Young Buck. G-Unit’s first Southern member and probably the least “lyrical,” Buck is–like most Southern artists–all about the flow, jewels, hoes, and as indicated by his album’s title, ca$h. Since the G-Unit group album, hip hop heads have increasingly embraced him, and the G-Unit soldier hopes the fame will help sell his album (if not that, then the G-Unit imprint on his CD case will, at least).

 

1) I’m a Soldier ft. 50 Cent

Bangin, horn-laced southern production has 50 on one of his trademark catchy (but if you listen to it, kinda wack) hooks. Buck doesn’t dissappoint, spittin hard and pretty good verses. (Good)

2) Do It Like Me

This beat sounds like a rugged and almost West Coast beat, laced wit organs like Gangsta Nation. His hook is catchy, his verses are pretty good but not fire. (Good)

3) Let Me In 

The first single, I’m sure y’all’s already heard it. A chaotic pots-and-pans, guitar chord beat. Buck spits some wack lines and a few good ones; his hook is catchy as usual, but the beat clearly steals the show. (Decent)

4) Look At Me Now ft. Denaun Porter 

A homely organ & violin/fiddle laced beat (think Nappy Roots) is pretty good, with Denaun singing a soulful hook sounding like Jazze Pha. Buck spits about coming up, but his verses aren’t that great (“rappers wanna be suge?”). As on the last track, the beat isn’t enough to make the track quality. (Poor)

5) Welcome to the South ft. Lil Flip, David Banner 

A grimey, cheesey violin and hard-kicks beat I’m not really feelin. Back with his southern peers, Buck goes back to spitting wack shit. Banner comes on and spits some more bad shit while tryinna be a Canibus soundalike wannabe. Flip has the best verse on the track, his ain’t bad but it’s not that great (typical Flip). (Horrible)

6) Prices On My Head ft. Lloyd Banks, D-Tay 

Beat is much better, a string beat with hard kicks. Buck’s first verse is pretty good, and his D-Tay-assisted hook is nice. Lloyd Banks spits the best verse on the track, but it lacks substance, and for him it’s nothing spectacular. Buck’s second verse isn’t bad either. (Decent)

7) Bonafide Huslter ft. 50 Cent, Tony Yayo 

The beat is smooth, sounds like a beat off GRODT, and 50’s hook is smooth. 50 rhymes with his usual so/so-ness, some concepts are cool but his lines suck. Buck’s verse is the same, he uses that same tired rhyme-by-numbers style where only the last word rhymes. Yayo’s not bad, his concepts are sick but he doesn’t seem to flip em right. (Decent)

8) Shorty Wanna Ride 

Beat sounds like a slightly warped version of a Nelly summer joint, definitely meant to be a summer popper. Buck’s verses are…eh, the topics suck, the only thing that’s meant to catch attention is the beat and hook. At least it succeeds where it tries to, I can see it becoming a big club banger. (Good)

9) Bang Bang 

I LOVE this beat. Beat and hook are sampled off an old song, Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me) by Nancy Sinatra, which you might’ve heard in Kill Bill. Buck flows off this shit perfectly, his verses are aight but he pours his heart out. (Great)

10) Thou Shall

A soulful beat sees Buck spit heartfelt but not that proficient verses, with a good, emotional hook. (Decent)

11) Black Gloves

An epic-sounding action game beat with whiny guitar chords is great. Buck flows off this also great, doing what he does best. The only letdown is his typically nothing-special verses. (Decent)

12) Stomp ft. TI, Ludacris

A dirty south beat that just makes you wanna fight someone. Good shit. Buck spits some boring shit about the same ol same ol (dro, 24’s, hoes, ass, cash, ice, fights). The song is funny as ***** for one reason: TI and Luda take shots at each other, ON THE TRACK. TI’s verse is ok but he lets off the line “Me gettin beat down/that’s Ludacris;” Luda spits the best verse on the track, makes it worth listenin to just for his part, with the most aggression I’ve ever seen from him; his subs toward TI are more obvious (cuz you worth a couple hunned grand and I’m worth millions; stay off the “T-I”-P of my dick). (Great)

13) Taking Hits ft. D-Tay 

An action movie-ish beat, Buck and D rhyme unmemorable lines, but they are on the same page lyrically, so it’s a good collab joint, and near the end D-Tay’s flow steps up crazily when he starts to go fast (but he only does it for a few lines). (Decent)

14) Walk With Me ft. Stat Quo 

The beat is banging, with a shuffling snare and a lady wailing opera-style in the background. Buck is typical, I almost begin to just tone his words out at this point. Stat’s verse is much better, gettin onto the multies in the beginning, but near the end he starts to go monotone as well. And he has one of the most annoying Southern voices I’ve ever heard. (Decent)

 

My Rating: 2/5

Buck is clever. He has good ideas, things to say, but he can never seem to get it across in a sicc verse. His style is straightforward, basic and kinda sloppy; only the last word or two of every line will rhyme, and he fits a rhyme in wherever he can. All this combines to make Buck very inconsistent. The album has him showing his “skills,” such as they are; you end up just listening to the beat, and that can get boring as hell.

My Recommendation: D/l it and sort through the tracks, keep your fav’s. Or have a friend burn you a mix with only the ones you like.