Frontline - Who R You
1) "Intro (Who R You)"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
A tight track to get things started. The beat by E-A-Ski is tight as fuck. The funny is that this beat was used on the Lil Cyco album on the song "Still in da Hood." In any case it's a tight beat. Left starts it off with the first verse and Lock comes tight on his verse too. Only one verse from each, but a tight song to get things started, even if I've already heard the beat before.
2) "The Rich"
Produced by: Left
Left lays down a slapping beat for this song. His production skills are right there with E-A-Ski on this album. Left starts it off talking about his hood in Richmond. Locksmith talks about his early life in Richmond. Both rappers putting it down for their home town. I'm feeling this song to the fullest, a slappin beat with some coo reppin lyrics.
3) "What is It" ft. E-A-Ski
Produced by: E-A-Ski
The first single from the album that has gotten major radio play. E-A-Ski lays down a clean sounding beat that is perfect for the radio. Locksmith hast the opening verse and spits some game. Left comes next and comes hard too. E-A-Ski finishes it off with a tight verse and he also does the hook to the song. A tight single, putting it down on the mic. I'm still not tired of this song, even though I've heard plenty enough over the past 6 months.
4) "Time 4 Business"
Produced by: Left
A hard sounding beat by Left for this track. Left spits first talking about all the rappers who claim their hard, but aren't. Lock comes with a solid verse next, although I'm feeling Left a little more on this track. Left and Lock trade off short verses to finish the song with. Left handles the chorus with a hard style. A tight song overall, I'm feeling it.
5) "Playin' With Fire"
Produced by: Left
Locksmith starts this one off talking about how some Bay Area artists aren't elevating their game. Left comes solid on the second verse, although I'm feeling Lock more on this song. Locksmith also does the hook to the song putting it down talking about how he spits fire. A coo song overall, not feeling the production as much as other songs, but it's coo.
6) "Let's Go" ft. Balance
Produced by: Left
Another tight New Bay rapper makes for a good feature on this track. Left starts off laying down an alright beat. Locksmith hits the mic first spitting an ok verse. Balance comes next and spits hard on the mic. Left comes tight on his verse too. I like Left on the hook too. A solid song, I hope it's the first of many more collabs between these three rappers.
7) "Don't Push Me"
Produced by: Left
The guitar work in the background gives this song a bit of a rock-n-roll feel to it. Left starts it off on the mic spitting a solid verse, he talks about justice not being blind to race. He also does the hook with some good rhymes. Locksmith spits next coming coo. They flow about not being a killer, but they will if they get pushed to it. An good song lyrically, I just wish the beat was a little better to go along with it.
8) "Now You Know"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
It starts with a skit where a record exec is talking about how the Bay Area is a bad market to drop an album from. Left starts it off on the first verse talking about how the Bay Area is a lot better than it is on TV. Locksmith comes solid on the mic, but I'm feeling Left a lot more on this track. It's a tight song with a good beat by E-A-Ski. I'm feeling it overall, a tight cut.
9) "That Ain't You"
Produced by: Left
The beat by Left takes a little time to develop, but once the hook kicks in the beat sounds tight. Left starts it off on the first verse spitting an ok verse. Locksmith does the hook and then spits a tight verse. I like the hook the most out of anything on this song. One of my least favorite songs on the album.
10) "Uh Huh"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
The second single off of the album. E-A-Ski is back to lay down another tight ass beat and he also does the vocals on the hook. Left spits first ripping the mic talking about Frontline coming up in the scene. Locksmith comes hard on the mic too. I'm feeling this song to the fullest, another tight track with radio appeal.
11) "I Got..." ft. San Quinn
Produced by: Left
This is another one of my favorite cuts. Left puts down a tight ass beat to get things started that gets your head moving. Then he grabs the mic and spits hard to the fast paced beat. San Quinn comes on the second verse and spits a tight flow, talking about Frisco. Locksmith comes hard on the third verse, ripping up the mic with his tight rhymes. I'm feeling this song to the max, knock this one.
12) "Smile 4 the Camera"
Produced by: Left
This is my least favorite track on the album. The beat by Left isn't that good and I don't like the theme of the track. They talk about getting with a girl, it doesn't really fit with the rest of the album. It's a decent song, but it's not my taste.
13) "Recognize"
Produced by: Left
They talk about how the Bay is back on this song. Left lays down a coo beat with more guitar work in the background. Left and Lock put it down on the mic, talking about how the Bay is back. A solid song overall.
14) "What I Can"
Produced by: Left
Lock starts it off with some tight rhymes on the mic, spitting how he did more for the Bay is one day than some did in the last 10 years. Left spits a tight flow on the mic with the same type of lyrics. Both come tight on the mic, putting it down for the New Bay movement. A solid song overall.
15) "Gangsta"
Produced by: Left
Lock starts it off talking about how he's supposed to be the gangsta, but he's not the one making drugs or selling cigarettes to kids. Left spits a similar type of flow. More of a political type of song from both rappers. Left lays down a solid beat to tie it all together. A solid song overall, I'm feeling it.
16) "The Ripper"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
A tight song to finish the album with. It has that old school sound to it, yet at the same time definately a new age style. Locksmith rips the mic first with a tight flow on the mic, talking about how Frontline is doing things others can't do for the Bay. Left comes hard on the mic too, both rappers talking about how a new age is hear for Bay Area music. A clean sounding beat by E-A-Ski plays in the background. A tight ass song to finish this tight ass album with.
Overall this may be one of the most influential Bay Area albums to come out in a long time. It doesn't have that same Bay Area feel to it that has been there for the last few years, but I think that's a good thing for Bay Area music. There is both a radio appeal and an underground sound to it. The thing I'm most impressed about is that both Left and Locksmith bring lyrics to the table that no other Bay artist has in the last few years. They are definately trying to turn Bay Area music around put it back into the mainstream. There are definately a few songs on here that could be used for the radio nationwide, although I don't think it'll happen unfortunately. In any case Frontline put out a tight album with plenty of clean sounding beats done by Left and E-A-Ski and CMT. The features although only three, were tight and the flows by Left and Locksmith are tight on every song. Definately worth the cheap ass price of the CD. If you don't have this album go get it right now, it's possibly the best Bay Area CD to drop in a long time. Hopefully this is one big step forward for Bay Area rap/hip-hop. Get it!
Overall Rating = 5/5
1) "Intro (Who R You)"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
A tight track to get things started. The beat by E-A-Ski is tight as fuck. The funny is that this beat was used on the Lil Cyco album on the song "Still in da Hood." In any case it's a tight beat. Left starts it off with the first verse and Lock comes tight on his verse too. Only one verse from each, but a tight song to get things started, even if I've already heard the beat before.
2) "The Rich"
Produced by: Left
Left lays down a slapping beat for this song. His production skills are right there with E-A-Ski on this album. Left starts it off talking about his hood in Richmond. Locksmith talks about his early life in Richmond. Both rappers putting it down for their home town. I'm feeling this song to the fullest, a slappin beat with some coo reppin lyrics.
3) "What is It" ft. E-A-Ski
Produced by: E-A-Ski
The first single from the album that has gotten major radio play. E-A-Ski lays down a clean sounding beat that is perfect for the radio. Locksmith hast the opening verse and spits some game. Left comes next and comes hard too. E-A-Ski finishes it off with a tight verse and he also does the hook to the song. A tight single, putting it down on the mic. I'm still not tired of this song, even though I've heard plenty enough over the past 6 months.
4) "Time 4 Business"
Produced by: Left
A hard sounding beat by Left for this track. Left spits first talking about all the rappers who claim their hard, but aren't. Lock comes with a solid verse next, although I'm feeling Left a little more on this track. Left and Lock trade off short verses to finish the song with. Left handles the chorus with a hard style. A tight song overall, I'm feeling it.
5) "Playin' With Fire"
Produced by: Left
Locksmith starts this one off talking about how some Bay Area artists aren't elevating their game. Left comes solid on the second verse, although I'm feeling Lock more on this song. Locksmith also does the hook to the song putting it down talking about how he spits fire. A coo song overall, not feeling the production as much as other songs, but it's coo.
6) "Let's Go" ft. Balance
Produced by: Left
Another tight New Bay rapper makes for a good feature on this track. Left starts off laying down an alright beat. Locksmith hits the mic first spitting an ok verse. Balance comes next and spits hard on the mic. Left comes tight on his verse too. I like Left on the hook too. A solid song, I hope it's the first of many more collabs between these three rappers.
7) "Don't Push Me"
Produced by: Left
The guitar work in the background gives this song a bit of a rock-n-roll feel to it. Left starts it off on the mic spitting a solid verse, he talks about justice not being blind to race. He also does the hook with some good rhymes. Locksmith spits next coming coo. They flow about not being a killer, but they will if they get pushed to it. An good song lyrically, I just wish the beat was a little better to go along with it.
8) "Now You Know"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
It starts with a skit where a record exec is talking about how the Bay Area is a bad market to drop an album from. Left starts it off on the first verse talking about how the Bay Area is a lot better than it is on TV. Locksmith comes solid on the mic, but I'm feeling Left a lot more on this track. It's a tight song with a good beat by E-A-Ski. I'm feeling it overall, a tight cut.
9) "That Ain't You"
Produced by: Left
The beat by Left takes a little time to develop, but once the hook kicks in the beat sounds tight. Left starts it off on the first verse spitting an ok verse. Locksmith does the hook and then spits a tight verse. I like the hook the most out of anything on this song. One of my least favorite songs on the album.
10) "Uh Huh"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
The second single off of the album. E-A-Ski is back to lay down another tight ass beat and he also does the vocals on the hook. Left spits first ripping the mic talking about Frontline coming up in the scene. Locksmith comes hard on the mic too. I'm feeling this song to the fullest, another tight track with radio appeal.
11) "I Got..." ft. San Quinn
Produced by: Left
This is another one of my favorite cuts. Left puts down a tight ass beat to get things started that gets your head moving. Then he grabs the mic and spits hard to the fast paced beat. San Quinn comes on the second verse and spits a tight flow, talking about Frisco. Locksmith comes hard on the third verse, ripping up the mic with his tight rhymes. I'm feeling this song to the max, knock this one.
12) "Smile 4 the Camera"
Produced by: Left
This is my least favorite track on the album. The beat by Left isn't that good and I don't like the theme of the track. They talk about getting with a girl, it doesn't really fit with the rest of the album. It's a decent song, but it's not my taste.
13) "Recognize"
Produced by: Left
They talk about how the Bay is back on this song. Left lays down a coo beat with more guitar work in the background. Left and Lock put it down on the mic, talking about how the Bay is back. A solid song overall.
14) "What I Can"
Produced by: Left
Lock starts it off with some tight rhymes on the mic, spitting how he did more for the Bay is one day than some did in the last 10 years. Left spits a tight flow on the mic with the same type of lyrics. Both come tight on the mic, putting it down for the New Bay movement. A solid song overall.
15) "Gangsta"
Produced by: Left
Lock starts it off talking about how he's supposed to be the gangsta, but he's not the one making drugs or selling cigarettes to kids. Left spits a similar type of flow. More of a political type of song from both rappers. Left lays down a solid beat to tie it all together. A solid song overall, I'm feeling it.
16) "The Ripper"
Produced by: E-A-Ski
A tight song to finish the album with. It has that old school sound to it, yet at the same time definately a new age style. Locksmith rips the mic first with a tight flow on the mic, talking about how Frontline is doing things others can't do for the Bay. Left comes hard on the mic too, both rappers talking about how a new age is hear for Bay Area music. A clean sounding beat by E-A-Ski plays in the background. A tight ass song to finish this tight ass album with.
Overall this may be one of the most influential Bay Area albums to come out in a long time. It doesn't have that same Bay Area feel to it that has been there for the last few years, but I think that's a good thing for Bay Area music. There is both a radio appeal and an underground sound to it. The thing I'm most impressed about is that both Left and Locksmith bring lyrics to the table that no other Bay artist has in the last few years. They are definately trying to turn Bay Area music around put it back into the mainstream. There are definately a few songs on here that could be used for the radio nationwide, although I don't think it'll happen unfortunately. In any case Frontline put out a tight album with plenty of clean sounding beats done by Left and E-A-Ski and CMT. The features although only three, were tight and the flows by Left and Locksmith are tight on every song. Definately worth the cheap ass price of the CD. If you don't have this album go get it right now, it's possibly the best Bay Area CD to drop in a long time. Hopefully this is one big step forward for Bay Area rap/hip-hop. Get it!
Overall Rating = 5/5