Obie Trice - Second Round's on Me

 Up for album of the year
Granted, the album could have gone without a few songs... but the quality of the majority of the music more than makes up for the lack of originality on certain tracks. Considering, however, that every major-label-released album takes swings at making that one "hit", Obie spits venom on enough tracks to merit the "5 stars" I gave it. Trice steps out of his Shady/Aftermath shell on his sophomore album, showing his true prowess as an mcee. Unlike Cheers, this album's fuel is all Obie Trice, both as a person and as one of the greates mcees in the game. I believe this is one of the most over-looked albums of the year. Had more artists been as talented, original, and unrelenting as Obie Trice, whether or not hip-hop is dead would never be an issue. February 22, 2007

 An otherwise excellent album diluted
Don't get me wrong, I like this CD and gained mad respect for Obie Trice as an emcee after listening to "Second Round's On Me." Perhaps the most talented rapper in Eminem's camp gives a vivid tour of Detroit's 'hood, taking you along for a ride that lets you see & feel what it is to live there.

Like Chicago, New Orleans and Oakland, Detroit is str8 up gangsta (of course, I knew that) 4 real! Obie paints a picture on this album of his hometown as a place where haters and troublemakers roam seeking confrontation, making holding some heat more a necessity for protection & trying to keep the peace.

It's within the context of this great paradox that Obie Trice comes off as honest, cool, easy to relate to and more genuine than some super thug braggin' 'bout how hard he is. While the content of this LP is very real & very serious, listen closely and you'll realize he's a peaceful brotha not promoting violence or gunplay so much as recounting his own personal encounters with this kind of last resort self-defense. That's perhaps the redeeming quality that makes his rhymes artistic and his tales less cliche.

Obie is gritty on this album and for the most part he's on point as a rapper and storyteller. My main beef (why I gave this CD just 3-stars) is this album opens with 10 strong tracks (well, nine actually since I could give or take "Jamaican Girl") but gets brought down by an overkill of commercial songs that seem out of place.

He could've dropped tracks #11-17 off this CD and it'd still be worth the price if you ask me. (Instead, I'm picturing some record label exec with his eyes fixed on bottom line sales figures forcing these comparably weak collabos with 50, Trey Songz & Nate Dogg onto an already great album).

I have no doubt Obie Trice is real as hell unlike so many of these packaged, studio rappers. He has strong delivery mixed with fierce rhymes, wit, (some) humor and a sharply entertaining ability to switch up flows on this album.

I can't say anything bad about "Obie Story," "Cry Now," or "Wake Up" -- all solid tracks. But my favorites were as follows:

* "Ballad of Obie Trice" -- a catchy song with a tight flow telling the story of Obie's past street life, featuring a very profound verse I've just kept replaying over & over to appreciate: "The story of Urban Negroes/Created as equals/We wouldn't have to be so eager to mistreat you" ...FYI, he's talking about the police!

* "Kill Me a Mutha" -- a hot street self-defense track with Can-You-Feel-Me-type honesty, featuring another tight line mixed with subtle humor "I got a cause, a clause that I live by/ Keep the heater close because I don't want to die."

* "Snitch" -- a somewhat commercial ode to code of the streets (now) cliche with Akon singing the hook. Great collabo, great rhymes & a great hook.

* "Violent" -- another semiautobiographical I'm-Not-the-One anthem (Think TuPac's famous quote "I'm not a killer, but don't push me").

* "Lay Down" -- a too short but live Stand-Up-Like-a-Man anthem with arguably the best delivery on the album.

As an artist, you'll definitely be impressed by Obie Trice who probably doesn't get the marketing push & notoriety he deserves b/c he's more laid back & doesn't have that "superstar personality" of a Kanye West or 50 Cent.

But in my opinion, he is an above average emcee.

"Second Round's On Me" has some hot tracks & will have me lookin' for his next album.

Recommended. January 27, 2007

 Not Surprising...
...That this album is good. I agree that it is probably the best major label release of 2006. I've noticed that almost every album reviewed on Amazon is given 5 stars, which I would think would be reserved for "classic" albums, of which only 20 or so (of the hip hop genre) have ever been released. I give Second Round's On Me 4 because, although not classic, it is an excellent CD. Most recent hip hop releases cannot be listened to all of the way through with out hitting the skip button, or even close. This one almost makes it. Obie Trice is one of the most under rated mainstream MC's, and a vastly under rated lyricist. Production is also top notch. In fact, this is the first CD I've purchased this year that I didn't feel ripped off after buying it. Highly reccomended. October 2, 2006

 Best Rap Album of 2006, so far
This album is serious. Very honest lyrics.. great production.. Obie lyricism on this album is second to none. Certain verses are ran from start to finish, with same rhyme pattern, real Eminemesque, but in Obie's own style. I'd highly recommend this album to any and everyone... September 2, 2006

 great cd
this is definitely one of the top cd's to come out this year if not the best. the cd is strong beginning to end in every way. the beats are incredible and as far as im concerned obie is one of the most underrated rappers out there. his story telling abilities are second to none. i definitely recommend buying this cd. it's one that deserves the couple dollars, and im usually very harsh when it comes to that grading scale. you wont be disappointed. August 30, 2006

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