Seeing that we don’t usually review mixtapes, most things with DJ Green Lantern attached to it would normally be filed under that label. But after some research and some e-mails, it seems that The Green Ghost Project by Styles P & DJ Green Lantern is an official release. Besides the album art reminding me of the Buckshot & 9th Wonder album, I’m interested in what the project has in store. So let’s see what The Ghost & The Evil Genius cooked up in the lab.
1. Nothing To Lose
Produced by DJ Green Lantern
On the opener, Styles goes over and simple yet fitting production by Green Lantern and lets fans know he still spitting hard: “Boys turn to men/Right over the night though/Then they get killed you wonder where did they life go”. Is the hook a Fat Joe sample? Let me know.
2. Double Trouble
Featuring Sheek Louch; Produced by DJ Green Lantern
SP goes and gets LOX member Sheek to tag team the beat. The Chuck D sample on the hook along with the frantic boom bap beat makes this song. All three participants fit together here. Not great but good.
3. Callin’ Me
Featuring Tre Williams; Produced by Scram Jones
This is one they probably could have left off. The R&B chorus doesn’t fit and sounds off. The beat also gets redundant halfway through the first verse also. I almost hit the skip button too.
4. Send A Kite
Featuring Dwayne Collins; Produced by DJ Green Lantern
Styles gets his “One Love” on with this track. Even though songs like this have been done many times before, it’s actually a pretty thoughtful dedication to the love ones behind bars (“I don’t need you currency/I ain’t trying to complain cause you ain’t see me currently/You should be outside where the big face hundreds be”). It’s hard for me to get past that chorus though (Terrible). The music video helps a lot though.
5. Make Millions From Entertainment
Produced by The Alchemist
The first lines is this track shows you Styles is going for the neck: “You wanna MTV list?/I put your brains all over your MTV crib/Whoever wrote that XXL list/I’ll XXL whoever you felt spit”. Alchemist provides and menacing beat as well as a well-placed Nas sample on the hook (“I make millions from entertainment”). Check for this one.
6. Invasion
Featuring Junior Reid & Jadakiss; Produced by DJ Green Lantern
Tuck in ya chains punks! Green Lantern’s production is just as gangsta as the lyrics spit here and make this a good example of NY street music. And of course Jada steals the show: “Get the tape outta the camera/Whoever make a false move is getting hammered/After that hogtie the whole fam up/We ain’t got long so keep checking the scanners”. Yea son!
7. Time Will Tell
Featuring Raekwon; Produced by Buckwild
Yea, I was ready for a back and forth between Styles P and The Chef back and forth (“Broken Safety” anyone?), but Rae only does the hook and the song seems kinda boring. Nothing really stands out but I may needs more listens.
8. Pablo Doe
Featurng N.O.R.E. & Uncle Murda; Produced by DJ Green Lantern
As soon as I hear the Group Home’s “Supa Star” sample in the beginning I’m sold. Okay, they only used it for an intro but still; the actual beat sounds like it’d be on a Noreaga album. The song as a whole all works from the features to the productions (Including Uncle Murda was a good choice too).
9. Real Ghostly
Produced by Dutchez Beatz
I didn’t like the keyboard heavy beat off the rip as well as the term “Real Ghostly” (A term Styles says describes his exsistence). Not terrible but not my thing.
10. Pretty Little Thing
Featuring June Summers; Produced by DJ Green Lantern
When first I saw this song on the tracklist, I wasn’t looking forward listening to the “love” song of the album. But you know what? It wasn’t that bad at all mostly due to Green Lantern’s good use of samples. Styles doesn’t go all mushy on us either.
11. Shadows
Produced by Statik Selektah
A big reason this album got reviews is this track. Statik Selektah comes through and produces the best track off the album. The somber feeling of he beat matches SP’s paranoia fueled lyrics: “If they coming tell them come now/Sunset sun down/I don’t put my gun down and I ain’t trying to run clown”. Like I said, the best track off the album.
12. Legal Money
Produced by Vinny Idol
I was ready to write this off as album filler but halfway through the track switches up and woke me up (Actually it does it for every verse). I applaud the changes but all the beats where average. Good try though.
13. That’s Me
Featuring S.I.; Produced by Dame Grease
If this was the late 90’s, I’d be hype to see the combination of Dame Grease & Styles. But listening to this, obviously those times are gone. And what’s up with all these wack ass R&B hooks?
14. Bang Time
Featuring M.O.P.; Produced by DJ Green Lantern
This came out in the middle of last year as a M.O.P. track and it still holds up and will probably make you rob somebody. Green Lantern captures the spirit well too.
15. Born In These Streets
Produced by Poobs
I probably wouldn’t have ended with this track but seeing how most “gangsta” albums end with introspective tracks, I see why it does close out the album. Well not THAT introspective: “Kicking in your house with a mag and a clip nigga/Probably on the rag cause we know you a bitch nigga”. The beat was a little too 80’s for me as was the hook (I think I spoke too may time already about the wack R&B hooks right?).
Bottom Line:
I guess DJ Green Lantern proved that he came make good music with a LOX member beside Jadakiss. Not to say that this album is a clear-cut winner. While the lineup of producers and features looks great on paper, but the dark spots than bright on The Green Ghost Project make this an average album. I feel they were stuck in the middle on most of the album on whether to go strictly street or not. But the times they do make up there minds the results are success. If you’re not a fan of Styles P & Green Lantern, this won’t sway you over but if you are, you probably already are a participant in The Green Ghost Project.
nappyPicks: “Make Millions From Entertainment”, “Invasion”, “Pretty Little Thing”, “Shadows”, & “Bang Time”
Download: Styles P & DJ Green Lantern – “Make Millions From Entertainment”
Download: Styles P & DJ Green Lantern feat. Jadakiss & Junior Reid – “Invasion”
Download: Styles P & DJ Green Lantern – “Shadows”
