Golden Grain [PA] - Disturbing Tha Peace > Reviews > Ayo! Keep It Down!!

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Consistant quality
Disadvantages:	No big single

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

"Golden Grain" is the debut album by the Southern Rap record label, Disturbing Tha Peace (DTP), which is owned by the Atlanta rapper Ludacris. It came out towards the end of 2002 (in between the release of Ludacris' second and third albums, "Word Of Mouf" and "Chicken-N-Beer" respectively). This album showcases the talent of everyone from his label, all of which come out with the style which Luda brought to the mainstream; Southern Rap, and in particular the Dirty South variation of it. The album not only has the group working together on collaborations with each other, but also has other guests such as Too $hort, Scarface and Twista.

At the time the label had the following artists signed up to it: Playaz Circle, Shawnna, Lil' Fate, I-20 as well as some lesser known artists and they all get a chance to show off what they have to offer before going into solo work with the label.

1. "Break Sumthin'" (feat. Ludacris, Shawnna, Lil' Fate, Tity Boi, I-20)

This track gets you straight into the mood of the album, which is all about getting Crunk. The theme and production lends itself perfectly to what the group are about, and the city which they represent and show that it just about having fun, and when they are doing do, they have to smash-up the place, so this is music to go along with it.

**Five Stars**

2. "Growing Pains (Remix)" (feat. Lil' Fate, Ludacris, Shawna, Scarface, Keon, Bryce)

This is the follow-up to track off "Word Of Mouf" which took on a more serious subjet as it concentrated on the struggleso of growing up in Atlanta, and here as before, the same rappers perform with Ludacris, but the big chnage from it is that the sample of "Forgot To Be Your Lover" is replaced with a more up-tempo one of "Let's Do It Again" in a chipmunked style, and a couple more decide to add on to the big track off Luda's second LP. So overall it is a very strong remix from DTP.

**Five Stars**

3. "Posted" (feat. Shawnna)

This is one of two tracks on the album where you have a performer on thier own. Here it's the chance for Shawnna to show you what she is capable of by herself. I'm not going to big her up that much as I don't really enjoy listing to her raps often, but here she's decent as she raps in a Gangsta Rap way and makes sure that the top shawty on the label, by warning all others away.

**Three Stars**

4. "Smokin' Dro'" (feat. Tity Boi, I-20, Ludacris)

Tity Boi of Playaz Circle, I-20 and Ludacris come here with a track about smoking cannbis. To suit the effect which it has upon you, it has a low tempo to it, and the chorus is said with the Houston Screwed effect to go along with it. Although this what the title gives the immpression of, the track is much darker as they explain that they only use it to get through the diffuclt life whcihthey live.

**Three Stars**

5. "Big Chain Records" (Skit)

6. "Pimp Council" (feat. Lil' Fate, Ludacris, Shawnna, Too $hort)

The track has a great concept to it as we have a court case taken to the top pimp in the game, Oakland's Too $hort, who acts as the judge in the case which is directed towards the defendant Lil' Fate, followed by Shawnna and then Luda . The way that they go about rapping in such a way very inventive, and they make the most out of the idea.

**Four Stars**

7. "Play Pen To The State Pen" (feat. Tity Boi, Dolla Boy)

This one is a track by Playaz Circle, composed of members Tity Boi and Dolla Boy (who are best known for the songle last year named "Duffle Bag Boy", which they performed with Lil' Wayne), an dhere they take control of the album and showcase what they are about as a duo, and without any aid from their label-mates. It begins with a slow winding beat, whcih gives you the impression that it's going to be a calm tune, but then it's all swicthed up when the percussion is introduced, presenting their hard ATL style.

**Four Stars**

8. "RPM" (feat. Shawnna, Twista, Ludacris)

The title given isn't actually said, but it doesn't matter because it is entirely relevant as Shawnna comes with raps on some speedy production (hence revs per minute) as she rolls through the beats. To fit in with her change in tempo, Luda comes to hit us with this style too, as he is known for. Finally Mr. Tung Twista comes in as speed raps are his speciality and he simply kills it as he's in the zone here.

**Four Stars**

9. "Can't Be Stopped" (feat. I-20)

This is the second of the solo tracks on the album, and this time it's you get Infamous-20 showing what he can do by himself on a track some typical Kanye production in a chipmunked style. When you have such high R&B vocals accompanying the deep bassy voice of I-20, you take notice, and here it makes much a bigger impact upon you as he raps about his Gangsta status in the area which he represents.

**Four Stars**

10. "Behind The Chain" (Skit)

11. "A Town Hatz" (feat. Lil' Fate, Tity Boi, I-20, Chimere)

This is a fun litte track which has the group speak on how they represent the city which they represent by wearing clothes which clearly display the 'A' of Atlanta with either a Falcons jersey or a Braves cap. You have a sense of citp ride here as they explain exactly why they show so much love towards, it and it seems as though no where else on the Hip Hop map gets as much direct affection as the capital of Georgia.

**Four Stars**

12. "N.S.E.W." (feat. Shawnna, Tity Boi, I-20, Lil' Fate)

This is the second from single from the album, but i don't recall it receiving any airplay this side of the pond, and I've heard that little was heard from it in the U.S. either, and I'm surprised by this because it is a big tunes from them. You have the biggesst rappers from the label (minus Luda) all perforing on this hard Dirty South track as the send it across America, to the "North, South, East, West" (if you didn't work it out before).

13. "When I Touch Down" (feat. Lil' Fate, Jazze Pha)

After providing the beat for one of the best tracks of Luda's second album, "Word Of Mouf", I had high expectations of Jazzy Pha on this track as he produces here too, and I was happy to hear the same sort of quality. The style which he provides is typical of what he did around this period (and quite different ot current times), here he gives Lil' Fate a funky Jazz rhythm to rhyme on, and it seems to fit in well with the way he raps in a half-tonal way.

**Four Stars**

14. "For Your Ass" (Outro) (feat. I-20, Tity Boi, Lil' Fate, Ludacris)

Thsi is tough track from the group and as I-20 is the first vioce you hear on it, his intimidating manner is what gives it such a hard feel to it and reinforces the direction whcih they are going with it. As an outro, it is effective as it gives you the perfect round-up pf the album and what you hear in the album. A great summary with a great range of rappers.

**Four Stars**

I'm surpised that this album didn't sell too well, and the only reason which I could come up with is tha it had no big singles iin order to promote it. Had it had at least one, I bet that it would have done a ot better as it is a strong release and a great display of the sound of Atlanta (if Luda wasn't enough for you).

You shouldn't be putoff by the lack of big names because the chances are that if you like Ludacrs' style, then this will appeal to you as he hand-picked the rappers who joined him on the label, and I found that they were rather similar, but differed in how they tended to go for more Gangsta rap than Luda does.