The Dayton Family (Bootleg, Shoestring & producer Steve Pitts) gained some fame in the mid 90’s with hits like F.B.I,Stick N Move and What’s On My Mind but never really blew up to the mainstream audience. Most people heard about them but not a lot of people knew about this album being released. Welcome To Dopehouse(2002) is the groups third release. I recommend ya’ll to get both previous releases; What’s On My Mind(1995) and F.B.I(1996).

 

1. Intro

The albums intro is a lil trumpet/guitar thing. I don’t normally write anything about intros and skits but it’s a real cool piece of work.

2. Big Mack 11

First real track of the album is a banger. “Big Mack 11” has real tight production from Steve Pitts that’ll get you hyped up. On top of that, Dayton Family is spitting some real raw and aggressive shit that’ll get you even more hyped up. Great way to start the album!

3. Do You Remember

Steve Pitts produced all tracks on this album except for one. On “Do You Remember”, he’s managed to design a perfect beat for Dayton Family to do something slower. If you’ve heard the Dayton Family before, you know that they’re not about slow jams so I’d say that this is as close as they can, and should, get. Lyrics about back in the day are topped with a real tight hook making this a very good track.

4. Welcome To Flint

If you’ve heard Dayton Family before, you know that they’re from Flint, MI. If you didn’t know, now you do. “Welcome To Flint” is, to me, what Dayton Family’s all about. An up-tempo beat with raw, adrenaline rushing, hardcore lyrics. Dope song.

5. Feds

If you’d listen to this instrumental, you’d probably think it was a slow jam with g-funk influences… But you know a slow jam ain’t gonna happen on this album. Dayton Family’s making this track to be a raw cut with a smooth hook. I’ve always thought that the Dayton Family should spit on high-speed productions, but I’ve still gotta give it up for them on this one.

6. Gangstarism feat. Goldfish

I’m speechless… This track alone is worth the money spent on this album. The beat’s one of the best beats I’ve heard over the past 3-4 years and the lyrics are making it even better! Raeggie artist goldfish is cool on the hook but they shouldn’t have given him a verse… I’d rather hear Bootleg or Shoestring do their thing one more time on this tight ass beat! “Gangstarism” is the best track of the album this far even tho all of the first 6 tracks have been bangers.

7. Young Thugs feat. Ghetto E & Lori

“Young Thugs” is a nice track but… it’s a slow jam. Dayton Family doesn’t really go well with a beat this slow. They’re supposed to be doing raw and hyped up music, not slow jams. The hook’s real tight and former group member Ghetto E’s doing a nice verse tho. I wanna say that this cut is wack so that The Dayton Family might see it and stop making slow jams, but I just can’t… It’s a real cool track.

8. Drugstore

This is more like it! An up tempo beat with a super-tight hook and raw deliverance from Dayton Family. The hook goes;Let’s go to the drugstore and pull out a shotgun, take all the money then break out and run and that can symbolize the content of the track. Don’t sleep on this!

9. Set Up

Steve Pitts is hitting us with a mind blowing production on this one… First time I heard it I forgot to even listen to the lyrics because of the tight ass production. This track’s not as good as i.e Drugstore and Gangstarism, but it’s a real tight track. Bootleg and Shoestring is doing their thing in a good way as usual. There’s a guest on here not listed on the booklet tho…

10. We Kept It Ghetto

“We Kept It Ghetto” is an other of those slow production with two hyped up rappers on it. They might not be common in general, but they are on this album. I guess you’ve got to hear it to understand. It’s a cool track with a real tight and calming hook on it. Don’t worry about falling asleep tho, I’d not consider this a slow jam considering the group are spitting really raw shit on it. Message of the track: Dayton Family’s keepin’ it ghetto.

11. Dope House

I’m not really feeling “Dope House”, but that’s probably because I’m spoiled from listening to the rest of the album. The Dayton Family’s spitting something that could be called battle rhymes over an up-tempo production. It’s cool but nothing special.

12. Shadows feat. Kalonda & Ryan

“Shadows” is the only track on this album not produced by Steve Pitt. Instead, Gee Pierce stepped in with this beat and it’s a real tight beat. Reminds me of… shadows. The title and lyrics are right on point. Good lookin Dayton Family. The hook should not go unnoticed either. It’s tight.

13. Outlaws

An other banger from The Dayton Family! The group are saying that they are the last outlaws. I don’t know about that, but I do know that they can make some tight ass music happen!

14. Weed Song

Are you wondering what this song is about? Go back to school.
The production’s smooth with some Egyptian type of shit influences, but still not too slow for the Dayton Family to be tight on. I’m sure that all the weedsmokers out there will enjoy bumping this while smoking.

15. Simple Wish

“Simple Wish” is a real good way to finish of the album. The Dayton Family are, as usual, spitting hardcore lyrics over a cool beat. There’s not much to say… Tight track.

16. Outro

Basically the same as the intro.

 

The Dayton Family had not released an album in 5 years when they released Welcome To The Dopehouse. The album’s no desperate attempt to get back in the limelight tho. It’s a tight ass banger from beginning to end! Tracks likeGangstarism, Big Mack 11, Welcome To Flint, Drugstore, Outlaws and… shit, I could list all of them! Point is it’s a tight ass album. I rate it 4 out of 5 and that could be higher but I don’t want to rate an album above 4 unless it’s a timeless classic and I’m not sure that this is yet. It’s definitely classic material, tho. Don’t sleep on this album!