Review: Lil O – Blood Money

Lil O – Blood Money was one of Lil O’s hardest albums of 1999 which served as an autobiography during that point in his life. The album was written from an ex-drug dealer’s perspective and outlook on life. All of these tracks were written from Lil O’s experiences as a former drug dealer. You have gangsta rap tracks such as Blood Money, Bleed, Seven, Who’s Snitchin, Thug Niggaz, and Supposed Playa. Rags 2 Riches, Blood Money, Try, and The Truth are some of examples of the highlights that are included on this album.

The album has educational rap tracks such as Try and The Truth. Lil O gets educational and intellectual on The Truth by discussing the history of slavery in the United States and how African Americans face racial injustice. Try is an educational and intellectual rap track which motivates anyone who have no self confidence. They say there’s light at the end of the road.

Tracks such as Rags 2 Riches and Who’s Snitchin came from his then unreleased album My Struggle, My Hustle. Rags 2 Riches and Who’s Snitchin were used on Blood Money. My Struggle, My Hustle was his debut album that was supposed to be released on MCA Records back in 1997 but was never released due to label politics and business decisions. My Struggle, My Hustle was supposed to be released before Blood Money but was never released until 2006 as a 2 disc set.

The title track, Blood Money, is about how Lil O killed people for money while out on the block selling drugs such as crack cocaine. The autobiography of the Fat Rat with the cheese which is based on a true story. This is storytelling in rap form and Texas gangsta rap at its finest.

Ain’t no turning back now. This the story of how it went down. The autobiography of the Fat Rat with the cheese which is based on a true story.

Lil O hits the block in fatigue with these drugs sitting in his asshole to avoid being sent to jail. He is smuggling a ton of drugs. Straight crack cocaine worth a hundreds of dollar in street value is what he is selling. The dope game changed Lil O. Lil O is money hungry and is hustling from morning to the evening. He has a big body Benz sitting on thangs. A diamond piece and gold chain. Lil O concentrates on holding weight and work his way to a ki. Lil O concentrates on holding weight and stays away from hoe ass niggas that surround him. He is clutching on the bank.

Now it’s two years later. Everything is looking fine for Lil O. He keeps his business all to himself. He does not need haters all in his business. You tell these boys your business and they’ll have you doing time.

Then he hits the club all starched and ironed up like a star buying all his niggas drinks. Lil O is posing with bad bitches with his hands on their asses. Yeah this lifestyle is fast. But he’s in it to the death. He can’t settle for some change. At least small change. He can’t live without the cash. And it’s strange we still hustle but we know it don’t last.

Lil O learn lessons of the game from his boss on how to study crooks like books. His boss taught him how to pimp hoes and cocaine cook. Lil O overlooked the thoughts of living right and lawfully. There were consequences. Indeed he had to pay the price which would be the confiscation of his freedom. Lil O is a young nigga striving and constantly grinding. Lil O is planning hostile take overs, power moves, and perfect timing. His pockets overflow like a backed up toilet.

Lil O is looking for the person who snitched on him about his illegal criminal activity to law enforcement. That is what Who’s Snitchin is about. The track is aimed at snitches who informs law enforcement about illegal activities while committing crimes with the people they dime out. Who’s Snitchin came from his My Struggle, My Hustle album and was used on Blood Money. The track features UGK.

Pimp C is gripping the grain and playing with candy toys He stays strapped with the heat Boys is talking down but he’s still busting for his. Pimp C back on the streets to claim his rightful place of top gun of these streets. Now they planning the Sweet, and Now the motherfucking FED’s tapped his phone with help from the police in Port Arthur. This means some on snitched on Pimp C. Someone is snitching to the laws about his activities. Who’s snitching? Man fuck them niggas telling on him. The police in Port Arthur hate Pimp C’s guts. They try to set us up but Pimp C never does budge.

Ain’t no time for no haters being all in our mix cause we trying to get rich. Let’s hang that snitch and ave them sleeping with the fish for fucking over the click. Shoot their ass full of bullet.

Rags 2 Riches is about how Lil O came from being broke to having wealth. DJ Screw, Fat Pat, and Yungstar makes appearances on the track. The track uses a laid back smooth gangster vibe and sound. We deep down here in the South. Putting it down. Know I’m saying? Rags 2 Riches came from his album My Struggle, My Hustle and was used on Blood Money.

Lil O united the South Side and North Side on this track by getting rappers from different sides of Houston together on one track. There was intense beef between the South Side and North Side of Houston during that the time. Basically a big city rivalry. That is what stands out about this particular Lil O track.

DJ Screw performs a bit of spoken word at the beginning. He is what he said.

(DJ Screw talking)
Ha-ha, boys ain’t gon like this know I’m saying
Houston Texas, Screwed Up Click
Bar None Click what’s up Lil’ O, Fat Pat
(Yungstar), know I’m saying we deep down here in the South
Putting it down know I’m saying, let y’all boys know the real

The track Rags 2 Riches is known for Yungstar’s catchy hook which goes:

[Hook: Yungstar – 2x]
It’s like rags to riches, Cadillacs and bitches
Champagne in the club, acting bad taking pictures
Strapped at all times, cause these haters wanna kill us
Hundred dollar billers, trying to stack seven figgas

Lil O is Gucci shaded up with a plated up big Benz. That is what the lyrics, “I’m Gucci shaded up, big Benz plated up” People realize that Lil O went from being broke to having wealth by grinding and selling drugs. But his life is still strenuous. The average hustler would faint knowing how Lil O’s life really is. Even his darkest hour he manages to prosper.

These lyrics clearly indicate that Lil O came up from rags to riches.

Boppers looking like what, man this boy done came up
But my life still strenuous, the average hustler would faint
But even in my darkest hour, I shine like candy paint

Lil O hits the freeway sipping codeine. He is out of dank. So gets some more lean. He is so clean from having his clothing starched and ironed. So you know his pockets are full of green. Lil O has the Cadillacs and bitches. Lil O stays trapped at all times because these haters want to kill to him. He is trying to stack seven figures which are millions.

DJ Screw performs a bit of spoken word at the end. He is what he said.

(DJ Screw talking)
Know I’m saying, this how it’s going down
Riding on you punk bitches and snitches
Out for our riches, know I’m saying
H-Town Texas, feel us, Screwed Up baby fo’ life
Everyday and all day, Southsi’ for li’

The track Seven revolves how Lil O’s life revolves around the seven sins. His life revolves around greed, lust, wrath, and jealousy. The sin of greed and wrath are the most discussed sins on the track. Lil O’s life revolves around the seven sins. The jealousy is envy. Ain’t no motherfucking friends. The lust and the greed be the pussy and them ends.

The plot of the track revolves around rich Lil O and his partner committing a home invasion to get rich. Lil O and his partner commit a home invasion which turns into a robbery. His plan was to get rich. They believe they have nothing to lose. Lil O and his partner kicked down the door to the residence they planned to rob. Lil O grabbed his gat and started to bust. Everybody was made to lay down on the floor. A bunch goods such as jewelry and money were stolen.

Some niggas tried to set him up by getting him wet up on South Main. Niggas started running up on him. Lil O peeled like Versachi while thinking to himself, “You hoes got me fucked up.” So he mashes on the gas pedal. The same people he was cool with in high school are now aiming slugs at him. The seven sins turn friends to foes. Money split up friends. The Devil’s got our soul.

Lil O’s life revolves around the seven sins. The jealousy is envy. Ain’t no motherfucking friends. The lust and the greed be the pussy and them ends. But his life’s still complicated. The only way he’ll make it is to stay high and intoxicated. His own niggas hate it. Lil O is dedicated to this game and life of crime.

Lil O gets educational and intellectual on The Truth by discussing the history of slavery in the United States and how African Americans face racial injustice. He gets technological by discussing how new technology works. This track pertains to every black person. You want the truth but you can’t handle the truth.

Lil O recalls a time when blacks couldn’t buy shit at all. Slavery was completely legal in the United States for centuries. However slavery eventually came to an end because slavery wasn’t needed. New technology provided production quantities at a higher volume. Technology was cheaper than maintaining slaves. Slave owners faced a problem because slavery was outlawed.

Slave owners faced a problem because they did not know what to do with the free slaves. So rather sending the slaves back to their native land/countries, the plan they formulated was to give them jobs that would pay only just enough to barely afford to get the minimal wants and needs. Enough to keep them in poverty. They’ll still be in poverty but with their hard earned bucks. They’ll make us rich by buying shit that was made by us. They wouldn’t be making astonishing figures. Now slave owners can/could continue to make these goods without the slave labor to a certain extant.

Lil O discusses the history of slavery in the United States in Verse 1. Sort of like history class.

[Verse 1]
My lil partner stole a half, from a crooked ass law
He chopped it up and heat it in, it’s time he Hilfiger drawas
See hit the cut before you run, young G’s gotta crawl
And he was hitting every lick, even soaked his ma
And when he stacked a little change, he went straight to the mall
And bought some POLO and some Guess, to let hoes know that he ball
But I recall a time when blacks, couldn’t buy shit at all
And when you mention slavery, no one sounded appealed
They said ay free the slaves, see loves blacks don’t believe it
Slavery came to an end, cause slavery wasn’t needed
New technology, provided quantities at high volume
Cheaper than maintaining slaves, now we got us a problem
Cause now we can make these goods, and astonishing figures
Without the labor tell me what we gon do with these niggas
Should we gun em down with triggas, send em back to they land
Or should we keep em all in chains, till we get us a plan
Well here’s a plan let’s give em jobs, better jobs than we
No just enough, so they can get the minimal wants and needs
They’ll still be in poverty, but with they hard earned bucks
They’ll make us rich by buying shit, that was made by us you see

Now if you worked all your life but still ain’t had shit. If you seen a man slipping, would you grab his shit? I’m talking gun a person down, straight robbing, stealing, or commit genocide. Even though we can’t afford it, man we still gotta get it.

Lil O explains that sending niggas to jail is big business which is how the prison industrial complex makes money. Sending people to jail is how the prison industrial complex makes millions of dollars in terms of money. The prison industrial complex is big business.

Lil O discusses how the prison industrial complex makes money in these lyrics.

We got the whole game confused, we being played like fools
But playa who am I to lie? I do the same shit too
Cause I done jacked me some niggas, I done been on the grind
But playa peep how smart they is, they getting paid off our crime
It’s big business in the 90’s, sending niggas to jail
You can buy stock in the pen, think they ain’t making mail

When God Made You is another educational and intellectual rap track discusses the background of his family. His talks about his mother and sister. He discusses and divulges into how deep his love is for his younger sister. He also talks about his wife in the track.

Lil O discussed the relationship he had with his mother in Verse 1.

When Lil O was down, his mother picked him up through all my stress and strain. Catered to his every need. She was the one whom he could confess his pain to. His mother told him life is like a test. She wiped the tears from his eyes.

His sweet mother was a pretty black queen who was an angel sent from the heavens. Makes you wonder how this world could take a mother of 5 and send her to the early death when only love was her crime. No one is supposed to be in the graveyard at 39. There is no other divine person. Plus she worked so hard for everything that she had. 5 kids from one man. She never cheated on his father.

Lil O discusses and divulges into how deep his love is for his younger sister in Verse 2.

Lil O reminisces on the day his younger sister was born. He picked her up in his arms, to keep her out of harm. His younger sister is the only living thing to remind him of their mother. Lil O would die before he let his younger sister become a victim to these streets, prostitution, or a life of crime. He would die before he let his younger sister become be a tramp or a gold digger. He wants her to be independent.

Lil O tells her to not be chasing after any playa because if that playa really loves her, he ain’t gonna mind sharing his wealth with her. Let him know that you’re a lady. Don’t be up in these streets running around having babies. He told to always talk educated. He also tells his younger sister to be sexy but classy by keeping her clothes on and not be scantily clad.

He says to his younger sister, “Don’t be chasing after no nigga because if that playa really love you, he ain’t gonna mind sharing his wealth. And he’ll respect you because he know that you can get it yourself.”

He also tells her, “And don’t be fast with your ass. Let him know that you a lady. Don’t be up in these streets running around having babies so they know you ain’t no chicken head. That’s just overrated. And know that only suckers fall in love with hoes. Be sexy but classy. Keep on your clothes. And these words from your bro. I thank God that you listen. Because you grew up to be a queen when I see you ya glisten see.”

He tells her, “When God made you, all my fantasies came true. Through all the rain and pain, you stayed true. Them hoes, you don’t do what they do. Pretty thing you a queen. He made a lady.”

Lil O talks about how he thanks the Lord for being blessed with a loving, caring wife in Verse 3 .

His wife made him realize that life is about more than money and cars. If he didn’t have a penny, she would still call him a star. When the average girl would cheat, she refused to act shife. Lil O’s got a beautiful intelligent jazzy queen with 3 college degrees.

He tells her, “When God made you, all my fantasies came true. Through all the rain and pain, you stayed true. Them hoes, you don’t do what they do. Pretty thing you a queen. He made a lady.”

Try is an educational and intellectual rap track which motivates anyone who have no self confidence. They say there’s light at the end of the road. No matter what you still gotta try. Life is what you make out of it.

I rate this album 5/5*****!