By Adam Thomas
They say the first step into the unknown is often the hardest. Twista now stands in that situation, as he left Atlantic Records after several problems with the label to go on his own two feet with his Get Money Gang Records imprint. For that first step, the new CEO decided to go back to old affiliates Speedknot Mobstaz.
Twista not only made Liffy Stokes and Mayz the first signees; he also positioned the Mobstaz to deliver the first album through Koch, Mobstability II: Nation Bizness. For those who aren’t acquainted with Chicago past Kanye, Mobstability is one of the better albums out of the city. Like most sequels, it does not surpass the firsts near classic status; nevertheless, it does satisfy in its own way.
Any doubts concerning the amount of gritty street music are dashed by the Intro as it flows into the first track, “Tippin N Ballin.” As the rain covered by the former mashes right into the simplistic drum loops and bass of the latter. The continuation goes into “Dopeboy” featuring Mello Tha Gudda Mann, with production as simplistic as the first, is made for a system with subwoofers.
The captain of the ship doesn’t leave himself out of the action however. Twista makes his appearance known, especially on “Getcha Money Right,” as he opens the track with the gun flow that he is known for.
He pushes “Money to Blow” from mediocre to good when he steps to the mic and delivers his verse. The title track “Nation Bizness” starts slow, but picks itself up behind the heavy horns as the new CEO saves the track, as his flow is the only one that gives the instrumental some justice.
Even if he does deliver some of the best verses on the album, Twista does allow the Mobstaz to shine on their own, as they do with Jim Jones on “Gangstaz Dont Dance.” The song is made for the club, as the powerful bass and catchy hook is captivating. “Chicago” shows the Mobstaz giving a tour of their hometown; featuring both lyricists at their best.
The album does suffer, as there are tracks that are uninspired lyrically (Cognac & Zesbud), production wise (“Raised on the Block”), or even both (“18 Hoes”). The soulful backed “Speedknot Mobsta” feels like a yet another iteration of “Overnight Celebrity”. “Bush Made It Hard” feels just as shallow as you think. It’s a simple case of a track not fitting in the mold of the overall product.
Regardless of its’ faults Mobstability II: Nation Bizness belongs in the ride. The heavy bass and snare happy production that tags this album insures that any healthy sound system will be fed. This is a good, if a tad shaky at times first step for GMG Records and counts for another credible release for Chicago Hip-Hop.
Speedknot Mobstaz Featuring Twista And Skooda
"Money To Blow"
Speedknot Featuring Twista
"Money & Murder"