I know you guys are looking at this and fixing your glasses because you aren't sure you read that title right. Don't worry your eyes aren't fooling you. I'm reviewing Berner and Ampichino's 2009 collaborative album Traffic. Again the policy is you ask and you shall receive. The homie asked "review this for me bruh i'm been on a reminiscent train the last couple of days." you guys already know i love listening to new music and especially if it's stuff from the Bay i haven't heard yet and lord knows there is a lot of that. First things first is that i have never heard of Ampichino in my life so i have no idea what to expect from him. Berner on the other hand is a dude i would probably hate if he wasn't from San Francisco but he doing good for himself so i gotta show love to the local dude. I have only heard about three songs of his (Yoko, No Handcuffs, Colder Blood) and never have they been solo but he sticks to his lane so props to him. A couple things...How long is Wiz going to let Chevy eat because i swear he been stuck in neutral for at least 6 years and why is Playaz Club (No Handcuffs beat) not the anthem for California. If the Star Spangled Banner defines America or whatever i don't see any song, anthem, poem or whatever that defines California better than Playaz Club but what do i know. Jerry Brown dawg you were mayor of Oakland...you know wassup. Make it happen. Anyways here is my two cents on the album. Shout out to Rappin 4 Tay.
If you don't know what mob music is this is it. Just real straight to the point, there isn't any bluffs lyrics. Berner and Ampichino will NEVER be mistaken for a Mos Def or Aesop Rock but that is the appeal to them. The Bay if you don't know is built on being real as fuck. Not saying they don't appreciate metaphors and allusions and all that but they're feeding the streets music. And when the streets are your audience they don't have time to take apart each bar word for word and decipher triple entendres so that is why mob music is straight to the point, no middle man music.
People can hate on this type of music for the fact they don't educate the youth, glorify drug dealing and partying and all that other blah blah blah but this shit is as real as it gets and you can't hate on these dudes for just spitting what they live. They sound like they got off the corner at 10pm then jumped into the booth by 10:15. You either like this music or you don't. Me personally i can't be listening to this everyday but i can appreciate it so when i do happen to be in the mood to listen to mob music i bump it.
Now on to the actual music. Like i said this is that street corner rap. They're showing you their cards. No rabbit punches are being thrown. They're telling you their plays so its no surprise as to what they will be spitting about. However, there is a reason these two are hood superstars, well Berner semi blew up since he now fucks with Taylor Gang. They sound like any other local rapper out there. There is no quality that separates Berner and Amp from the pack. They aren't lyricists, don't have charisma, or even have flow. However, whoever laces the tracks is the shit. The production is some Bay shit with the soul and r&b vocals backed by some of the most gully topics getting spoken on.
I'm conflicted with this album because i really want to like it because i love supporting the local artists but honestly it just isn't that good. Other than Ballen Out i can't really say there are other standout tracks. When people say "how come bay artists don't get any love" they aren't talking about Berner and Ampichino. They're talking about The Jacka, Young Gully, and J Stalin. But at the end of the day its all love because at least Berner and Amp spit stuff that comes from the heart and if they fail, they're failing on their terms. I give this a C mainly because of the production. I'll still listen to this over Spaceghost Purp or Rob Banks or Chase N Cashe or Travis Scott because honestly those dudes try so hard to be different they need to embrace themselves. And i'm talking about Travis and Purp when i say that because idk shot about the other two other than they show up on all the blogs and i hate them based on their names. Word.
The Jacka- Glamarous Lifestyle feat Andre Nickatina
The Jacka- All Over Me
Young Bari- My Own Hype
Young Gully- Still YH feat AB and Lil Chris
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