Review Summary: R.I.P.
Ryan “Woodie” Wood really seems to hit something deep with much of his audience. Woodie may not have been the most successful or prolific mc, but he managed to create some really special and genuine music for his fans to remember him by.
Woodie was very underground and virtually unknown outside the west coast. With blatant gang affiliation and violence being trademarks of his, he was doomed to receive a lot of hate and limited play from the start. Despite that, his music has an introspective nature with lyrics involving themes of consequence of sin, remembrance, loyalty, god, morality, friendship and family. He released just a few other fantastic albums and collaborations before his death, but this earlier work is his most catchy and funky.
The production here is handled completely by Woodie and this is perhaps his strongest asset. The beats on tracks like the anthemic “The Streets Are Callin’ Me” and hit single“Norte Sidin’” are quintessential 90’s g-funk that can hold their own against many of the more well known hip-hop artists from the time period despite being more homemade. His flow can be very impressive as well, it’s memorable and distinct in each track. Thankfully the other featured mc’s on the album Lil’ Los and Shadow are equally competent, being especially impressive and quick on "Dirty Deeds".
The ep is also effective because there are no filler tracks or unnecessary skits, even the outro and bonus tracks are all on par with the rest of the album so it is easy to put this on repeat without ever feeling the need to skip. The lack of filler combined with the length makes the album play out more like a greatest hits compilation than a standard ep. All these elements culminate in an impressively passionate and fun experience that deserves recognition as a west coast classic.
