Review Summary: Gucci and Flocka make the album that you expected them to make
Ferrari Boyz should have been considered a special album and had the hype train that would usually accompany such a release. After all, it’s the first one where all of the members of Bricksquad Monopoly (and 1017) are on display; it’s the first release from Gucci Mane since he left prison, and it marks the end of a feud between the two major members- Gucci and Waka Flocka Flame- that began after Gucci fired Waka’s manager. This album is an assembling of some of the best talent in the Atlanta area, and they should be regarded as such. Fans of Southern rap should’ve been thrilled that this album was happening, yet there was next to no pre-release hype for these rap titans; even despite Ferrari Boyz poised to be one of the biggest hip-hop releases of the year. Why didn’t it receive the attention that it should’ve?
The answer is simply that Ferrari Boyz couldn’t have been released at a worse time. On the same Tuesday that the Bricksquad officially became reunited, two other rap superstars had to upstage them and spoil the party. These stars, Jay-Z and Kanye West, also happen to be media darlings (although in the case of West, maligned as well) and released their long-awaited album, Watch the Throne to coincide with the Bricksquad’s triumphant return. This Ferrari Boyz may as well have been dead to anyone other than the most die-hard fans. Watch the Throne had a troubled backstory and two of the most popular MC’s in the game plus a host of guest spots sure to please mainstream crowds and hip-hop literati alike. However, in the face of the adversity and a shoddy promotion campaign, Ferrari Boyz- dare I say it- outperforms Watch the Throne with better execution and not trying to masquerade as an album with more substance than 1017 could dream of producing.
Instead, Ferrari Boyz is, thankfully, exactly the kind of album one would expect the Bricksquad to produce. Waka Flocka brings his trademarks- barked choruses, the “Listen to this track, BITCH” shout before songs, and separate vocalists yelling aimlessly in the background- and improved rapping from his debut, Flockavelli, while Gucci Mane serves the perfect foil to Waka with his laidback flow compared to Waka’s high energy rhymes. If there was any animosity still harbored between the two after their feud, then it certainly doesn’t show. In fact, Gucci and Waka attempt to share the spotlight rather than take turns basking in its glow. The same can be said for the guest spots; all of the guests are Bricksquad affiliated and sound happy to be included alongside their mentors. This is the kind of teamwork that you don’t find on Watch the Throne, which devolves into a game of one-upmanship between Yeezy and HOVA with guests thrown in for flavor. Additionally, the Squad often opts for shorter tracks in an effort to reduce the amount of filler verses on the songs. You won’t find any songs over 5 minutes long on this album because that would prove to be excessive, especially in the context of the album.
The only blatantly absent piece to Ferrari Boyz is the production. Producer du jour and frequent Waka collaborator Lex Luger only contributes to half of the tracks, and is always working in tangent with Joshua “Southside” Luellen: a little-known, in-house Bricksquad producer. Luger’s usually loud, aggressive, drum-kit heavy beats are lost in a wave of Southside’s synths. Although Luger’s influence is there, it’s uncharacteristically subtle. Drumma Boy and Fatboi both contribute songs ranging from extremely poor to pretty solid with very little room in between. Even though the beats are lackluster, they do succeed in letting the rappers make the “banger” album that everyone expected them to make. Despite the beats often being softened by their ad nauseum repetition, they are reinforced by Waka’s frequently chant-based lyrics and choruses and Gucci’s gravelly voice. Every single track is dance-floor ready and “Ferrari Boyz” will undoubtedly blow out some subwoofers over the next few months but there’s absolutely no substance to the lyrics. Although nobody really expects Bricksquad to produce thought provoking lyrics, an entire album about fast cars and crime wears a bit thin by the end.
Obviously Ferrari Boyz got the short end of the stick by being released at the same time as Watch the Throne but it ultimately comes down to how good the product is before it hits the shelves. Despite the album being recorded in “1-2 weeks,” the Bricksquad makes it sound like they spent months on production. It’s a highly refined listen and is almost sickeningly catchy; to the point where you can’t help but chant along by the end of the first chorus of each song. Although the rapper’s brains don’t measure up to the brawn of the rhymes and beats, it’s clear that this Atlanta collective is here to stay, no matter Def Jam Records has to say about it.
