Billo "The Hood Rockstar" - Daily Grind Vol. One (For The People Entertainment)

I don't know much about this Billo cat other than seeing his name on local bills here and there and this CD being in a lot of stores around the city since last summer, supposedly he's sold over 2 thousand copies of it. In fact, I think Daily Grind Vol. 2 is already comin' out soon. This is a pretty short mixtape, less than 40 minutes long, which I have to say is refreshing in a way. Sometimes if I'm checking out someone's music for the first time a whole hour plus of material is just gonna wear out my patience. I kind of like the loose, laid back vibe of the tape, too, all these interludes with random soul songs, not samples, the actual songs, playing out for a minute or so, the usual answering machine skits and so on. It kinda comes and goes too quickly for me to get a handle on Billo's lyrical style but I'll probably cop the next one on the basis of this.

Billo - "21 Gun Salute" (mp3)
That beat is crazy, all trebly and frantic, this track has been my favorite on the CD for a minute.

Billo - "Where Da Block At" (mp3)
This song has such a crazy vibe, all the shouting in the background and that harsh snare drum sound that reminds me of "Ambitionz Az A Ridah." It sounds like there's a 2nd MC on this track but the liner notes don't say who it is.

Labels: Billo, For The People Entertainment, mixtape/album review, mp3