These days it seems mandatory for an artist o get on, get big, and then put his click on. Everyone from Nelly to TI, to Master P to Snoop Dogg has already done it. It is however unusual that a rapper from New Orleans gets on a label, becomes the franchise player, the label blows up, rapper gets demoted to team player, the situation blows up, the rapper leaves the label, forms his own label, gets his name back hot again, signs a new solo deal, then finally puts his click on all while battling a heroin addiction and still coping with Hurricaine Katrina’s catastrophic effects on his hometown. To be only 26 years old BG has been through it and back about a dozen times and has still managed to drop ten solos, two group offerings, and now his own group’s debut effort. The Chopper City Boyz consists of BG himself, his younger brother Hakim, Sniper, VL Mike, and Gar.  

Producer Bass Heavy supplies an energetic and authentic New Orleans flavored sound platter on the otherwise predictable “Bounce”. The album’s second single turns out to be the highlight of the set as BG flexes his leadership role over David Banner’s heavy horns and army cadence patterns on “Make Em Mad”.Minus BG the collective’s inexperience bleeds through over the above par production on the likes of “Taking Over” and “Thourough Street Nigga”. VL Mike’s solo snapshot “It’s Real” turns out to be one of the collection’s standout cuts thanks to Crack Track’s interesting blend of a busy tone and a deep southern rooted layered bass sample. The album’s first single is an overall misrepresentation of the rest of the collection, but producer Kidd makes the transition from street music to commercial with ease. Hakim, Sniper, VL Mike, and Gar simply run down a list of ride or die attributes while reciting “that’s what I like about her” after what seems like every bar.

“Flatliners” displays some more of the album’s more exceptional work thanks to its nicely worded hook. Gar’s solo attempt doesn’t end up so well due to his dry and unappealing subject matter on “Chopper City” making things seem to follow a reoccurring trend as the album wears on. Solo offers sink while the collaborators stay above waters as evidenced on Sniper’s off kilter “Heart Of A Killer” and the on point collabo between VL Mike, Sniper, and Gar on “Knucle Up”. When BG actually shows up on “Going On” he effortlessly commands attention even with average at best production. BG strolls in cruise control once again alongside Gar on the frantically Kidd produced banger “All Eyes On Me”.

The various producers can shoulder most of any praise for this collection. Thanks to Kidd, Crack Tracks, Coree Benton, and David Banner We Got This offers more bang than your average bass junky can handle. Lyrics, subject matter, and a lack of BG loses major points for the album down the stretch though. Judging from the material here outside of BG, VL Mike and Gar may be the only two members of the Chopper City Boys that will ever have a solo record on the shelves!

VERDICT – 11 / 20
LYRICS: 2
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 2
CONSISTENCY: 3