Big Lou - Playtime's Over

For awhile now I've been singing the praises of the new breed of Latin MC that is taking hip-hop by storm. Guys like Termanology outta Boston, Immortal Technique from Harlem, NY, Sick Jacken hailing from Los Angeles and Raze from the Lower East side of Manhattan, NY all personify the mold for the new Latino MC within hip-hop; ultra skilled, knowledgeable, always busy and in possession of a great work ethic. Far more than some of hip-hop's past and very regrettable and very gimmicky Latino acts. While those 4 are already houshold names to me as far as Latin hip-hop artist's go, I think there is one guy that combines all of their best qualities into one MC most effectively and is that next dude. Big Lou is a Puerto Rican MC that hails from the drug plagued and crime laden city of Camden, New Jersey. He is a remarkable new talent and not just remarkable for a Latin rapper, remarkable to the point where you will forget he's Latino all together and judge him as just an artist. I wish more Latinos in the game had this opportunity, but sadly few ever do get it and not for lack of skill either. They've always expected us to be something that we don't want to be, either a lame stereotype or a menace. That's what they think sells. They might be right, but that don't mean we have to like or accept it. I digress.... Lou's the real deal. He has real lyrics, with real messages and a special consistency that only comes with "special" artists. It helps that he's being co-signed by Kayslay as well. Over the years Slay has proven that he is a bonafide talent scout. Not only did he help put MC's like Saigon and Papoose on the map, the mixtapes he did with them are pretty much classic (nothing can touch those Yardfather tapes man, nuthin!) to me. So when I heard Slay had a new kid he was putting on through Streetsweepers I had to find out what the deal was. I smiled as I heard some of the kid's early material....Slay hasn't lost it; still knows something good when he hears it. I only hope that the current lack of opportunities for real MC's in the game doesen't discourage Lou from pushing on.....he's a bonafide artist who needs to be on the forefront of east coast rap. He is a bright, bright star amongst a very dim overcast. What I bring you here is a collection of everything that he's dropped early on; an introduction so to speak, of his stuff that you should already have on repeat in your deck but have been criminally sleeping on. Armed with a bevy of ill beats from his frequent collaborator Much More as well as in house Streetsweeper producer E-Dubb, Lou is able to penetrate your psychi with ease, utilizing his knack for painting pictures lyrically and gaining his listener's attention through an honest portrayal. There's few times I've ever been really touched and almost moved to tears listening to hip-hop, I remember all of those times well....they include when I heard songs like Cuban Link's "Letter To Pun", The Lox's "We'll Always Love Big Poppa", D.I.T.C.'s "Tribute", etc., etc.,....but when I heard Lou speaking from the heart about a few of his boys committing suicide and how he has had to deal with that...it was a lot man...he spoke about it so eloquently and with a calmness...it was masterful. I urge you to stop sleeping and to grab this, Big Lou is someone that I guarantee will not leave you unsatisfied on a lyrically or song-wise.

-BIG D O



01. (00:00:22) INTRO - DJ KAYSLAY
02. (00:03:15) SEEMS LIKE PRODUCED BY G FORCE
03. (00:03:46) NO ONE DOES IT BETTER PRODUCED BY C-4
04. (00:04:03) PARTY PEOPLE PRODUCED BY YESSUR
05. (00:01:45) LYRICAL IZM PRODUCED BY KRS1
06. (00:02:28) THE CHAMP IS HERE FT. SHEEK LOUCH PRODUCED BY MUCH MORE
07. (00:02:54) I SURVIVED THE HOOD PRODUCED BY YESSUR
08. (00:02:04) YOUNG, SPANISH, & GIFTED PRODUCED BY MARLEY MARL
09. (00:02:55) THE LATIN ASSASINS FT. JOELL ORTIZ PRODUCED BY THE DIRECTORS
10. (00:03:50) THE FAMILY FT. THUG-A-CATION PRODUCED BY E-DUBB
11. (00:00:21) INTERLUDE
12. (00:04:26) WELL ROUNDED PRODUCED BY LA CASA
13. (00:03:20) GORILLA MOLDED PRODUCED BY MUCH MORE
14. (00:04:01) MY LIFES A HIPHOP CLASSIC PRODUCED BY YOUNG SEPH
15. (00:02:08) THE SHINING FT. BUSTA RHYMES PRODUCED BY AMADEUS
16. (00:03:22) RISING TO THE TOP PRODUCED BY MUCH MORE
17. (00:02:22) THEY DONT UNDERSTAND FT. VEIN PRODUCED BY DJ KAYSLAY
18. (00:02:33) WU HOMAGE PRODUCED BY THE RZA
19. (00:01:36) FREESTYLE (THAT REAL SHIT)
20. (00:02:02) Big Lou - NEVER PRODUCED BY OONE
21. (00:00:52) Big Lou - INTERLUDE
22. (00:04:02) Big Lou - MY GIRL PRODUCED BY BIG LOU
23. (00:03:14) Big Lou - CAN YOU FEEL IT PRODUCED BY E-DUBB
24. (00:03:40) Big Lou - FRIEND PRODUCED BY E-DUBB
25. (00:03:57) Big Lou - SPIRITUAL METAPHYSICS PRODUCED BY SINEMA
26. (00:00:10) Big Lou - POPPA POPPA PRODUCED BY QWAN

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