Slater - Can You Feel Me

Slater - Can You Feel Me

Curtis Slater is an artist that represents from the rampant boulevards of San Antonio, TX. A well renown figure in SA Town's underground rap scene, he is highly remembered for his rapturous flows and energetic performances. Can You Feel Me is his debut solo album and it was released in 2003 on Top Entertainment Inc. The record is excellently produced by Houston's very own, Sean "Blaze" Henderson who is also assisted by Key Jay. The mixing and mastering is provided by the magnificent, Ricé. The engineers do a solid job on the beats and the end result is quite pleasurable. The rhythms presented here are Southern in nature so one can easily expect the use of jazzy horns, conventional hooks and some twangy guitar work which is provided by Paul Olivarri. A few of the beats are sample ridden while the rest are all original in composition. The two most notable samples come from the Ohio Players' "Fire" and The Crusaders' "Street Life." Lyrics are also on par with the rhythmical structure that is given to the artist. Slater's rhyme scheme might be typical but he does carry the ability to take the listener by surprise with his bold tone and a quick change of pace. He can also attack with a decent vocabulary as well. Subject matter is kept versatile and various styles are provided for the listener to keep them hooked. Guest appearances are made by D'nae Slater, Danielle Hamilton, Chris Benson, Ghetto and Big Turk. The album closes out with a total of thirteen tracks and also includes a bonus Eighted & Chopped disc done by the masterful, Mike Moore of the infamous Beltway 8 Records. Overall it's a dope record that gives off a satisfying vibe and has the power to play on both ends of the musical spectrum. A feat that is not easily attained but rather achieved by giving attention to the smallest of details. That alone places this album in the category known simply as, a diamond in the rough.

Deadly Verses
Good Life ft. Danielle Hamilton


Can You Feel Me

Foul Mouf - Talkin' Sh*t

Foul Mouf - Talkin' Sh*t

Foul Mouf is a rapper that represents the atrocious streets of Houston, TX. Now, with an alias like Foul Mouf and a title like Talkin' Sh*t, one might expect this album to be full of barbaric amounts of vulgar content but that is not the case. The artist along with his material, is only as offensive as any other release from the southern region. In fact, some might even complain that he is not brash or profane enough for their liking. Nevertheless, this release holds a significant amount of importance for the individual and the accompanying parties involved. Talkin' Sh*t is the artist's debut album and it was released in 2002 on Draper, Inc. A new label which was founded by the intellectual, Tony Draper. The creation of this label marked an end of an era for the infamously successful, Suave House Records. Tony Draper decided it was time to close the curtains on one of the most prominent labels in the South, mainly because of most of its' profitable artist had either retired or moved on to a completely different or rival label. Suave House had an incredible run in the nineties and shutting the label down was definitely a difficult pill to swallow. Tony knew it was time to move on though, music was steadily evolving in the South and that hardcore sound mostly associated with Suave House, would not last at all against the new generation. So, he found himself an inspiring and upcoming artist in Foul Mouf and Talkin' Sh*t became the first release under Draper, Inc. Production on this piece is split between the legendary, T-Mixx or Q-Stone and Sean Blaze. They team up to provide a nice selection of beats that integrate concepts from the new wave sound. The rhythms tend to stay upbeat for the most part. There are some tracks that are reminiscent of T-Mixx's days with Suave House but even those sound watered down when compared to their counterparts. Foul Mouf is at an above average level lyrically. His rhymes will surprise the listener and will also keep them from discarding his genuine efforts either. He has a typical delivery pattern and his use of word play is adequately scattered. His Southern tone on the other hand, is of top quality and it's one of his main areas of strength. Also to provide extra help in the lyrical department are guest features of Bun B, Devin The Dude, Butch Cassidy, T-Lo, Dez and Ming Xia of the Spooks. The album closes out with a decent total of thirteen tracks with varying subjects. Overall it's a versatile record which tends to cover all the themes and topics associated with the South. For example, the album boasts everything from profound street anthems to groovy club bangers and everything in between. It can be considered as a complete package and one that is competent enough to be a label's debut release. Although, Foul Mouf did manage to get some attention for his work and there were even plans for music video shoot, the recognition simply wasn't enough to propel him into the mainstreams; which ultimately was the goal set by Tony Draper and his newfound record label.

Deadly Verses
Life Goes On