New Joc City [PA]

P.Diddy率いるBAD BOYの南部支部に当る≪BAD BOY SOUTH≫が、Young Jeezyの活躍で注目を集める≪Block Enterprices≫とレーベル契約を締結。その記念すべき第1弾作となった今作。全米ラップ・アルバム・チャートにて初登場1位を記録する大ヒットとなったデビュー・アルバム。

As a longtime member of Atlanta's hip-hop community, Yung Joc watched his neighbor Young Jeezy blow up while he waited on the sidelines. Bad Boy South CEO Diddy watched from a different angle since his label was home to Jeezy's first group, Boyz N da Hood, and yet he lost the boy to Def Jam. There's no doubt Jeezy's style and success were major influences on Joc's Bad Boy South debut, New Joc City. Those influences are audible, and the parts of the album that don't sound like Jeezy's breakthrough, Let's Get It, sound a heck a lot like another Atlanta hit, T.I.'s King. Put the Bad Boy polish to the two albums and you're close to New Joc City, although the club tracks here are much more hooky, pleasingly more slick. "It's Goin' Down" with Nitti is the key track, a simple, familiar-sounding bit of Southern weekend music that withstands numerous replays. The rowdy "Do Ya Bad" and "I Know You See It" are more of the same, while "Hear Me Coming" goes in a different direction and borrows G-Unit's attitude and production style. Joc's skills are solid enough in these safe and tested surroundings, but he's less convincing when delivering a swaggering ballad or attempting Jeezy-type storytelling, like on "Dope Boy Magic." He doesn't sound comfortable with all these concessions to what's hot, and the album as a whole suffers from an identity crisis. With plenty of hooks and great beats, it's a solid album for Bad Boy South, but here's hoping Joc brings his own style next time. ~ David Jeffries|

バッド・ボーイ・サウス支部からアトランタの若きトラップ野郎、ヤング・ジョックのファースト・アルバムが登場。シンプルなシンセとチクタク音のループ、耳残りするフックで中毒性を醸し出した先行シングル“It's Going Down”がすでに全米TOP3入りの特大スマッシュを記録しているが、同郷のニッティが手掛けた同曲のクレイジーな感触はこのアルバムにも受け継がれている。ドロドロしすぎず、じんわりと効いてくるレイドバック・クランク～バウンスを中心に、童謡風?のノリがユニークなスナップ系の“I Know You See It”、マーカス・ヒューストンとのスウィーツ曲、レーベル仲間のボーイズン・ダ・フッド&シェリ・デニス参加曲など注目点も多数。主役のもったりとユルいダーク・フロウが聴くほどにハマる作りで、T.I.に続くアトランタのスター・ラッパーに成り上がるであろう要注目株だと言える。なお、本作も全米チャートで初登場3位!
bounce (C)池田 貴洋