Before we jump into this review, lets take a trip back to 1995 for a brief spell, and let me paint a picture for you.
The scene is August 3rd, 1995. Madison Square Garden is hosting the second annual Score Awards ceremony. The East Coast vs West Coast rap rivalry is in full effect, and this awards ceremony has felt its impact. So far, every single rap or hip hop award has been given to someone from either New York or California. “Artist of the Year”—Snoop Dogg, “Best New Artist”—Notorious B.I.G. To no surprise, the New York crowd booed and jeered when the “Best New Rap Group Award” was given to Outkast from Atlanta. André 3000 and Big Boi walk up to the stage with the stakes set: In six-precise words, the Hip Hop landscape never was the same again....."The south has something to say", uttered 3-Stacks, and i'd be damned if the takeover over the course of the last 26 years hasn't projected exactly that.
In recent years since the beginning of the southern takeover, numerous cities throughout the south have followed in the footsteps of the ATL in staking their claim into the real-estate that is Hip Hop. The noticeable difference that you can see within the era and since the turn of power commenced, is the multitude of unique and cultural sounds within the region of the south that speaks directly to the people of a particular area....with some sounds so unique, that it has no choice but to touch the ears outside of the United southeast.
Which brings us to Houston, where the sounds of Houston's Hip Hop origin has taken the entire world by the entire neck, with it's influences captivating artists such as the like's of Drake, Wale, & Big K.R.I.T among other notable namesakes. This comes after decades where Houston was long overlooked in the music industry, leaving local artists to fend for themselves and metaphorically "get it out the mud." Which birthed the trend of Houston artists going the independent route — no need for big labels and distribution deals. Their crusade for independence was a stapled move that, in hindsight, opened the door for the mass of rappers we see today. You can always tell when a rapper's sound is influenced by Houston, most famously with the "I done came down" flow that naturally and alone, sets the H apart from other southern territories staking for their claim.
With the release of his latest single, Yella Fella hones in on capturing every essence of the flow AND a major culture-point of the city, that is a 'slab parade'.....If you're ever in Houston, there's no need to search, because you can't miss them, in-part, because they're not made to be missed, as you clearly see in the crisp visuals of Yella's "Slab Is Beautiful". While they might resemble the lowriders you see cruising through many American cities, slabs form a cross-section of H-Town music, culture and community, making them more than mere stacked-up rides. Some claim it stands for "slow, low and bangin'", while others say "slab" refers to the cars themselves -- most being fully customized classic all-American steel -- and how they keep you close to the slab of concrete forming the curb.
However you refer to the beauty that is slab-culture and the definitions surrounding the language, just know that Yella Fella translates all dialect, style, and heritage beautifully in this truck-thumper of a banger.
Check out the full video below!
Yella Fella x KG Gutta - Slab Is Beautiful (review): 4.2/5
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