Artist: David BannerTitle: MTA2: Baptized in Dirty WaterRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Yama Caviness
MTA2: Baptized In Dirty Water is the follow up release to David Banner’s certified platinum album Mississippi: The Album. Impressive collaborations include Scarface, 8-Blall, Busta Rhymes, and Nelly. Despite all of this potential on paper, the album still feels more like a remix album with bonus tracks, instead of a brand new independent effort.
The overall tone of Baptized In Dirty Water is dark and the signature production of Banner himself keeps most of the tracks crunk and hard-hitting. Both “Like a Pimp” and Nelly’s “Airforce Ones” get the remix treatment on the album with Busta Rhymes and Twista adding their flava to the former. Tear the club up themes appear often in songs like “Mama House” and “Talk to Me” for those who like to listen to their music when they’re drunk, high, and/or crunk as hell. For others, a hint of Banner’s social awareness is found in lyrics like “My lord, I’m losin my soul and my mind/The devil’s creepin close, my people fallin’ behind,” from “My Lord”. Although some may not be ready, the raunchy ass track “Gots To Go” featuring Devin the Dude and Bun B of UGK, will surely be appreciated most by David Banner’s southern following.
David Banner explains Baptized In Dirty Water to mean that sometimes life circumstances cause people with good intentions to do bad things in order to survive the game. Thus, MTA2:Baptized In Dirty Water is an ideal title that sums up David Banner’s second effort; although it was a good try, he’s not able to stay on top of his game.
