Riddle me this...what's the best way to get me to listen to a MC's album that I've never cared about for the past 15 years? Easy. Just have one of my favorite producers do all of the beats and you're good money. And it's that thinking that got me bangin' this Big Pooh and Nottz album "Home Sweet Home." Now, let me put this out there before cats start thinking that I thought Pooh was wack or sumthin' like that. First off, most folk who know me or who come through here enough know that I was never a big Little Brother fan. Let me stop lying...I wasn't a Little Brother fan at all. I mean, I always thought that Phontay was a beast and that "other MC's" was aiight but more then anything I just couldn't stand the beats. And that "other MC" role ain't a dis either cause when you look at the history of most hip hop duos, there's always been one MC that's much better then the other one. And to me that was just the dynamics of Little Brother. So while the rest of the world were crying like when Bodie got killed when they broke up, I was happy as hell cause I could finally hear Phontay over some better production. But while I felt that way about Phontay, the bul Big Pooh was left out in the cold over this way. I know dude had some projects out here and there but I wasn't checking for dude at all. That is, til I saw this new project he had on tap with Nottz. See, now dude has my full undivided attention. But I ain't gonna hold you, even with Nottz doing all of the beats, there was still a part of me that was gonna pass on the project cause it's just TOO much other music on tap that was trying to crack my rotation and Pooh was ALMOST left out in the cold again...til I heard their song "Preach." And after hearing that these dudes did an Olawakandi like in the '98 draft and came outta nowhere and knocked everybody else out the box and moved to the front of the line quick, fast and in a hurry!
The "Intro" sets off "Home Sweet Homes" sumthin' lovely and has Pooh sounding real dope over some classic Nottz, "Welcome Home" is a nice 'lil quick interlude with Pooh setting the stage of walking in the crib when his whole fam is there, "wipe your feet upon entering, all respect due to the elders in the room passing out a couple pounds/everybody asking Thomas bout his new sounds, rapper took the day off my cousin always beggin' me/for money talking 'bout I know you got it nigga way off, grandmama say I'm looking better with some weight off/kissed her on her check my grand daddy throwing out advice when he speak, made my way to the kitchen/momma cooking up collard greens, fried chicken, macaroni cheese, candy yams you know the menu/shall I continue, yes I will being home is a marvelous feel." "Jesus" is just flat out disgusting and has Pooh straight killing it, "300 Z" is just more classic Nottz with Pooh letting you know what he's sitting on, "a 300 Z in the driveway, an audi 5000 where my girl stay, a MPV at my momma crib/don't despise me, that's just how it is" while "Homemade" has Nottz channeling some '95 Primo chops and keeps the story going where "Welcome Home" left off, "there they go there they go, here comes commotion, we was all just singing to Billy Ocean/we was just having a good time, all packed in the house like on Good Times/belly full from the spread momma served us, belly full then I hear my uncle start to cuss/my aunt jumped in cards everywhere, money snatched up/niggas spilling on the table knocked over cups/now momma mad, grandaddy sad."
"Memory" will just leave you shaking your head the way Nottz chops the hell outta Minnie Ripperton's "Memory Lane" and gives Pooh the perfect backdrop to reminisce on the old days, "Alone" is dope and will have you good christian folk reaching for your tithes & offering envelope cause it sounds like it's giving time at church and "Prom Season" featuring Kenneth Whallum III bangs hard as hell and has Pooh talking about the struggle, "trying to support a family never got a degree, now a high school diploma is lower then GED's." "Home Sweet Home" has Nottz showing why he's the drum god in this production game and has Pooh picking up from where he left off with "Homemade", "I Don't Know" is bonkers, "Fries" has Nottz showing off again but freaking the fuck outta the Esther Phillips sample made famous by Mobb Deep & Jeru, while Pooh kicks his game to the shortys, "how you doing my name is rapper, Pooh B if you nasty/you trying to get back stage girl then just ask me/nah no need for passes I'm all access, you say you're all in, I trust you have practice/hotel mattress many on the regular, play the church girl but your outfit secular/hair all done up eyes on the swivel, trying to find exactly which nigga you came to nibble" and "El Fin" ends the album and has Pooh telling the story of dude not fitting in at college with cats trying to play him and how he looks to solve his problems but the gem of the album to me is "Peach." Now, I know through out this whole review I've said over and over and over again how hard these beats, how bonkers they are but "Preach" is just stupid, dumb, bonkers, bananas and what other synonym you can come up with all rolled together in one! And this banger will instantly take you down south to the Mt. Pleasant Church & Ministries revival they're currently having in your speakers. Yup...it's THAT dope.
One of my New Years resolutions 10 years ago was to be able to admit when I was wrong and maaaaaaaan was I wrong about Big Pooh cause money is nice! I'm gonna basically chalk it up to me not liking him because of the beats he was rocking over cause with me you've gotta damn near be a rap god for me to be able to appreciate your skills over beats I'm not feeling. But with this "Home..." album this dude Pooh feels right at home and gets the perfect backdrop he needed for me to finally see just how dope he is. So yeah, I may be 15 years late to the Big Pooh party but I'd rather get to the party late, then to not get there at all...ya'll smell me?
4 outta 5 mics
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