Paul Wall – Fast Life (5-12-2009)

Posted on May 20 in Reviewsby adminPrint

Paul Wall will always be remembered as one third of the trio that helped solidify Houston’s place in hip-hop. In 2005 everything seemed like it was destined to reach insurmountable heights for the great white hope of H-Town. In the years that have passed since “Still Tippin,” things haven’t come so easy for the Swishahouse resident. After the lukewarm reception of his 2007 effort Get Money, Stay True Paul Wall has evidently taken a little bit of a different approach with his latest effort Fast Life. With releases from both Mike Jones and Slim Thug already in the book this year maybe ’09 will be a little bit better to the great Lone Star state.

Travis Barker sharpens his production skills as he laces Paul Wall with a guitar heavy yet laid-back setting for the opening “I Need Mo.” Producers Beanz & Kornbread put a different spin on the normal H-Town sound as they sample a small piece of Fat Pat on the standout “Got To Get It.” Usually Mouse on the track and a feature from Webbie equals an easy hit but with “Bizzy Body” that’s not quite what happened for Paul Wall. The Baby Bash assisted “Lemon Drop” turns out to be another misplaced joint that mistakenly made its way onto the album’s final cut. Though the Yung Joc and Gorilla Zoe assisted “Fly” seems to get back to Paul Wall’s more familiar sound it still doesn’t amount to anything sufficient for the H-Town spitter.

Paul Wall makes the millennium version of “Dear Mama” with the Master P sampled “Daddy Wasn’t Home (Mama Raised Me).” Paul Wall enlists Z-Ro to drop some of his down-south soul on the X-Fyle produced and Yung Redd assisted “One Hundred.” Both Lil Keke and Trae lend a little Texas flavor to the favorable “Pressin Them Buttons.” On the album’s closing effort “Look At Me Now” Paul Wall takes time to re-explore every corner of his past, present, and future while offering up advice to those struggling through trying times.

Paul Wall obviously felt the backlash from utilizing H-Town’s sound a little too heavy on Get Money, Stay True. This time he makes the mistake of straying way too far away from the slowed down sound. Fast Life only offers a few tracks that will satisfy his hometown brethren, everything else seems like it was created in order to gain a more nationwide acceptance. The big issue here is that we all fell in love with Paul Wall back in 2005 because of that signature H-town sound. Unfortunately for Houston the rest of the nation won’t fall back in love until we hear something that only an artist from Texas can make, of course without overdoing it!

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