Artist: Boss Hogg OutlawzTitle: Serve & CollectRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Alex Thornton
Taking a break from his solo career on Star Trak/Geffen, Houston’s Slim Thug has reunited with his Boss Hogg Outlawz crew for Serve & Collect (Koch). A major label artist quietly releasing a group project might make some expect a glorified mixtape, but while this doesn’t reach the levels of Slim Thug’s major debut Already Platinum, it still has its appeal.
Serve & Collect is clearly targeted at the Houston set that’s been backing The Boss since his independent days. While it lacks the high-dollar production, it has more than enough thump to satisfy those in need of something to rattle windows on the block. The tracks aren’t as compatible with home stereos though, where the unremarkable lyrics don’t hold up so well under the additional scrutiny. Tracks like “Wood Wheel” or “Ride on 4s” need be heard while actually gripping a wood wheel to maintain the effect, but that seems to be what the Boss Hogg Outlawz had in mind anyway.
Ultimately, Serve & Collect is a mildly entertaining diversion that won’t disappoint its core audience but probably won’t get more than a handful of spins from anyone else. With the typical beats and only one MC that particularly stands out, the Boss Hogg Outlaws don’t compare to any number of other Houston acts (including Slim Thug as a soloist). Still, anyone who comes across the release will get exactly what they likely expected, so it deserves some credit for that, if nothing else.