Behind the eightball; a familiar place for the “fat mack” Rapper, 8-ball aka the “space age pimp” or the “fat mack,” prescribes the recipe for extended success in the hip-hop game with his most recent album entitled “Almost Famous”.
8-ball continues to bring the same brand of lyrical heat to the mic that earned him past musical fame when partnered with longtime associate MJG.
The album’s debut track, “Thorn,” chronicles the hard road 8-ball had to endure to earn respect and maintain longevity in an industry that seems to change as frequently as a runway model at a fashion show.
8-ball sets it off with the opening verse, “Temptation talking to me, I try my best not to listen, the world f– – – with me, trying to stop my ambition.”
A native of Memphis, Tenn., 8-ball brings real and hardening experiences of life to the creative table on tracks like “Slab rider” and “Live This.”
“Live This” opens with a verse that illustrates his hard life.
“I was 12-years-old when I bought my first stone and 13 when I bought my first gold herringbone, MJ knew how to cook it up and I supplied the kitchen, my momma wasn’t working, didn’t really pay attention.”
This gritty, true-to-life style of gangsta rap is particularly refreshing in a time when so many R&B artists, and a few select rappers, seem to only be able to capture the “street” element within the friendly confines of a recording studio.
“Almost Famous” features a number of cameos from heavyweights in the rap industry the likes of Ludacris and P. Diddy.
8-ball stays true to his urban roots in tracks like “No Sellout,” on which rap newcomer Koncrete makes his debut. The lyrically tight rapper salutes his Southern heritage with phrases like, “When I open up my mouth you can hear the South, packing guns, stacking funds, f- – – selling out.”
The space age pimp demonstrates his versatility and R&B’s continued collaboration with hip-hop on the track “Holla Back,” featuring soulful crooner, Carl Thomas.
A healthy dose of pimping whores and errant gunplay find their way into a great deal of the album’s subject matter. While other lyrics are a bit raw, adding authenticity.
If past sales are any indicator of future success, the bullets from the gunplay rapped about in 8-ball’s album won’t be the only metal he will be accustomed to seeing.
Another platinum effort will go a long way in making the “fat mack” ‘almost famous.’ Competition in the hip-hop industry might find itself in a very uncomfortable situation…behind the eightball.