Artist: Bad Boy’s Da BandTitle: Too Hot for T.V.Rating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Toshitaka Kondo
It’s judgment day for Babs, Freddrick, Ness, Dylan, Sara, and Young City (formerly Chopper) of Bad Boy’s Da Band. Their debut album, Too Hot For T.V., is the culmination of a difficult and tumultuous development process; all scrutinized by a national television audience. However, after listening to the album, it’s clear that they need more development as they fail to forge an identity or distinguish themselves.
With Bad Boy producer Tony Dofat supplying a majority of the tracks, production is not the problem. It’s refreshing to hear P. Diddy allow a more sample-free sound instead looping hits from the 80’s. The album’s downfall comes with the lack of chemistry between group members and lack of originality.
Young City uses his solo cut “Chopped Up”, to do an uncanny impersonation of Lil Wayne right down to the vocal inflections. If Cash Money ever decides to do a Hot Boys tribute album, he should be included. Other lapses in originality can be found with Babs’ attempts to be salacious on “Tonight.” She sounds sillier than Ja spitting gun-talk and does little to refute the notion that all female MCs rhyme the same.
Complaints aside, when Da Band speak from experience, the results are enjoyable. The Wyclef-produced “Do You Know”, features Sara singing inspirational messages over a funky guitar loop. Other group members assist with a dope first verse asking each other questions with their answers reflecting differences in their respective upbringings. “My Life” is a dark look at each member’s life before Bad Boy, with Ness reminiscing: “Even my pops was knocked over tickets for speeding/ Drinking and driving, I ain’t forget/ He think I forgot him, My moms got gray hairs from worrying sick.” On a less autobiographical “Stick Up”, Ness rides shotgun with Fred while the two MCs alternate on varying bar counts, giving the narrated robbery a very spontaneous feel.
Da Band should be commended for beating out thousands of others to have this opportunity. They should also be given gratitude for creating some must-see T.V. every Wednesday at 10 pm. But none of this holds any weight when judging the album. Too Hot For T.V. does not lack talented artists or producers. It lacks all the components of a dope album: originality, chemistry and interesting concepts.