ALBUM REVIEWS
   
 

213 ‘The Hard Way’ (TVT)
 

It's been 10 years since the G-Funk Era, the antithesis of early Gangsta Rap pioneered by the likes of NWA. Its lazy lyrical delivery, and even lazier musical arrangements were far more evocative of summer barbecues and afternoons spent sitting on porches watching the world from afar than of drive-bys and police brutality. With more attentive listening it becomes clear that G-Funk developed from the stable of Gangsta, the lyrics often have a violent edge to them but you can't getting the impression that the artists are either too lazy, too stoned, or both to actually carry out their threats!

Back in the early to mid 90s G-Funk made the west coast hip hop sound accessible to a wider audience through its slick simple production and infectious drawl of the artists. Albums such as Warren G's 'Regulate' and Snoop Dogg's seminal 'Doggystyle' have become modern classics, but then they seemed to stop trying, and hip hop moved on.

The group 213 (named after the area code they lived in) existed long before Snoop, Warren or Nate (Dogg) achieved solo success but the decision was made to pursue their dreams individually. They did however make a pact in the early 90s to release an album together one day if and when they made it on their own.

After the initial explosion in popularity of G-Funk all three artists have continued to release material and between them they have chalked up over 25 million album sales, largely down to Snoop whose recent resurgence in popularity provided the catalyst to release 213's first studio album.

It's hardly surprising that the album sees the trio returning to styles of old, only the slick production from Kanye West, Hi Tec, Missy Elliott and DJ Pooh betray its early 90s sound. This is no bad thing by any means, the album is a great piece of work but it does, in parts, sound a little dated. The producers seem to have reined back their capabilities to ensure the sound stays true to the roots of G-Funk while trying to inject just enough of their own styles in an attempt to make it sound relevant.

The most touching thing about this album is the obvious kinship between the trio of artists, many of the tracks sound as though they were put together by three good friends freestyling, battling, bouncing ideas off each other. There is a sense of fun and playfulness in the rhymes particularly in the delicious Kanye West production 'Another Summer'. For me the other standout track is the haunting 'My Dirty Ho' with its dark bassline and Nate Dogg's deep melancholic chorus.

213 will not disappoint those who are already fans of the trio but I can't help but think that it doesn't do quite enough to win over any new blood. Come the summer however, it may be a different story.

words: Carl Brooks

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