russianraiderz's Full Review: Ultimate Victory by Chamillionaire
I must eat humble pie.
I remember, it was just the end of the summer of 2005. I began hearing the name "Chamillionaire" here and there and all I could think is "why would anyone choose a name as whack as that?". I recall when "Turn it Up", the lead single from "The Sound of Revenge" hit and got sporadic play. I figured he'd be another "come and go" rapper.
And then came "Ridin". I was struck by surprise.
A star was born. What was this? A #1 hit in the US that has political and conscious relevancy? Who would have thought? Whether you were loving his first single or not, the entire music-listening nation adored "Ridin". After earning an MTV Music Video award, a Grammy, and being the highest selling ringtone of all time, the song definitely propelled him to the top. However, it seems that America has the attention-span of a lawn gnome. It's a rough business these days. You could blow up to platinum sales one album, and then a year later, it could drop to miniscule numbers. Look at Yung Joc..."It's Goin Down" helped him reach a million sold, and just one year later - his sophomore album has put up...a grand total of 100,000. Not to say that is nothing, but it just shows the strong case of amnesia in our nation's ears. Chamillionaire can sympathize.
"Ultimate Victory", the sophomore effort from King Koopa, was slated for a March release and had a nice buzz surrounding it. But then, Cham found himself falling victim to the worst thing that can happen to a mainstream artist - his album's release date was pushed. In the age when hype is everything, it is so important to retain your buzz. With the release pushed to 6 months later, it seems like Chamillionaire has already been forgotten. Maybe it's just me, but has ANYONE seen any promotions for his new album? I haven't seen either of his singles on TV, nor heard them on the radio (aside from Hip-Hop Police one time when it first dropped). With the Hip-Hop world following this "World War" between 50 Cent and Kanye, all eyes were on the day of September 11th (and unfortunately not as much to honor the victims associated with the day) and not on the Tuesday of the following week.
When you awake from the gunsmoke and shit-talk that has gone on through Hip Hop this year and look through the rubble..."Ultimate Victory" emerges as the best rap album to drop this year. Yes, you read that correctly - The Mixtape Messiah has finally cemented his position at the top. Yes, I said it...Chamillionaire is my Hip Hop MVP of 2007. In the past 12 months, he has dropped two near-flawless mixtapes (Mixtape Messiah 2 & 3), as well as his long awaited sophomore album. That type of work ethic is exactly what I admire in an artist.
Just as soon as the opening sounds of the intro, "Morning News", hit the speakers - the apocalyptic feel instantly lets the listener know that this is not just another album for the car. This is a man's mind, heart, and soul on record. The "News" series on the album features a keen political evaluation of our nation's state of affairs. "Morning News" is a bit more financially-targeted with his declaration "part time hustle really ain't gon' last / so today's forecast is to make more cash"...and no, this isn't a "I Get Money" type of song. I don't have to mention that Chamillionaire has the most crystal clean delivery in the game, with every line perfectly thought and timed, and so you will never hear the man falter a bar. It is the perfect blend of style AND substance.
"white man (ballin!), black man (starvin!),
looks like Al Sharpton found another case to get involved
...
You ain't got a college degree then they say you ain't intelligent,
and if your class ain't upper class then you're opinion is irrelevant"
Later on, the much talked-about single "Evening News" is alot like the intro, but with a more satirical tone. Chamillionaire plays the part of the typical news anchor and delivers "your evening news". So whenever I hear bigoted hip-hop purists tell me that they aren't really interested in Chamillionaire, I kind of flinch. While your hero Kanye West is crying about not winning an MTV award, Chamillionaire has the balls to actually talk about what's REALLY hurting us. "I know you take offense to certain words, I've heard worse, but I wouldn't blame ya' / They say he's a entertainer, don't worry about it, never mind Kramer / The Crocodile Hunter got stung, and the lion turned on the lion tamer / We keep sending troops to Iraq, I figured that we must like danger". The social commentary continues on the album's lead single "Hip-Hop Police" featuring the one and only Slick Rick. With the God Ricky Walters on the track, it is only fitting that it would be in story form. In all honesty, Chamillionaire basically makes "Ridin II", as it is another account of racial profiling within police brutality. An interesting twist in this particular song is the numerous Hip Hop references within the lyrics...suggesting yet another stereotype by the law - Hip Hop draws trouble. As he has foreshadowed in "Ridin", the type of music that you listen to can also greatly affect how you are seen, and this song perfectly covers that. Slick Rick comes on and seemingly hasn't lost a step since his debut over 2 decades ago. However, Chamillionaire still captures the show as he plays the part of both the man arrested and the cop.
"Saw the _meth_ while I was _inspectin_ your _deck_
Saw that you was _riding dirty_ when I looked at the rest
Who is this guy Busta? Who is this guy Snoop?
Who is his other friend who's wearin the sky blue?
.....
You ain't gettin out of here, you must think that you're _slick_
In the car we confiscated _the chronic_ and the _clips_
_the diary_ that you had and all your _blueprints_
On the _Death Row_ booklet, we found your two prints
Your thumb and your index, the judge will love this"
Why is it that I like the album so much? It's simple...I personally think Chamillionaire might be one of the most universally accesible MC's of all time. He just has a bit of everything for everyone. He is the perfect blend of music to bump and music with a message, to the degree where it is messages that you can bump...if that makes sense. By messages I don't mean the obligatory "we need to leave the ghetto song" that you'll find every rapper have - the listener can feel every single emotion that Chamillionaire puts out. Whether it is his crooning on "Won't Let You Down" or his retrospective look at how people have looked at him since he blew up on "Standing Ovation", every sentiment is sincere and is channeled through the ears and nerves of the listeners.
Did I mention that I don't think I've heard a SINGLE VERSE where Chamillionaire gets lazy. I'm not even talking about this album, but basically for his career. That is a bold statement considering I have copped his entire catalogue, from his debut duo album with Paul Wall up to the mixtapes he dropped this year...and there is not a single instance where he leaves much to be desired. One thing I respect Cham for is his willingness to go against the grain to prove his point. Remember his promise to never cuss on wax again? It is held true as you won't hear him drop any explicit words in any verse. As for his guests, every single swear word is censored out...and this is not the clean version we're talking about. Recently he declared that he won't wear a grill again because he feels it is more important to hear what comes out of his mouth than stare at it.
With all that, don't write him off as an Amish rapper quite yet, because he can still have fun. "Industry Groupie" is a hilarious account of the typical...yes, groupie. Just when you thought every single cheesy 80's song that could be sampled for a rap song already was - Cham's production team loop Europe's hit "The Final Countdown" for a surprisingly fun song. The song's gimmick is that Cham name-checks almost every single mainstream artist and a quirk or song by them and incorporates it into the story. "Pimp Mode" is on next, but don't let the title deceive you - this is a classic. While any listener can interpret the song how they want to, to me it is a masterful break-up song. Chamillionaire has the uncanny ability to make what would normally sound cliche come out fresh and original. This song is all about being the quintessential ladies man, but while most every rapper has a track dedicated to the same shit, Koopa's charisma keeps it interesting and draws you in. It is impossible to stay down about a girl when you listen to the "let her goooo...I stay in pimp mode" as the song kicks in. Oh yeah...Bun B is on the song. Pimp C is cool but...Chamillionaire and Bun B should pair up as they have a chemistry that reminds me of Nas and AZ in the golden age.
The only song on the entire album that I could have done without is the useless "Rock Star" which features Rap music's de facto sweetheart Lil Wayne. The song isn't whack by any means, it just serves no purpose. I don't get why Chamillionaire would go with this stupid "rock star" gimmick popularized by ringtone rappers The Shop Boyz. Yes, that is basically what the song is - a better version of "Party Like a Rockstar", annoying guitar loops and all. Wayne once again underachieves and offers me some concrete evidence to show the Weezy Worshippers when they swear to me that he's better than Chamillionaire. At least his verse here is better than his offering on Kanye's album (then again, what isn't?). Chamillionaire's protege Famous drops in on "You Must be Crazy", which features the Lizard King in his upbeat mode. Dave M.G. drops a fiery backdrop of horns and drums that should have your head bobbing till it hurts. Cham shows that his wordplay and flow are still his main assets: "garage live up, it'll create some enemies / got the SS in the middle of it like Tennessee / ...if she a freak, dont handcuff her just let 'er be / get your G's, like 5 letters after the letter B /...the Hype Williams to y'all rookies, you know it this is / a motion picture so ill that I call it motion sickness"
According to some sources the next single from this album is "The Bill Collecta", featuring Krayzie Bone, who once again needs Chamillionaire's help to make sure he retains his fans. But wait, Krayzie Bone as the guest, Play-N-Skillz on the beat...sound familiar? Yup...it shockingly sounds a lot like the last song to have all these factors - "Ridin". The beat, the hook...at least the topic is different. Interestingly enough, the track deals with people who owe money (the situation is explained by the skit that precedes the song). On "I Think I Love You", Koop delivers the finest personification of money that I've heard on a rap song yet. Over a scorching Beat Bullies instrumental, Cham concedes that he knows money brings him many of problems, but like with a bad and obsessive relationship, he still keeps coming back. While 50 Cent lets us know for the hundredth time that he's rich, it is a good MC that can deliver a similar message in a much more entertaining fashion.
However, the entertainment ends there, and the final 3 songs close out the album on a serious note. "Stuck in the Ghetto" is a short solo by Tony Henry on the guitar. I'll be honest, from the first note that this guy sings, you're drawn. Fuck Akon, fuck T-Pain...this is some real crooning about the harsh life. It's such a shame Chamillionaire doesn't even rap on here, as this would have made for a dope track.
"Rocky Road" is, for a lack of better words, a masterpiece. Cham is known to always close out his albums on a strong, personal note, and this is no exception. While the title may make you think of ice cream, the song is a deep account of the bumpy and windy road that we all encounter as life. My other Houston hero, Devin the Dude, closes out the song with his "everyman" depiction that is so damn inspirational to me, especially in this stage of my life. This is real art, people. Think what you want about Chamillionaire, but few rappers can evoke such emotions within a person. "You take the fortune and fame, see if it's what you expected / take the money and change and be careful where you invest it / Just take the test and don't stress it, you get stopped by a detective / Tryin to get in your personal life, gotta do your best to protect it" He finally puts the crown on the LP with the closing title track "Ultimate Victory". Leaving the best for last, Chamill wraps up the album with a reflective piece that covers everything he's gone over and everything he still has left. Over one of the most saddening strings-instrumentals I've heard in my life, Cham covers the long road he's been through (as he did on the previous song) and what he's achieved. His "me against the world" style is prevalent through every single album mixtape he makes, but he finally seems to have his mind at peace.
In case you're in a rush and you had no time to read the above, just make sure to take in the following words...with Hip Hop seemingly in a divide in this whole Kanye/50 Cent ordeal, it's time for a rapper that both sides can agree to look up to. Tomorrow, I want all the people who bought Kanye's album and all the people who bought "Curtis" to make the same decision and cop the best rap album of 2007 - "Ultimate Victory". Musically, lyrically, and personally...the album is untouchable. I honestly thought Talib would be able to hold down the #1 album for the rest of the year, but Chamillionaire just simply blew me away. I have a feeling he hasn't even peaked yet. For now, I eagerly await Mixtape Messiah 4 or his next LP, whichever comes first. As for now...
Peace!
Tracklist:
1. The Morning News
2. Hip Hop Police ft. Slick Rick
3. Standing Ovation
4. Won't Let You Down ft. K-Ci
5. Industry Groupie
6. Pimp Mode ft. Bun B
7. Rock Star ft. Lil Wayne
8. Skit
9. The Bill Collecta ft. Krayzie Bone
10. The Ultimate Vacation
11. Come Back to the Streets
12. I Think I Love You
13. The Evening News
14. Welcome to the South ft. Pimp C
15. You Must be Crazy ft. Famous
16. We Breakin Up
17. Stuck in the Ghetto ft. Tony Henry
18. Rocky Road ft. Devin the Dude
19. The Ultimate Victory
The album's TV commerical:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqsuFfk8r8A
(the beat used is from the title track)
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.