If Pittsburgh Slim is deemed to be the MC to put the city of steel on the map, many Pittsburgh residents will surely be disappointed. The fairy tale goes that Slim was in a rock/rap mash-up group called Strictly Flow that opened for a few of hip-hop's golden boys like Ludacris and 50 Cent. He then split from the group and forged a mediocre solo career on the underground scene. I don't know if he has impeccable timing, maybe he got an insider hook up, or maybe his luck coupled with the shear desperation that is looming over lagging hip-hop sales and creativity came together at the perfect time. The stars were definitely aligned in his favor for a bidding war to erupt and for him to be plucked from oblivion by President Sean "Jay-Z" Carter, making Def Jam his home.
His debut album, Tastemaker, is just a cut above bearable. The album only has seven tracks and isn't saturated with remixes or interludes, but the few song choices aren't that great either. The first single, "Girls Kiss Girls," is an ode to the timeless male fantasy of girl-on-girl action. The electro-pop tart beat infuses techno/house and hip-hop, a testament to his days as the front man for a mash-up band. The video, which looks more like a "Girls Gone Wild" promo, has gotten its share of airtime, but has since faded into obscurity. "Toy" is a futuristic, catchy track that is sure to be a club hit, but with lyrics like, "Baby doll it's ya boy toy Pittsburgh Slim / got Chips Ahoy but a cookie cutter won't work on me / don't try it'll turn into burnt debris," it's best to forego the lyrics and just dance.
The entire album is veiled in humor, but it isn't clear whether Slim is being serious or not.
His less than stellar lyrics and just plain corny swag may not make him a hip-hop darling, but some frat boy with his collar popped doing a keg stand in the backyard will appreciate it. Pittsburgh Slim feels more like a flash in the pan than an artist with longevity. Unfortunately, this tastemaker is sour.
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