Lil' Chappy - Signed 2 Tha Streets Album Review

Artist: Lil’ Chappy (aka Alabama Chappy)
Album: Signed 2 Tha Streets
Label: Official Ent.
Executive Producers: Zach Chappell (and Hosted by DJ Frank White & DJ Solo)

There are very few artists in Alabama that have managed to have the staying power as Montgomery’s own Lil’ Chappy aka Alabama Chappy. Chappy stands alongside artists like Dirty, Tha’ Last Mr. Bigg, and Small Tyme Ballaz as Alabama artists who have been continually dropping music since the late 90’s. Chappy has been giving his fans his own brand on Southern Hip Hop since the 1999 debut of the Small Tyme Ballaz group “90 Days In Da Small Camp.” Back then Chappy was one of the many members of the Small Tyme Ballaz click alongside fellow members like Killa Katt, Big Hulk, Jungle Baby, Lil’ Dutty, Lil’ Toy, Lil’ Dru, T-Dogg, and others. Following that album Chappy broke out on his own with his debut album “Da Chosen One.” Chappy grew attention to himself because of his gritty street lyrics along with his motivational rap music and deep thought mixing gangsta street tales with Pastor Troy-like ghetto gospels. Chappy followed up with his 2^nd album, “Blood, Sweat, & Tears” which featured the rawkus hit “A.L.”, and then followed up with the “Ridin Big” EP which featured one of my all time favorite Rap songs, “Dear Daddy”, in which Chappy chronicles his rocky past with his father and his promise to be the father to his kids that his own father never was to him. Chappy released the classic mixtape “King of Alabama” in 2006 and has since began building his own label Official Ent. with such artists as Nino. Now, in 2011 Chappy has returned with his new street album “Singed 2 Tha Streets.”

“Signed 2 Tha Streets” kicks off with the Intro song called “My Lane” where Chappy reminds everyone that he runs Montgomery and in his own lane, not worrying about anyone else. Chappy calls out the fakes on this one:

“these hoes’ll do ya bad/
and most the hate a n!gga is is from people that know ya’ a**/
the game is f*cked up, these n!ggas is snitching now/
they down low and f*cking men, I call that “b!tching out”/
hey who said they run my town? well b!tch this is my city!/
you say you the man? Well ya’ gotta be kiddin me (HAHA!)/”

Following a brief intro from DJ Frank White & DJ Solo, Chappy returns for “Roll Call” where Chappy shouts out to all the real cats out there and calls out the lames. He follows that up with “I Miss (R.I.P.)” which is a shout out to all his dead homies. Chappy goes the autotune route on the hook and literally name drops a slew of his friends that have passed in one of Chappy’s personal songs he’s known for. He even shouts out Deuce Komradz (Alabama rap fans will remember them) member Nawty Shawty who was murdered several years ago in a shooting. Next up is “Ride or Die” featuring Elee & Code Redd which is a dedication to “ride or die chicks” featuring a great chorus and verses from female MCs Code Redd and Elee.

“IONEENO” (I Don’t Even Know) is next up featuring Chappy’s protégé Nino & City which is a nice ‘get money’ type anthem and then follows up with another dedication to the ladies on “Body Of A Goddess” alongside Nino, Lowe, City, T.O., & Flawless. Next up is a remix by DJ Solo of Chappy’s hit “Rollin” featuring Grand Hustle’s B.o.B. The new beat is nice but I think the original fit better, and if you haven’t heard “Rollin” before its an anthem to those “bean poppers” out there.

Next up Chappy spits his own verse over Maybach Music Group’s “2Pac Back” alongside Memphis rapper Yo Gotti. Fellow Montgomery artists Familiar Ent. click joins Chappy on the weed anthem “Superman” where Chappy and company describe how they “feel like I can fly.” Chappy harmonizes (and harmonizes VERY WELL) on “Hear The Angels.” This is one of the true highlights of the mixtape and an extremely personal record. Chappy speaks on going through the hard times and feeling all alone and looking to heaven to carry on. He combines his very personal and energetic rap lyrics with an amazing sounded sung hook (that HE sings). Chappy brings up memories of “Dear Daddy” on this one:

“if they don’t know my story, tell ‘em don’t judge me/
my childhood years I spent my life thinking no one loved me/
daddy was long gone, naw he wasn’t never there/
the child abuse my momma gave don’t think she ever cared/
a broken home, a broken heart, another broken dream/
gave up on life, because of all of that destroyed the hope in me/
I started bangin’, started drankin’, then I started robbin’/
lookin’ for love with no solution I became a problem/
had a few drug habits, that’s something I overcame/
the worst addiction I ever felt, I was strung out on pain/
dealt with a lot hurt, made it through many tears/
but I aint complaining because its the reason I’m here/”

“Hear The Angels” is truly an amazing record. After that touching record Chappy shifts gears with “Goin Dumb” featuring Lowe & T.O. which is a jumping party record with an extremely catchy hook that reminds me of early 2000’s ATL crunk music. Next up is “Life Of A Hustla” which reunites Chappy with his Small Tyme Ballaz click as well as alongside Alabama legends Dirty! This was one of my most anticipated songs on the album because any Alabama rap fan would love to here this many local legends on one song. After Chappy’s initial verse Small Tyme representatives Killa Katt and Big Hulk trade bars followed by Big Pimp of Dirty spitting a memorable verse. The only disappointing thing about this song is the lack of Small Tyme member Jungle Baby and Dirty member G-Stacka. Chappy flosses his “Wrist Game” next with Shawty, Bama Ben, Big Yoshi, Lil’ Reggie, and Dirk with the MCs dedicating this one to their favorite jewelry.

On “Finally Here” Chappy turns Flo-Rida’s “Finally Here” into his own anthem about coming up in the struggle and finally making it. Chappy teams back up with his Official Ent. parnters J-Tayla, T.O., City, & Nino on “Do U Mynd” which is a slow paced song for the ladies. The topic of ladies remains with the explicit “F*ck My Face” which features J-Marsh and his very smooth hook. Chappy handles things solo declaring that he’s officially made it through all of the struggles in life on “I Made It.” Another personal and extremely well done song from Alabama Chap.

Chappy closes the album out with an interesting song called “That Body” which features Megan Mechelle which is more of a slowed down R&B based hip hop record which definitely has crossover appeal, followed by a Cypher freestyle where the two are just going off on the record and then finally the final song “Goin Digital” featuring T.O. & J-Marsh. Here the trio talk about picking up chicks on myspace, facebook, and twitter saying those applications have got them “Goin Digital.”

Overall yet another quality release from one of Alabama’s founding fathers of rap with Chap making sure everyone knows that he’s here to stay, and we can only look forward to the next LP from Chap.