Review #1,291: Bugsy Calhoone "Sponsored By The Block"

Reviewed on 6.08.2013 (Review #1,291)

I’m in tha mist of editing a video countdown documentary of my most-shocking moments of 2012. However, I’m goin’ through a mid-life distraction while tryin’ to promote my 14^th mixtape compilation, Tha Louisiana Archives Vol. 14, due out June 21. Not many serious artists out there, as I only have, like, four confirmed; I want around 30! Anyway, I got this Black Balloon Records release to review from Bugsy Calhoone. Y’all know Bugsy from Paypa Talk Records’ Yung Sicka, to Out The Mud Entertainment’s Big Head—when he was a Trill Ent. Big Head, no less! This his new release, called Sponsored By The Block; let’s see how it does on this review of mine! Also, thanx for inboxin’ me on Facebook outta nowhere about it, Bugsy! Start Time: 11:09 PM | End Time: 12:16 AM

Disclaimer: I rate each song from 1.0 – 5.0; each rating iz my own opinion! I only please myself wit my ratings! I don’t care how lyrical you are, as long as it’s jammin’ enough for me to like it! I look for beats, then vocals, and then lyrics. To determine my favorites, I will differ tha 4.0 ratings. If a song gets at least a 4.0 rating from me, I love it already. If at least a 4.6 rating, I pretty much really love it, as it’s considered mindblowin’ when I hear it! Any song can earn up to a maximum of a 5.0 rating. Anything I type before “ >>> ” iz what I’m sayin’ before I listen to tha song; anything after I type “ >>> ” iz what I think of tha song while I’m listening to it. If you use tha word “swag” frequently, have auto-tune in your vocals, or talk about nothin’ but money and hoes 100,000x (which I consider ‘typical’ topics), I’m not buyin’ it! After I was robbed by an artist who claimed they “get money,” hearin’ about how much you “got money” and anything “money” really bothers me. If you have not done business wit me before, I won’t tolerate “money” talk in tha music!!

© 2013 CD Review (Review #1,291) reviewed on 6.08.2013 by FrankieThaLuckyDog.

Link To CD: http://www.datpiff.com/Bugsy-Calhoone-Sponsored-By-The-Block-mixtape.469545.html

01. “Sponsored By The Block”

Unfortunately, tha mp3 doesn’t work, and it’s nowhere to be found, so I gon have to skip it… My Rating: N/A

02. “Keep It Coming”

! >>> You still got a good voice ta deliver this shit; likin’ tha street vibe, between your voice, lyrics & tha vibe! Ooh, nice way tha beat sounds durin’ tha hook; gotta feel all tha G-like lyrics in tha hook, too!! Nice start wit tha “money & weed … tip of tha seed” shit in tha 2^nd verse!! Definitely feelin’ your drug-related shit you spittin’!! Tha 3^rd verse iz soundin’ good here, too; nice and consistent wit what you spittin’!! My Rating: 4.6

03. “Be Right Chea” Feat. Vicious, Young Boyo & Kevin Gates

Thought it was Ready on tha feature; lookin’ forward ta hearin’ this! >>> Not bad for tha start wit Vicious… Beat sounds okay, and tha hook’s good for tha streetz… Hearin’ tha 1^st verse and it sounds nice; nothin’ much else ta say about it… Comin’ through wit tha 2^nd verse (Kevin Gates); it sounds nice and consistent… Tha 3^rd verse iz here, and it sounds nice ta hear! You got “Brice Street” on lock wit your “street” shit, fulla quality!! My Rating: 4.3

04. “Paranoid”
Kinda how I’ve been feelin’ wit these fuck-dudes who can’t afford a lil’ bit of bread to send me! >>> Ehh, Kevin Gates sample on tha hook? Why…? That’s what it sounds like, but whateva; it ain’t that bad… Here’s tha 1^st verse, and even tha flow sounds like Gates; a lil’ too much like him… Question iz: Why? Nice lyrics, but lacks originality wit tha flow, since it sounds like Gates. Now, hearin’ tha 2^nd verse, and it’s not a sample; I see… Tha 2^nd verse sounds better wit tha flow, a lil’ bit; still an okay song for me… Ended outta nowhere; didn’t expect it to be short. My Rating: 3.8
EDIT: Little did I know, you came before/right around tha same time as Kevin Gates, so he took inspiration from you. So, mind all tha “Gates-sound-alike” shit I said in this review 'cause you're tha influence. Quoting tha text you sent me: “…im one of gates favorite rappers he's the sound alike ask the streets y do u think the singing came in all of a sudden…”

05. “Remember” Feat. Kevin Gates & Dooney

I wonder who this Dooney dude iz (spelled like that)? I know there’s a Lil’ Doonie (spelled like dat) outta Gardere… >>> Oh, neva mind, sounds like it’s a girl; they’re not tha same then, lol. Ehh, anotha okay hook, but I prefer tha Gates-soundin’ one, now… Still, I’m likin’ tha Savage-soundin’ vibe on tha production… 1:03 in, and it’s just tha hook still? Ain’t this, like, ½ of tha previous song? Well, comin’ through wit tha 1^st verse, and it sounds like you grew up wit Kevin Gates… From 2:14 – 2:15, why iz it soundin’ glitchy? Now that tha hook’s soundin’ a lil’ annoying, at times, I’m startin’ ta like it betta…, but not on a serious, lyrical level! Continuin’ on wit tha 2^nd verse… It sounds okay, once again… We got Gates on tha 3^rd verse, and of course, it sounds good wit tha consistent rhymes. Too bad, he’s gettin’ deleted more from my iPod, since he crossed over and doesn’t get in contact wit me, still, smh (why?!)! My Rating: 4.1

06. “Change” Feat. Baby B & Lil’ Marlon

Looks like a nice lineup; let’s hear it!! >>> Well, weak start, here, wit “I’m gettin’ money” as tha startin’ lyrics… Since it said it twice, I guess this iz tha hook? A lil’ mainstream for me… Hearin’ tha 1^st verse, and it sounds too “money” for me… I hope wit all this “gettin’ money” obsessive lyrics all throughout tha 1^st verse, that I can make at least a few hundred off you wit promotin’ this CD (by puttin’ tha songs on YouTube, makin’ a commercial, etc.)! Right…?!? But switchin’ it, we got Baby Brandi on tha 2^nd verse, comin’ through wit some nice Out The Mud Entertainment-like vibes, here! No wack “money” rhymes, here; just somethin’ nice ta flow wit tha track! We got tha 3^rd verse here, and though I sometimes get your voice confused, I can tell this you on tha 3^rd verse ‘cause tha Marlon dude, I neva heard of, so wit today’s rappers, they always talk about “money,” so that’s automatically him on tha 1^st verse, right? My Rating: 3.3

07. “Finish Him” Feat. Lil’ Marlon

Let’s hear this next collaboration… >>> Oh, not even an original beat; all tha way back 10 years ago wit this “Many Men” beat… Tha hook ain’t too bad, here… Tha 1^st verse ain’t too bad, either; sounds like it has that 2006-like Baton Rouge vibe wit tha delivery, which I’m feelin’… Ehh, of course, wit tha feature, here comes tha “gettin’ money” bullshit ta ruin tha verse… Damn, like 3x “money” was said while I typed dat sentence! Why? Hearin’ tha 2^nd verse, and it’s okay, too… Still, original beats only after this! My Rating: 3.5

08. “The Game Changing” Feat. Dooney

>>> Tha hook sounds good wit tha Dooney girl… Here you are on tha 1^st verse, comin’ through wit consistent rhymes! Tha rhymes on tha 2^nd verse sound betta, though it sounds like you took lessons from Gates… I can relate to tha hook: “Tha game changing; they ain’t thuggin’ no more…” Of course, everyone comes through soft, or has somethin’ soft about them, now-a-dayz. Tha 3^rd verse sounds exactly like tha 2^nd verse ta me; thumbs up on tha consistency! My Rating: 4.4

09. “Where The Party At”
>>> Rhymes, delivery and beat’s on-point, fa me. Tha hook sounds catchy, too… Tha 2^nd verse ain’t too bad, too; nothin’ special wit this song, but nothin’ wack, so far… Tha 3^rd verse ain’t too bad, either; good job… My Rating: 3.6

½time: A 4-star CD, so far; good job wit keepin’ it street, Mr. Calhoon!

10. “Murder”
>>> I like tha beat start; sounds extended, but it’s gettin’ me hyped-up to see what you got goin’ on, here… Either it’s a sample or an unconfirmed singer on tha hook; sounds nice for somethin’ short! Here you are on tha 1^st verse, comin’ through wit consistent rhymes ova this beat, exactly what I wanna hear! Tha 2^nd verse sounds nice wit these rhymes, everything you’ve been through and are goin’ through! My Rating: 4.5

11. “Constant Drama”

Yup! >>> An online beat? What about tha Out The Mud Ent. in-house producers? Maybe, I’ll be a producer for you one day, on some tracks…? Sounds a lil’ like a Young Dro vibe for me, here; ain’t bad for tha 1^st verse… Sucks that you “lost [your] mama” in “’08;” that was tha year I first heard of you… Tha 2^nd verse ain’t too bad, either… A lil’ betta wit tha 3^rd verse; tough life… My Rating: 3.5

12. “Who Rolling With Me”

I am! >>> Now, it sounds like in-house producers are talkin’ in tha background on tha intro, here… Sounds like a nice start wit tha 1^st verse; it’s all about dat good kush! Consistent rhymes; gotta luv tha “shooters” part and “evading!!” Definitely likin’ tha hook wit tha “sticky-sticky” shit! Definitely some interestin’ shit you spittin’, here; sounds like a gun range in real life durin’ tha 2^nd verse, based off tha lyrics! My Rating: 4.4

13. “Get It On The Go” Feat. Baby B & Lil’ Marlon
Hmm, now “Morlon”, lol? Looks like an error… But, you’re subtracted, here, so let’s see what’s good wit this… >>> Nice beginning from Brandi on this beat; still can’t believe I’m older than her! Tha hook sounds nice; good shit, B! Now, Marlon on tha 2^nd verse… *Crosses fingers for no “money” rhymes!!* Stupid “money” shit, once again. (luckily, only once) Sounds too Wiz Khalifa-like for me wit this voice; it ain’t bad, though, and I like some of tha rhymes. However, it would neva go into my veins! Oh, this you on tha 3^rd verse? Guess there was no room on tha back cover to put “feat.,” lol? Nice and consistent wit tha rhymes! I’d like to see how serious this Lil’ Marlon dude iz wit sendin’ me “money” for me to do things for him. I wanna see…! My Rating: 4.2

14. “Making Funds”

A money song; uh oh… No features? Really? Ironic… >>> Liking tha beat start, classic-soundin’ BR vibe style!! Tha intro sounds like that song that I thought was a Kevin Gates sample, as well as tha hook… Here’s tha 1^st verse, and it sounds consistent; great rhymes fa tha streetz, once again!! Tha hook sounds jammin’ wit this vibe goin’ on; nice, especially since it’s only 2:44. Tha 2^nd verse sounds hot, too, on a “Brice St.” mission! My Rating: 4.4

15. “Walk With Me”

>>> Sounds like it’s gonna be an okay song fa tha struggle… Tha hook ain’t bad. Sounds like real-life lyrics in tha 1^st verse; not bad… Tha 2^nd verse sounds good wit tha lyrics, too; a lil’ boring for a song, though. Tha 3^rd verse sounds a lil’ too much like it’s ramblin’ on; prolly could’ve only had two verses… My Rating: 3.0

16. “Respect”

>>> An online beat… Damn, 5:17 on tha length? Hope it don’t get boring wit an online beat! Tha hook starts it off, and it sounds good wit tha way tha hook sounds… Feelin’ your lyrics, but a boring beat doesn’t make this that entertainin’ ta listen to… Tha 2^nd verse sounds good wit tha rhymes… Tha 3^rd verse ain’t too bad, either; thumbs up fa explainin’ everythang you explainin’, here. My Rating: 3.4

17. “Buck If You Want”

>>> Not a crunk-like song I expected wit this title, but I like what you spittin’… Tha 1^st verse sounds good wit tha rhymes, and tha hook’s soundin’ okay. Still, this needs some energy wit tha “buck” in tha title! Tha 2^nd verse iz okay, too. Again, I wish you had more energy in your voice. Like, this deserves some yelling and chanting!! Tha beat ain’t really all that hype, either… My Rating: 3.5

18. “Slumms”

Endin’ it wit an interestin’ title, double-“M” style! >>> Feelin’ tha beat you chose, here, and you got tha hook on lock, too, “slumms” style! Tha 1^st verse sounds good wit tha rhymes; tha rhymes sounded betta durin’ tha beginning of this CD, but this iz still listenable… Tha 2^nd verse sounds like a good verse, too; nice “waiter” part. Tha 3^rd verse sounds good, too… My Rating: 3.8

Overall: I thought you did a great job wit this CD; nice and undaground, tha way I like it! Even some of tha “money” shit was acceptable; good job, includin’ tha features! Hope I get to hear tha title track so tha average CD rating can be official! Until then, keep up tha great work, and it’s good to hear from you!

Rankings:

17.       “Walk With Me” 3.0

16.       “Change” Feat. Baby B & Lil’ Marlon 3.3

15.       “Respect” 3.4

14.       “Constant Drama” 3.5

13.       “Buck If You Want” 3.5

12.       “Finish Him” Feat. Lil’ Marlon 3.5

11.        “Where The Party At” 3.6

10.       “Slumms” 3.8

09.       “Paranoid” 3.8

08.       “Remember” Feat. Kevin Gates & Dooney 4.1

07.       “Get It On The Go” Feat. Baby B & Lil’ Marlon 4.2

06.       “Be Right Chea” Feat. Vicious, Young Boyo & Kevin Gates 4.3

05.       “Making Funds” 4.4

04.       “Who Rolling With Me” 4.4

03.    “The Game Changing” Feat. Dooney 4.4

02.    “Murder” 4.5

01.    “Keep It Coming” 4.6

Average CD Rating Review:

Total Score:                      66.3

Total Songs:                      / 17 (counted)

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Average CD Rating:       3.9