Maceo: Straight Out Da Pot“The South Does It Again”An Album Review By Nfared


In recent years music from the south has been something of a phenomenon. From
street joints to club hits, music from below the Mason Dixon is journeying from
coast to coast. Newcomer Maceo is ensuring that he plays a pivotal role in
exposing the talent of artist that are not from New York or LA with his debut
album “Straight Out Da Pot”. His single “Ho Sit Down” instantly became
a wild summer success. This single title may lead to the false conclusion that
this is another rap album full of insane anthems and mind wrecking chants. Maceo
however, clearly had something else in mind.



On the title track, “Straight Out Da Pot” he’s self-confident; “So you
niggas gone give me my respect/if not I gives a fuck/I still get a check”,
observant and bold; “…cause most young rappers/they be stuck on that
bullshit…gone make em look stupid when I walk up and slap ‘em”, and
optimistic, “Man I’m 19 now/by 21 years old/I’ll be 20 times better than
that crew you on.” A Ciara sounding Torica Cornelius lends vocals on the
poignant “The Struggle” which dives into the hardships of trying to get by.
The telling “Mind Frame” unfolds the story of street life with lines like,
“Get the paper dawg/you can’t be scary/and if you do/you might get
buried.” His detailed descriptions bring this song to life with the skill of
an artist twice his age. With “Let Me Be”, he refutes jealousy with
simplicity; “Just let me be/I ain’t worried bout you/don’t worry bout
me/just do your own thang”. He takes no shame in being the child of a broken
home
with “Outta This World”. The moving tribute to his drug-abusing mother puts
love and forgiveness above hate and regret. On God’s Soldier, he ponders
death; “…and if you do/do your soul go sky high/do your soul see your body
laying on the ground….?” and at the same time gives advice on how to avoid
an untimely demise, “Life is too short to be trippin over bullshit…. And all
I’m sayin is discover what you here for.”


Needle Meter
In recent years Hip-hop has become more about putting a wall between the life of
an artist and the life of what would be considered the “average” person.
This is achieved by images of jewels, expensive cars, and immaculate homes,
things the “average” person does not possess. While this album is not
totally bling bling free, Maceo does chose to bring almost every aspect of his
life to wax, mastering a level of engagement that artist twice his age and
status have been able to achieve. Though the production on this album is not as
exciting as the content, this helps Maceo by keeping distractions in his story
telling to a minimum. Away with the lyrics of rappers that are too “hard”
to express how they really feel. Maceo lays it all on the line with no
apologies, and given his surprising insight and ability to transcend his
position as a rapper, there are none needed. Four out of Five Needles
















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