Intro - Probably one of the best tracks on this album.. the beat hits hard.. and you already know Neema is known for killin intros. Flexin up on thsi track.. Neema proves hes still KIng around here. "You wanna be the best?, then be the best, but as far as im concerned, y'all cant see me yet" A classic when it comes to intros... shit when it comes to songs.. not too much tops this..
I Do feat. Jay Barz & Aro - Yep.. thats right.. Neema AND Jay Barz on the same track. Easily the best song on this album.. radio material right here *cough* neema *cough*.. and not that BS youre hearing out right now.. Whoever made this beat gets big props... shits heated and full of aggresion... video worthy for sure.. and this Aro guy can really sing. "yeah we got some runners, said they leave seattle like the thunder, we get our bucks up, your lucks up, couldnt see me on my bad days, haters get the gas face... we gettin mad cake" - Neema. If you dont know about Jay Barz... step it up.. "Me & Mr. 10k, choppin like a sensay,yeah i wanna get paid fuck what ya friends say, Am i a gangsta rapper or a backpacker, I dunno you can say Im in the middle like wednesday" - Jay Barz... this song IS his best work to date in my opinion... AND a seattle CLASSIC!
We Own The Night feat. Mic Phenom & Illy Wonka - Not my favorite track.. beats not my style. This beat was used on the sonics gate movie "no confusin this only music, 30,000 out the trunk should be a legal grind stupid, girls see me, swear to god shot by cupid, room 112, where hustlers draw blueprints" - Neema
4 am phone calls feat. latin rose - kind of a laid back beat with quicker drums. Neema gasses it at times on this track. Not a bad track, but not a stand out in my opinion. Solid track to listen too.. and latin rose... you already knowin she can sing. "She focused, taken her time to rock the body the doors locked, we loaded, honey was open, i said lets toast, get that weight off ya shoulders"
What You Do feat Latin Rose - Another radio hit, this one would fit more along the lines with whats popular at times.. key word is *more along the lines* Neema aint gonna give into no fad.. you know it. "She move fast, but love that slowdance, said she love me, in my sonics throwback" Id put my money on alot of females diggin this song.. songs a hit for sure.. video worthy
Do It Big feat Eighty 4 Fly and Lace Cadence - Im torn on this song.. not on the fact of whether its good... its a classic.. but on whether or not this could be a marketable song for radios... to me its a little laid back for it... it has a GOOD use of auto tuning in it.. not all crazy like a lot of songs now. "yeah, do it big thats my motto, a way of life, im ridin slow in the tahoe, lets do it epic, females is checkin, the checkin who (who?), thats mr 10k" Like i said.. a very good song, just a little laid back in my opinion to be a hit.. maybe a back up single.. could make a sick video in the right hands though.
48 Bars - Neema tears this shit to pieces.. this beat is ridiculous, by this dude shast (where the hell did this guy come from???) 48 bars of Neema spittin.. beats laid back with some poppy bass and great progression in it. " You couldnt try to spit, at this seattle resident, One of the few kings in this town, plus the president, did i say it in the same breath?...Neemas resumes, like a good career credit check" Possible single.. Id say its just a good fuckin song... another Neema great and Seattle classic.
Day & Night feat. Aro - Again this Aro dude is somethin else... beats pretty sick.. kind of spanish feeling.. Neema raps a little slow on it.. throws you off at first.. but he goes with the kick drum extremely well, he picks up in the last half or so of his verse "she get it hot, i get it hotter, you know shes tryin to holler, billy jean like im not father" great song.. slower though...
Pockets full of Money feat. Grynch, Eighty 4 Fly, Billy Patron - This is your summer cut right here... uptempo.. kind of happy feeling.. somethin youd mob too "Pocket full of money, pocket full of dough, im so hot, it'll probably never snow around me, plus a model chick is doin blow around me, and i be at the hot spots with ya hoe around me" - Eighty 4 fly. Good song for sure.
The Break Up - Sick beat on this.. very electronic... this is comparable to Neemas song off of My Life for Sale called "Whispers in the wind", I just dont really like Neemas flow on parts.. kind of choppy.. but it does go with the beat at times. Females will love this song...
Interlude (Apologies) - i dont like this beat at all... i dont really like this interlude at all... i dont think it really fits the album. Probably the worst track on the album, but hey, its an interlude right? i think there was too much reverb in it, threw it off a bit.
Habit - D-Sane produced this and shows once again that he can be so damn versatile with his shit... one of my favorite beats on the album for sure.. and my favorite song. Neema is on some real shit on this one.. "I need to leave the things that bring me down, people that hurt me, things i fear, its my life im seizing now, sober up, open up, what the fuck, do i see, that person, that problem, that thing.... is me" Neemas always been good at gettin down on some real life tracks.. a classic right here...
Coffee Shop Discussions feat. Adrian Sims, Grynch and D. Black - This song took some listenin too to grow on me... the beat is laid back, samples were put together well. Neema and Grynch tear this up.. I honestly cant stand D. Black.. but i have never really liked him from anything ive heard that hes made. My opinion though. THis song is coo.. doesnt really stand out though.
Listen to the Rain feat. Latin Rose, Prezwell Jackson & Willie Will - I dont like this beat, I dont really like the song at all. Lyrics arent bad, to me its just kind of boring.. shouldve been cut in my opinion, but from a few whove ive showed it to said they thought it was alright. To each his own.
Outro (The Essence) - Mostly a beat, coo beat to smoke too, good piano in it.. Neemas got a little verse in there thats coo... nothing compared to his outro off of My Life for Sale tho...
OVERALL RATING 8/10
Alright... if youre expecting My Life for Sale on this one... you wont get it. This album lacks the aggression that My Life for Sale had.. but he really upped his lyrical value on this one and really grew into his own shell by not using and "larger" artists to push his own music on. The Essence definitely contains Neemas best work with "I Do", "48 Bars", "Do it Big" and the intro. All 4 of those are Seattle classics topping anything he did on any previous project of his or anyone elses. If youre a Neema fan, supporter, or just like good music... this album should be in your collection. IN MY OPIONION (Hence the caps... OPINION) there were a few misses.. not many.. but a few. And the fact that Neema decided to use a completely different beat selection that anyone has heard him use, and he still killed em.. speaks somethin highly of him. Goes to show you he is a master at his art, and there a few who can top him PERIOD. Support this album, support him, he is one step closer with this project. Rumor is... he has another one coming out VERY soon as well.
The album release party is at Neumos on July 9th (its a friday.. get your ass there!). Drink it up, listen to some good music, and buy the album... lol. really tho... shit will be goin down that night.. believe that... heres a few links from You tube.. One video.. 2 songs.. peep it.. July 9th.. Neumos
buy tickets directly from Neema at [email protected]
or at the door for $12
or on etix.com
This album will be available at ALL Best Buys on Oct. 26th
OR get it AT THE SHOW! or thru neema... holler at him at myspace or on his email address above..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzZzfJZOb_c - Do It Big
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srdYLYfB6Bo - The Intro
I Do feat. Jay Barz & Aro - Yep.. thats right.. Neema AND Jay Barz on the same track. Easily the best song on this album.. radio material right here *cough* neema *cough*.. and not that BS youre hearing out right now.. Whoever made this beat gets big props... shits heated and full of aggresion... video worthy for sure.. and this Aro guy can really sing. "yeah we got some runners, said they leave seattle like the thunder, we get our bucks up, your lucks up, couldnt see me on my bad days, haters get the gas face... we gettin mad cake" - Neema. If you dont know about Jay Barz... step it up.. "Me & Mr. 10k, choppin like a sensay,yeah i wanna get paid fuck what ya friends say, Am i a gangsta rapper or a backpacker, I dunno you can say Im in the middle like wednesday" - Jay Barz... this song IS his best work to date in my opinion... AND a seattle CLASSIC!
We Own The Night feat. Mic Phenom & Illy Wonka - Not my favorite track.. beats not my style. This beat was used on the sonics gate movie "no confusin this only music, 30,000 out the trunk should be a legal grind stupid, girls see me, swear to god shot by cupid, room 112, where hustlers draw blueprints" - Neema
4 am phone calls feat. latin rose - kind of a laid back beat with quicker drums. Neema gasses it at times on this track. Not a bad track, but not a stand out in my opinion. Solid track to listen too.. and latin rose... you already knowin she can sing. "She focused, taken her time to rock the body the doors locked, we loaded, honey was open, i said lets toast, get that weight off ya shoulders"
What You Do feat Latin Rose - Another radio hit, this one would fit more along the lines with whats popular at times.. key word is *more along the lines* Neema aint gonna give into no fad.. you know it. "She move fast, but love that slowdance, said she love me, in my sonics throwback" Id put my money on alot of females diggin this song.. songs a hit for sure.. video worthy
Do It Big feat Eighty 4 Fly and Lace Cadence - Im torn on this song.. not on the fact of whether its good... its a classic.. but on whether or not this could be a marketable song for radios... to me its a little laid back for it... it has a GOOD use of auto tuning in it.. not all crazy like a lot of songs now. "yeah, do it big thats my motto, a way of life, im ridin slow in the tahoe, lets do it epic, females is checkin, the checkin who (who?), thats mr 10k" Like i said.. a very good song, just a little laid back in my opinion to be a hit.. maybe a back up single.. could make a sick video in the right hands though.
48 Bars - Neema tears this shit to pieces.. this beat is ridiculous, by this dude shast (where the hell did this guy come from???) 48 bars of Neema spittin.. beats laid back with some poppy bass and great progression in it. " You couldnt try to spit, at this seattle resident, One of the few kings in this town, plus the president, did i say it in the same breath?...Neemas resumes, like a good career credit check" Possible single.. Id say its just a good fuckin song... another Neema great and Seattle classic.
Day & Night feat. Aro - Again this Aro dude is somethin else... beats pretty sick.. kind of spanish feeling.. Neema raps a little slow on it.. throws you off at first.. but he goes with the kick drum extremely well, he picks up in the last half or so of his verse "she get it hot, i get it hotter, you know shes tryin to holler, billy jean like im not father" great song.. slower though...
Pockets full of Money feat. Grynch, Eighty 4 Fly, Billy Patron - This is your summer cut right here... uptempo.. kind of happy feeling.. somethin youd mob too "Pocket full of money, pocket full of dough, im so hot, it'll probably never snow around me, plus a model chick is doin blow around me, and i be at the hot spots with ya hoe around me" - Eighty 4 fly. Good song for sure.
The Break Up - Sick beat on this.. very electronic... this is comparable to Neemas song off of My Life for Sale called "Whispers in the wind", I just dont really like Neemas flow on parts.. kind of choppy.. but it does go with the beat at times. Females will love this song...
Interlude (Apologies) - i dont like this beat at all... i dont really like this interlude at all... i dont think it really fits the album. Probably the worst track on the album, but hey, its an interlude right? i think there was too much reverb in it, threw it off a bit.
Habit - D-Sane produced this and shows once again that he can be so damn versatile with his shit... one of my favorite beats on the album for sure.. and my favorite song. Neema is on some real shit on this one.. "I need to leave the things that bring me down, people that hurt me, things i fear, its my life im seizing now, sober up, open up, what the fuck, do i see, that person, that problem, that thing.... is me" Neemas always been good at gettin down on some real life tracks.. a classic right here...
Coffee Shop Discussions feat. Adrian Sims, Grynch and D. Black - This song took some listenin too to grow on me... the beat is laid back, samples were put together well. Neema and Grynch tear this up.. I honestly cant stand D. Black.. but i have never really liked him from anything ive heard that hes made. My opinion though. THis song is coo.. doesnt really stand out though.
Listen to the Rain feat. Latin Rose, Prezwell Jackson & Willie Will - I dont like this beat, I dont really like the song at all. Lyrics arent bad, to me its just kind of boring.. shouldve been cut in my opinion, but from a few whove ive showed it to said they thought it was alright. To each his own.
Outro (The Essence) - Mostly a beat, coo beat to smoke too, good piano in it.. Neemas got a little verse in there thats coo... nothing compared to his outro off of My Life for Sale tho...
OVERALL RATING 8/10
Alright... if youre expecting My Life for Sale on this one... you wont get it. This album lacks the aggression that My Life for Sale had.. but he really upped his lyrical value on this one and really grew into his own shell by not using and "larger" artists to push his own music on. The Essence definitely contains Neemas best work with "I Do", "48 Bars", "Do it Big" and the intro. All 4 of those are Seattle classics topping anything he did on any previous project of his or anyone elses. If youre a Neema fan, supporter, or just like good music... this album should be in your collection. IN MY OPIONION (Hence the caps... OPINION) there were a few misses.. not many.. but a few. And the fact that Neema decided to use a completely different beat selection that anyone has heard him use, and he still killed em.. speaks somethin highly of him. Goes to show you he is a master at his art, and there a few who can top him PERIOD. Support this album, support him, he is one step closer with this project. Rumor is... he has another one coming out VERY soon as well.
The album release party is at Neumos on July 9th (its a friday.. get your ass there!). Drink it up, listen to some good music, and buy the album... lol. really tho... shit will be goin down that night.. believe that... heres a few links from You tube.. One video.. 2 songs.. peep it.. July 9th.. Neumos
buy tickets directly from Neema at [email protected]
or at the door for $12
or on etix.com
This album will be available at ALL Best Buys on Oct. 26th
OR get it AT THE SHOW! or thru neema... holler at him at myspace or on his email address above..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzZzfJZOb_c - Do It Big
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srdYLYfB6Bo - The Intro
.. I need a copy so pay pal to your email addy or ... lemme know the quickest way to get my copy ...