Customer Reviews

Pimps Don't Pay Taxes

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

 

 

How about the best producer. Period. J-Zone has taken basement-sounding beats to a level that's unspeakably dope. Just check out the beat creativity on tracks such as "Bum-B**** Ballad" and "Jailbait Jennifer." What makes J-Zone extra dope are his concepts. Though the subjects of his raps are nothing new (women, sex), his unabashed take on them is very refreshing and always done in a humorous way. He's not afraid to go that extra mile to offend the listener. Just listen to the hilarious, "Trojan War," a song about unprotected sex. The fact that he can flow better than any commercial rapper out now, says a lot about his talent as a rapper and producer and DJ. Someone hand him his "best producer on the mic" plaque now.

I am a student of hip hop music. I know about almost every group or MC that has ever rocked the mic. I have been listening to rap since '84. I can honestly say that J-Zone is the freshest sounding, most talented producer/rapper that I have ever heard. There is absolutely NO exaggeration in my statement. This guy is the... I am not suprised that no major record label has signed this talented man yet, because all these record labels only sign the rappers that you hear today like Ja Rule and Nelly, because thats what blind rap little kid fanatics like to buy.

J-Zone is you ever read this, don't stop what you're doing playa. You are without a doubt, the greatest hip hop producer/rapper today.

two reasons for a perfect score. first- production. beats are so hot- they will cause neck damage. very great approach to sampling. and use of sound bites rivals that of Madlib.

lyrics....for a producer- he is dope. he is not a new Canibus but no other producer can spit and keep you entertained as Jzone. he is extremely funny. my only complaint is too many skits. otherwise- he is dope

What grabs you when you listen to this album for the first time is the quality and the originality of the production. J-Zone has managed to craft some inventive beats with retro samples that seem to be taken from an old amusement park. He uses violin, trumpet and accordion samples blended with plucked loops that result in a catchy and unique sound. J-Zone is also a good MC that blesses us with sarcastic and vicious rhymes. His lyrics may not be 'deep or conscious' but they manage to be clever enough to be funny and dope.
Overall this is a consistently strong album that stands way above average Hip Hop releases and you should definitely check it out.

Personality is so important in hip-hop. Sure, you need a tight flow and killer production (which J-Zone has) but you are nothing without personality. The way J-Zone gushes about wanting Lucy Liu, bragging about how he is going to get a phat Caddilac, his feelings on using condoms, and lots of other details make this record endlessly interesting, and a hell of a lot of fun. J-Zone is one of the freshest MCs/DJs/producers in hip-hop today. It's artists like this that make digging a little deeper for new music so worthwhile.

If you're reading this review, then you already understand J-Zone is not your typical rap artist today. He's creative, untiring, and most of all, funny as hell. His album Pimps Don't Pay Taxes is truly an artistic hip-hop joyride. A break from the normal if you will. Why a three star rating then? It's simple, J-Zone is not a great emcee.

You can argue all you want, but the fact remains J-Zone is not as skilled as many would like to give him credit for when he's on the M-I-C. Sure, he's very entertaining, and yes, his storytelling is something 99.9% of other hip-hop artist could only dream of touching, but having an extreme gift off the M-I-C doesn't make up for his lack of skills on the M-I-C. Pimps Don't Pay Taxes is a really good album. It really is, but only if you're into creative and experimental hip-hop. Other greats like Kool Keith, MF Doom and even Outkast possess that ability to be creative both on and off the M-I-C.

As an ending result, I give J-Zone five stars for creativity, but only one star for delivery, flow and presence/charisma on the M-I-C. Thus my three star rating. This album is not a classic, so lets be fair here, and give this album a fair rating. Pimps Don't Pay Taxes is easily J-Zone at his finest, but even still, his best work isn't worthy of being "classic" hip-hop. J-Zone himself clearly calls out the "backpacker" type rap fans in this album time and time again, yet still, many of these fans give him extreme credit for making this album, and would go to the extent of calling this classic hip-hop. I simply beg to differ.