RAPPIN' 4TAY
'OFF PAROLE' [EMI/ Ragtop]

With Too $hort settling in Hot-Lanta, the Bay Area with it's great, vast and unique creative hiphop culture, is open for the emergence of a new Rap godfather. My bet is E-40. His talent as an entrepreneur is unmatched in the Bay. JT The Bigga Figga of Filmore fame is also one, but most of his followers are limited in the West Bay.

4Tay, however, is the most unique of all the Bay Area kings. Why? Because he's one of the only Rappers who try to pose as your loving uncle who'll gladly tutor you with your math homework, but still won't hesitate to set you up with a hooker half-priced.

4tay, aka Anthony Forte, has his forte (get it?) in easy party jams with a bit of a message into them. He's a playa, but his definition of one is not he who will fuck the most, but he who will fuck the most, yet bring back respect to his family and community. This is emphasized on his track 'Phat Like That' with his 7 year old daughter Jasmine (aka Jazzy). A brilliant traditional Bay Area funk, with a Fat Albert sample. At the end Jazzy asks 'Daddy, when do I get paid?'. Playas start young.

4-Tay used the long time producer Al Eaton on a few tracks, the best tracks on this album. 'I Paid My Dues' is a funky track about what 4-Tay did in order to get what he has. Nice singing on this one. Eaton also contributed 'A Lil Som'em', a sex-party rhyme, with heavy R&B melodies, but homie, ease on the moaning. 'Where's The Party' as another Eaton piece, like the two others. It's the same basic 'have fun' rhyme.

This album has work by the Geto Boys' super-duper-producer Mike Dean. 'New Trump' is one of these, nice keyboards. This album is a nice, optimistic piece. 4-Tay will give you advice, but will show that he's young and funlovin'. He'll remember his homies locked down in '25-2-Life', and will tell you to 'Keep It Legit' on this track.

'Boogie Bang Bang' talks about the similiarities between the dope game and the music game. Posse cuts are not at short with 'Still Fuckin' With My Folks' with some underground contributors who come tight, so is 'Game On The Shelf' with JT and his posse. Also, on of the pearls of the album is 'Never Talk Down' with $hort and MC Breed. A tight instrumental with heavy game sprinklin'. Also, the chart hittin 'Ain't No Playa' is here. This album is better than his first effort, and no doubt, 4-Tay leaped a giant step towards Bay Area reign.

Peace
written by
El Surround

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