03 Greedo - The Wolf Of Grape Street (review)
The Wolf Of Grape Street is out, and the verdict is in; 03 Greedo is a master song maker, and access to professional grade mixing and features only furthers his ability to put together an insanely good project. If you follow us on Twitter, you may have seen a bold statement in regards to the album on our account, saying this is the hardest debut since 50 Cent's Get Rich Or Die Tryin' in 2003. That statement was understandably met with some backlash, so let me break down why it makes perfect sense.
After a number of mixtapes, 50 Cent had built an army of a fan base locally and organically in New York. Even before the album, he was The King in his city -- but the hip hop world wasn't up to speed yet. Then, the album drops and practically overnight he goes from local hero to a prominent name and brand in the industry. Over half of the album was on the radio over the course of the next year, and it influenced a generation of artists that followed.
Greedo has done the same thing. It's a different time as far as radio play goes, but this is the type of project that launches a career. It's shocking & original enough to catch the attention of anyone who listens, it's got songs that can (and probably will) be on the radio without sacrificing an ounce of authenticity; and it's bold enough to inspire a generation of artists to make the music they feel most comfortable making.
photo by @ShotByRobo
It's hard to think of 50 Cent's music as experimental, but at the time it was an out of the box approach to hip hop that the industry hadn't seen before. Despite his new age style, it was embraced immediately. We're seeing the same response to 03 Greedo. Overseas they love it. In the hood they love it. In the suburbs they love it. This is timeless music, and it's only the tip of the iceberg for this mad scientist of a rapper. The Wolf Of Grape Street may not ever go 6x platinum or get a movie made after it like 50 Cent's classic, but this is a masterpiece of a project with a track list that is arguably more diverse than any commercial release in the last decade or more.
Now, let's get into the music. A majority of 03 Greedo's fan base seems to prefer him singing over him rapping, and before this album I was probably leaning towards being in that group as well. That was until I heard track 1 of this album, 'Drippin.' The BeatBoy produced record is a rapid display of just how well Greedo can actually rap. It's a boastful song that not only expresses his excitement about where he's at, but also reflects on the treacherous path he took to get here.
RJ didn't know what he was saying when he said Greedo can't rap & the very first track debunks that myth.
Features from Ketchy The Great are rambunctious and enticing all four times he's on this album. Can't wait until he's back home. Free him and the rest of the StincTeam. Other features include Yhung T.O., OMB Peezy, Ralfy The Plug, Bambino & Doley Bernays.
'100 Bands' feat. OMB Peezy is a standout record, with a message that the streets will feel and a bass line that could lead to radio play. It's surprising that he & 03 hadn't linked up before considering Peezy lives in LA, but this could be the groundwork for a wicked collaborative relationship.
Classic Greedo records like 'Run For Your Life' & 'Rude' are given face lifts with upgraded mixing and mastering, but they are still the same songs that fans have embraced so much. 'For My Dawgs' is a sleeper record on the album, with 03 Greedo opening up about friendship and what it can mean to someone in his position. No auto-tune on his vocals on this one, just passionate & soulful energy. HitMob is all over the project; with contributions from Ron-Ron, BeatBoy, JoogFTR, Ace The Face, and more. ThankYouFizzle & Al B Smoov also make outstanding impacts on records they produce. TK & Picasso of R Baron Entertainment also help curate and add to the album's creative direction. Their contributions are always appreciated & can't go without being mentioned.
This is a contemporary West Coast classic. Listen below:
