[.ca] Livin Like Hustlers

LIVIN' LIKE HUSTLERS Review:
Somehow, Above The Law always had the knack for getting lost in the crowd on the West Coast scene. It might be funny if they weren't so talented. Despite being one of the contributing pioneers to the G-Funk sound, they were never given the type of promotion that allowed them to really establish themselves the way that they should have. Even with their debut album, many wrote them off as "just another rap group" trying to come up under the N.W.A. umbrella at Ruthless Records. Though it doesn't exactly break any new grounds for its lyrical content, "Livin' Like Hustlers" is a solid debut for ATL. With Big Hutch (a.k.a. Cold 187) doing the beats with some contributions from the legendary Dr. Dre, you'd have to be a fool to think this album would come soft on the production tip. Songs like "Murder Rap" and "Another Execution" are an example of some very ahead of its time production. The title song, "Livin' Like Hustlers" is one of the best songs on the album as Hutch and the gang come at us on some "back in the day" old school type of stuff with just a little bit of an old country influence. The last track, appropriately titled "The Last Song" practically features the entire Ruthless roster on one song but despite the all-star cast doesn't quite match up to some of the earlier ones. "Livin' Like Hustlers" is probably one of the few ATL albums you might actually be able to still find at a record store and even then, you will have to look hard but it's worth it. If you love that classic West Coast sound that started with N.W.A. then you'll want to add this to your CD collection and be quick about it. While the album only goes ten tracks deep, it's still a real good debut from a very underrated group.

• Murder Rap
• Untouchable
• Livin' Like Hustlers
• Another Execution
• Menace to Society
• Just Kickin' Lyrics
• Ballin'
• Freedom of Speech
• Flow On (Move Me No Mountain)
• Last Song