San Quinn – From A Boy To A Man (11-24-2008)

Posted on Nov 13 in Reviewsby adminPrint

Thanks to rappers like San Quinn the state of California has been on a somewhat steady rise over the past few years. Though it’s been nearly three years since Quinn dropped his last joint The Rock: Pressure Makes Diamonds he has a 15 year long catalogue of staples in the bay area. His latest collection From A Boy To A Man is set to explore his upbringing in the Fillmore district of San Francisco. Due to the autobiographical nature of Quinn’s latest, this time out promises to be one of his best efforts to date.

San Quinn pours some California hood love over the album’s intro “Boy To A Man” as well as the encore effort “They’re All Waitin On Me.” Up and coming producer Chops laces Quinn with commanding heat as he takes time to boast about his Cali legacy on the standout banger “Double Dose Of Gangsta.” Quinn uses tracks like “Rockin Up Work” as well as the P.S.D. Tha Drivah and Cozmo assisted “Reinforced Steel” to paint vivid yet traumatic portraits of the ill California lifestyle. Bailey assists as he and Quinn go two for two on “My Brother” where they pen a heartfelt ode to their blood bonded loved ones.

The album’s highlight comes when fellow San Francisco spitter Homewrecka drops heat alongside Quinn on the 2Pac inspired “Dreamin Of Riches.” On the Boo Banga assisted “Catch A Body” Quinn sends out a quivering warning to all detractors over a perfectly equipped and gruesome backdrop. San Quinn shows how to be a real stand up father as he invites his son Lil Quinn to spit alongside him on the super sunny “Billionaire (What We Call Livin’).” On an otherwise well thought out album Quinn can’t help but to make just a couple of missteps. The Willie Hen assisted “Ready To Go” and “3rd Eye” are just a couple of those slip-ups.

Though From A Boy To A Man comes with a few minor blemishes Quinn definitely delivered exactly what he promised weeks prior to its release. These days its hard to come by albums he combine emotion, meaning, and grit; with From A Boy To A Man San Quinn aggressively rolls out the blueprint on just how its done. With a great mixture of California life and bats Quinn’s seventh album should do enough to penetrate markets hundreds of miles away from his Fillmore stomping grounds.

VERDICT – 15 / 20
LYRICS: 3
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 4
CONSISTENCY: 4