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I got two very different albums for you this week....

This week I have been slappin' Nu Realm Entertainment's 2009 compilation Animal House. Presented by Get Rich and Kashu Da Nutt, Animal House is a compilation highlighting some of the freshest MC's east of the tunnel. Get Rich and Kashu Da Nutt have put together a well rounded album here that goes well with large speaker boxes or back yard house parties. Animal House kicks off with Get Rich's Animal House Opening which is a 2009 take on the classic theme song to the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air television show, (don't fake like you don't know what I'm talking about). It's a funny song to listen to and clocking in at little over a minute its more of an opener then a real track, but it still hits. Coconuts is the next track up, also performed by Get Rich, is a bona fide hitter. I mean when the chorus of a song says "I'm so coconuts, I got girls doing lines of coke off my nuts" it has to be a slapper right? Well in my opinion yes, the production by J. Wells is upbeat but smooth which meshes well with Get Rich's flow. The next couple of tracks I want to talk about feature Kashu Da Nutt, hailing from Martinez, California. Kashu Da Nutt drops several bangers on Animal House. What's My Name is the first track featuring Da Nutt which production includes a hard hitting horn loop that gives the track a bigger then life feel. Kashu Da Nutt kills the rhyme with his more aggressive flow. My favorite Kashu track is Fa Shigady because it's a track you can blast while your rolling to a party and it will get you hyped. Kashu Da Nutt puts his lyricism on front street on Fa Shigady, and his rhyming comes through as excellent on the track. Other bangers on Animal House include Getaway by long time cohort of Get Rich, Rosso;,Passing Me By a callabo from Get Rich and Kashu Da Nutt, and Once Upon A Time a Concord anthem on which Get Rich shows off his story telling skills. Make sure to check out Once Upon A Time. Animal House is what the East, East Bay needs; were not all honkies that drive lifted trucks and live in the suburbs of San Ramon, but real Hip Hop heads some of which, as heard on Animal House can bless the M I C.

As stated last week I know this is a Bay Hip Hop page, but I need to put everyone up on the new release by Nappy Roots, The Pursuit of Nappyness. Nappy Roots, the Hip Hop collective from all over the South including parts of Kentucky and Georgia, but they do have ties to the bay; former member R. Prophet is an Oakland native. The Pursuit of Nappyness is one of the most refreshing albums I have listened to all year, gone are the southern stereotypes of grillz, caddies, and crunk juice and in their place reside guitars and southern charm. The Pursuit of Nappyness has a distinctive country feel to it, thats were the guitars come into play. Nappy Roots have always represented the South and country boys everywhere and they continue to do so on The Pursuit of Nappyness. Ride, the lead single off the album is one of the smartest songs I have heard come from the rap world in a long time. Scales opens the song and half way through his verse he proclaims, "go ahead and do the stanky leg, its still better then talking about shootin' people in the head", this has to be one of my favorite lines from any rapper in recent history, it's very poignant. Be Alright featuring Je'Kob Washington is another slapper on Pursuit of Nappyness, its a feel good song you can roll to on a sunny day. If you are feelin' down, pop in Be Alright and feel alright. Know About Me a Chops production is one the must play tracks on Nappyness. Chops delivers another southern, guitar infused beat that goes together with the lyrical style of Nappy Roots just like an aged wine goes together with a fine cheese. Know About Me is a banger that can't be missed; don't sleep. Other slappers on Pursuit of Nappyness include tracks such as Fishbowl, All 4 You, and, Back Home. Pursuit of Nappyness by Nappy Roots is a flat out instant classic, if I had a 5-mic rating scale I would probably give it 6. Even though we are all Bay Hip Hop fans it doesn't mean that we shouldn't support the South and good Hip Hop, so go out and cop Pursuit of Nappyness.