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808’s & Dark Grapes 3 Review
Recently, I’ve been incredibly fascinated with rap duo Main Attrakionz. Their lyrical presence is reminiscent of the Jacka’s, staggering the line between gritty and relaxed; however, their vocals are uniquely positive, optimistic and forward thinking, even uplifting. The production of the album, entirely done by production duo Friendzone, is like a light, welcoming remembrance of a cool night in Oakland, fog settling over the sunny metropolis. Their sounds invoke a personal nostalgia and happiness which most hip-hop production fears like the plague, but the success of this style of production on this album might change that as its influence spreads. The sounds are warm, electronic, but the drum patterns pace the rappers as well as any production by contemporary, recognizable hip-hop producers.
I remember the first time I heard 808’s and Dark Grapes 3. I was driving with my friends to pick up some doughnuts from Mr. T’s in Modesto, looking for something to pick me up in the midst of finals season at my school. I was listening to a lot of DJ Screw at the time, and the slowness of his music was beginning to make me feel as lethargic as a 4 in a 2 liter. As I put on “Ain’t No Other Way,” I felt welcomed, embraced by the bars of the rappers and enveloped within the space created by Friendzone’s production. The faint, lingering sounds of the piano chime in with the hook and trail off before the verse starts, echoing a reminder of the crew’s association “Ain’t no other way but Green Ova….” Mondre’s lyrics felt casually honest, like a memoir from the life of a rapper who realizes the beauty of the life he’s living, saying “Did two shows in the same clothes life’s great/ I mean I really can’t complain tho/ Getting high with the main ho.” It felt as if the duo were really speaking directly to their audience, letting them know that life is hard for us all, as Squadda B repeats “In this cold world you get lost, lost/ In this cold world you get lost, lost.” It seemed that the boys from Green Ova were picking away at the misconceptions of rappers with each line, spitting their songs the way they felt, uninhibited by preconceived notions. I was intrigued and fascinated by the unorthodoxy of rap duo, and I felt up to the challenge of trying to wrap my head around their music.
As I continued the album, I reached “Summa Time,” and I was surprised and excited to hear the sample from Three 6 Mafia’s “Da Summa,” one of my favorite songs off Mystic Stylez. The introduction to the song by Mondre speaks volumes to the duo’s outlook, saying “Sometimes I just be walking outside you feel me. It be looking kinda dark out there and shit, morning shit, but then the sun just shine bright, you know what I’m saying?” Like the introduction hints at, the beat starts out slow, heavily utilizing that notorious Three 6 sample, but it builds to a climax once the synthesizers kick in right before Squadda’s verse and again before the end of the song. The synthesizer spreads over the track like the sun’s rays, penetrating a foggy cloud cover, a sight that any Bay Area native is extremely familiar with. Mondre’s lyrics also contextualize this feeling, breathing in messages of acceptance and love into his bars as he says “Different religions, speaking facts I never heard of/ Sound true to me, and most don’t usually.” However, Mondre reminds his listeners of the strife that he’s feeling, the homies that are gone physically, but are always there on his mind saying “I still got the same niggas that I came with/ Some behind bars, while I got this pen in hand turning my life into bars.” This image shows the love that Mondre has for his incarcerated friends, using this metaphor to empathize with those who got locked up. The song finishes strong, a resounding reminder of the groups solidarity, as Squadda repeats “We go on and on and on….”
Although Main Attrakionz aren’t afraid to get real with their audience, they also know how to have a good time. The song “Dip” has a quick tempo, a great and catchy beat with a hook that is just as memorable. Mondre happily chants “I do my thang like this/ Hit the bar and I got dro to twist/ And my pants might sag a little bit/ But baby when you dip, I dip, we dip.” The beat uses a light and friendly synthesizer, with a quick closed hi-hat to keep the beat. On their verses, Mondre makes a lot of sharp references saying “This the one like Jet Li, no Bruce/ Kardashians in the building like I know Bruce” and “Gone off the Marley, opposite of Steve Harvey” in his second verse. The humor of the rap lingers into Squadda’s verse, as he says “Starlight star bright it’s a star in ya sight/ Evolve like a alien to Mars we takin’ em.” The song only lasts a quick 3 minutes, but it’s a party-banger that should not be avoided, a great song to dance to with your friends.
Shady Blaze’s features on this album also showcase his skill as an MC. His lyrics are quick and jumpy, but his lyrics force the listener to put a close ear to the poetry. On the last song “Two Man Horror Film,” Shady ironically states “I stay up on the low, I ain’t making my head a target.” Furthermore, Shady acknowledges his reputation for quick flow, but he wants listeners to respect his message saying, “Something lyrical, but mostly I’m known as the fast rapper.” This message continues the dialogue that the guys from GO are having with their audience, a request to listen to the message rather than just simply being impressed by the flow.
As a rule of thumb, I’m against assigning a number to my music reviews. The music speaks for itself and a number reduces the tracks to a statistical percentage, and also it significantly undermines the work that the artist put in to the album. If you haven’t listened to Main Attrakionz “808’s and Dark Grapes 3,” do so. It’s an incredibly dynamic project, as I often find myself fascinated by different parts of the album each time I listen.
You can find a good portion of Main Attrakionz work on their Bandcamp: http://greenovamusic.bandcamp.com/
Hit up Friendzone’s music at: https://friendzone.bandcamp.com/, great instrumentals for freestyling or simply for sonic pleasure.
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