Big Shots

Charizma | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 18, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Stones Throw
• ASIN: B0000E69HW
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #134,602 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a shame Charizma isnt around to see this release :(, April 10, 2004

By 

Jaz (Wellington, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Shots (Audio CD)

Finally after over 10 long years, Stones Throw decide to release the sadly shelved Hollywood Basic debut
album from the late great Charizma (he was fatally shot in 1993) and his co -hort Peanut Butter Wolf.
Big Shots proves it's worth by standing well strong with anything that is released
Today, the production is a stupid fat smorgasbord of head nodding funk beats, quirky and entertaining loops
And rhymes, this is kicked off from the get go with "Big Shots" opener "Here's A Smirk" or the slow flow roll of
"Methods", "Jack The Mack" was actually Charizma's debut 1992 single and it still sounds good exemplifying Charizma's early 90's tale of AIDS and flossy crack dealers.

Charizma has a rhyme style that makes you pay attention at the same time admiring Peanut Butter Wolf's soulful beat creations and knack for what makes solid hip hop music, "Red Light, Green Light" is ill, using the same drums from EPMD's ""So Watch Sayin" and a crazy flutes and whirls, sometimes PB Wolf's production has clearly been made to played at a suitable volume, "Gatha Round" is a lovely early 90's jewel as it's full of that days artists in its samples...a KRS One vocal wail runs through, while PB Wolf cuts up K-Solo, Tribe Called Quest, Kool G Rap, and Lord Finesse.

Check the way PB Wolf makes the beat stutter on Stones Throw's first ever release 1996`s "My World Premiere" as Charizma tells us how "his girls are like 7-11's..always open", interesting thing about this joint is he used the same lyrics for a track he did on a Bomb Records compilation for a track titled "Just Like A Test".

The jazzy laidback "Fair-weather Friend" has Charizma telling us how he gets down and more tales about girls, while
"Pacing On The Floor" samples Herbie Hancocks classic "Rock It" and has a deep rumbling bassline and a familiar break beat, it should be noted that some of the quality is not the best on Big Shots, but I think that it adds to the beauty of an unreleased jewel that finally let the world know how dope (and missed) Charizma is dropping dope lines and tales over PB Wolfs dusty crates of solid beats.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No glitz and glamma...this is stright out of the golden age., February 4, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Big Shots (Audio CD)

Having grown up in the late 80's and early 90's when hip hop & rap were simple and not all about the bling bling bull, this album is a god send. This album is from a time when we watched YO! MTV Raps, rocked the trench Goose and copped the newest tape. As soon as I popped this album in I knew it was sick. If you love hip hop and long for the beats and rhymes you grew up with....BUY THIS.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charizma had charisma and an album worthy of recognition., April 27, 2004

By 

Bijan Shamloo (Miami, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Shots (Audio CD)

I get chills listening to this album. Just understanding the story of Charizma and PB Wolf is enough to make you buy this album. Go to stonesthrow.com to get the full story.

This album just brings a whole new sound and feel to rap music as a whole. I don't know it just sounds different from any kind of rap music that i've ever heard, in a good way. I can't believe that Charizma isn't around now, it makes me pissed to see how succesful he could have been if he just kept doing what he loved. Alas, this album is all that's left.

The first couple of seconds of the album just sets things off. The first song is a classic, I don't give an F what anyone says, the beat is just exceptional and the lyrics are hair raising. Then Charizma just takes it from there, coming down on the listener from many points of view. PB Wolf produces exceptionally well, matching perfectly with Charizma's style. For example, "Jack the Mack" has a very nice drum beat with human voices bringing the song to a climax. But if I had to summarise this album with one song then I would pick "Ice Cream Truck". It's the perfect song to represent the care-free attitude that envelopes this whole album. Charizma and PB don't stick to formulas, they do their own thing and succeed very well at it. I feel really sad as I write this because I never knew this MC and he's not around now for me to tell him how prestine and exceptional this album really is. I sincerely urge you to buy this album right now to pay your respects to an exceptional MC that nobody knew.

Nobody knew........