SMG – Strawberry Manor Gangstas

Album info

Released in 2009 but bearing artwork stamped with 1995, SMG (Strawberry Manor Gangstas) leaves listeners intrigued from the outset with their album under Manor Records. The intriguing temporal juxtaposition perhaps serves as a metaphor for the record’s complex relationship with the Gangsta rap genre—balancing between the genre’s ‘90s heyday and a modern twist that pulls it into the 21st century.

The album commences with “You Can’t Fuck With These,” a hard-hitting track that serves as both a declaration and a challenge, clocking in at over 5 minutes. This is followed by “Niggas Better Back Up,” a song that goes beyond mere posturing to stake SMG’s claim in the rap game. “Mentally Disturbed” dives into the psyche of street life, touching on themes of mental health within the toxic environment that often accompanies gangsta lifestyles.

“Another Day On The Block” offers a nuanced day-in-the-life narrative that refrains from glamorizing street life while keeping it real. “Mob Niggas” takes a detour into the organizational hierarchy of gang life, presenting it with a sense of raw authority. The album concludes with “I’m A G,” produced by Bumpin T, a track that encapsulates the bravado, the risks, and the complicated morality that comes with bearing that title.

Behind the boards, the album is expertly recorded and mixed by One Man at ‘One Man and a DJ Studio,’ ensuring a gritty yet polished sonic aesthetic that complements its thematic weight. The production values do justice to the lyrical complexities SMG lays down, enhancing the record’s overall impact.

With a total of six tracks, the album might seem concise, but what it lacks in length, it more than makes up for in depth and complexity. SMG showcases a keen understanding of the gangsta rap genre, replete with its tropes, challenges, and an unfiltered look at life in the trenches. It’s an album that appeals both to the purists of ’90s hip-hop and to those looking for an evolved form of storytelling in modern rap.