The whole Lil Paul – Lil Paul album is a hood classic. Every song he made came from the heart. People on the East Side of San Antonio knew that he was not to be challenged when it came to rapping. Nobody could fuck with him. There ain’t nobody from East Terrace with harder songs than Lil Paul besides Lil Short.
Lil Paul came tight with his rhymes despite the fact that not everyone can’t understand a word he says or where he’s coming from. He does try to stay consistent or on point with the songs he is rapping on. The Lil Paul – Lil Paul album was produced by Cain, 17 Freeze (Skip Wayne), and Ricé. RIP Lil Paul. LLLP. Lil Paul had the same ego, bravado, energy, and persona as Magic from No Limit Records did. Sean attempted to package Lil Paul as a carbon copy of Magic from No Limit Records. Lil Paul was going to be the hype man and lead artist for Commerce Street Records due to Lil Short going on the run from law enforcement back in 1998.
6 songs were recorded for the Lil Paul album. Most of which were freestyles. However most of the freestyles were just verses with no music attached to them for background music. A majority of which was produced by Cain because Cain was Lil Paul’s main producer. The songs Lil Paul recorded with Lil Sin were Dead On Arrival and Kill Or Be Killed, both of which were produced by 17 Freeze (Skip Wayne). Those songs were recorded for the Lil Paul – T-Gang compilation album and used on his debut solo album. It’s All The Same was another song recorded for that album which was his signature catchphrase he used a lot.
Some of you may remember that the Lil Paul album was advertised under the caption of “July ’99 – Lil Paul – T-Gang” above King 13 – Time Served in the Source Magazine. That was the same advertisement that was designed by Pen N Pixel. There was also another album of his which was going to be a self-titled album. Lil Paul – T-Gang is not the same as Lil Paul – Lil Paul.
As for the album cover, there were never any pictures taken for the Lil Paul album. The reason there was no album cover designed for the Lil Paul album was because he was in and out of jail. Lil Paul was in and out of jail a lot between 1996 and 2002. He already had warrants out for his arrests like Lil Short did. Plus Lil Paul was hard to work with and get in the studio.
The Lil Paul – Lil Paul album was supposed to be released in July 1999 on Commerce Street Records back when Commerce Street Records was located on East Commerce Street & North Walters Street (Commerce & Walters). However this did not happen for a variety of reasons. A big part of the reason why the Lil Paul album was never completed and was never released was due to legal drama. And the fact that the album was not completed.
Sean only wanted to press up 1,000 units of the Lil Paul – Lil Paul album because the City of San Antonio had a task force assigned to Commerce Street Records back when Commerce Street Records was located on East Commerce Street & North Walters Street from 1997 to 1999. Sean didn’t want San Antonio PD (SAPD) and Bexar County going after him due to gang related material Lil Paul was freestyling about.
The store on Commerce and Walters was used as a hang out for the East Terrace Gang. So SAPD and Bexar County sought out a gang injunction against Sean and the property as they believed illegal activity was happening. Sean and the East Terrace Gangsters used the storefront to store weapons. However all the weapons were legally registered. After he moved the store to Windsor Park Mall, the gang injunction and task force unit went away. At least until 2002. However the store kept getting raided due to bootlegging.
The other reason was due to him being a victim of recidivism. He was serving a prison sentence in TDCJ for various crimes he committed such as armed robbery and drug possession. Basically he was in and out of jail and prison a lot.
Staying Alive For Dat 5 was one of the songs recorded for that album. That was one of the hardest songs on the album. Many from the East Terrace Homes call that song a hood classic to this day. At least the homies that were close to Lil Paul. Just ask Lil Short or Bullet Word Lord.
Staying Alive For Dat 5 was produced by Sir Noks and Cain. Cain produced a majority of the beats. Although Sir Noks did some the beats and synth programming.
East Terries (East Terrace) was a diss song to rival gangs in rival neighborhoods which dates back to 1988 which is when Lil Paul wrote the song. The song was aimed at mainly at Bloods and Pirus (Piru) in neighborhoods such as The Stixx (Wheatley Heights), UNLV (United New Light Village), Rigsby Courts, Wheatley Courts, Dellcrest, Loma Park, and Brady Courts. East Terrace was pronounced as “East Terries” to throw off rival gangs from other neighborhoods and areas.
Lil Paul belonged to a Crip set known as the East Terrace Gangsters/East Terrace Gangstas/ETG aka T-Gang at the time this song was written and recorded. He was putting it down for the T-Gang with several others.
The song Kill Or Be Killed is a song Lil Paul recorded with Lil Sin for the Lil Paul – T-Gang compilation album and used on his debut solo album in 1999. Kill Or Be Killed was produced by 17 Freeze (Skip Wayne). The song had a dark mood with aggressive gangsta rap lyrics about murder. Lil Sin and Lil Paul rap about how they are both going to kill instead of be killed.
I rate this album 4/5****!
