Search - Mavado :: Gangsta for Life

Dancehall at its darkest and hardest

Jeremy Casterson | Craig, CO USA | 05/31/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard Mavado on Reggae Gold 2007, where he has two contributions (Hey, I live out in the bush in Colorado so I'm not up on breakout dancehall artists). "Top Shotta Nah Miss" is a hard-hitting anthem with a killer beat and could be Mavado's best song. "Last Night" was his other offering, which is also one of his best tunes. So I bought Gangster For Life and haven't listened to anything else for the last 5 days.



Dancehall doesn't get much darker, harder, or better than Mavado. His delivery is top notch and I enjoy his flowing verses more than the choruses. He is genuine and real when he sings about going for days and days without food in "Born and Raised." "They Fear Me" might take the prize as the best song on the album, where he calls to Selasie while "sipping Hennessy, smokin' all mi get/girls dem in mi bed." It's strange these days to hear some dancehall artists working Rastafarianism into violent lyrics. I often see this as hypocritical, but instead, for Mavado it comes of as an internal struggle, where the realities of ghetto life cross with a willingness to walk the straight and narrow. "Don't Cry" is also a noteworthy song. Those 5 tunes I mentioned are perfect, and many others are great. Mavado has done songs with Jay-Z and Usher and is making a name for himself the music business. Any dancehall or rap fan will like this album.



I give this album 4.5 stars. I would consider giving it 5 if it weren't for the JUNK between every track on this CD. Why do artists ruin great albums buy putting in dumb skits and egotistical rants? Mavado, I want to hear you sing, not talk about killing snitches. I had to rip this album and re-burn it without the junk tracks. Next time, leave this off, my man. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to his next release."