Album Review: B.G. — The Heart of Tha Streetz Vol 2 – I Am What I Am
In 2006, intentional mangling of words (anything-izzle) and “creative” spelling are the hiphop equivalent of a rocker bellowing “Hello, Cleveland!” Fans of more-of-the same are in for a treat with the latest release from B.G. aka B. Gizzle aka Christopher Dorsey. On his latest, The Heart of Tha Streetz Vol. 2 – I Am What I Am, B.G. raps over eighteen tracks, covering territory familiar to Dirty South aficionados.
B.G. sent out enough guest invitations to fill an Escalade; all but three tracks feature guest artists. To his credit, the man credited with giving the world the phrase “bling bling” chose well. By far the best track on the disc is “Move Around,” featuring Mannie Fresh, one of the founders of Cash Money, B.G.’s former label. “Move Around” boasts a driving beat that all but forces the listener to obey its command, and Mannie Fresh is a spirited vocalist, free of the crypto-stoner mumblings found elsewhere.
No Dirty South styled release would be complete without a helping of misogyny (or humor, depending on one’s viewpoint and/or gender), and I Am What I Am does not disappoint. In some alternate universe “P**** Pop” is schoolyard jump-rope doggerel. And B.G. employs generous use of the N-word, the F-word and their frequent lyrical fellow travelers. Back when B.G. was in diapers, that was shocking, revolutionary. Not today.
Still, a handful of the beats are relatively strong. And there’s lots more where this came from: Volume 1 dropped eight months ago, and New Orleans native B.G. has an extensive back catalog.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.