Description
Tha Life of a Hoodlum is the sophomore album by the American hip-hop artist T-Bone, released on Metro One Recordings in 1995, distributed by Diamante Distribution in the US. Most of the tracks on the album were poduced by Muffla (a.k.a. Dwayne Simon),
Where T-Bone’s initial strike at the forces of darkness on his ’93 debut ‘Redeemed Hoodlum‘ came rough and rugged with intentional sonic griminess, this is a whole different ‘Life’. Production is clear, with bass that rumbles without distortion. Synthesizer lines hint at the gossamer sheen on Dr. Dre and Warren G Productions, but there’s a funky thickness here that contrasts to the brittle warmth of those other hitmakers.
Funky as he wants to be is T-Bone, parlaying rap styles with more diversity than last time. The blissed-out singing of «Drunk in the Spirit» is a whole different flavor for Christendom. His Spanglish comes tighter in spiritual confrontations like «Throwin’ Out the Wicked», where the English/Spanish language fusion can reach both crowds. «Still Jabbin’» would be a mere sequel to one of the first album’s most memorable cuts were it not for a deep drum roll loop and T-Bone losing his place in mid-tune.
Though he has more fun than last time out, T-Bone ponders more serious issues. Titles like «Straight Up Psycho», «Crazy Hispanic» and «187em’ Demons» relate the state of mind with which T-Bone approaches his task.
The duet with recently-converted mainstream rapper Mr. Grimm, «Life After Death», speaks much truth, but the telephone gabbing between the two, and the skit/novelty nature of the album’s final third is a bit distracting. Nonetheless, ‘Tha Life’ overflowes with the same determination as the strongest N.W.A. and Public Enemy classics from one of the most original stylists this side of heaven. This one’ as urgent as it is hardcore. [Jamie Lee Rake, CCM, August 1995]
> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/tha-life-of-a-hoodlum/1459906584)
CD tracklist:
01. Tha Life Of A Hoodlum – 1:20
02. Throwin’ Out Tha Wicked – 4:45
03. Thief In Tha Night – 3:12
04. Psycho Ward – 1:01
05. Straight Up Psycho – 5:09
06. Amen Somebody, Part 1 – 0:56
07. Drunk In Tha Spirit – 4:07
08. Pushin’ Up Daisies – 4:58
09. Still Jabbin’ – 4:17
10. 187em’ Demons – 4:21
11. Amen Somebody, Part 2 – 1:33
12. On & On &… – 2:37
13. Too Many Pleitos – 4:39
14. Life After Death (feat. Mista Grimm) – 4:34
15. Crazy Hispanic – 5:06
16. Madd Skillz – 4:06
17. Off Tha Hook – 3:16
18. Lyrical Assassin (Remix) – 5:01
19. Daves Not Here – 2:05
20. To Tha Homies – 4:53
21. Another Hoodlums Prayer – 1:35
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Metro One Recordings.
A full-page advertisement for T-Bone’s Tha Life of a Hoodlum was featured in the September 1994 issue of CCM Magazine.
Metro One Recordings run a full-page advertisement in the April 1996 issue of CCM Magazine to congratulate T Bone on his nomination for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year for the 1996 Dove Awards.
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