Ghetto Fabulous 1998 Album

Mystikal

"If it don't bang, take me out the game, call me out my name/Put me out my house, beat me out my change/Let 'em read my poem and tell 'em to seal my doom" Don't worry. You're safe Mystikal. This album bangs. Mystikal must have gone home every night after recording and relied on sign language with his family, considering the amount of strain he seems to put on his vocal cords when he spits. The intensity of his delivery is undeniable. I listened to this right after Master P's 'Ghetto D', and from the moment it started, I was bouncing—something that Ghetto D doesn’t manage to achieve. The energy here is contagious, and Mystikal doesn’t rely on one flow throughout the verses; he switches it up constantly. The game was much better off with him in it. 'Life Ain't Cool' is the obligatory tribute to mums with Silkk rapping like DMX. Silk also provides an enjoyable but very different verse on the banger, 'Let's Go Do It'. On the dope collab with Naughty By Nature, Treach finishes the hook with what sounds like Ice Cube's "yah yah". The Busta Rhymes collab isn't a let down either. 'I'm on Fire' is worth mentioning too for its creativity where Mystikal tells the story of being on literal fire. Who else has done that? The worst moment is 'I Smell Smoke' from Mystikal's smoke series of tracks and 'Stack Yo Chips', to a lesser extent, that are missing any energy and drag on. Other than that, the consistency is strong and the highs are quite high, with many tracks with replay value. Like most No Limit albums, some fat could have been trimmed with the sound being similar in some tracks, but this is an underrated album. It'll get you bopping your head to the high energy bangin' production and Mystikal's one of a kind rapping. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★★ Best Tracks: Round Out the Tank, That's The N***a, Watcha Want Watcha Need, Dirty South / Dirty Jerz', Let's Go Do It 1. Round Out the Tank 93 2. There He Go 80 3. Keep It Hype 74 4. That's the N**a 87 5. Ghetto Fabulous 71 6. Life Ain't Cool 64 7. I'm on Fire 74 8. Watcha Want, Watcha Need 93 9. The Stick Up 64 10. I Smell Smoke 50 11. Respect My Mind 63 12. Stack Yo Chips 54 13. Dirty South / Dirty Jerz' 90 14. Yaah! 70 15. Let's Go Do It 86 16. What's Your Alias? 72