Artist: Flam BeyTitle: The Flamerous LifeRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Brent Woodie
Although dwelling in a multitude of places like Virginia and Maryland may have a strong influence on the consciousness of a young MC, it has done little to change the New York state of mind built in the city’s own Flam Bey. Playing the dual role of rapper/producer, Flam Bey has kept his head above water without the backing of a major label. Learning the ins and outs of the independent scene in the process, The Flamerous One was met with viable success after the self made CEO put out his first solo-seven-track opus, Destiny through his Bright Vision Entertainment imprint. Now ready to up the ante with his first full length LP, The Flamerous Life (Bright Vision Entertainment), Flam Bey does an impressive job merging sharp rational lyricism with hardcore New York flavored beats.
Staring off strong out the gate, Flam Bey goes hard on the title track where he spits mindful lines like, “Man I’m trying to amount to be more than my pappy/and be happy/my Mary J is Flam Bey/I’m trying to find a better way/than pumping cracks livings lax in the projects/puffing on twenty sacks of buddah,†over breezy east coast flavored production.
“Still Ballin,†is a definitive track where the Harlem-born-Bronx-Bred rapper uses his distinctive husky voice to creatively boast about his lavish lifestyle and hustling ways. Hip-Hop heads that enjoy that authentic New York sh*t, would enjoy tracks like “Uncut Raw†and “New York Nights,†where Flam does an admirable job describing the city of bright lights.
The downfall of The Flamerous Life is the abundance of tracks dedicated to the ladies and clubs alike. Tracks like “That’s What She’s Looking For†and “Gangsta Luv,†contains a bland subject matter and is musically fit for a demo-not an actual album-with its amateurish singing on the hook.
What could have been an otherwise playable album through out, The Flamerous Life’s pleasurable tracks are overlapped with uninspired songs that hurt the overall quality. Nonetheless, Flam Bey shows he does have room for growth, and that there are some MCs that can still stick to that New York style and represent it properly.