:: MCA/Universal Records
A stereotypical review might start like this: "Straight from the mean streets of Albany, GA, Field Mob represents that hardcore Southern hip-hop." This might seem like it would work fine, except that the "mean streets" of Albany are in a city of just over 100,000. While that's certainly big enough to not be rural, it does make it a little closer to "country" than Atlanta would be. Field Mob identifies with this side of the Georgia hip-hop scene, which Bubba Sparxxx used also to good effect in the similary sized GA city of Athens.
Some of the producers on "From Tha Roota to Tha Toota" aren't big names, such as Ole-E, Moezart, and ET3. Jazze Pha however will be instantly recognizable to fans of Southern funk, as he is producing the lead single "Sick of Being Lonely." What they all have in common is the ability to give these rappers a consistant level of funk which allows them to display their unique style and flow. The aforementioned single is a good example:
"Honey you lookin good
Mo' gooder than a late of neck bones, tenderized and yummy
The Ener-gizer bunny can't compete with me
Cause I be goin and goin, rowin
With mo' motion in ya ocean from night to mornin
Hit it huffin and puffin breath stankin and yawnin
Something so pretty as you at home alone, that's unbelieveable
Like, when the cow jumped over the moon
Now, I never put nuttin before you
That's like eatin cereal, pickin a fork over a spoon!"
As a follow-up to their successful debut "613: Ashy to Classy," the Mobsters have stuck to the humor and rap ability that got them noticed in the first place, along with could be best described as "Southern charm." These rappers aren't afraid to admit they've been dissed by girls; a confession that would be a death blow to the egoes of many trumped up contemporaries but sounds perfectly natural on the song "Where R U Going?":
"Now now now once there was this boy, this boy
Sixteen, he had this girrrrrl
Loved in her, and trusted her
Boy would give girl the worrrrrrld
But he's workin at Bus Kings - sorry, hated it!
Man he wasn't that popular - sorry, hated it!
He ain't have no car; STRRRRRRRRRRIKE THREE!
The boy that got done was me!"
The comeback is just as refreshing as the humerous honesty later in the same verse, with the quip "I'm on TV now, can't help but see me now/Even Muslim vegetarians wanna meet me now!" If it doesn't generate an immediately chuckle, it helps to know that "rooter to the tooter" is a phrase that means the WHOLE HOG, from the tail to the snout - hence why on the album's cover they have a lily white butler presenting them a whole pig on a silver platter. Ah yes, Field Mob has strong pride in their country roots and aren't afraid to share it with a fellow country rapper like Trick Daddy on the song "Haters":
"Now just imagine if there wasn't no real niggaz
No hustlers, thugsters, Mob-sters and Field niggaz
On the trill, T-double-D, and I still keep it real
I left the streets way before you FUCK niggaz landed in Haterville
Huh, lied on me, said I was a murderer
Said I used to serve you work, but I ain't never heard of ya
I love dub deuce, only cause I'm sittin on it
And once again I done it, copped a big 500"
Most albums, even from already established artists, you expect to find one or two songs that sound only half thought out or featuring beats best left behind on the SP-1200. Try as you like though, Field Mob is harder to pick apart than the meat in pig's feet. Even come up from broke drug cooking tales like "Betty Rocker" come off better than their contemporaries with their Albany style humor and tight production. They're not fronting like the hardest brothers on the block though; they're not afraid to "Cut Loose" and have a good time. Most of all though Field Mob proves they've got "Nothing 2 Lose" just by being themselves, and if you're a fan of groups like Goodie Mob and rappers like Petey Pablo you'll find this album fits between them quite nicely. The beats will draw you in, but it's their style that will win you over.
Music Vibes: 8 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 8 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 8 of 10
Originally posted: October 29, 2002
source: www.RapReviews.com