Craig David - Born To Do It

Released: August 14, 2000

Previously, you saw me review Connected by The Foreign Exchange, where I said it was a comfortable and overwhelming listen. And now, for the second Birthday review, instead of doing the usual "hip-hop album review", I decided to do something a little different. The first decision was: going to British music instead of the normal urban music and the second: review an R&B singer that some of you may remember instead of a Grime rapper. And as this happens, I'm seriously about to get a lot of nostalgic chills from this one.
Once upon a time not long ago, was a young singer called Craig David. Born in Southampton, he had a musical family, with his father playing bass, but also with his parents being separated. But yeah, forget about his early life: if you remember Craig, in 1999 was his career jumpstarted with the UK garage hit, "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta)" with Artful Dodger. This led him to be recognized by a record label called Wildstar, who were impressed by the songs they heard, which led Craig to a record deal. Craig was already working on his debut album before he had a deal and managed to complete it in 2000 before the Summer, already having 2 singles released before the album. But August came and after releasing "7 Days" in June, which preceded "Fill Me In", Born To Do It finally came!

Craig's debut album, Born To Do It, named after a Willy Wonka description quote, was released in the middle of August 2000 on Wildstar and in the US on Atlantic. It can be seen as a soul, 2-step garage and R&B album, which revolves around clubbing, romance and relationships. Previously, the first single "Fill Me In" already topped the UK Chart and "7 Days" doing really well. The album was entirely produced by Mark Hill, who was part of the group Artful Dodger (who jumpstarted Craig's career), and Craig was 19 around the time this was released, being 18 when "Fill Me In" came out. It was a huge success, and Craig managed to be recognized a lot. I do remember going through my parents' CD collection and finding out how my mum actually bought this album, but only Lord knows where the actual disc is.

The album sold really well, especially as a British singer, selling over 200k copies on its first week. It also managed to be on the Australian Chart for a whole year (52 weeks) and on the Billboard 200 for over a year (62 weeks). Not only that, but it went multi-platinum, selling over 7m copies worldwide. Ever since then, it had a legacy, especially when MTV viewers voted for this album as the second Greatest Album Ever behind Michael Jackson's Thriller and Craig had 3 MOBO Awards which included Best Newcomer, R&B and UK Act and was nominated in 2001 for Best R&B Act and Best Album. Craig would go on to release more popular songs and albums like "Rise & Fall" with Sting on Slicker Than Your Average or "All the Way" on The Story Goes... Apparently, the show Bo' Selecta! (which was named after his breakout hit with Artful Dodger) would ruin his career (although he would deny it) with the frequent caricaturizations and how the show poked fun at him, especially not being took seriously. His last album put out was in 2010, but he has been quiet for some time now (let's hope he comes out with an album this year).

I have never really focused on Craig that much. The only time I did was when I heard "Fill Me In" and "7 Days" came on UK channels like KISS or MTV Base when they were airing throwback programmes. So what are my feelings on this album? Does it add up to anyone else? Is it really good? Or is "7 Days" and "Fill Me In" the only songs worth recommending? It's time to find out...

1. Fill Me In
The debut single from the album comes on & starts the album, and I've mentioned this, along with "7 Days" many times in the introduction. Now, it's time to get into the album. Here, Craig tells the story of how he tried to hang out with a girl next door, with her parents being suspicious on what she's doing. I really liked this song. It was really laidback when the verses came on and when Craig was telling the story, but when the beat dropped into a garage vibe, it was really great to listen to. It does make you bump your head a lot. There's a lot I liked about this song. The content was really interesting to hear, and how he tried to be with the girl without any trouble was something good to hear. The video was even suiting and on point, with him performing with his friends in a flat, and a few people dancing outside while the song was playing. This song was really good, especially when I was young, hearing it a lot on TV. Even to this day, it doesn't disappoint!

2. Can't Be Messin' Around
This isn't really that bad. I like the feel for people to dance to this song, and groove to this. I liked it. The beat was something reminiscent of something I'd hear Sean Paul on back in the day, to be honest. I liked the rapping in the middle, it was actually alright. I can vibe to it a little, but overall, it's just decent and nothing that really stood out.

3. Rendezvous
This was the last single on the album, and it was a forgettable song a little during my childhood. Maybe I didn't hear it at all, only God knows if I did. My thoughts have changed a little. This song was really good, a lot more chill and smooth. His singing on here felt good and I liked the melodies and the beat, which setted the vibe for me a lot. It was really great to hear, and its content was interesting to hear. I really liked it. One of my favourite songs on this album really.

4. 7 Days
AWWWW YEAHHHH!!!!!! This was my favourite song to hear during my childhood. One of those songs I grew up listening to. I loved a lot about it. The video gives me one of the biggest nostalgia chills ever and even to this day, it's still a Goddamn great song. The content of the song was really interesting, especially talking about how the week was with the girl. Heck, the video is one of my favourites to watch, and how he tells the story to his barber was really appealing. The beat is really chill and it's really relaxing for me, hearing it a lot. The hook was great, and I can sing that a lot, which really makes this song an excellent ass song. There is a remix with Mos Def, which DJ Premier produced, and even if Premo remains one of my Top 5 favourite producers, it didn't (and never will) top the original. This is maybe... just maybe... one of my favourite songs of all-time.

5. Follow Me
This was really smooth as hell. The late 90s feel was present a lot here, which sounded like something that I'd hear from a lot of R&B singers around '97/98 with a weird music video full of special FX. I really liked this song, and the way Craig was singing was really great and it impressed me a lot. It's something to relax to and how Craig wants to get jiggy with the girl was pretty nice. Overall, the song was really interesting and great to hear.

6. Key To My Heart
This was alright. Nothing impressive here, but overall it was alright.

7. Fill Me In (Part 2)
Just so you know, I am reviewing the US version of this album, released in 2001, which features 2 extra tracks. And unlike the original UK version, a second part of Craig's debut single is featured, which sets a really different vibe than the original. Unlike the first, it's much groovy and doesn't have a smooth garage vibe, having a club feel to it. That doesn't mean it's better than the first. As much as I don't like UK garage much (not because I didn't really grow up around that era), the original was better and I had a better feel from it. This is still good though. It's a song to bump your head to, and isn't that clubby like the way UK music was like back then. The hook is on point, but the song can sound a little like it was supposed to be a different song instead of a second part of "Fill Me In". But yeah, it's a really good track.

8. Last Night
Not bad, not bad. This was really nice and great. Not only that, but this was the actual original version of the breakout "Re-Rewind", where Craig took lyrics and the melody from this song. I liked the song. It was a song good to listen to. Once again, Craig does some rapping like he did on the second track, and it actually comes out good, especially for a singer. I liked the story he was telling here, with a great party vibe, and the beat was really funky and reminiscent of Italian guitar music. A really great song.

9. Walking Away
This was the third single on the album, and although I never really payed much attention to the song itself, I do remember the video clearly where Craig comes out of his car and starts singing while there's traffic and coming in different places. Unlike the other songs on the album where it's upbeat, smooth and funky, it's more of a sombre and sad song where Craig wants to walk away from the troubles and his struggling of his relationship. This wasn't bad, but can be forgettable just sometimes.

10. Time to Party
Ok now, back to the upbeat party songs, And this ain't all that for me. Yeah, it's groovy and it's really nice to listen to, but can be a forgettable and unmemorable song. Craig raps again, which kinda saves the track a little. But I didn't really like it much.

11. Booty Man
This sounds really sombre as hell, and got me wondering why it was even called "Booty Man", as if he wants to get into that booty and have fun with her. I realized it meant the man that probably attracts a lot of girls and make them want to be with him. But yeah, the sombre feel & atmosphere on the song doesn't really suit and got me to a point where I didn't like it as much.

12. Once in a Lifetime
Another sombre and serious song, which separates from most of the album. This was really decent, and it was something great to hear, as he reflects on his struggles and happy times. It does sound a little short though.

13. You Know What
I had high hopes coming into this song. And "you know what", it's not really that good. So... meh!

14. Rewind
A slightly different version of the breakout "Re-Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta)" concludes the album. It stills remains on the garage vibes, and doesn't depart to a different beat. I really liked it. I wouldn't say which one is better, cos they're kinda both the same. But they're both good in their own way. This one feels a little polished in a way tho. But yeah, the album is done!

Born To Do It is actually a really great album. While I came into this album thinking that I may not like a lot of songs on the album, only 2 or maybe 3, I was damn sure wrong. Craig's singing and content were actually nice on the album. Most of the album did involve a lot of partying, sex, and hanging out with girls, whereas there was 1 or 2 songs where he reflects on his relationship struggles. Most of the album manages to be storytelling and having a lot of hip-hop elements, especially when he raps as a 3rd verse in a few songs, and introduces songs in a smooth rapping way. On the album, Craig shows how he's one of the guys who likes to get down with the girls and party, while there are some struggles in his life (which on the album, he doesn't really touch on much). Born To Do It was a really comfortable listen. Notice I didn't really say much about the beats like I would with other albums, maybe because the beats didn't always bring the overall song together most of the time, and I did feel the singing was the one that made me like a lot of songs. But yes, the beats were actually really great for me and I liked them. Maybe a few weak tracks here and there like any other album, but does that stop me from liking the album? NO! I recommend a purchase. Craig did a good job on here and it wasn't a waste of time here, managing to not lack as much. It deserves the 7 million copies it sold, and the legacy since this album came out was great. Maybe a classic in my eyes!

The Furious 5ive
7 Days
Last Night
Fill Me In
Follow Me
Rendezvous

Honourable Mentions
Walking Away
Rewind

The Foreign Exchange - Connected

Released: August 24, 2004

Ok, how can I start this? Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear... *sigh* yes, it's my birthday. Another year for me, and I'm growing. Not only that, it's the 20th anniversary of my favourite album, The Infamous, and 13 years since Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes passed away. Not only just that, but it's Saturday, and it's time for another review today. And I'm continuing where we left out 2 weeks ago on the Little Brother saga.

Phonte, the primary member of Little Brother just got back from releasing the album, The Listening (which I said was a really comfortable listen), which at the time, was praised by bloggers and critics, loving the album for what it was. Little did the fans know that while all that was happening, Te was doing other stuff. He actually went on Okayplayer.com and met Nicolay, an electronic/soul/(mainly instrumental) hip-hop producer from The Netherlands. Once knowing each other through the website, they managed to start their chemistry as The Foreign Exchange.

So, the following year, they started with Connected, which was released on BBE in 2004. This was Phonte's first solo work, but on the condition that Nic would produce the whole album (Charity Starts At Home would be his first album with other production). During the making of the album, Nic would create a beat and send it to 'Te from the Netherlands via mail/instant messaging, while he would return the product with the vocals, with Nic mastering it. Unlike previously with The Listening, the album is filled with a lot of features from YahZarah to Darien Brockington (with only 2 tracks where he's on his own). Of course, his buddy Rapper Big Pooh would come and make an appearance on the album, having 3 songs together.

The album would be known as an "alternative hip-hop classic", which rose Phonte's reputation from Little Brother. The surprising thing is they did all this through instant messaging and mail, and they didn't meet until after the album was completed. The focus on the group would change when their second solo album was released and showcased Phonte's singing, instead of his usual rapping (hence a few comparisons to Drake). Nicolay would go on to make some solo work, including an album called Here, which featured Black Spade, Darien Brockington, YahZarah and a young Wiz Khalifa!

So here on this album, was it any good? Did the chemistry work? Was Nic's beats great? Or was Phonte better with 9th Wonder and Big Pooh? Well, let's find out...

1. Title Theme
Well, at least they're avoiding calling this an intro. This was great for an opening.

2. Von Sees
On this song, Von Pea (of underground rap group Tanya Morgan) takes over with a rap on his own. I liked this song. Nic's beat was great, and running for 2 minutes, it felt short with only 16 bars from Von and I can see why. Still a nice second introduction tho.

3. Raw Life (feat. Joe Scudda)
I love this song so much. I remember the first time listening to this on my way to school, hitting my heart. 'Te started out really good, and I liked the street vibe I felt from this cos of Nic. Joe Scudda's delivery was on point, which got me to bump my head a lot, but the actual verse isn't really all that, but it's alright. This song was really good to listen, and everything on this song was just straight heat! A standout on the album.

4. Hustle, Hustle
This song is really great. It had a lot of Dilla influence with an earlier Slum Village vibe. But the thing is the group Critically Acclaimed leads the song while 'Te does the chorus. Although this may be one of my favourites on the album, Phonte should've had a better contribution including a verse. This is still a really great song though and I like it.

5. Let's Move (feat. Rapper Big Pooh)
I like this song a lot. This is a very great song and I'm not disappointed by this song. Pooh comes on and he starts off this song really nice, while Phonte has a really interesting verse. I really liked this song, it stood out to me very much. Nicolay adds a really light and sunny vibe to it and I can move a lot of this song. Even as I wrote this while listening, I was just rocking my head so much. This was very good to listen to.

6. Nic's Groove (feat. Rapper Big Pooh)
On this fan favourite, Pooh returns with Phonte and once again starts off with a decent verse. Compared to "Let's Move", I found this a little better than the previous. This has a chiller and a much groovier vibe and I felt this song a lot. I can move to "Let's Move", but I can sit down and vibe to this one. Oh yeah, Phonte did his thing, and I liked it, especially how the song ended with the "...and you don't stop" ad-libs and the beat switch up, which was a great ending. Love this song.

7. Be Alright (feat. Median & Frank Ford)
Median & Frank Ford are up next on the guest list, getting on a decent song. This song is the second word of the title: Alright. I did like the content that 'Te and Med managed to fit in, with Nic's light and sunny beat. Frank's hook was decent and alright. Nothing really stood out much, but I can hum the melody at some points, and that's it.

8. Sincere (feat. YahZarah)
Ooooh look, a commercial-like song with your typical female singer doing the hook. NEXT! Nah, I'm just playing. But really, the first time hearing this was really forgettable as hell, with the second time being a lot more boring. But, I had the time to listen to the song again via the music video, and this song is actually great. It took me a long time to digest the song into my mind, because of how I'm not that fund on R&B/Hip-Hop collabs (hey but "Climb" from Mos Def & Vinia Mojica is still a great song today). YahZarah's contributions are catchy sometimes, but I didn't like them that much. But hell yeah, it's still a good track for me.

9. Brave New World
Finally, we see Phonte lead a track on his own, without an singer/rapper feature, and this ends up being my favourite song on the album. Here, 'Te brings up topics including corruption, single mothers, and of course, how he feels ever since his Little Brother status in The Listening era. This song was really great to hear. He raps on topics that were interesting to hear, with the beat being very hot for me. The ending beat was something good to vibe to, and overall makes this one hell of a song.

10. The Answer (feat. Oddisee, Sean Boog & Kenn Starr)
I thought I wouldn't really like this song, but this is just great. Oddisee's starter verse was on point, with his delivery being really nice, and the beat being awesome. Sean Boog's chorus was alright, but his voice bugs me. Te's verse wasn't a disappointment and Kenn Starr sounds a little like Joe Scudda & his verse wasn't really nice. I really liked the beat a lot, and it was good. The verses on this track came on point apart from Kenn, but they all did their best there with their raw flows. What follows then is a caller interlude.

11. Come Around
Singer Darien Brockington does a solo here. I first thought this would be an annoying R&B song to just use as filler, but to be honest, it's actually alright. It kinda makes me think of the album cover a lot more than other songs. It's best if you count this as an interlude though!

12. Happiness (feat. Rapper Big Pooh)
Out of all the 3 Pooh collabs on this album, I didn't care much for this. I liked the chill concept here and the beat was good (I didn't like the switch-up that much at the end tho), but I didn't like much. But here, I felt Pooh did a better job here than 'Te. At the end, it's nothing that stood out to me or maybe others. It's just... alright!

13. End Theme
And there we have it. It's over... or is it?

14. All That You Are (feat. Median & Darien Brockington)
No, it's not over. So I'm not sure why the "end theme" came too early. Anyway, on this song that ends up feeling like one of the bonuses, we got Med & Darien. We get another funky song where 'Te and Med go back and forth. This is alright and decent, and is something celebratory. I got nothing else to say about this.

15. Be Alright (Nicolay's "EasyBreezy Sunday Afternoon" Remix)
I didn't like this when I first heard it, to be honest. But I kinda got used to it with a sunny and positive vibe. I still find the original a little better!

16. Call (feat. Darien Brockington)
I liked this Phonte/Darien collab a little bit. It feels like an interlude though.

17. Downtime (Nicky Troutman's "Bounce To The Ounce" Remix)
I'm not sure if there's an original version that didn't make it onto the album. If there's no original, then Lord knows why the heck it's bracketed as a Remix. But it's so damn good. The beat is so groovy, and Te's lyrics are improved and freshened up a little more than before. The electro vibe I got from this was sure as hell great. Well, phew, now it's over! A nice way to end this album, especially after some mediocre songs before this.

You know what, listening to Connected has been very comfortable as hell. As of right now, I have listened to this album 3 or 4 times and my thoughts on this has changed around the place. I'm just really happy with this. Connected is a really nice album, following up an underrated classic and is at a place where Phonte is around different people instead of 9th Wonder and Pooh. Here, Phonte showed how he could be better off without LB for some time, and he was on point with it. A lot of positive vibes were being made, which was portrayed heavily here compared to The Listening, and I liked how it was a side-project before their second album. 'Te manages to give the raw vibes on songs such as "Raw Life", "The Answer" and "Brave New World", while at the same time, we got good morning and feelgood songs like "Sincere" and "Let's Move". It does manage to pick up some flaws though, including Darien Brockington's presence sometimes, which didn't do much for me. Compared to The Listening, Connected has so much features instead of 1 or 2, which kinda feels like a modern Game album. But, it's not really a problem here, like it would be with Game (because I think with Game, he does it to possibly try and stay relevant). The features were alright, not bad, but not that good. Here, some features managed to be very accurate and on point, including Critically Acclaimed on "Hustle, Hustle" and of course, Rapper Big Pooh on "Let's Move" & "Nic's Groove" (others include Oddisee & Median). However, maybe Kenn Starr didn't impress me on "The Answer" and that's my favourite songon the album, along with Darien Brockington sometimes (as I said before). But am I still impressed by how the album turned out to be? Well... yes! As much times as I've compared it to The Listening, it's because of how different the two turned out to be. Speaking of which, I never knew why Nicolay was compared to 9th. I always saw that they have very different sounds. And yes, Nic's beats were really good and I really liked the atmosphere that Nic managed to put on this album. So to conclude all this, Pick this up. It's a very great album to listen to, and as it came straight after The Listening, it's a good follow up and it showed a perfect route for Te to take. It's very good to listen to and Te & Nic's chemistry is way on point, making this album such a impressive listen!

The Furious 5ive
Brave New World
Raw Life
Nic's Groove
Let's Move
Hustle, Hustle

Honourable Mentions
Downtime
The Answer
Sincere

Little Brother - The Listening

Released: February 25, 2003

In the state of North Carolina, 3 dudes were united together from a university, coming out from the South, making underground and extremely underrated music. Most of their albums are still considered underrated, overlooked and slept-on by many listeners, with soulful and banging production.
That was Little Brother. They were a hip-hop group that originally consisted of: Phonte (the primary rapper, who was the most recognized out of the three), Rapper Big Pooh (the secondary and the most slept-on) and 9th Wonder (the breakout member of the group who made the beats, and is actually one of my Top 10 producers). I remember how I found out about the group, last year when I was just skimming through the Web, then coming across the BET controversy that happened later on in 2005 (hearing the song, Lovin It). I started to listen to more of their music, and musically fell in love with them. Coming out of Durham, they met at a university and actually bonded a relationship, forming as Little Brother in 2001. They recorded a few songs, getting them signed independently to ABB Records, which lead up to their debut, The Listening.

The Listening was their heavily slept-on debut, released on ABB in early 2003. Entirely produced by 9th Wonder, the group goes through the concept of focusing on the lyrics, instead of a "hot song" around a fictional radio station called WJLR, while rapping on soulful beats from 9th. Filling up with 18 songs, the group doesn't come along with features (only Median) and lead the album by themselves. The album made a lot of noise in the Blog World, mainly due to what they called a "decline" in hip-hop (and seriously, even rap music wasn't that bad to listen to back then) and was praised by underground fans, making the group much more recognized as they continued on, working with slightly popular people.

The album didn't even sell that much copies (especially being underground and having little promotion), but can be seen as an "instant" or "underrated classic" and was recognized by hip-hop figures like ?uestlove and Pete Rock, who heavily praised the album. The group would go on to do well in their career, especially when solo. Phonte would go on to form The Foreign Exchange with Nicolay, where he would be known for his singing work (although their debut album was him rapping with many features). Pooh, well... not much, but he did release the solo album, Sleepers, and has recently came out with a project called Words Paint Pictures [which was a really good listen]. And 9th would be the one who would breakout a lot more especially when Jay-Z got him up to produce the standout "Threat" on The Black Album.

So, let's get into the album and see why many people have praised it!

1. Morning
Just your typical rap album intro with a great beat (using the sample that would be later used in Wiz Khalifa's "Waken Baken").

2. Groupie (Part 2)
The album actually starts with a solo shot from Rapper Big Pooh, and he doesn't disappoint at all. I was feeling the concept and the soulful beat from 9th. Pooh's lyricism is accurate and the content comes around really great. It's not anything that special, to be honest, just a solid song to listen to and gets you pumped up for the whole album.

3. For You
I just LOVE this song. "Microsoft n****s say word and page up": that line was so witty from Phonte. The beat was hot and I liked a lot about the song. 'Te did his thing and comes out with some clever wordplay and great lyricism, with Pooh doing alright with some interesting lyrics that got me at some points. The chorus was catchy and this song gets me hyped and happy most of the times I've listened to this song. The lyricism and the flows are real on this one and it's something that really stood out to me on this album.

4. Speed
This was alright, and you can clearly see the Mobb Deep influence in it, especially with the beat banging out. It's not skippable though and is something I can listen to a lot, but it didn't stand out that much.

5. Whatever You Say
This smooth ass track is for the ladies, where Te & Pooh try to impress their girls with dates and where they wanna go. Pooh starts out alright with a smooth & chill voice, and does his best, while Phonte murders this song, without even rhyming. 9th's beat is on point, as he creates a great vibe, and is chill & really laidback for me. It's a really great song to relax to and it doesn't fail to impress. I love this song a lot! A standout on the album.

6. Make Me Hot
Just an interlude...

7. The Yo-Yo
One of my favourite songs on this album. Period! I love everything about it: the light atmosphere, the verses from Pooh & 'Te, the lovely hook, 9th['s] Wonderful beat. Come on, what else is there to say?

8. Shorty on the Lookout (feat. Median)
Like Rapsody being the only rap guest on Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly, Median is the only guest on here and he does well on this. The beat is relaxing to vibe to, the chorus is catchy, and the verses are on point. I liked the beat switch-up at the end aka "Shorty's Reprise" which had a much smoother vibe with some groovy ad-libs from the crew. A decent song on the album, and is something really nice to hear.

9. Love Joint Revisited
Another song which is really chill and relaxing. I liked how they presented this song like A Tribe Called Quest did in the "Scenario" remix, and the old school vibes are present here. Nice song and like "Speed", it's something I can listen to a lot, but nothing stood out that much apart from the beat. It does give a nice feel though.

10. So Fabulous
On this song, Te & Pooh does some old school impersonations from Rakim to Kool G Rap and they succeed, impressing me a lot. I always liked this song, it was very amusing and something to bump to. They were both good with their imitations, making me laugh & smile a little and Pooh was great with his Audio Two's "Top Billin" flip. I also always felt Phonte's flip of Doug E. Fresh (on "The Show"). Their impersonations were straight on point. The beat was nice to like to listen to and had a chill & smooth vibe. Another one of my favourites on the album!

11. The Way You Do It
Another standout here and is one of my personal favourites. I really like the song here, and it has the chillest and most laidback sample on the album. The verses are great & on point, and 9th manages to fit in the "Inhale" sample from Q-Tip's (oh... I mean A Tribe Called Quest) "Sucka N****", which suits in. The instrumental is so awesome, and I just love the hook. Phonte was great, Pooh was just excellent and everything about it was so brilliant. You could just see me rocking to this song in public. That's how much I love this freaking song!

12. Roy Lee, Producer Extraordinaire
Skit...

13. The Get-Up
This was alright. It was good hearing the beat (where 9th is not that present) and the funky vibe is present here. It does, however, mostly feels like a Phonte track (with Pooh) than an actual LB track. This was something I could vibe and rock to, but at the end of the day, it's just decent and something that didn't stand out much, apart from the vibe I feel while listening to it.

14. Away From Me
From the many times I've listened to this song when it plays, I never cared for it. I never really payed attention and most of the time, it played when I was mostly distracted by my friends on the way back home. But as I write this, have my thoughts changed? Yup! This song is really great. I liked the laidback vibe I got from this. 9th's beat was nice and really sombre to the content, and I liked how heartfelt and emotional this song was. Pooh was rapping to his brother called Reese, who helped him a lot, while Phonte was speaking to his son through one of the best verses I ever heard, especially from him. One of Te's lines actually got me a lot: "Hearing you laugh is like music to my ears but the song ended". That has always been something nice to hear. and it was interesting how they brought up their life, memories and how they're far from their family, cos of maturity and age. Heck, even hearing 9th speaking to his daughter at the end was just so... it got me in the feels. This is my absolute favourite. Forget everything else (apart from For You and Whatever You Say)!

15. Nobody But You
Meh... I never really cared for this!

16. Home
A chill R&B beat interlude from 9th, which is really decent to me. The singing is nice and I get a very laidback feel from this. It's not skippable, and it's a very good interlude.

17. Nighttime Maneuvers
I always liked this solo shot from Phonte. It was really great, and it has a smooth feel for me. The singing, 'Te's chill rapping and the instrumental from 9th. However, the remix found on the Chittlin Circuit compilation, I found better than this one. This song is still good though.

18. The Listening
Ladies & Gentlemen, I present you one of the best concluding tracks ever. Forget about J Cole's "Note to Self" or Kanye West's "Last Call". Heck, even forget about Kendrick's Mortal... ok, maybe not that one, but for me, this song tops a lot of concluding tracks. Enough with the overexaggerations, this song is actually great. The title track on the album concludes the album as they get with the whole concept of the album, where they want people to listen instead of pay attention to the "hot beats" (which is a main reason why a lot of people didn't like To Pimp A Butterfly). I actually liked the content for the third verse, which tries to see if people are listening, and I liked how they were saying some funny stuff there, but it came out so lyrical and hardcore (when it wasn't). Even hearing Phonte say "Madagascar titties" made me chuckle. The hook was good and pretty much described the whole album, and what it was about, and the content was really great for me. A really fantastic way to end an album!

Now as I think about it, The Listening is a very decent album. Maybe not a classic like critics and bloggers had said, but it's damn sure good. Te and Pooh were (and still are) really talented rappers at the time and they were giving old school and groovy vibes during the album, which really made me like this album. The group had a very big chemistry when they were together, with great songs to listen to. That was what made The Listening a really overwhelming album. Phonte still remains as one of my top 5 slept on artists, and hearing him on the album made me really happy and I can get goosebumps at many points. Big Pooh is nice, and was a good secondary member in the group, making a lot of songs feel very complete. Yes, maybe on some songs he was mediocre, but most songs, I thought that he gave it his all, and actually came out really strong. And last but not least, 9th Wonder! Oh man, oh man, what have I gotta say about him? His beats were on freakin point, with the soulful ass samples and booming beats which I love to "air drum" to on my way to school. But at some minor points, even if 9th still remains one of my favourite producers, he did come off a bit weak, especially on "Speed", maybe "Shorty on the Lookout" and especially "Nobody But You". So at many points, I did wish he switched up a bit. But still, I always liked the vibe that I've been feeling in this album. It was a really feelgood one and it's a very good thing. Little Brother had that magic in them which I liked and you could see the old school influence in this, especially from artists like ATCQ and De La Soul. If you like something new, refreshing and laidback, then this is for you. This album was a really overwhelming and comfortable listen and it's a flawless effort from the group, The Minstrel Show would be better though!

The Furious 5ive
For You
Whatever You Say
Away From Me
So Fabulous
The Way You Do It

Honourable Mentions
The Listening
Nighttime Maneuvers
The Yo-Yo