Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Gangsta Rap
Label Number: MPL1
© 2004 Monopolee/IM³ Records
Following an impressive debut album that nonetheless didn't register too far outside of New York, Queensbridge thug rappers Infamous Mobb returned at full force with Blood Thicker Than Water, Vol. 1, a similarly impressive album of grimy beats and street-smart raps. The chief difference is that the Mobb don't have the Alchemist producing the bulk of their beats this time around (he helms just one track, the eerie album-closer, "Gunz Up"). It's not a huge loss; granted, Alchemist is often reason enough to check out a given rap artist, but the producers Infamous Mobb collaborate with here (Masberg, Ric Rude, Sebb, and others) are fairly similar in style and could very well pass for Alchemist (or Havoc from Mobb Deep, for that matter). The album's jump-off track, "Empty Out (Reload)," gets the festivities off to a racous start. It's a gun-toting anthem featuring Prodigy that establishes a tough-stance tone for the album. Other songs like "Who We Ride For" are similarly dead-serious in their gaze, as both the soundscapes and raps are intimidating and empowering. And above all, that seems to be Infamous Mobb's forte: they rattle off muscular, bullying raps about the tough side of life in the projects, and they do so over similarly muscular, bullying beats. This isn't music for the pop charts -- the only love here is love for the hood, and there certainly aren't any sticky-sweet R&B hooks. This is music for the streets, plain and simple, and if you don't like it...well, you best step back because this is no game, not for Infamous Mobb anyway. These dudes are serious -- dead serious.
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tags: infamous mobb, blood thicker than water vol 1, 2004, flac,
