N.W.A can be credited for being the seminal zone for many artists. One of their spawns happens to be the southern super group Boyz N Da Hood. After Young Jeezy bounced on the crew for solo fame, the group has been through, in the very least, a transition period. After rumors of Lil' Wayne and T.I.'s potential membership proved to be just that, the Boyz had to hustle a little harder to gain back the guttered point person. With the addition of Gorilla Zoe, and the group once again complete, they could then get to work, ultimately getting Back Up In Da Chevy (Block Entertainment/ Bad Boy).

Clever wordplay aside, this album is indeed all about the re-up. The name of this album pretty much says what it’s about; gritty, swampy, thick as hell beats dedicated to riding out before, during, or after an intense night.  Gorilla Zoe personifies this swagger, as he peaks on the often foggy organs and melodic rifts; embodying the personification of producer Dee Jay Dana's work. "Say What's On Your Mind" is a perfect example, where Zoe's soon to be identifiable growl wraps into the curling synths. Dana manages to let the melody sneak though each track, while the BPM pound rapidly in response, crackling snares and woofing- shaking kicks in abundance.

The tracks that stand out the most are the single "Everybody Know Me", a loud clapping, high tempo call and response song and the special guest tracks "Nothing Is Promised" (Yung Joc), "Choppas" (Ice Cube), and "Paper" (Rick Ross). They utilize the different vocal deliveries, while providing a wider range of posted-up scenario stories. These songs bode well for the trunk rattlings we so desire, but it seems like the Chevy stops there. With such a diverse group of artists bringing different experiences and personalities to the table, the possibilities to get a large assortment of tales from da hood falter.  This is seen specifically in comparing "Nothing Promised and "We Ready"; the chorus stands out slightly, but outside of the beat, the stories are essentially the same. And with that, Back Up In Da Chevy cripples Boyz N Da Hood's credibility in spite of its true hustle mentality.  

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