LSPR

Best known for 8Ball & MJG's soulfoul ruminations about pimping and Southern living, as well as the get-buck sound and style Three 6 Mafia brought to a national stage, the Memphis rap scene has been a talent hot-bed for the last fifteen years or so. But while the city's rap scene has been responsible for everything from crunk to the lifestlye depicted in Hustle & Flow, M-Town has never has a group become over the board superstars. Despite their accolades and sales, Memphis artists remained too gangster, too gutter, and too scary. Enter JAG. The South Memphis trio of Juan, West, and G have plenty of gritty gangster tales to share, but it's the commercially minded work on their debut album, Music, Power, Respect, that makes them potential superstars. JAG takes care of the streets with the ultra funky "Young Pimpin" with hometown hero 8Ball, and the club ready "Trap Walk" featuring DJ Unk. As for potential singles, "Girls Gone Wild" contains a controlled sonic fury and talk of ladies clubbing that could make it a smash, while "U Got It" has that signature male-female interplay. The production work from Big Oomp Camp, Carlos Broady, and --primarily--Jag member West has the type of Southern flair, energy, and commercial appeal that has helped Nelly, Outkast and others achieve multi-platinum success. JAG manage to create credible- street certified music that could be enjoyed by the mainstream. Thus, with Music, Power, Respect, JAG appears to be on course to obtain all three. - SOURCE MAGAZINE: SOREN BAKER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR