J-Zone - A Job Ain't Nuthin But Work
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Music CD Cover
Artist: J-ZoneEdition: Music CD
Format: Explicit Lyrics
CD Release Date: 2004-09-28
Music Label: Fatbeats
Soundtracks:
- The Zone-ettes
- Spoiled Rotten
- A Friendly Game Of Basketball
- Edit These
- Great Later
- Xactly
- Kill Pretty
- Baldylocks
- Crutches
- Disco Ho
- Flight 212
- Bulls**t City
- Heavy Metal
- Oops! (I'm Sorry, B*tch)
- Sleazy Listening
- Lightweight (Remix)
- The Zone Report
- Old Maid Theme/Biscuits II
Free Music Notes for A Job Ain't Nuthin But Work
Free Music Review: Light and very appealing
Hit: 4 Stars
J-Zone is an incredibly talented producer and MC from New York who I was recently saddened to hear has retired from recording. This album was my introduction to J-Zone and I thought I'd review it to hopefully turn some people on to his great music. This is J-Zone's fifth album (his first two are incredibly hard to find), and while I wouldn't call it his best, it's extremely appealing. His earlier albums were musically very ambitious and lyrically conceptual, but this album contains much simpler production and lyrics dealing with the light side of life. This is one of a handful of rap albums that actually has made me laugh. It's amazingly funny at times. What I love so much about J-Zone as a rapper is that he sounds like your ordinary everyman. As an independent, underground musician, he is far from rich, and he raps about the life he lives. I think it's really funny, because when he gripes about potholes or high prices in restaurants or his inability to woo women, it sounds like it could just as easily be your uncle or your neighbor talking. Sometimes he makes fun or parodies rappers who rap about cars or big chains because it's so far from his own life. J-Zone is also a punchline artist and his humorous one-liners are never in short supply. He's very sarcastic and incredibly funny. What really made J-Zone stand out as a younger artist was his experimental production, like when he made catchy, head-nodding grooves with chopped-up funk samples and odd instrumentation, like accordions. On "A Job Ain't Nuthin But Work," his production is much simpler than on his past work. The beats are a little more electronic sounding and sound kind of cartoonish, fitting the lyrics well. They are still very unique, and his use of obscure vocal samples makes for a very entertaining element. The guest list is surprisingly impressive, including Celph Titled and Devin the Dude, especially considering J-Zone's guests are usually limited to his own camp. Overall "A Job Ain't Nuthin But Work" is a very entertaining release that I highly recommend to hip hop fans whose taste extends beyond the top 40.
After the silly intro "The Zone-Ettes," the album begins with "Spoiled Rotten," which has a nice beat and showcases an ironic collaboration with underground hardcore rapper Celph Titled. On "A Friendly Game of Basketball," J-Zone makes fun of the rappers who all pretend to be great hoops players, mocking the universal link between rap and basketball and celebrity all-star games. Songs like these are what I like so much about J-Zone the rapper, because other artists would never think to rap about everyday things like this. "Edit These" is his lashing out at mainstream radio, playing everything but curses in reverse over an experimental-sounding beat. The Devin the Dude collaboration "Greater Later" is a hilarious look at low-budget lifestyle, about being cheap and being hopeful for the future. "Xactly" makes fun of people with poor hygiene practices whose "breath smells 'xactly like their..." "Kill Pretty" has a beat that sounds like it came from an arcade game, and J-Zone admits his ugliness but claims that women should like him anyway. He shows his ability to chop up vocal samples on "Baldylocks," a song about the unappealing baldhead and weave looks on women. "Disco H..." featuring Disco Stallion tells a funny story about a drunken trip to the nightclub gone wrong, and the hook pokes fun at Pharrell Williams. "Bullsh... City" is among my favorite songs here, where J-Zone gripes about all the problems of his hometowns, from bad sports teams to potholes to high taxes. It's a song that I could really relate to and found surprisingly accurate. His protege Al-Shid is given a track on "Heavy Metal," and "Oops! (I'm Sorry, B...)" is a sarcastic universal apology for all kinds of mistakes. After the silly "Sleazy Listening" is the "Lightweight (Remix)," a song about how he has a hard time holding his weight at the bar with a nice beat. "The Zone Report" is one of the most honest rap songs I've heard. He gives a totally honest critique of his past music, something most artists would be terrified to do for fear of hurting sales. The album ends with "Old Maid Theme/Biscuits II," a musically catchy cut where he shouts out his supporters.
"A Job Ain't Nuthin But Work" is very light collection of hip hop that's far from serious. I highly recommend all of J-Zone's albums, he's a rapper that I think would find a wide appeal if more people listened to him. He's a really likable character and an awesome producer besides. I really think people will like this album, and I also recommend his other albums as well.
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