Album Review: Rapper Big Pooh- The Delightful Bars (North American Pie Version)

15 years ago view-show 1,213,443

pooh-article_phixrSometimes when you’re not the focal point of a group, you can fall into obscurity.

Luckily for Big Pooh [Click to read interview] of Little Brother, he’s been able to keep his name in circulation (even though it’s difficult talking about him without thinking of Phonte and former member 9th Wonder).

This time around, he’s back to reassure the Hip-Hop community that he’s an MC in his own right with The Delightful Bars (North American Pie Version).

Besides the yummy cover art, Big Pooh also manages to feed true Hip-Hop heads’ appetite with an album that features production from sound techs like 9th Wonder himself, Illmind, Khrysis, Young RJ, and Jake One.

Surprisingly, Phonte doesn’t make an appearance on the album, but other Justus League brethren like Joe Scudda, Darien Brockington, and Chaundon lend a helping hand.

Big Pooh’s blue-collar style of lyricism kicks off with the slow-produced tale of ‘C.O.D., and how he needs to be paid for his services.

Then the North Carolina native picks up the tempo a little more on ‘It’s A Go’ (featuring Torae). Both MC’s shine through over the catchy production, as Pooh drops lines like, “This is Hip-Hop’s finest/this is your highness/blanketing whack sh*t/I am Hip-Hop’s Linus.”

‘Move’ featuring Darien Brockington can be considered as Pooh’s shot at the club scene just from feel of the production alone, and if so, he does a decent job with the help of his go-to crooner.

‘Rearview Mirror’ is a blast from the past with 9th Wonder dropping in to briefly rekindle that Little Brother chemistry, as Big Pooh touches on the Little Brother situation; “We made a bit of magic when we did it as three/then we grew up/then we grew apart/that’s when I realized it was bigger than art.”

Black Milk’s ex-producing partner Young RJ brings his Detroit aura to ‘Nothing Less,equipped with those trademark dirty drum kicks and all.

On ‘Step Up,Big Pooh talks about the trials and tribulations of being a parent for the first time, and how important it is to do the right thing behind the quirky production hosted by an offset drum pattern.

Pooh finishes the rest of his bars with songs like ‘Roll Call’ featuring Jozeemo, Chaundon, and Joe Scudda, ‘The Comeback’ (produced by Khrysis), and ‘The Life’ (also produced by Khrysis), and ‘Problems’ (produced by Illmind).

Big Pooh may not be one of the most complex lyricists out there, but his dedication to constantly perfect his craft shows on every solo effort he’s released from Sleepers back in 2004 straight to The Delightful Bars.

While some may have thought about his involvement with Little Brother as a hindrance, Rapper Big Pooh proves that stigma to be an incorrect one once again with another solid effort on his own…

Rating: 3.5

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