Rockstar Mentality

Shop Boyz | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 19, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Republic
• ASIN: B000QUCQCY
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,341 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This album was recorded like a rockstar., June 24, 2007

By 

Pablo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rockstar Mentality (Audio CD)

In other words, the Shop Boyz were drunk off their chairs, and high outta their mind when they recorded this album.

I'm not going to say that the Shop Boyz' debut, Rockstar Mentality, is completely unredeemable; but if you're heard the first single, which I'm sure you have, you've already heard the rest of this album. As lyricists, the Shop Boyz are some of the most mind-numblingly linear I've ever heard. As emcees, their flows are competent enough, but certainly nothing above average. The production? Well, most of the production is pretty tight, to be honest. The production is what really saves this album from being the catastrophy most expected it to be.

The lead single, Party Like a Rock Star, was marketed at just the right time. Kids nowadays are moving away from hip-hop, and focusing their attention on pop-punk groups like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and others cut from the same mould; so, in order to capitalize on some form of rock's resurgance in the mainstream, creating a track such as Party Like a Rockstar was the perfect gimmick, and marketing strategy. Mentioning prominent rock artists like Marilyn Manson and Travis Barker, and even the Osbourne family, was also a strategic move to show that the group has some knowledge of rock music; even though they've publically admitted that's far from the truth. So, with a new brand of "Hood Rock," which is basically the same formula Lil' Jon's followed for the past 5 years, the Shop Boyz released their debut album, hoping to move units based off of this track's success alone.

I don't see that happening too well beyond first week sales. The rest of this album follows the same format as that track, with the exception of the two tracks aimed for the ladies, Baby Girl and Next To Me, both of which are decent, musically. Rollin' was good on first listen, but the Beach Boys influence is just downright corny on second listen. The same can be said about the latin-tinged My Car, which, while pretty dope on the musical side of things, is just downright wack in every other aspect.

David Banner's beat on They Like Me sounds like it would've been better fitted on budget rap album from Koch, such as B.G.'s last group album. It's certainly not some of Banner's work, and you kinda feel bad for David just having his name associated with the track. The fact that Totally Dude is Party Like a Rockstar Pt. II is enough to make you smack each and every one of the Shop Boyz. Flexin' and Bowen Homes are genuinely good hip-hop songs from the ATL group, though.

In the end, the Shop Boyz present an album that is not so much a dissapointment, as it does manage to live up to (at least, my) severely low expectations. The problem is, it never goes beyond those low expectations. Proceed with caution when purchasing this album.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars 2-1/2 stars -- Party like a flopstar, January 24, 2008

By 

Anthony Rupert "shut up, Shut Up, SHUT UP!!!" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rockstar Mentality (Audio CD)

Shop Boyz' single "Party Like a Rockstar" was a hit all across the board on urban radio last year. Still, it was another case of where an artist scores a big hit yet nobody picks up the album. I wondered why, but then I listened to Rockstar Mentality and I said, "Oh."

If the album title doesn't spell it out for you, Shop Boyz are trying to reach the levels of rock star popularity, which probably accounts for why many of the songs are electric-guitar-driven. But when they try ACOUSTIC guitar backdrops, it doesn't work right because it makes the songs sound TOO countrified, and that much country plus rap doesn't mix (ask Cowboy Troy). This is evidenced by selections like "My Car" and "Rollin'", which, by the way, are also predictable songs about automobiles.

That aside, the trio really don't have much to say. Dull tracks are in abundance, like "Baby Girl" and "Showin' Me Love". "Sumthin' to Talk `Bout" is anything but, and the title track suffers from an uninteresting, repetitive chorus. Speaking of uncreative choruses, the David Banner-produced "They Like Me" (the obligatory blingin' song) falls into that category: "I keep the girls choosin'/Turn `em out and have `em dykin'/They never tell me naw/(Why?) `Cause they like me".

But the most annoying thing about Shop Boyz is their catchphrase. If you're a twenty-something black guy, you do not -- repeat - DO NOT say "Totally Dude"! I'm sorry, but the only people that say that are fifteen-year-old white guys who shop at PacSun. In short, Rockstar Mentality isn't worth picking up because their minds ain't right, so leave it in the shop, boys.

Anthony Rupert

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, June 20, 2007

By 

E. Phillips - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rockstar Mentality (Audio CD)

Before this album came out I had high expectations. I thought this was going to be the first rap group in a long time to mix rock with their music and not be terrible. And I wasn't right or wrong. Because the truth is, there is no rock sound in this album. It's actually just weak crunk and snap beats just like every other rap album nowadays. I heard Party Like A Rockstar a long time before this album came out and that song is good as a single but I figured it wouldn't be the best on the album which it was. So I expected the rest of the album to be completely different. But no, most of the songs sound exactly the same kind of like D4L's album only worse. A few songs were good, but the album as a whole fails. The lyrics are especially terrible. So overall, Rockstar Mentality falls short of all expectations. It really could have been better than it was. Its not even worth listening to. Pass this one up. If you want a good rap rock album, check out Hollywood Undead - Swan Songs.