I first heard Monteloco through a YouTube channel many years back, "WiseUp89". He uploaded a track from MonteLoco called "Get On Top". I really liked the song, but never bothered to look up more tracks from him. A couple years later I was looking up songs from Brown Intentions and I heard the song "Ghetto Apartment". From there I knew I had to look up the homeboy's tracks. There wasn't shit on YouTube. Only 4 songs (that I liked), "West Coast Style", "Intoxicated", "Going Places [2000 REMIX]" (we will talk about this track later in the review), and "Getting on Top". So I looked up this cat, and I found out he had an album under the legendary Familia Records. The album was called "Retaliation". Found it on discogs.com and it cost me $100 to buy... "This better be fucking worth it" I thought.
01. Intoxicated
When it first starts, you are hit with the sample "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King. I thought "daaaamn, this is gonna suck". I was very wrong. This is one of the few Chicano MCs, and I mean very few, that can rap to an oldie song. His flow was great, lyrics were great, and no choppiness or awkward pauses in flow. Great way to start an album.
9/10
02.Ghetto Apartment [O.G VERSION]
Let me tell you, I heard Brown Intentions' version, on their album "Alcoholics 11550", I couldn't enjoy this song as much. Flows are good and on point and even to my surprise Down's aka Kilo's flow was also on point.
6.5/10
03. Stolen Benz (feat. P-Dog)
Song hits hard and is more of an introdution of Monteloco's funkier side (I don't know the sample but it is good). If you're a car guy you will like this song, and if you put in work and taken a car to the chop shop you can relate. It also has some drug use themes as well (coke and weed, no tweaker bull shit).
8/10
04. West Coast Party Life Intro + 05. West Coast Party Life
The intro samples a scene from a movie, I don't know what movie but it lays the theme for the track. The track samples heavily from "Flashlight" by Parliament. G-Funk for sure, the song is about bitches, the southside, blazing it, drinking and the West Coast. "Lodi dodi we likes to party, we might cause trouble we might fight somebody".
9/10
06. Going Places [2000 REMIX] (feat. The B.I)
Beautiful intro, the beat is amazing, lyrics are phenomenal and the chorus is great. Even Down aka Kili gets down on this track, I usually dislike his flow but he came through on this one. Verse 1 is Monteloco, verse 2 is Down's and Verse 3 is a Nas and AZ back and forth style flow between Monteloco and Down. Fucking amazing. Really shows how capable lyrically, and flow wise these two are. There is an O.G version on Monteloco's 2nd album called "Drop Top" not as good as this.
10/10
07. Mysterious Message
This song is bad ass! If you like East Coast style beats you'll fuck with this. Monteloco shows off his lyrical prowess on this 2 minute track.
9/10
08. Up Up In The Club (feat. Mellow Man Ace, Gio)
Song sounds dated, but it is good if you put yourself in a mid 90s mindset (even though this album came out in 1999). It samples Cameo "Shake Your pants". The beat is tight. The song has a female on the chorus. Flows are good and on point. The song is cool but not great. Maybe it isn't my taste, but it maybe yours.
7/10
09. What The Homies Want
It is a hood song, a very lyrical song. The instrumental is very East Coast. I really like this. I would say this song would be on a King Tee album. Shit is tight. It will make one of the homies want to freestyle. Drink a 40, smoke a blunt to this for sure.
9.5/10
10. Get On Top [LIVE PARTY REMIX]
Monteloco "freestyles" his "Get On Top" verse at a party over Zapp and Roger's "Computer Love" song (more like a loop). Its pretty cool but the original is better off of the "Drop Top" album.
7.5/10
11. Detroit 2 Oxnard (feat. The Original Crew)
Slower kind of jam, it is chill the beat is great. Another East Coast styled beat with some West Coast influence (mainly due to the subtle synth in the background). Shit bumps, the fool on the second verse is kinda wack (he has a Suga Free style flow... when Suga Free's flow sounds off beat and sloppy). Everyone else is pretty good. It seems to be a free verse kind of song.
8/10
12. Freaky Hoes (feat. Triple-C)
What can I say? Triple C and Monteloco. This song straight slaps. On his last album, Monteloco straight fucked up his verse when he collaborated with Triple C. Monteloco makes up for it on this track. I would say this song is ahead of its time. It sounds more of a mid 2000s kind of song. Album was released in 1999. Song is about "Freaky Hoes", brag rapping at its best.
8.5/10
13. Bust You In The Mouth
It is a slow song, reminds me of the song "Deep Cover" by Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. Murderous theme, not to the extent of a horrorcore rap song like Ill Bill or Brotha Lynch Hung. It is all right. Good lyrics good flow but it is slow.
7.5/10
14. Rip
This song is hard as fuck. I can see early DPG and/ or Tupac using this kind of beat. Sounds like Daz himself produced it. Great diss track. From what I am hearing, it is a diss to D.Y Funk, who he rapped with before on his last album "Drop Top".
9/10
15. Ride'n High In The 805 (feat. Bizzy-Blue)
The beat is hella dope. I don't know if it was inspired from O.C (an East Coast rapper from N.Y) and his song (more like outro) "Outro (Sabotage)". Many East Coast heads considered this album ("Word... Life") "Illmatic Part 2". Check it out. Unfortunately, this song sucks. Both, Monteloco and this Bizzy-Blue guy, ruined this beat... horrible. Automatic skip if you have the album.
3/10
16. Unstoppable
This song is a great way to end this album, unlike the horrible last track. This beat sounds very familiar to a R&B song (I'll leave it as a surprise). If you grew up in this era, you'll recognize it and you'll crack a smile. Slow song, but fitting. Nice way to end an album like ending a good movie before the credits roll. Very fitting.
8.5/10
This album is a solid 8/10.
This is a Chicano Rap classic, a hidden gem.
01. Intoxicated
02. Ghetto Apartment [O.G VERSION]
03. Stolen Benz (feat. P-Dog)
04. West Coast Party Life Intro
05. West Coast Party Life
06. Going Places [2000 REMIX] (feat. The B.I)
07. Mysterious Message
08. Up Up In The Club (feat. Mellow Man Ace, Gio)
09. What The Homies Want
10. Get On Top [LIVE PARTY REMIX]
11. Detroit 2 Oxnard (feat. The Original Crew)
12. Freaky Hoes (feat. Triple-C)
13. Bust You In The Mouth
14. Rip
15. Ride'n High In The 805 (feat. Bizzy-Blue)
16. Unstoppable
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