coast is coming from groups like Bleu Collar, Living Legends, and Project Blowed. Unfortunately, Bleu Collar isn't given enough publicity on the East Coast.
Reese one holds it down solo on "American Pimp," where he kicks fresh rhymes while bragging about himself. Then Basik takes the mic for "Warning Shots" where he spits some dope battle rhymes.
These guys can rhyme, they got tight flows and are coming with fresh rhymes. These guys are just trying to have fun, no one's dying, there's no preaching, it's just Hip Hop the way it should be: innovative, creative, and fun.

Tracklisting:
Nothing to Say Intro
BanktoBank
Making the Rounds
Tramp
Slide to the Left
Paint the Town Red
Automatic
The Bottom Line
We Ain't Got Time feat. The CMA
American Pimp feat. Reese one
Warning Shots feat. Basik
Move feat. Eligh
I Can't Remember_ feat. Alex Rowe
Logic
Full Metal Jacket

 

By Brian Kayser