March 05, 2021

Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs "Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto" (3/5/91)


Ed OG and Da B.U.L.L.D.O.G.S. - or Black United Leaders Living Directly On Grooving Sounds - came out and put Boston permanently on the miznap. The first single "I Got Ta Have It" blew up like a funk bomb across the country, and the video--which captured Boston and Da BULLDOGS with much flavor--helped gain Ed O.G. crazy rek. During the reign of this single, Ed's skilled flow and his strong reality-based lyrics captivated the hip-hop ears, while that fat beat and smooth horn kept the dance floor pumpin'. The follow-up single "Bug-A-Boo" made a little noize but "Be A Father To Your Child" had what some dubbed the beat of the year, plus some tres-positive messages. Produced by the long-time New York DJ's The Awesome Two, the album Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto has laid the groundwork for Ed OG to do damage well into '92. - The Source (1991). Hip-Hop Connection adds, "Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto is a pleasure to listen to - whilst reflecting New York's recent tendency to leave out much of the drum and bass flavor of cool, shmoov laid-back breaks, Ed OG's voice comes across like a less staccato Doug E. Fresh in an album which is a definite purchase if I ever heard one. Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto chronicles just that, with songs that concentrate on various aspects of that 'life', like the soulful “Gotta Have Money,” which complains of the Western 'norm' of needing to have material wealth before finding a partner; 'Let Me Tickle Your Fancy' which is kind of a hip-hop 'chat up' session, and the far more serious 'Be A Father To Your Child' which brutally disses the irresponsible males who leave their child bearing partners to become single mothers. Ed OG certainly knows how to make a bug-out tune too, as "Feel Like A Nut” amply demonstrates in a comic little ditty which relieves the seriousness of the rest of the album - an album which is best described as 'refreshing' and not a strain to the ear like much other hip-hop of today. Niceness." Celebrating its 30th Anniversary today, I still argue for Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto as one of the best albums of 1991, which was a year with a lot of groundbreaking releases!


New Artist Spotlight in The Source and more below...