Customer Reviews

Funky As I Wanna Be

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In 1992, Too Short's onetime west coast protege Pooh-Man dropped his debut album "Funky as I Wanna Be," a good album that received little recognition then and remains that way today. This album has great, funky production, exhibiting a lot of the characteristics that would define the west coast g-funk explosion of the mid 1990s, with slow, heavy bass, synths, and hard drumbeats. The production is handled by Ant Banks, a talented and accomplished producer who would go on to have a fairly successful solo career of his own. Musically, the album stays very consistent and really delivers. Lyrically, I find Pooh-Man to be fairly similar to a young DJ Quik, dividing his raps between speaking of ghetto experience and sex. He talks about both with style, he has a great character and comes across humorously. This album is really hard to find today, but I highly recommend "Funky as I Wanna Be."

The album begins with "N.... Ain't Playin,'" which is an upbeat track with great production featuring a funk guitar and horns and heavy bass. Pooh-Man comes across hard, displaying an impressive, fast flow and good lyricism. Flint hip hop vet MC Breed collaborates on "Don't Cost a Dime," a musically dense song that I really like. The title track has a winding, fast beat and Pooh-Man uses a sort of whispered delivery. "Mellow Man" is a definite highlight, where Pooh-Man explores his character with a nice delivery and awesome production with great keyboards. "The Projects" deals with ghetto dealings and hustling. "Playa Haters" might be my favorite song, it has an ultra-funky beat with an organ being the main component, Pooh-Man bashes haters and the chorus is good. On "Racia," Pooh-Man collaborates with Ant Banks and Too Short on the mic to discuss a certain woman. After the good "F....' Wit Dank (Remix)" comes "The Big Gangster," another enjoyable song. I love "Your D...," which has the best beat on the album and a very good, female-sung chorus. The music is bouncy and happy sounding, it's a light and humorous song. "Eatin' P..." continues in the same lyrical direction, and the album ends well with a "Mellow Man" instrumental and the self explanatory "Sex, Money and Murder."

"Funky as I Wanna Be" is a very appropriate album, because musically and lyrically this album is funky as it gets. I recommend this album to fans of west coast rappers like DJ Quik and Too Short, Pooh-Man is pretty similar to artists such as them and fans should enjoy this album. Long underrated and out of print, should you come across this album I highly suggest that you pick it up. This would be a great album to add to the collection should you get the chance, it's very complete and great to listen to.

This is the first and last real album Poo had with the dangerous crew(short,spice and banks etc). This album was well produced by Ant Banks for its time. The album was blessed with guest appearances from most of all members of the dangerous crew. This album by PooMan was back when all was well with him and the dangerous crew. The album was well received in the bay following the previous moderate success of Poo's rookie album "life of a criminal".

Due to this albums hit single "sex money and murder" which was featured also on the soundtrack of Tupac's movie "Juice", the album was believed to soon be a success. Except for one problem, everyone believed the hit song had been performed by Too short.Fans began flocking to the stores asking when Too short's new album would follow his hit single "sex,money and murder". Only to be shocked when told the song had not been performed by Too short. Apparently fans could not distinguish the difference between PooMan and Too Short's voice, style and flow. This created a problem. Even though the credits read PooMan, Too short has been and still is widely mistaken as the rap vocals on sex money & murder. It's ashame because yes PooMan did sound very identical to Short and rapped about the same subjects of loose women, pimps and macks.

PooMan's pimp lyric's were starting to rival or even surpass the original Oakland Rap Macks. PooMan was beating Short at his own game. So there just could not be two Too Shorts, somebody had to go.This later led Too short and the dangerous crew to diss PooMan to avoid competition within Short's own camp. With that, came "Get in where you fit in" which is probably Short's most recognized album. The album was titled as a direct message to PooMan after his exile from the Dangerous crew and Jive Records. Short's album also featured many songs that were diss tracks addressed to Poo. The Platinum success of short's diss album "Get in where u fit in" eventually would spell the end for PooMan's rap career. Poo would never be signed by a major record label again. Although Poo would not be the only rapper to have his career prematurely ended by Too short.

Did Poo really steal short's style and run with it? I'll let you decide but check out Poo's lyric's featured on "something to ride to", last track on Too short album "shorty the Pimp". I quote Poo rappin, "I love my high school cuties with muscle bound booties, I'm a pimp so you know I had to do my duty". If that ain't classic playa pimp rap I don't know what is?

When that beat drops and Pooh says "drop the top, hit the block, beat slammin".....on the F'wit dank remix, how can you not want to nod your head and turn up the amp in your car. That song takes me back to kickers, Rockford Fosgate's and Pyle driver speakers in an 85 corrola. It's a hard album. First time I heard Eatin' P***y track I had to listen to it at a low level like a Eddie Murphy Raw tape. Classic album. This is the reason they put him in menace to society. He was just gangsta. He's the reason Too Short moved to Atlanta. Somebody should have told Short that you don't want to beef with a guy that holds up Wal-mart stores in between studio sessions. No joke.

This was Pooh before he and Short Dog started beefin, so Short is here on #7, Racia. This is a great album. #10 is the best love song ever sung, it shows the women their righteous place and treats em like the need to be treated. Remember it when its time to flex! #6 is dope. #8 is literaly dope. #11 is stupid, doe, so you can already see why $hort eventualy left this fool to hang. Bangin, all in all, worth havin.

where to start reviewing this incredible album? well, lets just say its a true classic from beginning to end. i always have it in the tape deck when i'm rollin and my boys and i never get tired of it. i would say that MC pooh is more street than NWA ever wished they were and more graphic than 2 $hort tried to be. this is a classic hiphop album and belongs in any true thugs collection. steal it if you have to.

"Funky" is not a good word to use. Funky = dirty, weird, nasty, not in good standing, etc.

And the word Funky between a girl's legs while you call yourself "Pooh Man" is even worse.

Then on top of it, you write, "Funky as I wanna be."

My response to Pooh Man: Dude you aren't funky anymore and you well surpassed the word "freak." You are definitely in the "needs help" category as I am starting to question what really make you tick. (All this before I even opened up the CD and listened to the music) And now I am not quite sure if I want to...?

Oh yeah, the `parental advisory required symbol' doesn't exactly make me feel secure either... haha.