Wednesday, November 26, 2014

M.O.P. - Street Certified (Review)



Release Date : November 18, 2014
Label : Nature Sounds

With 20 years in the game, M.O.P. still sounds fresh as ever. Street Certified is their first project since 2011s Sparta. Instead of trend chasing and trying to fit in with the youngins, the Mash Out Posse stick to their guns,  which is that gritty New York sound. The EP focuses on two things, hard beats and hard rhymes. Its evident on tracks like "Street Certified" with Mobb Deep. While the two appeared on the same cut in the past, this is the first official M.O.P. and Mobb Deep collab. The four MCs deliver and give listeners a nostalgic late 90s feel. The second single 187 is more that street shit fans grown to love M.O.P. for. Fame's bone-chilling hook let's you know that nobody's safe, he raps "187 in progress/ everybody get it/ everybodys a target".

On  "Welcome 2 Welcome",  M.O.P. spreads love the Brooklyn way by getting some assistance from fellow BK native Maino. The MCs rep their boro the fullest as they shout out blocks and give warnings to out of towners. The energetic Busts Rhymes shows up on "Broad Daylight", which samples Jay Z's "Success". M.O.P. and Busta' aggressive delivery shines on the track. "Heistmasters" serves as an unofficial sequel to the one that appeared on the duo's debut "To The Death". Danze and Fame go into stick-up mode. Fizzy Wo's hook let's motherfuckers know that they will still rob your ass at any given time of the day. "Heistmasters we still at it, black masks, hoodies on we still at it".

"Hustle" and "No Shame" serve as the personal tracks. Mop reflects on the obstacles in their career.  Street Certified won't make you dance or have the ladies twerking, but it does whats its supposed to. And thats to satisfy fans of quality street music. With Hip-Hop currently being dominated by rachetness, trappers and hipsters, M.O.P's Street Certified EP balances things out and shows that Brownsville legends hasn't lost a step. Street Certified is hoody and Timbs music. It don't get more NY than that.

4/5

No comments :

Post a Comment