A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the white/blue split pressing of the Shit Don’t Stop LP by G. Perico.
There’s something about G. Perico which just inspires listeners to want to back the emcee with every fibre of their being. It might have to do with the fact that he’s from just the right part of town to get a little musically nostalgic for (he’s from South Central L.A. – east of the Forum, west of the Watts Towers) and it might have to do with the fact that he has the same kind of young, smooth and nasal delivery that Eazy E used to have but, regardless, it’s impossible to not hang on his every word because he just comes off like the best of a new breed of performer about to explode off the west coast. Right away on Omerta’s pressing of Shit Don’t Stop, all of that image and presence is driven into listeners’ collective faces and those of the right mind will be instantly excited by it as well as simultaneously trying to stifle a defiant sneer which might match that of the emcee, himself.
As soon as “My World” opens the A-side of Shit Don’t Stop, Perico boldly steps up to be recognized. It’s hard not to feel more than a little nostalgic as some old school, Quincy Jones-sounding samplespush from behind the emcee’s self-introduction because, while there’s no doubt that it’s unique, there are sparks which inspire memories of great emcees like E, Dre and MC Ren cut through the combination of samples and lyrics too. That almost effortless recollection will hook more than a few listeners, but others will find the vibe of the track – it feels like the emcee has already scaled the mountain as he just rifles some off-handed lines out and then drops the figurative mic – to be the most engaging aspect. Needless to say, there’s nothing ambitious or over-zealous about the way this album starts, it’s all just “in, out and done – confidently” before the mess is left on the floor for listeners to clean up. It’s really easy to get hooked by that.
The emcee’s first hook quickly proves not to be the only one on the A-side of Shit Don’t Stop as well. As the side progresses, listeners will find harder living cuts like the title track, “Dream Nigga,” “Neva Die” and “Hah” all see subjects like politics, wealth, money and love all sit well into the periphery of simply seeking to stay alive and find a warmer spot than the ones from which Perico’s inspiration sprang. That is not to say everything about this music is dark, but that aspect definitely factors prominently into every turn the album makes and the coolest moments come when lines like “I’m a gangsta, a banga, a playa, a balla – why do ya momma want me to call her?” (from “Dream Nigga”) come rattling through off-handedly like a statement which reads, “Yeah, yeah, yeah – but I’m more than just that.” Things like that make the album more engaging because it becomes more personal and relatable, and groundbreaking because while it has ties to the past, it expands dramatically on a dialogue which has been running through hip hop for decades.
As much new ground as the A-side of Shit Don’t Stop breaks, the album seeks to ensure that it doesn’t tread so far from the standard that South Central hip hop set decades ago that it threatens to lose the music’s ground level listener base. That harder, more foul-mouthed and aggressive posture is where the album’s B-side opens – and the name “Million Dolla Mission” about says it all. Contrasted against the album’s A-side, “Million Dolla Mission” sounds like the work of a completely different emcee; suddenly, lines like, “I’m gettin’ paid whether you love me or hate me” sound exactly like the work of Perico’s forebears, and it’s a genuine surprise. Here stands the proof that while there is a process at work, G. Perico has not left South Central and the neighborhood hasn’t changed so much since the days of NWA that it’s unrecognizable. Even so though, the track does set another reference point for Shit Don’t Stop and, as tracks like “I Got Business,” “Bou It,” “Craccin’” and “My World (outro)” play their way through with a decidedly grittier and rougher disposition, listeners will find themselves struck and fascinated by the change from the A-side as well as completely engaged to want to find more. Between the A- and B-sides of Shit Don’t Stop, listeners will find themselves presented with a much more clearly defined personality than is normally found on the debut album by the average hip hop artist. Here, listeners get light and dark, smart and thug and several other points that they hadn’t even considered might come on an album like this; that disparity combined that it all fits tightly into a focused creative vision makes for a fantastic and exciting listen, and leaves listeners both wanting more and wondering what might come next by the time the record ends. Without intending to overstate the point, the record is absolutely unbelievable – Shit Don’t Stop demands attention and promises to have an immense body of fans waiting with baited breath for a follow-up release. Shit – don’t stop playa, come back with new music soon. [Bill Adams]
Artist:
https://www.facebook.com/G-Perico-1552897361677818/
https://twitter.com/BGPerico?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://soundcloud.com/g-perico-1
http://www.sowayout.store/
Album:
The Omerta pressing of Shit Don’t Stop is out now. Buy it here, directly from the label’s website. http://omertaincstore.bigcartel.com/product/g-perico-shit-don-t-stop-lp
