Minds Of Mischief - Unexpected Changes

Minds Of Mischief - Unexpected Changes

Minds Of Mischief is a group that represents from the notorious southside of Houston, TX. The trio consists of Hollow Tip, Fix and 1-Five-1. They were discovered by Stuart "Poopie" Henderson, who was so impressed by the groups' fast paced flows that he immediately signed them to his Evolution Records label. Unexpected Changes is their debut album and it was released in 1997 on Evolution Records and in collaboration with 2 Much Productions. As it is customary with any Evolution release, the bulk of the production is handled by Stuart "Poopie" Henderson, himself and he is assisted by the likes of Louis "Hollywood" Hayes and Kevin "Red" Allen. The beats are a beautiful blend of that classic southern sound that accompanies twangy guitar riffs which are mixed with hard hitting drums and finally complimented by some smooth keyboarding. The rhythms contain various styles and are thoroughly enjoyable. The tracks carry a solid foundation and are certainly very welcoming for the artists. The album also excels in the lyrical department. All three members are more than capable on the microphone and they can definitely claim it with ease. The rhymes are delivered quickly and sharply. Word play is used as the main ingredient which in return gives the lyrics a very strong backbone. Also, the choruses and the back up vocals are all on point. Guest appearances are made by D-Red of the Botany Boys, Papa Reu, Lady 14, Vikta Black, Note, Boy-Bo and Lil' Mooney. The album rounds out at a decent total of fourteen tracks and although the record starts off a bit slow, it certainly picks up the pace and finishes with prime subject matter. This was an ambitious effort by the trio but it could not garner any type of success, hence this being their only release. While the product is full of variety and is quite deep with flavor, it certainly lacks the finishing touches of a major publishing company or a big name label. In the end, it just shows the humbleness of the group and how eagerly they jumped on the first chance to get their name and personalities noticed all the while knowing the past history of Poopie and his mismanaged label. Evolution Records was bound to self destruct because of the incompetency that was showed by its' staff and mainly, Poopie Henderson himself. Although he is a remarkable producer and he certainly has an ear for finding talent, he did not have the expertise of running a full fledged record company. He signed such great acts like the Coppertone Conspiracy, A-Posse, Quess but also abused them out of their fair share of royalties and eventually, drove them away. Some say it was Poopie's violent temper while others have blamed his faulty publishing and marketing team, both were a recipe for disaster. The Minds Of Mischief were suppose to be the label's last hurrah but they too went unheralded like the rest of their label mates. It is a little disheartening to see such good talent go to waste but what's more discomforting is that they were all cheated and hung out to dry by their own record label.

Deadly Verses
Mama U Better Tell 'Em


Album Notes
* Evolution Records went defunct in the year 1998.
   

Southside Pentagon - Money Over Everything

Southside Pentagon - Money Over Everything

Southside Pentagon is a collective that represents from the hard hitting streets of Houston, TX. The members are D-Gotti, E.L., Craig C, Lil Jay, W.B., Tito, Vandalizm, Trip, Black, Big Tiger and Ban. The group was started by D-Gotti of the Wreckshop and E.L. of Deep South Syndicate as a side project but it quickly evolved into something bigger. Their goal was just to reach the masses on the southside of town but with E.L.'s connections in Louisiana, it helped this release surpass their modest expectations. Money Over Everything is their debut album and it was released in 2001 on M.O.E. Inc. The bulk of the production is handled by the veteran, J Slash of .380 while Noke D, Trip and Mack chip in on some tracks. The beats are a quality blend of the new era sound and since this is a post 2000 release, that was somewhat expected. That being said, it still should not discourage the listener because overall the rhythms are quite unique and while some are sample assisted, the rest carry a genuine feel. Lyrically the album is respectable as well. E.L., D-Gotti and Craig C are the stand outs of course but the rest of the group is not too far behind. Their rhymes carry a good amount of word play and are also delivered with precision. Since this is a large collective, chemistry issues were bound to arise but the founding members made sure to keep those at bay and only made combinations on tracks that easily work. Now, no H-Town record is complete without a star studded guest list and this release is no exception to that rule. Guest appearances are made by Fat Pat, Lil' Keke, Lil' O, Mike D, E.S.G., Hawk, 3-2, Slim Thug, J Slash of .380, Chris Ward, Southside Playaz, Ronnie Spencer, Lady 14, Chad, June, Roxan and Peaches. This can be considered a little guest heavy but with eighteen solid tracks to boast, the features are quite spread out. All in all, a commendable release by the group and also one that appeals from all angles. Plus, with Texas & Louisiana connecting, it makes this release a bit more special and that much harder to deny.

Deadly Verses
Dead Man Walkin


Album Notes
* Rest in peace to Mr. Fat Pat and his brother, Big Hawk.
* Track 9: Chop'em is a pretty lethal diss towards Lil' Flip by E.S.G.
* Also the spine of the album states this release as a Volume One.