Every now and then an individual or a group of individuals come around and create a unique sound which in some cases changes certain aspects of rap music. The ATL is the one place with about a zillion different genres of rap music alone. For instance you have crunk, bounce, snap, trap, and of course there’s the always outspoken Outkast. 2007 serves as yet another year that ATL natives are redefining the landscape of rap culture. The Shop Boyz equipped with there hit single “Party Like A Rockstar” are destined to be big time ring tone sellers, but in today’s disposable music era the trio may be just another disposable act.

The disc’s second track finds the trio coming from a strictly hood perspective on the bass heavy homeland anthem “Bowen Homes”. On “Baby Girl” P.I.T. productions do a marvelous job of infusing just the right amount electric guitars to make the ode to the ladies come off as a success. The Shop Boyz take yet another break from the wild ass rockstar life on “Next To Me” where the three lay it down for the ladies over a silky smooth backdrop. All thoughts of flawless production are instantly shattered as soon as the press play button is pushed on the Elvis Presley ill-inspired “Rollin”. That same notion is further impressed on the too much Outkast inspired title track. P.I.T. productions lay down a swell arrangement of violins, guitars, and heavy bass on “Totally Dude” which comes off as an appetizing second offering of the album’s first single. On “My Car” the trio detail there individual infatuations with whips over yet another guitar strum heavy backdrop. The trio dedicate an entire three minutes to ballin like a rockstar on the somewhat pleasing “Somethin To Talk About”.

The Shop Boyz’ debut turns out to be an up and down affair. With only half of the tracks actually worth listening to Rockstar Mentality won’t break any new ground in the world of music, but at least form this release we can tell that the Shop Boyz had a different approach in mind when they started the project. Unfortunately for them and the rest of the rap game they obviously fell short in there musically innovative ambitions.

VERDICT – 10 / 20
LYRICS: 2
PRODUCTION: 3
DELIVERY: 3
CONSISTENCY: 2