Vocally Pimpin' by Above the Law (EP, West Coast Hip Hop): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list - Rate Your Music
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Vocally Pimpin'
By Above the Law
..........
ArtistAbove the Law
TypeEP
Released1991
RYM Rating 3.03 / 5.00.5 from 83 ratings
Ranked#218 for 1991
Genres
Descriptors
hedonistic, crime, rhythmic, mellow, sampling, sexual, violence, urban, party, boastful, male vocalist, energetic
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Track listing

  • 1 Playlude 2:24
  • 2 Playin' Your Game 4:59
  • 3 Dose of the Mega Flex 4:25
  • 4 4 the Funk of It 5:02
  • 5 Wicked 6:12
  • 6 Livin' Like Hustlers (G-Mixx) 5:11
  • 7 4 the Funk of It (Radio Edit) 3:39
  • 8 B.M.L. (Commercial) 2:36
  • 9 4 the Funk of It (Pimpsextramental) 3:55
  • Total length: 38:23
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Previous in discography: The A.T.L. Crime Files
The A.T.L. Crime Files
Murder Rap / Another Execution
Next in discography: The A.T.L. Crime Files

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Issues

2 Issues

2 Issues

7 Reviews

▼ 3.50 stars
  •   1 Playlude
  • 3.50 stars 2 Playin' Your Game
  • 3.50 stars 3 Dose of the Mega Flex
  • 3.50 stars 4 4 the Funk of It
  • 3.50 stars 5 Wicked
  • 3.50 stars 6 Livin' Like Hustlers (G-Mixx)
  •   7 4 the Funk of It (Radio Edit)
  •   8 B.M.L. (Commercial)
  •   9 4 the Funk of It (Pimpsextramental)
Pretty cool album from the legendary west coast group "Above The Law", and perhaps the first G-Funk album ever released? If you don't consider Efil4zaggin G-Funk, then yeah. As you can hear, most of the tracks here have a lot of P-Funk influence, but there are synths going on too (The roots of G-Funk). There are 4 new tracks here along with a remix of an debut album track. The instrumental is cool too. As usual 187um is on top with his rhymes, and has an super dope voice. KMG appears a little bit and he's dope too. Most of the lyrical content revolves around the streets and pimping, but I honestly really enjoy it. I'd recommend this album to those who have heard the debut and are looking for more. Really, I wouldn't know why to not recommend this. Don't really have anything negative to say about it. While it's not quite as good as the debut or "Uncle Sam's Curse" I still think it's a very strong addition to their discography.
Published
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 ▼ 3.00 stars
  • 3.00 stars 1 Playlude
  • 3.50 stars 2 Playin' Your Game
  • 3.00 stars 3 Dose of the Mega Flex
  • 3.50 stars 4 4 the Funk of It
  • 3.50 stars 5 Wicked
  • 3.50 stars 6 Livin' Like Hustlers (G-Mixx)
  • 3.00 stars 7 4 the Funk of It (Radio Edit)
  • 3.00 stars 8 B.M.L. (Commercial)
  • 3.00 stars 9 4 the Funk of It (Pimpsextramental)
Above the Law doesn't lose its polish in their second effort, dated 1991: excellent EP of Illmatic length that flows well through the pre-g funk rhythms made by Cold 187um, whose delivery is relaxed and effective. Together with KMG, the two build several honest cuts, boasting a simple, funky-jazzy and slow production, with a sparse and minimal drum machine, syncopated and sometimes distant in order to give value to the performers' braggadocio and gangsta bars.
Published
4.00 stars
A near essential hip hop EP that arguably birthed the entire WC G-funk sound, pioneering producer and main rapper Cold187umm showing here his claims of originator aren't in question, tracks like Dose Of The Mega Flex, 4 The Funk Of It & B.M.L. (An amazing instrumental ruined by it being just background noise to a shitty skit) all ooze eiree creeper synths and blunted laidback verses (from 187umm & KMG). Also mad is Wicked, a slept on buried treasure that coulda been on Livin Like Hutlers, I'm a sucker for B-side & Remix releases so this is a no brainer
Published
3.50 stars
Score: 3.5

This little EP of Above the Law is one of the early g-funk albums. At least there is some experimentation with that sound, and it sure as hell ain't a finished product yet as I still feel a heavier lean towards at the time more popular west coast raw funk. Cold 187um would get into G-funk for real on Black Mafia Life, and admittedly that one is so much more grand in sound. Still Vocally Pimpin is not a bad album, rather short yes and falls unfortunately between Livin Like Hustlers and the g-funk efforts. Not much more can be said about it.
Published
 
It's Above the Law, one of the best west coast groups of all-time. Always Into Something might be credited as the "proto g-funk" track, but you can hear that sound too on "Dose of the Mega Flex", which they would obviously further explore on their landmark album "Black Mafia Life". This sounds a little bit in between both their first and second album (well it is situated there after all), still have the hard sound but slowly getting where they wanted to be. Really good stuff, fans need this one.
Published
3.50 stars
Considering it's closer in time to their 90' album then their 93 one. I would have guessed this leaned toward that sound. Wrong! This is on a proto-g funk tip that anticipated exactly what they got up to on Black Mafia Life, right on down to the bizarre vocal style adopted by 187um around the time. Lo and behold it is good! No surprise to me of course, I'm ever growing in appreciation for them. Definitely an EP to invest time into. Especially for fans of the group.

Rating: 3.5
Published
▼ 3.00 stars
  •   1 Playlude
  • 3.50 stars 2 Playin' Your Game
  • 3.00 stars 3 Dose of the Mega Flex
  • 4.00 stars 4 4 the Funk of It
  • 3.50 stars 5 Wicked
  • 3.50 stars 6 Livin' Like Hustlers (G-Mixx)
  • 4.00 stars 7 4 the Funk of It (Radio Edit)
  •   8 B.M.L. (Commercial)
  • 3.50 stars 9 4 the Funk of It (Pimpsextramental)
I'm not sure what took me so long to listen to Above the Law's "Vocally Pimpin" EP. Their first album is a personal classic to me, and I was all over their second album, "Black Mafia Life", when it dropped. I saw this EP on the shelves back then, but I guess I wanted more bang for my buck as far as music goes back then. I've listened to this project a few time overs the past five years or so. It's important in that it's a precursor to the G-Funk sound that would take off two years later with the release of ATL's second album and of course Dr. Dre's "The Chronic". As far as quality, I'm not the biggest fan of G-Funk, mainly because the sound would go on to get abused by Cali artists in the mid/late 90's, so I guess that bias is taken out on this album some. It has some decent stuff, I'm not mad at anything on here, it's exactly what you'd expect from Above the Law. The highlight is most definitely "4 the Funk Of It", with it's rich Parliament samples that never get old. "Vocally Pimpin'" isn't a necessity to listen to if you are checking out gems of the past, but if you are a fan of ATL or the G-Funk sound itself, then it's a must hear.

Rating: 3.25

Favorite Tracks:
4 The Funk Of It
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Catalog

Ratings: 83
Cataloged: 49
Track rating sets:Track ratings: 9
Rating distribution
Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 >>
27 May 2023
Tylerkermit  3.00 stars Enjoyable but flawed (True Stories)
14 May 2023
porous  2.00 stars
12 May 2023
Dubs  3.50 stars
27 Apr 2023
slye CD3.50 stars
29 Dec 2022
jwryter16  3.50 stars
29 Nov 2022
taliesin Used to Own2.50 stars Average - or simply not interesting...
14 Aug 2022
Premutos  4.50 stars
19 Jul 2022
PlayboyRick413  2.50 stars
19 Jun 2022
MF_FACELESS  3.00 stars Iron
29 May 2022
GentlemanCritic  3.50 stars Solid
1 May 2022
aviary  1.50 stars
28 Mar 2022
dchamp  3.00 stars
9 Feb 2022
ziraro  3.00 stars spotify
2 Jan 2022
Xaman_  3.50 stars Quite good, almost worth keeping.
10 Nov 2021
DrGunn  3.50 stars
Cover art for Vocally Pimpin' by Above the Law
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Previous
Next
Previous in discography: The A.T.L. Crime Files
The A.T.L. Crime Files
Murder Rap / Another Execution
Next in discography: The A.T.L. Crime Files
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Track listing

  • 1 Playlude 2:24
  • 2 Playin' Your Game 4:59
  • 3 Dose of the Mega Flex 4:25
  • 4 4 the Funk of It 5:02
  • 5 Wicked 6:12
  • 6 Livin' Like Hustlers (G-Mixx) 5:11
  • 7 4 the Funk of It (Radio Edit) 3:39
  • 8 B.M.L. (Commercial) 2:36
  • 9 4 the Funk of It (Pimpsextramental) 3:55
  • Total length: 38:23

13 Lists

Comments

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  • Xaman_ 02 Jan 2022 00:01 GMT
    Last three tracks are rather unnecessary, but the rest is prime Above the Law, chill & full of cool raps & rhythms (although lyrically, it's definitely a bit dumber & a bit more unfortunately misogynistic than Livin' Like Hustlers).
    report reported
  • Tylerkermit 28 May 03:57 GMT
    it’s weird that this has so few ratings, it’s pretty culturally significant and, unlike their sophomore album, it’s actually available on streaming
    report reported
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Contributors to this release: Prkl, diction, OttoLuck, CurtisLoew
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