M.O.P. Albums (8)
'Ghetto Warfare'
Release Date 7/25/2006
Tracks 19
Label Full Clip Media
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Ahmir �?uestlove" Thompson recently told a publication that �History is the one thing that hip-hop audiences have utter contempt for." "M.O.P." are clearly counting on this sentiment to hold true, lest some MTV shorties call them out for biting Ice-T's steez al� Bodycount. Heck, most of these kids probably won't even remember Limp Bizkit's melding of metal and rap, which puts Mash Out Posse in a pretty string position with these hard rock reworkings of classic tracks and some originals that don't do much lyrically past Lil Fame and Billy Danzenie well established tough-guy party boast and whose riffs barely cross into the 90's, let alone the current Millennium. And it goes from ill-advised to pure catastrophe on "Fire" which climbs the to the heights of metal ridicule with falsetto chorus and sick cat screeches by the supposed �street poets" at work here. At least the pair are stand up enough to subtitle "Hilltop Flava" �"No Sleep �til Brooklyn"", which is where the song parrots its riff and chorus. But rappers paying tribute to rappers who paid tribute to metal is just too convoluted to be considered the next step after Run-DMC did Aerosmith's "Walk This Way". Especially in this post-Puffy �why even bother to write your own song when there were so many in the 80's to bite" world. ~ Joshua Glazer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The rabble-rousing Brownsville, Brooklyn crew's fourth release is a heavy machete cutting through the forest of clones of the hip-hop field. A Molotov cocktail of an album featuring M.O.P.'s brand of harmonious high-energy thuggery. The Mash Out Posse deals strictly with street life themes and is not for the weak of heart or ear but the musical element is always varied and flavorful. DJ Premier has always supported these underground soldiers and on this album he exercises his darker side on five tracks. While his influence and sound run throughout, for his own tracks Primo digs deep in his bag of tricks, deftly looping a swatch from Hendrix's "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" on "Follow Instructions" and testing out new sequencing patterns on "Everyday" and "On the Front Line." Billy Dance and Lil' Fame (Fizzy Womack) have never strayed from their military mind set and rhyme format and Warriorz recapitulates the staples of their hardcore sound. Fizzy also applies his well-trained ear in the sound booth on tracks like the gangster jitterbug "Nig-gotiate" or lifting a segment from Foreigner's "Cold as Ice" for a track of the same title. Though the tone rarely changes and the lyrical content gets repetitive, musically the album hits enough high notes to make this a nice release. ~ M.F. DiBella, All Music Guide
'First Family 4 Life'
Release Date 3/24/1998
Tracks 17
Label Relativity
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Mash Out Posse return with another dose of that strictly underground N.Y. flavor. M.O.P. rely on no gimmicks, as Lil' Fame and Billy Danzenie continue to lick shots upside your head with reckless abandon. Sticking to their guns, M.O.P. refuse to soften their product in search of platinum plates. DJ Premier executive-produced this album and chipped in five slamming, standout tracks. With Primo behind the boards, the results are usually splendid, and M.O.P. take full advantage of his presence. On "Breakin' the Rules," M.O.P. break down the inner workings of the game, chastising those who don't follow proper procedures. M.O.P. and Bumpy Knucks (aka Freddie Foxxx) put it down for N.Y. on "I Luv." Primo continues to bless M.O.P. with "Downtown Swinga 98," the third installment of this trilogy. With "Salute, Pt. 2," Guru lends his voice to help M.O.P. take things one step further over the best of Primo's tracks found here (which is saying something). Also check out "Down 4 Whateva," featuring an always-on-point O.C., and "Brooklyn/Jersey Get Wild" with an invigorated Treach. "Blood Sweat and Tears" and "What the Future Holds are a nice change of pace and show M.O.P.'s maturity from previous efforts. One of the few missteps the duo takes is with "4 Alarm Blaze," as Teflon and Jay-Z (along with M.O.P.) deliver strong lyrics, but the track is less than riveting. Furthermore, "Ride with Us" and "New York Salute" become stagnant and do nothing to distinguish themselves. Primo's contribution helped M.O.P. take a step that was very much needed. His sharp and resounding drum kicks mesh perfectly with M.O.P.'s gritty sandpaper flow. When Lil' Fame and Billy speak, you can hear the pain, anger, anguish, and passion resonate from inside. ~ Matt Conaway, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
M.O.P. has succeeded in doing what few hardcore rap groups have been able to do, by increasing the quality of production on their album and still keeping that same raw, rough feel that typically disappears as money enters the equation. While the album is solid from start to finish, "Anticipation" stands out, partly inspired by KRS-One's "MC's Act Like They Don't Know." The title track, "Firing Squad," is a slow, rumbling tune with some low-end piano riffs helping to keep it moving along. DJ Premier of Gangstarr makes an appearance on "Downtown Swinga ('96)," providing a funky bassline for the duo to scream over. This is what you've waited for. ~ Brad Mills, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On the success of their first single "How About Some Hardcore," the duo of Lil Fame and Billy Danzenie followed up with their first full-length album, which may as well be called "How About a Lot More Hardcore." The Mash Out Posse bring a level of intensity and energy to the microphone that truly has to be heard to appreciate. Of course, if you're not into that whole guns, thugs, and killing people kind of thing, this isn't for you; as they say on one of the skits on the album, where an interviewer asks them "Can you truly say your music promotes positive outlooks among its listeners?," "Next question!" But, for the gangsta rap aficionado, this album is not to be missed. ~ Brad Mills, All Music Guide
