Mob Life Records Compilation (Gary,Indiana)

Intro: I haven't heard every compilation out of Gary,Indiana but this is one of my favorites by far. This compilation was put out by C-Dub (who put out MTC "On Top of Thangz" on Mob Tight Records) on Mob Life Records back in 1999. This compilation features alot of exclusive songs not put out anywhere else to my knowledge. The beats on this compilation are done by Fingeroll and Curt mostly(along with others like Busta G). Just sit back and enjoy on this one.

Interlude:(Disc One) The album begins with a goofy "Intro" that's about wack rappers trying to push their weak shit. The first track "Where You At"(C-Dubb) is very tight and kicks the compilation off right. The production has a "speeding down the highway at midnight" feel at quick up tempo pace with some bell toll sound effects thru the duration of the song. C-Dubb drop some solid lyrics and does very aggressive performance on the chorus as well. Bump that shit. "In My Eyes"(Busta G) is my fugging shit without any doubt i must say. The production has super dark/ominous feel like demons are crawling out the closet and shit. For some reason it reminds of First Degree Sac Town but I'm not sure why. Busta G makes his delivery come off real sinister and murderous which in turns adds more to the atmosphere. The chorus is sick also: "In My Eyes All i Can see is demons watching me and haters want me for my d(ope). In My Eyes All I Can see niggaz watching me but nigga. My intentions to kill I'm plotting murder. Niggaz coming to get me. Split the king to easy my pain. Please father forgive me. It's like i can't hold it back control i done already lost it. Grab the 45 out the closet buck the saftey and pause it." Classic shit. "Lifestyle Drastic"(Jomo & LoDown) is some earlier material from the group First Battalion and when David Roughn went by the name LoDown. The production is simple but effective while providing a smokey/hazed room atmosphere with a overall concrete/underground pounding vibe.This song shows how much tighter David Roughn was back in the day and easily surpasses his current material in my opinion. Jomo comes hard on this shit also. The chorus features some solid wordplay as well. For any smoker "Fire Up Da Dank"(Family Trees) is must listen. Family Trees is group consisting of Skee Balla and Smoove One, they promoted a group album in the "Live or Die in G.I." soundtrack that never dropped. This might be one of songs from that album because this tight track wasn't on Skee Balla's solo album. The production has a laid back and lounging around vibe makes you think your in a cloudy room full of weed smoke. Family Trees flows this shit well I must say and provides tight chorus also. That's my fugging shit. Up next is a classic performance with the song "Hearts of Men"(OLC) and features a performance by a group I have never heard of before. OLC has definite flow pattern and delivery similar to most underground chicago rappers with their quick speeding snapping rhymes. The production has a zoned out midwest vibe with ominous and dramatic sound effects that fleshes the beat out well. The flows on this shit are off the hook and the chorus wordplay will your blood rushing for sure. I usally skip "2000 Year's of Death"(Maxxin) even though it has some redeeming values about it. The production is somewhat clumsy overall and Maxxin flows are good but not good enough to save the song. Up next is a solid song called "Still Shining"(L.Nitty) with solid production throughout. The beat has a calm and late nite riding feel with some decent sound effects to fill out the beat. L.Nitty has a pretty straight forward flow and there's not much to the complexity of his wordplay that he displays on this song. Thus it's a cool song that's worth bumping. "Dime A Dozen"(Suave) is one of my favorites right here. The production is super laid back and has a playa in the zone type of vibe. Suave has a real laid back style and he delivers some solid game spitting type rhymes overall. The wordplay on the chorus adds even more to the atmosphere of this song also. "Feel Me"(Caput) is some sinister gangsta G.I. shit for sure. The production has a life threatening, death is near, and life is at the end type of feel at a nice thumping mid tempo pace. The looping sound effects in the background gives off a twilight zone vibe also. Caput has a aggressive delivery and flow pattern that fits this song perfectly. The chorus is simple and quick to the point about the fact that muthaphuckaz gonna feel him. Classic shit I must say. "Talking Dirty"(Outside) is the originial version of Not Worth It(Remix) from The Aint No Tamin album by Outside. The only difference is that Fingeroll's last verse is slightly different but everything else is pretty much the same. Tight song if you haven't heard it yet. "Gang Related"(First Degree) is my fugging shit. The production has a death march feel with some nightmarish and ghostly sound effects. First Degree flow displays a up tempo delievery and flow pattern with a gritty voice that is simliar to Da Reapa. Classic shit. "Halftime"(The Tyme Takers w/Father Tyme) is the last song on first disc and it's a tight one. The production has a dark, moody, and morbid tone that gives off a psychodrama like feel overall. The Tyme Takers shares the same style of Father Tyme and rips the shit off this song. Of course you know Father Tyme had to rip that shit at the end and provide you with some of vintage Father Tyme shit that is a must hear. The chorus also features some nice wordplay that pushes the song along greatly. Hopefully they will drop a group album one day.

(Disc Two) The second disc starts off with "Mafia Niggas"(Black Mafia) and its a decent song to kick things off with I guess. The production seems to hyped up and rowdy for Black Mafia and doesn't really fit their overall style. The beat gives off a feeling that everything is off beat too. The chorus actually comes off sounding better than the verses on this song. A adequate song but definitely nothing special. "Reality"(Gangsta Inc.) is pretty average song thru and thru. The production is pretty sub par and a little boring also. Gangsta Inc. style has a rowdy feel but I'm not feeling it though. Skip It. "Styles of Execution"(Lil Maniac/Vigilante) is a rough draft version of the same song that was on Lil Maniac's "Cold & Heartless" cd. The beat pattern is the only real difference and I prefer the second version over this one. Still a tight song if you haven't heard it yet. "Soldier to The Game"(Lil Pat) is a solid song that's definitely worth bumping. The production has a thunderous stepping with steel toes on type of feel along with concrete pounding sound effects. Lil Pat flow reminds me of a mix between Skee Balla and Perjury but I believe he changed his style when he drop a solo album. "Move Out"(Lil Maniac=Maniac Mc & PMS) is a song that was on Maniac Mc's Problem Child album and it's a good one. It's worth a listen you haven't heard it before. "Ginger Breadman"(Akil Drama) is a weak and strange song. This is actually Skee Balla rapping under a different name. It's still a weak song with weak production I must say. Skip it. "Low Budget Ballen"(Artistic) is song I usually skip due to the bad production. "Risky"(Rome G,Holy Ghost & Pugg) is very tight song with one my underground favorites Rome G. The production is fast paced and gets your heart thumping quickly I must say. Everyone drops some nice flows on this song and rides the beat perfectly. A good song that's worth bumping. "Thristin"(Double G Cartel) is a cool song to bump but nothing mind blowing. The production has a hard hitting mash out midwest style feel with some piano key loops during the song. Double G Cartel style and overall rhymes are concrete while nicely polished in their presentation. The chorus really gets my attention and really kicks the song in the ass. Bump it. "Qualo"(Qualo) I'm not a real big fan of Qualo's shit and I always skip this song. "The Realist"(Kaotic Minds) is a ok song that don't play that much. It has a nice bump to it but I'm not feeling the overall vibe of it. "Im Back"(Lil Markis) is pretty weak and sub par overall. It's a song that not on the level of any of the songs on the first disc. "One Shot To The Head"(Fatal) sounds like that was just thrown on here for the fugg of it. I'm curious if this female rapper has any other material out but that's it for this weak song.Skip It. Now this is how you end a song with the classic song "Manslaughter"(3rd Degree). The production by Fingeroll is flat out perfect and so fugging sinister that it will possess your azz. 3rd Degree drop some classic rhymes and flows that must be witnessed. Lil B comes the hardest on this shit in my opinion. The chorus is super hard and get you even more amped up. Considering this song isn't on either of their group albums this makes even more of treat for the ears.

Outro: The production was more consistent on the first disc than the second disc. The overall production on this compilation was pretty good throughout overall. This compilation showcased a lot of unheard and exclusive songs that were worth hearing but included some songs that were probably scrapped from other unfinished projects. I'm not sure how rare this compilation is but it's most likely a local release that's definitely hard to find now. A good pickup for any G.I. rap collection.

Rated:4 1/2 out of 5