Review: Watts Gangstas - The Real

Artist: Watts Gangstas
Album: The Real
Year: 1995
Label: Hood Rat / Priority

I had to review this one, not only because how much I love it but because there's a guy in Japan thats going to love this. You can probably tell already that these guys are from Watts California, East Watts to be exact. This is another one of those hard gangsta albums that comes out of nowhere and then disappears into the auctions on ebay......... if your lucky. You may know them for their track on Priority records compilation 'Legal Dope'.

The two man group consists of Felony and Dedope. The album starts off with a reporter turning up at their place for an interview as the Watts G's are cooking some coke and then an interview that gets cut short due to a unwanted question, I think they could have come up with a better intro than a two minute fake interview. The first actual track on the album is 'Slangin' As I Speak' which has a fuckin' mad beat produced by Thomas and Derek Organ and equally as good rappin' about slangin' dope. The duo's tight flow is evident from the get go. This is probably my best track from the album along with the next one, 'Watts Riders' that also has a hell beat produced by the same guys as above and also has some nice scratching throughout the track. The track is about their hood, East Watts.

Next up is 'Wanna Be', a track dissing wanna be gangstas. This is another sick track with production by Step 1. 'Nine On My Hip' and 'Hennessy And Chronic' are next in line and are both pretty good medium paced tracks. 'What A Nigga (Gotta Go Through)' is about the struggles growing up in their neighbourhood and has nice samples by Tuff Crew (So Damn Tuff) and LL Cool J (Hard As Hell).

'Stay A True' is dissin fakes and has nice flowed rhymes over a slowish beat produced by Big Jess. Another one of the albums dopest tracks is 'Come Take A Ride' that starts with some hard rapping by Dedope and then Felony busts in to finish the verse, which is actually something they do constantly through the album and sounds sick. It reminds me a little of the way B.G. Knocc Out & brother Dre'sta rapped together, not by voice but by style. The track is about the east side streets and has def scratching through the hook. Next is 'Fuct In The Game' which is a slow track about them growing up and is definately my worst on the album with the singy hook.



'Due Or Die' starts off with some nice cuts before getting into some nice good old fassioned gangsta rhymes. Last up of course is the 'Outtro' which makes me laugh when I hear them describing the album as a "Tripple platinum album on yo arse". Were they serious?

This album is out on full picture cover vinyl and is a rare gem. Over all the album is crazy although if I had to find a fault it'll be the length of it (just under 50 minutes) and the lack of imagination in the tracks. Half the tracks are about growing up in East Watts and the other half about dissing fakes with some gangsta and drug lines laced throughout. Don't get me wrong this is DOPE!



MP3's:
Watts Gangstas - Slangin' As I Speak
Watts Gangstas - Watts Ridas

Rating: 4 Daytons Out Of Five