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From the Vault...
07/24/2011
#1265 |
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info
Young Jeezy
"The Inspiration"
© Def Jam Records
Year of Release: 2006
Rating:
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track listing
Hypnotize (Intro)
Still On It
U Know What It Is
J.E.E.Z.Y.
I Luv It
Go Getta
3 A.M.
the Realest
Streets On Lock
Bury Me A G
Dreamin'
What You Talkin' Bout
Keep It Gangsta
Mr. 17.5
I Got Money
The Inspiration
(Follow Me)
I Do This
Hood Rat
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Young Jeezy
"The Inspiration"
Time to look at another "I can't believe another RAP album is #1" category: Young Jeezy has achieved not one,
but two #1 albums on the Billboard Albums chart. His first was in 2006, The Inspiration, then two years
later, The Recession. (They were both #1 for only one week each.)
I can understand most Rap artists approach their music from personal (and mostly tragic) experiences. Rapper artist
Nas has done this, and surprisingly, I was able to appreciate his album It Was Written, and even DMX's Flesh Of
My Flesh Blood Of My Blood.
But in Young Jeezy's The Inspiration, just listening to this album I just cannot stomach at all. You have to
admit, Rap music (especially in this album reviewed), 99.9% of all adults 30 and over all agree -- that this kind of
music is Rap Crap. It is bad. Some of the music could be listened to, but as soon as the lyrics (whether they be the
rappin' kind, or just plain rap lyrics regarding sex and violence, which it mostly is), is just outright annoying.
Before listening to this album, I went to Amazon to read up on this album. Most reviewers liked the two songs
"Go Getta" (featuring R. Kelly) and "3 AM" (featuring Timbaland). (And yes, some reviewers just pointed out
that this is album is just plain bad.) Upon completing listening to this album, there is really one song I can actually
stomach -- "Go Getta." The music is quite catchy, yet the lyrics I can take or leave it.
As for the remaining tracks of the album -- The opening track, "Hypnotize" is mysterious and haunting. Despite
the "annoying" rap lyrics, I was starting to think, "Ok, maybe this album has a possible good start?" The answer throughout
the album -- Absolutely not. Most of the songs (and quite 99% of it), are just your typical Rap Crap: "Still On It,"
"U Know What It Is," "J.E.E.Z.Y," "The Realest," "Streets On Luck," "What You Talkin' Bout," "Keep It Gangsta," "Mr. 17.5,"
"I Got Money," and "The Inspiration (Follow Me)."
Other tracks to point out, "I Luv It" has a "good" quality, yet not as good as "Go Getta." Of course,
there is the story of guns and violence on "Bury Me A G," (where you hear a television newscast of Young Jeezy involved
in a shooting, whether he was the victim or the shooter was not known). Ironically, in 2005, he was arrested for an alleged
shooting.
The music and music only on "Dreamin'" is pretty cool, but the rap lyrics spoils it. The two bonus tracks on a
second disc are just another two examples of Rap Crap also: "I Do This" and "Hood Rat."
I researched some other reviews on this album, and this one seemed to sum it all up:
from Pitchfork.com:
Here's something Young Jeezy said when I interviewed him last year, a couple of weeks after the release of his debut
album: "I ain't a rapper; I'm a motivational speaker. I don't do shows; I do seminars. I really talk to people." That's an
awfully specious claim for someone who'd just become famous for making a rap album almost entirely about selling drugs.
And this one: On "Bury Me a G", Jeezy imagines himself murdered and manages to make it sound glamorous.
Sorry folks, I can't see anyone making it famous singing about drugs and violence.
This album was reviewed due to the fact that it reached #1. As of July, 2007, the album had sold over 1.1 million
copies in the U.S. and 1.6 million worldwide. He had 120 songs chosen, and picked 16 of the best.
What makes a Rap album sell so many copies, and reach #1? Two things - one, he did have what he called an "empty life."
There are others who can relate to this, young and old. The second, is that today's teens enjoy Rap and Hip-Hop music.
'Nuff said on the latter, this is the only reason rappers are really making it popular. The young teens have rebeled
with various (not all though), of what is known as today's Rap and Hip-Hop. The older adults hate rap and hip-hop with a
passion. It's bad enough with the sources of violence in rap lyrics, and even sex. (Sex in lyrics were always in popular
music, since the birth of Rock n Roll. Yet in its "humble" beginnings, the lyrics were not as blunt as they are today.
In The early decades, you can listen (and understand) the lyrics in the direction of sex-related themes. In today's
music, (if you can understand the lyrics, with how they basically shout and scream), the sex-related themes are pretty
blunt and descriptive.
Explaining your personal problems in music is one thing, albeit that most of the music in today's rap and hip-hop
music (and music only) has some cool rhythms. But when the lyrics kick in, that's where it just goes bad.
True, rap / hip-hop is not for all music fans. Some of it I can tolerate, the rest, I just can't see how it is so
popular. Young Jeezy's The Inspiration is not an inspiration for me, but maybe, just maybe to some. I'm curious
to hear his next #1 album, Recession. My guess it will be just the same as this review.
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