Customer Reviews

Young Roscoe Philaphornia

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Roscoe first jumped to attention in 1999, aged only 14, he blew away me and most people with an earth-shaking verse on Kurupt's "I Call Shots", spitting fire: "Swearin y'all can see me but that's just like seein Elvis / I grab to crick a back and crack a n--a 'cross the pelvis / My rhymes is dangerous, hazardous to health / I make a n--a murder twenty kids and cap his own self". Armed with dangerous rhymes like this, it's not strange why many people immediately compared him to his older brother. Given the way Roscoe was also born in Philly, but eventually raised in Cali, this gives him the same east-west blend that helped (and hindered) Kurupt. So it was only a matter of time before we saw a debut album. This takes the name of Young Roscoe Philaphorna, and it has been pushed back more times than a Rakim album - it was originally slated for an October 2001 release, but on June the 10th it finally found a release. Could the potent young emcee hold his own throughout a whole album and would he live up to the hype created by himself?

I classify Roscoe into the midst of a number of talented, young Westcoast lyricists coming up in the game such as Sly Boogy, Crooked I and Planet Asia. Whenever he's dropped verses before Philaphorna they've always been on point, but the question is does he continue his progress on his debt album? In short, yes. Roscoe can ride virtually any beat, for example on LT Hutton's insanely fast, oriental-sounding beat on former lead single "Shakedown". The eighteen year old drops a quite stunning triple-cadence flow with lyrics pelted out at top-speed... it almost reminds me of *whisper* Pharoahe Monch. Ó Seconds", a good opening song, finds Roscoe once again spitting rawness over a simple and hard-hitting Fingazz beat: "Breakin' em off, like umbilical cords / takin' em off the billboards, charging through at full force / Head first, walk `em, torture them high to death / ready to scorch them and leave them stiff like starch"

Given that this album is 13 tracks long, it's pleasantly surprising that there are not really any weak songs. Now how long has it been since I've been able to say that about a rap album? I like this album considerably, so much I'm prepared to nit-pick. What hinders Philaphorna is that `Sco is lured into nondescript writing when the tempo drops and the commercial stakes increase, such as the single "Head to Toe". He sounds somewhat lacklustre, and it's a contrast with the high energy kinetics previously demonstrated. And apart from the storytelling of "Last Night" Roscoe doesn't really dig very deep or vary his subject matter that much. Ok he's only 18, but some introspective lyrics might have been a nice touch.

I'll sound biased saying this, but Kurupt's calming influence has otherwise helped this CD. Not only has he executive produced and helped sequence the album, he drops background vocals on several tracks and provides the hidden remix of the classic Kurupt song that I mentioned at the top of the review: "I Call Shots II". Roscoe's battle capabilities obviously derived from his older brother shines here, he literally tears his new verses apart with venom like: "I snort Anthrax / transports sacks of raw like Amtrak" and "When I see bling-bling I snatch it and pawn it / Ching-ching add it to my wallet, I'm heartless". Yeah, ouch... in an era where a hundred lesser emcees have blown up because of their endorsement of bling-bling, it's a brave demolishment job from Roscoe of a "style" of Hip Hop he could easily have been tempted to adopt to push units. All I needed on this otherwise excellent remix is a new verse from Kurupt to complete things.

However, the production on Philaphorna is very good as is he sequencing: it flows smootly with nice variety, and the solid beats from various recognised producers is impressive. Take "Smooth Sailin'", the album's standout moment. Sampling the "Ba da ba ba baaaa" chant from Earth, Wind and Fire's "Brazilian Rhyme", this fits in perfectly alongside a truly relaxing, hypnotic synthesized beat with various soothing sound effects. Roscoe adjusts his flow and tone brilliantly to deliver smoothly flowing tales of his ambitions and life during sunny California afternoons. God, this is possibly THE song of the summer. As indicated by this standout, if you're only into grimy hip hop a la Mobb Deep or Boot Camp Clik then maybe this CD ain't for you. But cuts like "Get Flipped" are undeniably pure heat, as DJ Quik's stirring orchestral efforts enlightens the song. This is the perfect CD for summer - "It's About That Time" is a great feel-good song to chill out to. It has that Westcoast mentality. Get It!
One

This is a fantastic debut effort from Roscoe, younger brother of Dogg Pound Gangsta, Kurupt.

Although only an 18 year old, Roscoe does not lack talent or experience, featuring on many previous Dogg Pound collaborations with the likes of Kurupt, Daz, Bad Azz, Crooked I and Kokaine.

The album has a nice DPG feel to it, starting of with a introduction track "5 seconds" where Roscoe tells you to "press eject" if you dont like his style. The first single off the album "Head to Toe", has a very mellow feel to it, along with a catchy chorus and Kurupt featuring in the video clips, the single has potential to do well, with some productive promotion.

"It's That Time Again", features Latoya Williams, and is a true party track, with a smooth beat and flowing chorus.

Other hot tracks on the album include "Smooth Sailing", a perfect song for "Rollin' in a '63 coupe". "Shakedown" is my personal favourite off the album, a true club anthem, this track is sure to get the [people] shaking in the clubs. "Flipper" and "Last Night" prove some of Roscoe's lyrcial talent along with some nice production.

This album has all the ingredients to be a huge hit. The only down side is "Get Low", which in my opinion sounds like something of a Nelly album, but other than that this album is definately worth the price. The stand out tracks are very good, and the quality of Roscoe's lyrics and production are sure to make this album big this summer.

Sunny

I just got this CD a few days ago and I am proud to own it. I can clearly see the talent in him compared to his brother because I am a major fan of the Dogg Pound. Both the production and lyrical talent are exceptionally good here. I have to admit, I didn't know about Roscoe until he featured on 'UM DUMPIN' with 'Pac and Daz featuring the Young Assassins and I was very impressed by his lyrical talent on that song. So as you can see, I was really looking forward to this album as I know lyrics by him wouldn't disappoint me. Even though it is only 12 tracks long, there are a number of classic tracks that I must mentioned.
"5 SECONDS" is an excellent intro where Roscoe goes all out, "SMOOTH SAILIN'" is my personal favorite. I love the feel to this song and the production is INCREDIBLE, "TROUBLE" tells you why you wouldn't want to f*ck with Roscoe and "THE SHAKEDOWN" is a banger party track. I can easily say that every track is excellent but these are the tracks I enjoy best.

Too many soft rappers are out there getting the recognition many other realists should be getting. Roscoe is coming str8 out the west to represent what he believes in, I just hope all eyes focus on this guy in the future years. It's clear this guy is going to be big on the westside...

It's been a while since i've heard a decent album drop from someone in the west...Philaphornia exceeded all of my expectations. This definitely gives me something to ride to until Kurupts new album comes out!

When I first heard roscoe's cd i, immediatley heard the similarities the his big brother Kurupt. While Kurupt has had a good career and is well respected through out the rap game for his work wit the DPG, he has still yet to release a solo cd that has reached classic status and he has not reached the same level of success individually. Roscoe on the otherhand could do very well for himself off his first release. It hasn't gotten the press of many other new albums this year, but quietly is a really good album. there are good songs all over the album, including a remix of "I Call Shots", one of his older brothers soooongs, there are prolly 6-8 songs that will keep you wanting to listen over and over. There are a few draw backs the the cd though. One is "Everyday" it is a good sounding song with a cathy ring to it, but it is about evweryday of his highschool life and it makes you think of him as a ghetto lil bow wow. On the whole i was very impressed with the cd a great debut release and look out for him in the future.

For being a 20 year old (at the time) and in the shadow of a multi-platinum selling brother (Kurupt), Roscoe shows he is just as good as any lyricist in the game, including his older bro, Kurupt. He reminds me a lot of a young Kurupt on this album, blazing lyrics (I mean blazing!!!) and rapid fire delivery over some smooth funky beats. The album starts off real strong but gets kind of weak towards the end (with the exception of the last 2 tracks). The production is good on most of the songs, but a few of them suck and those songs are skippable. Overall there are 10 different producers doing the 13 songs so the sound changes from track to track. He also shines good due to the limited number of guest rappers. A must have for rap fans.

#1 - 9
#2 - 8.5 (f/ Sleepy Brown)
#3 - 9 (f/ LaToiya Williams - produced by Soopafly)
#4 - 9 (f/ Kokane)
#5 - 10 (CLASSIC laid back track with a great beat - if you don't get the CD you HAVE to have this song "Smooth Sailin")
#6 - 6.5
#7 - 7.5
#8 - 7
#9 - 6
#10 - 5
#11 - 7
#12 - 9 (f/ Y.A.)
#13 - 9

b. D. Williams -- 1983 -- b. Philadelphia, PA moved to Los Angeles, CA

check all my reviews

How this record from Young Roscoe got overlooked is beyond me. After the incredible single `Head To Toe' featuring Sleepy Brown and produced by none other than Organized Noize, I thought he was destined for fame; to bring the westcoast back to prominence. His second single `Smooth Sailin' is the kind of cruising record Cali's finest are known for ( mostly Snoop and the DPG though ). So why didn't he get any play on tv or radio (except for in Cali )? The reasons are as follows: 1. He is not Snoop. 2. He's from the westcoast...so he's automatically shunned. His skills have nothing to do with this. His brother Kurupt's influence is seen all in Roscoe and yes he does remind you of young Kurupt; except with a little bit more focus. I couldn't pick out a single wack verse from him on this album and to be as young as he is...to constantly come with solid verses worth listening to ( not just braggadocio ) is something of an accomplishment. The production on this joint is not a joke either. As previously mentioned Organized Noize handles the bulk of the production and it really pays off. Each track is bumping...Soopafly, Fingazz, and Def Jef also produce some songs. Because of the down south flavor of the producers, Roscoe adopts a more southern flow; but it doesn't matter as Roscoe shows a versatility well beyond his age. Last Night, Trouble, What I Look Like, and It's That Time Again are straight up classics. In fact I haven't heard a westcoast release this refreshing since `Dillinger & Young Gotti', and that's saying a lot. This album is a modern classic and a must have for fans of hip hop. One of the years best.

Only 15 years old when he rapped on his first track! Young Roscoe was introduced to the rap game by his older brother Ricardo Brown (Kurupt, former Dogg Pound MC). Born in Philly, Roscoe was 10 years old when he first flew to Cali to watch his brother get behind the mix board and mic. He witnessed his brother laying down tracks for tha Dogg Pound's debut record, Dogg Food (1995), something that would change his life forever. Highly inspired by what his eyes laid on, he started regularly hooking up with older brother Kurupt in the studio and on the road. He was soaked in by the classic West Coast flavored beats, and East Coast lyrical flows, which led to his debut appearance on Kurupt's Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha. Daz Dillinger was so impressed by Roscoe he decided to put together a full blown mixx tape for the young mc titled When the Pain Inflict (2001). The mixx tape featured guests Kurupt, Bad Azz, Jayo Felony, Nate Dogg, Gonzoe, Flawless, Mr Shadow, AMG, Dru Down, Muggs, Butch Cassidy, and Don Cisco. The lead single "I Love Cali" made huge noise in Southern Cali (all over the radio), and the mixx tape itself recieved favorable reviews from the underground circuit. After enjoying the success of "I Love Cali," Roscoe would later sign with Priority to release his offical debut record, Young Roscoe Philaphornia.

Now 17 years old, Roscoe sounds extremely confident on his first major label debut. Established hitmakers Organized Noize, Soopafly, and Rico Wade (among many others) bring slick, streamlined production, rendering innocuous party jams like "It's That Time Again" and "Get Ready." In Southern Cali, the Earth Wind & Fire sampled track "Smooth Sailin'" received huge amount of airplay, more then the first release single "Head To Toe." Roscoe proves that he is without question a serious lyricist, much like his brother, at times. He's one you want to keep your eye open for.

this is a good album, but it could been much better. roscoe is one of the best rappers but the beats are weak. but the album has one of the best song of years "smooth sailin".

IN FACT KURUPTS LIL BROTHA IS VERY STRONG IVE THE SAME AGE THAN HIM AND I PREFER YOUNG MCS WITH GANGSTA RAP CAUSE GANGSTA RAP IS NUTHIN BUT THA REAL LIFE U KNOW WHAT IM SAYIN?ROSCOE IS ONE OF THA FUTURE HIPHOP STAR ITS OBLIGED LIKE 50CENT 2YEARS AGO OR NOW OBIE TRICE AND CROOKED I ALL THESE RAPPERS HAVE "THA FLOW" EVEN IF I THINK THAT THEY CANT EQUALIZE THA LEGENDARIES DJ QUIK,DR.DRE,SNOOP,2PAC,DPG,TOO $HORT AND MY FAVOURITE:RAPPIN'4-TAY AND NATE DOGG....SIRIO GREMILLON 93000 BOBIGNY GHETTO FRANCAIS MA COUILLE AVC MADI KI BAISE DES PUTES HAHAHA