There’s a painful reality to face. I’m a middle-aged white guy with no sense of rhythm who’s losing my claim on the cool cultural trends in music as well as life. I don’t know what “schnizizzle” means, and the only “bling” on my person is my wedding ring. So I knew ahead of time reviewing the new B.G. album The Heart of the Streetz Vol. 2 was going to be a challenge.
Considering how uncool I’ve become, it shocked me how much I enjoyed this album. B.G. falls mainly in the Gangsta Rap category and he’s been known to self-aggrandize on a number of tracks. This holds true for The Heart of the Streetz Vol. 2. The rhythm of the album is extremely infectious and B.G.’s lyrics don’t pull any punches. B.G. makes no apologies for who he is and how his upbringing in Uptown New Orleans played a large role in his attitude. Certainly a number of rap artists have developed the same kind of attitude from their upbringing, but B.G. has a gift for encapsulating his feelings very succinctly rather than creating explosively angry word images that lay blame rather than own responsibility for who the artist is.
On songs “Real Nigga,’” “Kill or Be Killed,” “Get Yo’ Mind Right,” and “Ain’t No Bitch,” B.G. keeps it real, portraying the dichotomy of the street player he sees himself as and the success he’s made of himself. The hit song “Move Around,” featuring Mannie Fresh, goes in a different direction, producing a beat-filled dance number with some very funny lyrics. Other guest appearances include Paul Wall on “Deuces Up,” Tone Tone on “Living Right,” Webbie on “Ain’t No Bitch,” and the Chopper City Boyz backing up B.G. throughout the album. On each of these tracks, B.G. and his guest artists keep the beat steady while slamming some extraordinary rhymes on the listener. Maybe it’s just my unfamiliarity with rap music, but this album paints some intricate portraits of characters old white guys like me will likely never know. To even have this tiny view into B.G.’s world is an insight worth keeping in my head for a long time.
I wish I were cool enough to write this review in the language that so completely captures B.G.’s take on the things he’s seen and experienced because, no matter how literal this review may be, it cannot come close to expressing the fascinating dimensions of the environment that surrounds B.G. Perhaps if more old white guys like me had the opportunity to look through B.G.’s eyes, a lot could be done to change that environment for the better.
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