Custom Made’s new EP titled Truth Be Told (Rawkus) is here to do exactly what its name states, tell the truth. Custom Made’s roster, which includes rappers Six, Bluff, Element, Scoobs and Aneek, has been making a name for itself in the streets of L.A. for years, selling over 100,000 mixtapes worldwide. From the sounds of their projects, this one a teaser before their official debut, Fresh Out, on Babygrande Records, it seems as if the group’s main objective is giving the world a different view of their hometown aside from the “Tinsel Town” set-up which is mainly representing it now.The album opens with “Where It Goes Down,” produced by Abstract, with Element, Scoobs and Aneek taking you on a lyrical walk-along through their neighborhood. The track is merely a preview of what the rest of the album holds. The production on the song was a bit dramatic with strong bass and a piano playing in the background, but the rhymes make up for it. On the opening verse Element gives you a taste of what growing up on the streets of L.A. was like when he spits lines such as, “Los Angeles either you’re bangin’ or pan handling/Homicidal, dropouts/Even cops are scandalous/Making it to 18 is something you daydream/ Fresh out, West Coast living is crazy.”Other tracks worth listening to are “Hop Life” and “I’m Home,” with both possessing superb production heard throughout most of the album while the artists’ lyrics only get stronger track after track. Hip-Hop today is oversaturated with artists who want to prove how “gangsta” they really are, even when they’re not. It feels and sounds good to hear artists who are simply telling their life stories, as is the case with Custom Made. On the captivating “Gutta Rap” produced by Kayy, Custom Made is heard at their best. The song is filled with intense verses such as, “Ghetto ain’t a place on the globe/It’s a war right here at home/What we over there for/We bringing it raw/Custom Made news to your door/How dare they try to ignore another ghetto report?”Custom Made is representing that real Hip-Hop which is something rare in today’s music. Truth Be Told connects the listener with what is truly going on in the streets. If you are a true Hip-Hop head who has a desire for real lyrics, then this is the album for you.