Search - Esg :: Shinin N Grindin

Another Banger By An Underground Legend!!

G-Funk 4ever | Listenin' to the Delfonics | 05/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Houston, Tx's great E.S.G.'s 4th album, and let me tell you it definitely is thumpin. I have 3 of his albums, this, 1995's Sailin' Da South, and his perennial classic debut, 1994's Ocean Of Funk. I feel that this can't touch Ocean... or Sailin'..., but it definitely beats the hell outta 90 percent of anything from 1999 and on. Here, he leaves Perrion records and his legendary producer Sean "Solo" Jemison, and enters another legendary label Wreckshop Records, where Fat Pat (RIP) got everybody crunk with Ghetto Dreams in 1998. Fat Pat died in 1998 a year before this came out, and ESG definitely came thru. Produced by Dub D, Sin, Noke D, Chikken Hawk, the album sizzles with southern fried funk and bounce. The production slaps all the way thru with a mix of crunk style and funky beats, and a few beats border on G-Funk. My fav is the bouncy "Who's Next To Plex," an nice mix of lowrider West Coast G-Funk and southern bounce and E gets his floss on. "Shinin' And Grindin'" is a hot bouncy slapper with ESG kickin slick, flossy flows; the song definitely recalls "Swangin' And Bangin'" from a half decade ago. Now this album is flossier than his first ones, so it may have a more mainstream atmosphere than before, but it still bangs because ESG is a great rapper, easily one of my favorite rappers period. Of course, E has the obligatory rider anthem on what else, "Do You Wanna Ride?" with a smooth beat, laidback faint keyboard background, and R&B hook vocals. E does flex his gangsta and grind a bit too on tracks like "Ain't 2 Be F---d With." "Stay Playa" is hella laidback with a smooth, melodic G-Funk style beat with E and some of his wreckshop homies. This album is more for cats wanting a more laidback album to ride to or to bounce to at the club. Definitely a fun album to listen to! 1 Luv to E.S.G. for givin' us another banger to roll to!"