Shop Boyz Rockstar Mentality Genres:Rap & Hip-Hop, Rock, Classic Rock, Metal It all happened so quickly. Or so it seems. One day Sheed, Meany and Fat were grease monkeys at a makeshift garage in their Bowen Homes neighborhood, the next they were swiftly-rising hip-hop stars, progenitors of a gro... more »wing musical movement they call ``hood rock.' But like most overnight successes, Shop Boyz's rise to fame took many years. Cousins Demetrius "Meany" Hardin and Richard "Fat" Stephens grew up with best friend Rasheed "Sheed" Hightower in the notorious Bankhead area of Atlanta, the stomping ground of some of the city's most successful hip-hop artists. They worked on cars, hustled, did whatever they could to make ends meet and when their work was done for the day, they turned to their true passion: making music. Their unique, groundbreaking style didn't go unnoticed. Within four months of its release, "Party Like A Rockstar" set off a frenzy of activity at radio and clubs throughout the southeast and spread like wildfire across the country. The electrifying song with its contagious hook appeals to the spirited, carefree rocker in all of us - from school children and working class dads to hard-core hip-hoppers and blue-haired, Mohawk-wearing Punk Rockers. From note one, excited fans begin strumming air guitars, crowd surfing and building mosh pits that rival those of any major rock concert. It was the perfect introduction to their unique brand of music. As for their definition of the newly-created sub-genre known as `hood rock, Sheed says, "It's got energy and a rock feel to it but at the same time it's all about rocking the club, getting the club charged up. Shop Boyz's debut CD, "Rock Star Mentality," is a sampling of the creativity and diversity that go into each and every song that this creative collective churns out. Whether they're flossing and having fun on a track like "My Car" or showing respect for their ladies on "She Knows," Shop Boyz tell new stories in new and exciting ways. "Rain Dance," a sure standout, is bound to inspire some new moves on the dance floor. "It's a lot of energy," says Meany. "I think people are gonna like it because you gotta dance to it. It's another movement." And a group favorite, "Rollin'," is a track the guys swear is actually hotter than their blazing "Party Like A Rockstar."« less
It all happened so quickly. Or so it seems. One day Sheed, Meany and Fat were grease monkeys at a makeshift garage in their Bowen Homes neighborhood, the next they were swiftly-rising hip-hop stars, progenitors of a growing musical movement they call ``hood rock.' But like most overnight successes, Shop Boyz's rise to fame took many years. Cousins Demetrius "Meany" Hardin and Richard "Fat" Stephens grew up with best friend Rasheed "Sheed" Hightower in the notorious Bankhead area of Atlanta, the stomping ground of some of the city's most successful hip-hop artists. They worked on cars, hustled, did whatever they could to make ends meet and when their work was done for the day, they turned to their true passion: making music. Their unique, groundbreaking style didn't go unnoticed. Within four months of its release, "Party Like A Rockstar" set off a frenzy of activity at radio and clubs throughout the southeast and spread like wildfire across the country. The electrifying song with its contagious hook appeals to the spirited, carefree rocker in all of us - from school children and working class dads to hard-core hip-hoppers and blue-haired, Mohawk-wearing Punk Rockers. From note one, excited fans begin strumming air guitars, crowd surfing and building mosh pits that rival those of any major rock concert. It was the perfect introduction to their unique brand of music. As for their definition of the newly-created sub-genre known as `hood rock, Sheed says, "It's got energy and a rock feel to it but at the same time it's all about rocking the club, getting the club charged up. Shop Boyz's debut CD, "Rock Star Mentality," is a sampling of the creativity and diversity that go into each and every song that this creative collective churns out. Whether they're flossing and having fun on a track like "My Car" or showing respect for their ladies on "She Knows," Shop Boyz tell new stories in new and exciting ways. "Rain Dance," a sure standout, is bound to inspire some new moves on the dance floor. "It's a lot of energy," says Meany. "I think people are gonna like it because you gotta dance to it. It's another movement." And a group favorite, "Rollin'," is a track the guys swear is actually hotter than their blazing "Party Like A Rockstar."
CD Reviews
This album was recorded like a rockstar.
Pablo | 06/24/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"In other words, the Shop Boyz were drunk off their chairs, and high outta their mind when they recorded this album.
I'm not going to say that the Shop Boyz' debut, Rockstar Mentality, is completely unredeemable; but if you're heard the first single, which I'm sure you have, you've already heard the rest of this album. As lyricists, the Shop Boyz are some of the most mind-numblingly linear I've ever heard. As emcees, their flows are competent enough, but certainly nothing above average. The production? Well, most of the production is pretty tight, to be honest. The production is what really saves this album from being the catastrophy most expected it to be.
The lead single, Party Like a Rock Star, was marketed at just the right time. Kids nowadays are moving away from hip-hop, and focusing their attention on pop-punk groups like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and others cut from the same mould; so, in order to capitalize on some form of rock's resurgance in the mainstream, creating a track such as Party Like a Rockstar was the perfect gimmick, and marketing strategy. Mentioning prominent rock artists like Marilyn Manson and Travis Barker, and even the Osbourne family, was also a strategic move to show that the group has some knowledge of rock music; even though they've publically admitted that's far from the truth. So, with a new brand of "Hood Rock," which is basically the same formula Lil' Jon's followed for the past 5 years, the Shop Boyz released their debut album, hoping to move units based off of this track's success alone.
I don't see that happening too well beyond first week sales. The rest of this album follows the same format as that track, with the exception of the two tracks aimed for the ladies, Baby Girl and Next To Me, both of which are decent, musically. Rollin' was good on first listen, but the Beach Boys influence is just downright corny on second listen. The same can be said about the latin-tinged My Car, which, while pretty dope on the musical side of things, is just downright wack in every other aspect.
David Banner's beat on They Like Me sounds like it would've been better fitted on budget rap album from Koch, such as B.G.'s last group album. It's certainly not some of Banner's work, and you kinda feel bad for David just having his name associated with the track. The fact that Totally Dude is Party Like a Rockstar Pt. II is enough to make you smack each and every one of the Shop Boyz. Flexin' and Bowen Homes are genuinely good hip-hop songs from the ATL group, though.
In the end, the Shop Boyz present an album that is not so much a dissapointment, as it does manage to live up to (at least, my) severely low expectations. The problem is, it never goes beyond those low expectations. Proceed with caution when purchasing this album."
THIS ALBUM IS A MUST BUY!!!
Jason Evans | 07/10/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is energetic and great to listen to! The best songs on the album are: "world on fire," "bowen homes," "party like a rockstar," and "they like me." The dose of rock thrown in really makes this a very unique album. I would DEFINITELY recommend anyone to buy this album!!!"
Hood Rock indeed
RAP CRITIC | 06/28/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bop,and pop to party like a rockstar, I thought I was home when I heard bowen home, The album is a must buy. I thought I would have been disappointed, but with tracks like "they like me", "something to talk about", and "world on fire", changed my views very quickly. you could only go wrong if you don't get this album. Totally Dude!!!
Rockstar Mentality"
2-1/2 stars -- Party like a flopstar
Anthony Rupert | Milwaukee, WI | 01/25/2008
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Shop Boyz' single "Party Like a Rockstar" was a hit all across the board on urban radio last year. Still, it was another case of where an artist scores a big hit yet nobody picks up the album. I wondered why, but then I listened to Rockstar Mentality and I said, "Oh."
If the album title doesn't spell it out for you, Shop Boyz are trying to reach the levels of rock star popularity, which probably accounts for why many of the songs are electric-guitar-driven. But when they try ACOUSTIC guitar backdrops, it doesn't work right because it makes the songs sound TOO countrified, and that much country plus rap doesn't mix (ask Cowboy Troy). This is evidenced by selections like "My Car" and "Rollin'", which, by the way, are also predictable songs about automobiles.
That aside, the trio really don't have much to say. Dull tracks are in abundance, like "Baby Girl" and "Showin' Me Love". "Sumthin' to Talk `Bout" is anything but, and the title track suffers from an uninteresting, repetitive chorus. Speaking of uncreative choruses, the David Banner-produced "They Like Me" (the obligatory blingin' song) falls into that category: "I keep the girls choosin'/Turn `em out and have `em dykin'/They never tell me naw/(Why?) `Cause they like me".
But the most annoying thing about Shop Boyz is their catchphrase. If you're a twenty-something black guy, you do not -- repeat - DO NOT say "Totally Dude"! I'm sorry, but the only people that say that are fifteen-year-old white guys who shop at PacSun. In short, Rockstar Mentality isn't worth picking up because their minds ain't right, so leave it in the shop, boys.
