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This week the artist mixtapes have been all about the lyrics. I'm diggin' the fact that cats are super lyrical with it cause the mainstream is all ass cheeks and loose pussy lips right now. I don't know if you heard big Lou's previous mixtape but before you listen to this one do yourself a favor and go cop the old one then get your hands on this joint. I'm gonna make a bold statment and say that New Jersey right now got lyrics on lock...more so than NYC that's for sure.
The mixtape started out a lil slow for me. "Seems Like" is deep but the vibe didn't cut it for me to jump off the CD. The track is all truth and you can marvel at the MIC skills but I would have started the CD off differently. "Party People" was the spark that got the CD heated up. Big Lou breaking down the sorry state of the music industry and these fake MCs with percision. What can I say about "Lyrical Izm"? Classic beat with classic bars as Big Lou gives you a look into how he came up in the game. One thing all these other MCs need to worry about is getting a feature from Big Lou...he will straight up eat you alive on your own beat or if it's his beat you still get eaten alive. Case in point is the joint with Sheek Louch called "The Champ Is Here". Sheek went in no question but Lou took it to a whole nother level. "You know we run up in your house / fondle on your spouse / she wanted kids so I put a day care in her mouth." Hahahahaha. Peep the energy on "I Survived The Hood"...crazy; playtime is def over. How can you not appreciate Joell Ortiz and Big Lou on the same track. "Latin Assasins" is my joint. These two MCs are truly the future of Hip Hop in NYC...fuck all these other lames claiming that shit. "Well Rounded" got me amped cause you can see Big Lou fucking with the flow and cadance; he's actually making himself a "well rounded" MC and he turned it into a track...genius. God damn Vein went in on "They Don't Understand". Her and Big Lou trading verses like they been doing it for mad years; they spittin' acid on this one. Picture this: Big Lou spittin' over RZA's "Reunited". That's what "Wu Homage" is all about. I'm not gonna say anymore cause this is Rapmullet Trap House music. Big Lou hits the boards for "My Girl" as well as pens a dope ass concept record.
I could give you more highlights but fuck it you will have to find this joint and cop it for yourself to get your fix. Dead ass real I can't see anyone fucking with Big Lou lyrically and conceptually. I also can't see him losing in this game either; listen straight through, every track and you'll hear why. To say he's hungry and focused is an understatment. I don't know who's gonna sign him but like Kay Slay said on the intro "get the check books ready".
- RapMullet.com
It doesn't take a smart guy to know Hip-hop is as Jay Z says is in a "STATE OF EMERGENCY." It makes you want to pull out a wedgee board and resurrect the dead to get good quality emcees back. Look no further!! Big Lou is here... Strait out of Camden, NJ (worst city in the U.S.) Big Lou is a combination of your favorite rappers favorite rappers! All you young bucks reading this let me break it down 2pac, BIG, Pun, Big L, all the greats that passed and all the greats that are in the shadows (the God Rakim, Kool G Rap) the list goes on.If you want to judge a book by its cover then when you see the album art for this mixtape you will be intrigued from the start. Before you pick up your next bootydance strip club recycled rendition cd spend ya money else where. Pick up Big Lou's new mixtape "Resurrecting The Dead" which is hosted by the drama king Kay Slay.
The mixtape opens up with Slays trade mark intensity. It's an intro that makes you ready for the storm about to break. And "Paying Homage" does that! Maybe is the live spitting accapella and the crowd going crazy that sends chills up your spine or maybe its just been a while since good Hip-hop has been this close to mainstream. Songs like "The Resurrection" and the U.M.A. SONG OF THE YEAR "Takin Ova" are pure hiphop in its form. This mixtape has alot of different feels and angles. Another highlight has to be "Never Turn Back" and "Poppa Poppa", if these songs dont make anyone with some type of struggle in there life relate then nothing will. The raw emotion and bitter reality of these 2 tracks make you rewind more then once. The Camden stamp on hip-hop has to be placed when you listen to "Spiritual Metaphysics", one of the most creative songs of 2006 and the diamond of the album. The hook on this song and the ripping strings that follow in the background mesh as good as milk and cookies .It makes you remember what we lost. You have to appreciate what Lou is trying to proove.Spiritual is one of the biggest tributes to hip-hop you'll ever hear.
If you ask someone whos the king of the east coast 4 out of 5 would say Hov....now when you listen to "Ride With Me" which is identical to Jayz' "Kingdom Come" beat it almost makes you wonder if they went Toe to Toe would it be an equal match? Its definately another banger. This track was recorded and played by Kay Slay before the Jay record was ever released,so dont think theres no originality in the production. A wiseman once said Great Minds Think Alike. And make sure you dont overlook "Jackin 4 Beats"... WOW!!!!
On the other hand the downside to the album is "Shoot", its not a type of ear candy to hear that many gunshots in a song and subject matter was laxed."Hey,Hey,Hey" is another take it or leave it track.The good outweighs the bad indefinately on this project.
Overall this mixtape is solid and is the first aid kit for hiphop right now.There are too many good tracks to mention,Props to Big Lou and everyone involved in this project.This is definately worth your time. "Resurrecting The Dead" was definately masterplanned and it shows throughout the record.
- RapCapital.com
Welcome Big Lou to Rapmullet.com. Hailing from Camden NJ, he's an MC with strong ties in the tri-state area who knows the importance of building a fan base. If you haven't caught him performing live you should and to these other "no stage presence" MCs that already made it in the game, you could learn a thing or two. Kayslay is hosting throughout so you already know the hoods gonna love it. I don't usually mention the art work on mixtapes but Lou himself has a unique sound and now he's got a unique cover to compliment it. I don't know if you other MCs are taking notes but one things for sure Big Lou has got his shit together.
If you get a chance, lyrically break down "Paying Homage". The thing that stands out to me the most is if you listen real close when Lou is introduced he gets some mild applause but after that first a capella verse you can hear the crowds energy grow. That's how you know your words are hitting people in the head. There are few accomplished "Rappers" that can do this, selling records is out the window when it comes to connecting to a crowd. Big Lou takes it back on "The Ressurrection " and proceeds to "kill Kanye west with a hand granade." To say Big Lou attacked this track is a gross understatment. Click the link and listen....damn! He said "blending nouns and verbs / infatuated with words / my future was looking blured / so I emerged hugging the curb"; Lou got the word play and flow on lock people. He's got that Smooth Da Hustler/ Trigga Da Gambler flow but with a real life conscience to just tell the truth. "Hey, Hey, Hey" got Lou shifting gears on the flow, I'm diggin' the versatility and the punch lines are mad sharp. "Takin Over" got a beat with some club appeal but the rhyme is all pissy stair cases and fiends in the hallway type shit; plus that Jay vocal on the hook holds your ear something proper. Oh so you wanna know if Big Lou can get deep with it? Peep "Spiritual Metaphysics" and you got your answer. You get even deeper with "Poppa Poppa". This is that music cats can relate too. These new jack Hip Hop fans still in ya teens need listen to "Grown Man" and learn you some shit. That's right Big Lou got a message in the music too. As far as well rounded tracks goes, "Hold On" got that thump and it got that mass appeal. Let me slow my roll on the highlights real quick but before I go the sleeper/classic track of the mixtape hands down is "Jackin' For Beats". I'm not gonna say no more.
I don't know how Big Lou does it man. I'm exhausted just after running through the CD back to back a couple times. He attacks every track on the project like it's his last meal.......it doesn't get much hungrier than that. As far as an artist mixtapes goes this is how you come off to the public. The CD is truly a showcase; from the word play to the flow, to the content, to the versatility, to the realness of the whole project.
- RapMullet.com
Discography
“The Last Lyricists” ft. Papoose, Busta Rhymes, Kay Slay
“The Latin Assassins” ft. Joell Ortiz
“The Champ is Here” ft. Sheek Louch
“The Shining” ft. Busta Rhymes
"They Ain't no Gangstas" ft. Cuban Link
"From Now Til Then" ft. Jada Kiss & Crooked i
Photos
Bio
Who is Big Lou? I suppose the best way to answer that question is with a series of other questions
1. Who is the only artist in the Underground Music Awards History to win an unprecedented 4 Underground Music Awards including Best artist, Best Lyricist. Most original Artist and get nominated a record 6 times?
2. How many unsigned artists are sought out by a legendary artist like Busta Rhymes to jump on one of the hottest street bangers of 2007 “The Shining”
3. Who is the last virtually unknown artist from a tiny city like Camden, NJ that is only 8 Square miles to be featured on some of the hottest street collaborations of 2007 and 2008 with artists like Joell Ortiz, Papoose, Sheek Louch, Cuban Link, and Stacee Adams, Juvenile, & Jeru the Damaja
4. How often do you see an artist without the backing of a major label make music that is so powerful that the top hip Hop websites such as HipHopDX.com, AllHipHop.com, and HipHopGame.com are forced to have his music in regular rotation.
5. Name an artist whose stage performances are so captivating that it caught the attention of one of Hip Hop’s Legendary pioneers in DJ Kay Slay.
6. Let’s take it to another spectrum – Who really is Big Lou? How can an artist who forces everyone from the streets to the Hip Hop community to continuously find them selves asking this question even after an eye popping 180,000 plus plays of his 2 debut videos on You-Tube.
I’m sure these accolades may be impressive to many, but perhaps the most interesting way to guage an artist’s impact on the rap game could be as simple as hackers going out of their way to infiltrate Big Lou’s Myspace page not once but TWICE over the past year to delete over 50,000 fans and well over a million plays. To some this may be extremely frustrating, but as Big Lou puts it “I guess I’ve arrived, it appears that my fan base has quadrupled and the haters have doubled. I guess that makes me relevant”
So who is Big Lou? Let’s take it back.
Known in the hood as "The Spanish Frank White" Big Lou was born in
Camden N.J.; One of the most dangerous cities in America. Big Lou was
raised by a single mother (Maria Rodriquez) and grew up with 4
brothers and 3 sisters. At the age of 14 Big Lou started growing fond of music. He began writing songs on the struggles of his hood. Before his music career would blossom he became a product of the streets. He started selling drugs. Although he was living the fast life, he never lost his love for music. He was determined to make a better way and started investing his money into buying studio equipment. Little by little he spent more time in the lab than on the streets. After successfully finishing his first Independent album he gave up the street life and focused on selling his music. Amazingly Big Lou sold 3,500 units in a city that's only 8 square miles, creating a buzz that traveled to Philly and parts of Jersey City fast. As Big Lou's success kept growing He decided to start his own Independent label called LOST CITY RECORDS. He began booking his own shows and opened up for acts such as Freeway, Ms Jade, Fat Joe, MobbDeep, KRS One, Mista Cheeks, Papoose, Remy Ma, Jae Millz, Busta Rhymes, D-Block, Saigon and many others. He also performed at over 10 Spanish Day Parades and had Latin's comparing him to the lat, great Big Pun. Taking it a step further Big Lou invested his CD money into doing a charity event for the local schools in his neighborhood which he called LOST CITY 4 the KIDS. In 2006 Big Lou caught the attention of one of Hip Hop’s Legendary DJ’s and Pioneer Kay Slay. After see Big Lou wow the crowds at several shows, Kay Slay signed Big Lou to his Streetsweepers label; the same label that launched the careers of world renowned artist like Papoose and Saigon.
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