T.Q.D: T.Q.D's Corner

I have my preferences when it comes to Hip Hop, but every now and then people come along and force me to make exceptions.  I can appreciate a bad rapping if it's highly entertaining (Tim Dog's Penicillin On Wax).  I can also appreciate a highly skilled emcee, even if they touch on topics I have minimal to no interest in: Brotha Lynch Hung and today's subject, Suga Free, come to mind.

For the uninitiated, Suga Free comes to us from Pomona, California.  His delivery can be best compared to E-40 and the Project Blowed camp (hi-speed rap ability and wide variations in meter). 

His debut album Street Gospel was released in 1997 and produced entirely by DJ Quik.  Topically Suga Free draws most of his subject matter from his days as a pimp with a few other things mixed in between.  Production wise, it's classic DJ Quik funk: a good mix of synthesizers, samples and live instruments.  I'd argue it's some of his best work. 

In addition to the pimp talk throughout the album, there are plenty of humorous punchlines.  The album starts out on a high note with "Why You Bullshittin?": equal parts bragging and pimp talk, with a beat that has the perfect punch to start off an album.  This is followed up by "I'd Rather Give You My Bitch".  Besides being one of the most hilarious song titles ever, the song is littered with punchlines that I find hilarious, even though they probably shouldn't be.  Over the years, these two songs became arguably his most popular.   

The album continues on at a steady pace and his met with another high point: a posse cut with DJ Quik and Hi-C called "Tip Toe".  If forced to declare the top 5 best DJ Quik beats of all time, this would definitely make the cut.  Suga Free sets of the song well and is followed by Quik and Hi-C respectfully.  Everyone contributes admirably, but Suga Free maintains ownership of the track.  This is followed by "I Wanna Go Home".  The beats is composed of table drumming and some humming with Suga Free rhyming about serving time in jail.  It's one of the few introspective moments on the album.  This is followed by "If U Stay Ready" featuring Playa Ham, the albums lead single.  The album is an evenly divided collaboration, but the music video/radio, contains and extra Suga Free verse.  Next to "Tip Toe", this is one of the better better beats.

The album does hit a low note with the easy to skip "Fly Fo Life" and the average "on My Way" (the second single), but the album closes out well.  "Secrets" picks things back up.  "Dip Da", the albums final song ends the album on a surprising note: a straight up introspective song about growing up in a broken home.  In an album loaded with funny punchlines and minimal redeeming value, this song was pretty refreshing.

The lead single "If U Stay Ready" received plenty of airplay at the time, but overall this album failed to be the mainstream success people expected with the DJ Quik association.  However, the album did well regionally and is still highly regarded as a Western classic.  Suga Free never ended up gaining a mainstream following, but over the years has maintained a loyal regional fan base and continues to release music.