req·ui·em (r k w - m, rkw-)
n.
- Requiem Roman
Catholic Church.
- A mass for a deceased
person.
- A musical composition
for such a mass.
- A hymn, composition, or
service for the dead.
Mr. Lil’ One is back in full effect for the nine quat! For those who have been anxiously waiting for a new album from the original Boogie Man of Chicano rap, your nightmares have come true.
From the start, Mr. Lil’ One delivers nothing but the dark, sick, sinister style you’ve come to expect from him, only this time, he has teamed up with super producer Shysti from Riverbottom Entertainment, for an album that displays Mr. Lil’ One in his purest, rawest form with the exception of one feature with his good pal, Mr. Shadow.
Shysti’s dark, eerie, and sometimes downright creepy beats combined with melodic hooks, sometimes provided by the sultry Michelle Ambriz, compliment Lil’ One so well, you would think they have been working together for their entire careers.
Lil One and Shysti kick off Tha Requiem with “Dance to the Rhythm.” Don’t let the title confuse you though, this is a sick track where Lil One starts his verse while an eerie piano plays in the background before the beat kicks in and Lil One rips the track addressing fake thugs and wanna-bes, complete with gunshots and screams. Michelle Ambriz adds to the ghostly sound with the hook:-where they at? Come and dance to the rhythm / Its Lil Uno now believe I come and get ‘em / I’ve been waiting all my life to expose you / Best believe I’m gonna do what I’m supposed to
On “Why You Wanna,” Shysti delves into the regional urban sound a bit with a nice banda sounding beat using horns such as the tuba while Lil One spits game about “drama in California.” Dark, eerie production continues on “Play The Guitar,” “Haunt Me,” “I Don’t Wanna Die,” and “I Remember When” where the chorus is as equally chilling as the title of the album-I remember when…you smiled at me / I remember when…you laughed at me / I remember when…I plotted your death / I remember when…you took your last breath
On "Faking," "Changes," and "How Could I," Lil One takes the time to address the rocky relationships that occur between a man and a woman (i.e. betrayal, jealousy, etc.) and adds that Lil One style to each and every verse. Lil One shows versatility on “Some Bleed,” “Welcome,” and “Get Up” where they stray away from the typical Lil One formula as Shysti produces a very upbeat, funky song that would find itself playing at a backyard barbeque or a night club.
The best songs on the album are definitely "They Call Him Lil One," "It’ll Be Fine" w/ Mr. Shadow, and "I’m Sorry." On "They Call Him Lil One," Shysti throws down on one of the best Oldie style beats ever as Lil One rips the track with very uplifting verses and Michelle Ambriz takes care of the chorus with a sultry, soulful voice. "It’ll Be Fine" pairs Mr. Lil One again with his life long compadre, Mr. Shadow. They both come hard and exchange solid verses on another great beat by Shysti. "I'm Sorry" is probably the best song on the album as Mr. Lil One pours his heart out on of the most personal songs ever performed by the Boogie Man. The song is basically an open prayer to God for everyone to listen as Uno addresses drugs, alcoholism, and much more. Shysti’s production on this track is unmatched with a dark, eerie beat mated to a stringy, guitar sound.
The album is rounded out with "I Wanna Know," "Stay Gone," and "Friends." All are good songs with solid production. Overall, this is a great album and all die hard Lil One fans will be extremely elated to hear their favorite Boogie Man bringing heat rocks on the microphone once again while new fans will have to agree that Shysti has brought out the best in Lil One with his musical direction and dope production.
Written by: Gerardo Garcia III
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