By far the most enjoyable volume in the entire saga, in my opinion. When compared to other installments, this sounded the most well put together and most polished in terms of production quality. The album art was my favorite among the 7 volumes, worthy of being framed. I hold this album to a high standard and am very fond it because it was one of the driving forces behind my love of Chicano Rap. When I first started listening to the genre, this and "Chicano Rap Volume 3" were the first albums I listened to when I was in high school.
To kick off the album, Royal T makes his first appearance on Familia Record's compilations on the song "Honey" (as you might have guessed it, VMF sampled the song of the same name by The Delfonics). I'm still trying to figure out if it is any different than the album version on Royal's "From Coast To Coast".
As the second track, we get to hear the Pride's sequel to "Livin' In The Barrio". Probably one of the first samples of the "Funky Worm" that I got to hear in my youth. Always like the rhymes, the instrumental was okay but Brown Pride's rhymes deserved a better production, not that it was lackluster but I would love to have heard them rhyming over heavier bass and classic West Coast beats.
"Natural High" is a clear demonstration of Lil Rob easily assembling rhymes and putting words together like a lyrical gymnast. This is the Lil Rob that we all miss. Following Lil Rob's track is Familia Record's first recording artist Spanish Fly. Well this was just Ese Daz featuring Westside Grimm from the Shaft Gangsta Clic. From what I recall the Shaft is a a group of Crips from Compton and Grimm is the only Mexican on the group. They worked well together, I have only heard this one other time together on Mexicali Slim's "You Can't See Me".
Typically I don't listen to Big June despite him being a big deal in San Diego's rap scene, but Royal and he made a good collaboration effort on "Servin Fools," among my favorite West Coast jams of all time. The album gets a little weak with in the middle with the Brown Intentions song and the N.O.T.S jam that followed.
Knightowl's track makes this album a solid piece, the song is somewhat reminiscent of "Take a Hit" but the chorus is I found to be doper. Ends the outro with one of the baddest rhymes: "...coming out the six one nine with a bullet to the spine".
Skip to a track or two and we get to hear Lil One rap, not the best Lil One track but it's Lil One nonetheless. Ending the 13 tracks is Monteloco on what has been in my top 3 favorite samples of Whodini. Overall this was the pinnacle of Familia Record's production and one of the best efforts on Murry Brumfield's behalf.
01. Royal T - Honey
02. Brown Pride - Still Livin' In The Barrio
03. Ese Lil Rob - Natural High
04. Spanish Fly - 213 Harbor Area Loc
05. Big June - Servin Fools (feat. Royal T)
06. Brown Intentions - I Can Make U Bounce
07. N.O.T.S - Front & Back
08. The Knightowl - Ain't That A Shame
09. Shorty Jay - Candy Licka
10. Lil Chill - Sleep Don't Come Easy
11. Mr. Lil One - Sickness
12. Shaft Gangsta Clic - Rollin' Wit Da Shaft
13. E. Montelongo - West Coast Style
